Deputy Mayor Diaries: Visit from Rudi Delvai - President of World Fair Trade Organisation

If you didn't know, we are half way through Fair Trade Fortnight and Reading, which is a Fair Trade Town, was proud to welcome Rudi Delvai, president of the World Fair Trade Organsiation (WFTO).  I was invited to attend a talk by Mr Dulvai about how Fair Trade organisations are certified.

I have always been interested in Fair Trade and its effect on the people it helps.  It was a very interesting talk where we were told how organisations are certified and how the WFTO ensure they continue to trade fairly once they have entered the scheme.

There was also time for quetions at the end.  I was interested to hear the Scouting movement are very keen to educate their youngsters on Fair Trade and, by using the pester power of children, get parents to consider switching to Fair Trade products.  I have first hand experience on this when last year my eldest bounced out of Beavers and insisted I buy Fair Trade bananas from that point onwards.  Luckily I was able to show him we already to.  Pester power - it works!

There are still lots of events still to take place and you can find out all about them here.

Reading also has a Fair Trade group and their website is here.

One of the audience members made a very good point about paying that bit extra for Fairtrade (although you can find products in places like Lidl and Aldi).  You would usually give 50p or a £1 here and there to charity so why not buy Fair Trade and provide a worker somewhere in the word with a decent wage.

Rudi Delvai, me and David Sutton