FAIRTRADE was on the menu at Huddersfield University.
Every day throughout the national Fairtrade Fortnight the campus café is serving up some tasty ethical treats.
And yesterday, Mayor of Kirklees Clr Julie Stewart-Turner met students at the café to try out the day’s special – Moroccan couscous and lamb tagine.
Emily Rye, environment and sustainability co-ordinator at the university said: “Thestudents are becoming much more discerning and are becoming much more interested in where the food comes from that they are putting on their plates, and also what they are buying on campus.
“We’ve made a commitment to Fairtrade and as a university it is one of our ideals.
“We represent ourselves as an international university and we think it is important for our students to develop a global awareness.”
The university was awarded Fairtrade status last year and has teamed up with Green councillor Stewart-Turner and Kirklees Council to help achieve Fairtrade status for Huddersfield.
Emily said: “I think Fairtrade is something that’s very close to the mayor’s heart.
“When she first came into office last May we had just got our Fairtrade accreditation and she jumped at the chance to come and present our certificate to us.
“And that was when we first had discussions about Huddersfield becoming a Fairtrade town and how the university could help.”
To gain Fairtrade status for Huddersfield from The Fairtrade Foundation the council must show that they have successfully promoted Fairtrade by meeting a series of goals.
They are backing the Fairtrade Fortnight and The Big Swap campaign with a number of community events.
Yesterday local Fairtrade businesses set up stalls at the university including The Co-operative, Holmfirth Fair Traders’ Co-operative and Half Moon Health Foods.
Emily explained: “The mayor had a good look around and visited every stall and tried out the chocolates and confectionery.
“Chocolate is the second most popular Fairtrade product after coffee.
“The place had a good buzz and a lively atmosphere.
“It isn’t immediately obvious how Fairtrade and local food link together.
“But both are putting the farmer or producer at the heart of trade.”
Fairtrade is a growing international movement, tackling poverty in the developing world by ensuring that producers get a fair deal for their products.
