Chelmsford Fairtrade Town Campaign is delighted that Essex County Council gave its backing to Fairtrade in 2005. Then, at a meeting of the Council's Corporate Policy Development Group on 26 January 2006, a progress report on Fairtrade in Essex was discussed and the following agreed:

• to identify other large office accommodation owned by ECC and to investigate how the use of Fairtrade products (particularly tea and coffee) could be encouraged.

• to do some promotional work during Fairtrade Fortnight and to raise awareness of ECC’s support for Fairtrade.

• to use INSX again next year to promote ECC’s support for Fairtrade.

• to engage with the Young Essex Assembly who have consistently expressed an interest in Fairtrade issues.

• to liaise with other towns and Councils within Essex who have expressed an interest in Fairtrade issues, and to jointly promote support.

In addition to advancing Fairtrade in their own area Essex groups are now turning their attention to making Essex a Fairtrade county. To do this we have to encourage the establishment of more groups. If you want to become active in your locality, then please contact one of the Fairtrade groups that exist or are in the process of being formed. If your town is not there, then take the initiative and start one. We would be pleased to assist.

As part of our campaign to make Essex a Fairtrade County we have established an Essex Forum where you can express your views. Please have a look.

Basildon          Contact:Louise Edwards Congratulations to Basildon who were runners-up in the Fairtrade                                               Foundation's Best Outreach and Networking Campaign category for 2008.                    

Braintree        Contact:Ruth Barlow  

Billericay        Contact:Maralyn Buchanan 

Brentwood     Contact:Caryl Kwei 

Castle Point   Contact:Joe Cooke

Chelmsford    Contact:Malcolm Wallace  

Colchester      Contact:Robert Leggett-Auld  Colchester website

Harlow           Contact:Jokey Lloyd   Harlow website

Leigh-on-Sea  Contact: David Elcock Leigh-on-Sea website

Southend        Contact:Colin Kemp    Southend website

Thurrock         Contact:Clare Lambert 

Wivenhoe       Contact: Chris Fox

Minutes of the First Meeting to Establish Essex as a Fairtrade County.

Venue: Christ Church New London Road, Chelmsford 6 November 2008.

Present: Fourteen representatives (details below) from Basildon, Billericay, Braintree, Brentwood, Colchester and Chelmsford. Apologies were received from Wivenhoe.

1.       After Malcolm Burgess (Chelmsford) opened the meeting and welcomed everyone, he called for someone to take the Chair for the remainder of the meeting. It was agreed that he continue as Chairman for the evening.

2.       Those present then outlined some of their local Fairtrade work to date; much of this was similar but it varied according to the length of time that their Group had been active. One noticeable feature was the difference in support given by the local Council. Basildon, which has strong support from its Council, was congratulated on receiving its recent award from the Fairtrade Foundation. However, it was unable to have road signs installed promoting the town’s Fairtrade status. Billericay mentioned the work it has done with schools on designing a logo for a Fairtrade bag. Colchester highlighted the progress on its Fairtrade shop and the work it has carried out with the Schools Development Centre. Chelmsford made reference to High Street sales and exhibitions. Braintree related the progress it had made, and Brentwood expected a positive decision on Fairtrade from its Council on 26 November.

3.       The meeting then heard that at a meeting of Essex County Council held on 12 October 2004, it was resolved that the “Council is happy to investigate the possibility of gaining Fair Trade status for Essex as long as the cost of doing so does not significantly impact on the taxpayers of Essex, and will seek to encourage other authorities in the County to do the same.”

At a meeting of the ECC Corporate Policy Group held on 26 January 2005, a progress meeting took place (which Chelmsford Fairtrade had attended) and it was noted that the Council had been working closely with Eurest which provides the catering facilities at County Hall. Fairtrade products had been supplied at no extra cost to ECC. It was agreed that the Corporate Policy Group could make progress by:

(i)              identifying other large office accommodation owned by ECC and investigating how the use of Fairtrade products (particularly tea and coffee) could be encouraged;

(ii)             doing some promotional work during Fairtrade Fortnight 2006 to raise awareness of ECC’s support for Fairtrade;

(iii)            using INSX again next year to promote ECC’s support of Fairtrade;

(iv)           engaging with the Youth Essex Assembly who have consistently expressed an interest in Fairtrade issues, and

(v)             liaising with other towns and Councils within Essex who have expressed an interest, to jointly promote support.

Chelmsford then updated those present of a meeting it had held with ECC on 14 January 2008 and said that minutes of their meetings were always sent to the Council for information.

4.       A discussion then took place on the population of the Essex towns, the qualifications for obtaining County Status, and what could be done to encourage towns that have not established a Fairtrade group to do so.

It was noted that the goals for a Fairtrade County are broadly the same as those for a Fairtrade Town. The Steering Group will need to have a county-level focus with representatives from around the county. Media and events will also need to have a county-level focus. Goals 2 and 3 can be considered as met if more than 50% of the total county population already lives in areas (towns, boroughs etc) that have achieved Fairtrade status.

5.       The meeting then went on to discuss the best way forward and it was agreed to establish a Steering Group composed of Ruth Barlow (Braintree), Louise Edwards (Basildon), David Parker, Ray Le Couteur, Malcolm Wallace (Chelmsford).

     The following was agreed:

(i)              That each Fairtrade Group would advise all those attending the population of their town.

(ii)             That the group hosting future meetings would make the arrangements, Chair the meeting and provide minutes.

(iii)            Ruth and David to liaise on a letter to be sent to leading faith bodies to try to get new Fairtrade groups established in Essex.

(iv)           Louise and Malcolm to liaise on a letter to Essex County Council with a view to making further progress.

(v)             Ray to develop an Essex Forum website based on the Chelmsford Forum.

6.       Chelmsford was thanked for hosting the event. As there was no further business the Chairman thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting.