University of Greenwich Achieves Fairtrade University Status

On the 1st march 2011 the University of Greenwich achieved Fairtrade University Status.

University of Greenwich Fairtrade Accreditation Certificate

The achievement reflects a lot of recent hard work and developments across the University towards promoting Fairtrade products, the Fairtrade Foundation and what Fairtrade does for farm workers across the globe. The arrival of the certificate and the accreditation is very timely as the University is very much involved with Fairtrade Fortnight as we speak.

SUUG are running a Fairtrade Wine Week at their bars, where you can get into the spirit of things and enjoy a glass of Fairtrade wine or two. Meanwhile we still have the competitions to win a Fairtrade hamper and a Fairtrade Chocolate fountain experience at the Mansion Site, Greenwich and Avery Hill Campuses, Fairtrade give aways at UMSA and SUUG shops and an attempt to break the world record for the longest continual piece of bunting at the Dome.

As well as the goings on in Fairtrade Fortnight we have received the accreditation for a year’s worth of effort, changes and actions. All the coffee and tea served in hospitality is Fairtrade, along with the sugar, which is refined locally at North Woolwich Tate & Lyle sugar refinery. The University has been working together with the caterers (ABM and Sodexo) the students unions (UMSA and SUUG) and collectively we have increased the amount of Fairtrade products available at the University, promoted the virtues of Fairtrade at events like the Freshers Fayre and Green Week and we are looking at a vast array of options for taking our collective commitment to Fairtrade further.

Rest assured we will not be resting on our laurels and you will see the range of Fairtrade products increase over the course of the next 12 months, various promotions and events and hopefully this time next year I will be able to report that we have achieved Fairtrade University status for the second year running.

Fairtrade Fortnight

Look out for the Fairtrade guarantee mark this fortnight

Today sees the start of Fairtrade Fortnight at the University of Greenwich and there is a plethora of events, deals and treats lined up for you over the next two weeks. The Fairtrade Foundation who organise Fairtrade fortnight nationally, are set up to promote and empower workers within less economically developed regions to gain a fair price for their produce. One of the ways that they do this is through the instantly recognisable Fairtrade mark which they award to products that comply with the Fairtrade Foundation’s standards. Put simply when you a buy a product with a Fairtrade mark on it you are guaranteed that the people who farmed or picked the product in its raw state, whether coffee, chocolate, cotton or banana are receiving a fair price for their work and often working in much improved conditions than farmers and workers who are working to produce products that do not receive the Fairtrade mark.

Fairtrade banana farmer (Photo: Simon Rawles)

The University and Students Unions have long been supporters of Fairtrade, and many Fairtrade products have been available across campus for some time. Recently though the University has decided to organise its efforts towards Fairtrade through the creation of a Fairtrade steering group last year and the approval of a Fairtrade Policy this year: http://www.gre.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/505201/Fairtrade_Policy.pdf Earlier in the month the University applied for Fairtrade University status which we hope we will be awarded before the fortnight is up.

So to encourage everyone on campus to support the cause we have brought together the University’s caterers ABM and Sodexo along with the Students Unions SUUG and UMSA to offer you the best deals on Fairtrade throughout the fortnight and a chance to learn about the difference your money can make to these people’s lives.

In all ABM outlets and cafes you will find an increased range of Fairtrade items being sold, including home baked cakes made with Fairtrade ingredients and Fairtrade bananas on top of all the usual delicious Fairtrade teas, coffees and chocolates. To encourage you to try Fairtrade ABM have arranged for some mouth watering prizes including a Fairtrade hamper and a Fairtrade chocolate experience to be won at each campus. Each time you buy a Fairtrade item you can claim a Fairtrade raffle ticket which will give you the chance to win one of these fabulous prizes. The winners of the prizes will be announced and contacted after the fortnight is over. While you are eating and drinking your Fairtrade delights in the cafe you will be able to read all about how Fairtrade helps the workers and farmers who grew and picked the product in the first place.

Fairtrade Chocolate experience to be won at each campus

In Sodexo’s outlet at the Dome there is a power-point presentation on loop across all the screens telling the story of Fairtrade farmers that you will be able to watch while you enjoy the increased range of Fairtrade goods on offer. As well as this, if you are feeling creative, you can join in the Fairtrade world record attempt at creating the longest continual piece of bunting ever with Fairtrade cotton bunting and drawing attention to the ‘great cotton stitch-up ‘.

SUUG poster for their Fairtrade Raffle

The Universities at Medway Student Association (UMSA) are holding a free raffle to win a Fairtrade cotton hoody, have an increased number of Fairtrade products on sale and will allow you to sample their Fairtrade products in the UMSA shop at Medway. The Students Union University of Greenwich (SUUG) are continuing with the theme of raffles and also offering you a chance to win a Fairtrade hamper full of all sorts of wonderful items including a University of Greenwich hoody made using Fairtrade cotton. For the drinkers among you there is good news too as Sparrows Farm and Bar Latitude are launching Fairtrade Wine Week from next Monday – all week long you will be able to get special offers on Fairtrade wine and perhaps get the creative juices flowing enough to contribute to the Fairtrade bunting record attempt. See more info on the SUUG website here:www.suug.co.uk/whatson/ftfortnight

The message is clear, this fortnight get yourself to the cafes, shops, canteens and bars on campus, enjoy the Fairtrade products that we have on offer and use the experience as a chance to learn about Fairtrade and what it means to the people whose lives are affected by it.

Christmas Carols, Parties, Meals and Meetings

It has reached that time of year where everything seems to come with a Christmas theme, this evening is full of excitement as Kat will be singing in the Carol Concert at the beautiful Chapel of St. Peter and St. Paul in the Old Royal Naval College, Queen Mary building. Also this evening we have the Facilities Management Christmas party, so we can celebrate listening to Kat’s singing with a glass of mulled wine later on.

The Chapel of St. Peter and St. Paul at Greenwich

Tuesday was the London Universities Environmental Group (LUEG) Christmas special with workshops on Green IT and Environmental Legal Registers and a big get together with London based People & Planet members to work together on our preparations for Green Week. Green Week is set for February 7th – 14th and has a love theme as a result of coinciding with Valentine’s Day and the strap line ‘Love your Future, Love your Planet’ will be the message spread across the country by the various People & Planet groups.

Without a People & Planet group here at the University of Greenwich the Sustainability Team has decided to take up the reigns and organise some events for Green Week in February. Our Sustainability Champions have been set the task of getting their department to contribute and our champions are currently working away on their ideas for February. If you would like to get involved please email the Sustainability Team and we will help you run an event for it. If you want to find out more about Green Week and People & Planet have a look at their website. http://peopleandplanet.org/gogreenweek/go-green-week-2011

This week has also seen the launch of Walking Works at the University and three lunchtime walks this week, Iain has had great success with his two walks at Avery Hill, marching through the snow and taking in the fresh air. At Greenwich on Wednesday we managed to scale the hill up to the observatory and look at the breathtaking views of London, meet our bees in the Mausoleum and learn some fascinating nuggets of information from our resident expert Alison Lawrence. These walks of course all contributed to our efforts towards the walking challenge, and I can reveal as of 11:30am December 10th I have worked off the equivalent of 2.65 mince pies this week! The University’s partnership with Walking Works is for the following 12 months so expect to see a lot more walking taking place over the campus throughout 2011. To register and work out your mince pies earned through walking go to: http://www.gre.ac.uk/offices/fm/transport/walking-works

Sunset and Snow at Avery Hill

Walkers at Greenwich

Yesterday saw a meeting between Sodexo, SUUG, ABM and the Sustainability Team to draw up plans for Fairtrade Fortnight at the University. ABM as usual were full of bright ideas for the fortnight and still enjoying the wave of success from receiving all those awards at the Good Food on the Public Plate awards last week. Keep an ear to the ground and eye out for more Fairtrade promotion during 2011 and the Fairtrade Fortnight from February 28th – March 13th. Fairtrade Fortnight 2011