Int'l Dev Secretary praises Wolverhampton’s fairtrade pioneers

Andrew Mitchell, International Development Secretary, is today visiting Wolverhampton
to taste fairtrade coffee from the city’s new pioneers of fair and ethical trading, Revolver
World, ahead of Fairtrade Fortnight later this month.

Meeting Revolver with the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Bert Turner, and the Executive
Director of the Fairtrade Foundation, Harriet Lamb, Andrew Mitchell said:

“Revolver has proved that fair and ethical trading can be both good for British business
and can transform the lives of the poorest. Making a small change to your weekly shop,
like buying Revolver’s superb Fairtrade coffee can make a real difference to those who
farm these everyday essentials. You are also supporting an iconic local company. I’m
delighted that Wolverhampton is leading the way in bringing new, commercially successful
ways to tackle global poverty.

The visit comes ahead of Fairtrade Fortnight, which highlights that fairtrade goods can
guarantee farmers and producers in the poorest countries receive a fair price for their
produce and boosting their families’ income. The British Government supports the
Fairtrade Foundation to help bring similar promising products to British customers.

Paul Birch, Managing Director of Revolver World said:
"Customers know they can make a difference to the lives of people they will never meet,
when making decisions about what they place into their shopping baskets. Music may
have the power to change people's lives, but we at Revolver Records wanted to do
something more tangible - we're working with famers in Uganda and Tanzania to make
Fairtrade coffee, and cotton growers in India to help us make Fairtrade clothes, all of which
helps them to escape poverty."

Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation said: ‘By supporting
businesses who work in a fair and ethical way with small-holder producers in developing
countries, the government is helping farmers to earn a sustainable living. It’s great to see
Andrew Mitchell encouraging businesses to behave responsibly by creating stronger links
with those farmers and workers on whom they depend.

“Fairtrade is a living example of responsible capitalism – both enabling businesses here to
take a step towards tackling poverty, and a means for smallholders in developing countries
to build their own businesses.’

Useful links:

1. Find out more about how DFID supports Fairtrade here: http://projects.dfid.gov.uk/