Fairtrade

1. When and how did the Fairtrade town idea take hold?
Christian Aid and Traidcraft supporters have both been actively promoting fairtrade in the Amman Valley for many years. Oxfam and Tearcraft had also been active on a smaller scale. I manage an Oxfam shop in Swansea and while working on some events for Swansea fairtrade fortnight 2002 I read a piece about fairtrade towns. Looking at the "five goals", I thought Ammanford already met most of the criteria and it would be nice to get Fairtrade Town status, not only to promote Fairtrade, but also to give recognition to the people in the area who have worked so hard for so long in support of Fairtrade.

With help from Christian Aid and Traidcraft supporters, I had produced a Fairtrade directory for Ammanford in Fairtrade Fortnight 2000. (We believe this was the first bilingual Welsh- English Fairtrade directory). We produced an updated version in 2002 and gave that, along with copies of the "five goals" and an accompanying letter, to a small group of businesses, churches, schools and others who we thought would support our move for Fairtrade town status.

The Town Council , our MP and AM were all very supportive (The Plaid Cymru office is now a fairtrade zone!). The Council passed a motion of support in May and by June we had enough positive responses from other organizations to meet all the criteria. (The Co-op helped win over cafes by providing free start –up samples).

A Fairtrade Steering Group was set up in June to ensure that achieving Fairtrade Town status is just the beginning! We have met the criteria but we need to spread the word much further if we are to truly call Ammanford a Fairtrade Town.

2. What difference did Fairtrade town status make to the town?

It is a time of uncertainty for Ammanford’s shopping centre at the moment. Recent media coverage has been centred on fears for the future posed by a proposed by-pass and by car parking charges. The local media were particuarly interested in this as a good news story to boost the town as a shopping centre.

Also, any time a community comes together in a positive campaign, it has to be a good thing for the town. Being the first Fairtrade town in Wales also helps the "feel-good factor"!

3. Which event marked the achievement of ' Fairtrade town' status?
Ammanford Infant school held a Banana Day! Children and teachers dressed in yellow, a special assembly was held, discussing fairtrade and with appropriate songs (one about" Bananas in Pyjamas" and one about peace around the world!).

Members of the Fairtrade steering committee attended, along with the town’s mayor and MP.

All children were given a farir trade banana by the Co-op and a pack including stickers, balloons , tea and coffee samples and literature from the Co-op, Oxfam and Christian Aid.

The combination of children and banans made for good photo opportunites and we got good local press coverage. The fact that we were the first Fairtrade town in Wales also helped us get excellent national S4C and BBC TV and radio coverage.

CYMRAEG

Pryd a sut y cydiodd y syniad am dre Fasnach Deg?

Roedd cefnogwyr Cymorth Ccristnogol a Traidcraft wedi bod yn weithgar yn tynnu sylw at fasnach deg yng Nghwm Aman am flynyddoedd. Bu Oxfam a Tearcraft hefyd yn weithredol ar raddfa lai

Rydw i’n rheolwr siop OXFAM yn Abertawe a tra’n gweithio ar rai digwyddiadau ar gyfer Pythefnos Fasnach Deg yn 2002 darllenais ddarn am drefi masnach deg. Wrth edrych ar y "pump nôd" meddyliais bod Rhydaman eisioes yn ateb i’r rhan fwyaf o’r gofynion, a byddai’n beth da i gael statws tre Masnach Deg, nid yn unig i hyrwyddo masnach deg ond hefyd i gydnabod gwaith y bobl a fu wrthi am amser hir yn cefnogi masnach deg.

Roeddwn wedi paratoi cyfeiriadur masnach deg ar gyfer Rhydaman adeg Pythefnos Masnach Deg 2000 gyda help cefnogwyr Cymorth Cristnogol a Traidcraft. Credwn mae dyma’r cyfeiriadur cyntaf dwyieithog yn Gymraeg a Saesneg. Diweddarwyd a chynhyrchwyd cyfeiriadur newydd yn 2002 a’i roi gyda chopïau o’r "pum nôd" a llythyr i grwp bach o fusnesau, eglwysi, ysgolion ac eraill y meddyliem y byddent yn cefnogi ein symudiad i gael statws tre masnach deg.

Roedd Cyngor y Dref, ein A.S ac Aelod o’r Cynulliad yn gefnogol. (Mae swyddfa Plaid Cymru yn ardal Fasnach Deg!)

Pasiwyd penderfyniad yn y Cyngor ym mis Mai i gefnogi ac ym Mehefin roeddwn wedi cael digon o gefnogaeth cadarnhaol gan fudiadau eraill i gwrdd â gofynion y pum nôd.

Sefydlwyd grwp llywio ym Mehefin i sicrhau mae cael y statws o Dre Fasnach deg yw’r dechreuad. Rydyn wedi cwrdd â gofynion y pum nôd ond mae angen i ledu’r newyddion ymhellach os ydyn yn mynd i wir alw tre Rhydaman yn dre Fasnach Deg.

Pa wahaniaeth bydd statws Masnach Deg yn ei wneud i’r dref?

Mae’n amser ansicr ar gyfer Rhydaman fel canolfan siopa ar hyn o bryd. Mae llawer o sôn wedi bod yn ddiweddar a sylw’r cyfryngau wedi ei ganolbwyntio ar ofnau pobl am y dyfodol – effaith ffordd osgoi arfaethedig a thaliadau parcio.

Roedd y stori am Dre Rhydaman fel tref Fasnach Deg yn stori dda. Mae diddordeb mawr gan y cyfryngau yn y stori hon gan ei bod yn stori newyddion dda i ddyrchafu’r dre fel canolfan siopa.

Hefyd, unrhyw bryd y daw cymuned at ei gilydd mewn ymgyrch bositif,

Mae’n beth da i’r dre.

Mae bod yn dre Fasnach Deg, y gyntaf yng Nghymru yn rhoi’r teimlad o deimlo’n dda.

Pa achlysur fu i lansio Tre fasnach Deg?

Cynhaliodd Ysgol Babanod Rhydaman(Yr ysgol gyntaf yn y dref i fod yn Ysgol Fasnach Deg) Ddydd Bananas. Gwisgodd yr athrawon a’r plant ddillad melyn a chafwyd cyfarfod arbennig yn trafod nwyddau masnach deg a chanu caneuon addas- caneuon am heddwch o amgylch y byd a "Bananas mewn Pyjamas"

Roedd aelodau o’r Cyngor Llywio yn bresennol yn ogystal â Maer y dref a’r Aelod Seneddol

Cafodd y plant i gyd fanana Fasnach deg gan Siop y Co-op lleol a phecyn o nwyddau ,sticeri, samplau o de/coffi oddi wrth y Co-op, Oxfam a Chymorth Cristnogol.

Roedd y plant a’r bananas yn gyfle da i gael llun a chafwyd tipyn o gyhoeddusrwydd yn y wasg. Roedd y ffaith mae ni oedd y dref Fasnach Deg gynta yng Nghymru hefyd wedi ein helpu i gael sylw rhagorol ar deledu a radio cenedlaethol S4C a BBC.