Fun and games for Fairtrade Fortnight.

The change from February to March marks Fairtrade Fortnight where young people across the world learn about how they can tackle a global issue and help reduce poverty.

It links directly to the Beaver Scouts Global Issues badge [link to HQ badge requirements] and is a key part of the global programme that we all look at.

What is Fairtrade?

Fairtrade is all about farmers getting a fair price for their products so they can re-invest and improve their lives.

It’s one of the big ways people can reduce world hunger and poverty – one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals agreed in 2015.

Across 73 countries in the developing world, the scheme is organised by the Fairtrade Foundation who pass on the Fairtrade premium over and above the minimum price for the farmer’s goods.

You can find it on food, drink, clothing and home products so do look out for the logo in the shops.

Activities to get stuck in to.

There are loads of ways you can explore this with your Scouts, either in its own activity or as part of something bigger.

Activities that can be done at home include:

• Go on a hunt round your home looking for products in your kitchen that are Fairtrade.
• Design a poster to advertise Fairtrade products or to raise awareness of it.
• Making baked bananas using Fairtrade bananas and chocolate. [Link to HQ activity, https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/fairly-baked-bananas/]
• Prepare a meal using as many Fairtrade products as possible.

Other activities include:

• Try a blind taste test of Fairtrade and non-Faitrade products. Can you tell the difference?
• What could a small price difference in the shops mean to farmers across the world?

There are more resources at the Fairtrade Foundation’s website for Schools and Youth groups: https://schools.fairtrade.org.uk/