On Tuesday, February 27, Sharron Hardwick, Fair Trade Football Campaign volunteer founder, visited Tavernspite CP School, introducing our class to the meaning of Fairtrade Fortnight: Come On In to Fairtrade. We celebrated by doing a report writing workshop and assembly, it was amazing.

A video about Panama banana workers showed us that before Fairtrade helped them, they were living in poverty and large discomfort.

Chito Quintero started picking bananas at 10-years-old. Not able to go to school, he taught himself to read and write. He’s a leader of Coobana Company who negotiated a loan to buy land. They were trapped in poverty as one company owned all the contracts. Coobana fought against the odds, becoming independent in 2010. They started selling to a Fairtrade buyer, putting their bananas on co-op shelves in the UK.

“I was shocked to see people lived in one room with all of their family, they and three - five other families had only one toilet. But thanks to Fairtrade premiums, each family has a larger house,” wrote Amelia.

Laura continued: “Fairtrade has given the banana farmer’s families water, electricity, fair wages, health care, education. I held the Fairtrade chocolate bar in assembly, it looked yummy.”

Megan, 8, said: “Although their lives are still hard, they have improved.

“We learned that so many people rely on Fairtrade, that before it people lived in such bad conditions; overall I think Fairtrade could save a lot more lives if we buy Fairtrade items.

“Every Fairtrade product matters. The film made me feel we should always buy Fairtrade objects to help poorer people. I was shocked to see how people were living and learned lots about Fairtrade, and how people have lots of things now because of it.

“I am very happy to see that people’s lives are getting better because they are getting fair wages, clean water and happy lives, with no child labour, instead they go to school and learn. Lots of good changes have come because of Fairtrade,” wrote Sassy.

St. Marks and St. Teilo’s Schools also took part in Fairtrade Fortnight assemblies.

St. Mark’s pupils participated really well, showing kindness and enthusiasm. Their support of Fairtrade was evident. They won the Fair Trade World Cup in 2014.

Deputy, Mr. Owen, helped set up the first ever Fairtrade rugby match in Wales too.

The four St. Teilo’s pupils took part in their assembly playing excellent roles, having very little time to prepare. Big Fairtrade supporters, the whole school was eager to learn. Their favourite item is Fairtrade hot chocolate!

Head teacher Mrs. Nicholls is a keen Fairtrade football supporter at St. Teilo’s and Tenby AFC.

“During the assembly some pupils had the privilege of acting as farmers from around the world, telling the whole school about how Fairtrade had helped them and their families. At the end everybody put their hands in the air and shouted ‘power’, to show that we have power in our hands to choose and buy the right goods that will help other people’s lives.,” wrote Amber.

Now everyone knows that we have power in our choices and Fairtrade is fair - so Come On In and start supporting Fairtrade today!

(Written by Tavernspite Class 4 pupils and Sharron Hardwick)