Solihull schools have created different Fairtrade superhero sculptures that will be unveiled across Solihull town centre this Easter.
Taking place over the Easter holidays, this trail coincides with a time of year when chocolate is flying off the shelves, a time when it is important to reach for those ethical products and really think about where our chocolate is coming from.
The pupils have thought about Fairtrade a lot and have given their heroes different abilities that aid and protect those that Fairtrade aims to support. Each figure has a description written by the pupils that outlines these abilities and sheds light on the importance of buying Fairtrade, and the positive impact Fairtrade has on workers, farmers and communities across the world.
The trail will begin on Saturday 12 April and will feature several different Fairtrade superheroes across Solihull high street and in The Core library. These egg-shaped sculptures will be on display in different windows and in the foyer of The Core library until Monday 21 April.
The Solihull Fairtrade Trail is an ideal activity for children and families. Parents are encouraged to visit the Your Future Solihull Fairtrade webpage to learn more, as well as to download a trail map to find every sculpture.
The Children’s library area in The Core will also have paper copies of trail maps, as well as superhero drawing sheets. Parents can also download these sheets from our webpage so that other children in the borough can have a go at creating their own Fairtrade superhero by taking inspiration from the ones they have spotted throughout the town centre.
Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Planning, Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, said:
“We all have the power to make a difference when we go to the shops or reach for a big chocolate Easter Egg at this time of year by considering the ethical and environmental implications of the products we purchase.
“As the wonderful sculptures and the informative posters will tell you, climate change is a fundamental challenge faced by the growers and farmers that Fairtrade aims to protect. Adverse weather conditions make it harder to grow the cocoa beans that our Easter eggs come from.
"By choosing Fairtrade, we can support these communities under threat, that play such an important part in our lives at this time of year, even though they may seem very far away. Follow the Fairtrade trail this year to learn how you can help protect their livelihood and the supply of ethical products on our shelves.”
For more information about the Council’s climate change and sustainability campaign and how to get involved, visit the Your Future Solihull webpages, or sign up to the Your Future Solihull newsletter.