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Fairtrade City Day March 5th 2004
Portsmouth was officially declared a ‘Fairtrade City’ on March 5 2004, recognising that its shops, businesses and cafes are promoting Fairtrade products that don’t exploit suppliers in poorer countries. The official announcement was the culmination of two years of campaigning by Portsmouth’s Fairtrade Forum. And, because Southampton received the same seal of approval on the same day, the celebrations started there and ended here.
The party began when a 1915 Scandinavian trawler arrived at Southampton Pier with a cargo of Fairtrade bananas. Portsmouth MP Mike Hancock was there to hand them over to mark the co-operation between cities that are traditionally rivals.
The bananas, which were grown specially for the celebrations in the Windward Islands, came with a message from the plantation farmers. Later in the day they were handed out in schools, hospitals and community centres in Southampton.
Then there was a Fairtrade march from the town quay to the precinct, led by actors in banana costumes. A Fairtrade coffee morning in Southampton precinct kicked off at 12.15pm, and at around 12.45pm, scores of cyclists sporting Fairtrade tabards set off to Portsmouth.
The official announcement was made at 1pm in both cities. In Portsmouth, the party had already started in Guildhall Square at 12noon. It included music by the Portchester Steel Band and the chance for passers-by to sample 1,000 cups of Fairtrade tea and coffee and 1,800 Fairtrade bananas from Ecuador donated by Portsmouth firm Fyffes.
Between 2pm and 4pm, Portsmouth’s Lord Mayor hosted a Fairtrade tea party in his banqueting hall. Councillor Tom Blair welcomed the cyclists from Southampton and cut a celebration cake.
The chair of Portsmouth’s Fairtrade Forum, Christine McMillan, said: "After all the campaigning, this was a great party, when we could celebrate the enormous steps taken to improve the sale of Fairtrade goods. Many in our city now realise that the decisions they take to buy everyday goods do affect our neighbours in developing countries."
The two south coast cities was among 10 cities – five pairs of traditional rivals – declared Fairtrade Cities during Fairtrade Fortnight, which is from March 1-14. They join 31 existing UK Fairtrade cities and towns.
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