LORELY BURT MP CHAMPIONS FAIR TRADE SCHOOLS IN SOLIHULL

4.26.00pm GMT Mon 18th Feb 2008

Solihull's MP, Lorely Burt has today urged all local schools to sign up to the Fairtrade Schools scheme.

As part of Fairtrade Fortnight, which runs from 25 February to 9 March, Mrs Burt has written to every school in Solihull to urge them to begin the process to become a 'Fairtrade School'.

The scheme includes educating pupils about Fairtrade and encourages the use of Fairtrade products within the school. Perhaps most importantly, schools can also achieve 'Fairtrade' status through continued and direct input by pupils.

Fairtrade hopes to have a total of 2,000 primary and 500 secondary schools fully certified as 'Fairtrade Schools' by 2009. So far only 1,000 schools in the UK have registered with the scheme and Lorely Burt MP hopes that schools in Solihull will help swell the numbers.

Lorely Burt MP has also added her support to a parliamentary motion marking Fairtrade Fortnight and urging the Government to support the expansion of fair trade into new countries and products.

Commenting, Lorely Burt said:

"The growth in Fairtrade initiatives is very impressive and the efforts to improve awareness in schools are particularly important.

"Despite huge increases in the sale of Fairtrade products in the UK, total sales in 2003 represented only 0.17% of total spending on food and drink. This highlights that there is so much more to be done and our local schools are a vital way to show all local people that we can make a difference.

"The Fairtrade Foundation has set an ambitious target for schools to participate in their scheme and I hope every school in Solihull will lead the way and embrace this project."