Solihull Council usually works with schools and voluntary groups to run a Fairtrade cake baking competition and a trail around the town centre during Fairtrade Fortnight. This year, neither of these can take place because of the national lockdown so the Council will instead be supporting the Fairtrade Foundation’s online exhibition and holding virtual coffee mornings.
Young people aged 5 – 25 years old are invited to share their visions of the world they want for farmers and workers worldwide, using drawings, paintings and poems for a national online exhibition during Fairtrade Fortnight.
Entries must be emailed so photos of artwork should be taken in natural light if possible and the art should fill the frame. Poems should be no longer than one side of A4 and can be sent as an email, Word document or PDF. Young people under 18 years old should get consent from a parent or guardian.
The council is also running daily virtual Fairtrade coffee mornings on weekdays at 11am from 22 February – 5 March.
Solihull Council’s Fairtrade Champion, Cllr Ken Hawkins, said: “I know many will be sad that we are unable to highlight and celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight in the usual way, but I hope young people will get behind this exhibition and draw, paint and write their visions for a world where people can trade fairly. I’m really looking forward to seeing what will be created for the exhibition.
“Our daily Fairtrade coffee mornings will also provide an opportunity to get together virtually over a Fairtrade cuppa and cake and talk about how we can all make a difference.”
For more information contact Sarah at: slardner@solihull.gov.uk and send your entries to her by 5pm on Friday 12 February. All entries will be forwarded to the Fairtrade Foundation and a selection will be used to support Fairtrade work in Solihull schools.
To sign up for the Fairtrade coffee mornings, please email Andrew at: agreenall@solihull.gov.uk
Solihull Council has three Fairtrade Champions – Cllr Ken Hawkins, Cllr Laura McCarthy and Cllr Mark Wilson. Solihull was awarded Fairtrade Borough status in 2010.If an image, try to take a clear photo in natural lighting. Try to fill the whole frame with your artwork. If a video, it must be shot in landscape, not portrait, and shared with us via a link to the video on YouTube or Vimeo. If you have written a poem or prose, please keep it to a maximum of one side of A4 and share electronically as an email, Word document or PDF.Remember to get consent from a parent or guardian!