PHOTOCALL: 10 MAY 2018, CITY OF GLASGOW COLLEGE AT 11.00AM
WITH THE LORD PROVOST OF GLASGOW, EVA BOLANDER
190 Cathedral St, Glasgow G4 0RF
STARTING her very first Scottish visit this week in Glasgow, Anak Norm - from Villageworks in Phnom Penh, Cambodia – will be travelling to meet dignitaries and representatives at a special meeting and photographic exhibition launch at the City of Glasgow College promoting Fair Trade and highlighting the new World Fair Trade Tartan.
Anak Norm is being hosted during her stay by Eve Broadis, Fair Trade Scotland and WFTO member, and Tania Pramschufer, creator of the World Fair Trade Tartan, to promote Villageworks and World Fair Trade Tartan products.
The Lord Provost of Glasgow, Eva Bolander, and Anak will be launching the Scottish Fair Trade Forum’s exhibition to promote the WFTO and Fair Trade Nation at the City of Glasgow College as part of her visit.
Speaking about the visit, Eva Bolander, Lord Provost of Glasgow, said: “This is an incredible collaboration of an inspiring handloom weaving enterprise in Cambodia, working hand in hand with our experts in Fair Trade and textiles in Scotland to create the first weave World Fair Trade Tartan accessories.
“Seeing skills reinvigorated and bespoke Fair Trade products being created as a result demonstrates the passion Anak shows to creating employment and supporting rural villages throughout Cambodia, in partnership with Fair Trade supporters here in Scotland”.
On her visit Anak will also attend a meeting with Dr. Alasdair Allan MSP, Minister for International Development, in Edinburgh; celebrate World Fair Trade Day in Paisley before travelling to Keith to visit House of Edgar to see how tartan is woven in Scotland and continue to Dundee to meet Fair Trade businesses there.
Dr. Alasdair Allan MSP, Minister for International Development, said: “I am pleased to have the opportunity to meet Anak Norm during her visit to Scotland and hear first-hand about the work Villageworks does in Cambodia. I am particularly interested in hearing about the partnership Villageworks has developed for products made with the World Fair Trade Tartan.”
The Villageworks journey
The initial focus of Villageworks was on handicraft production by creating employment for disabled workers and women in rural areas, products were sold in their shop in Phnom Penh and now exports globally. In 2011, with donor grants ceasing, Anak recognised that generating income and creating sustainable employment was a priority and they became Cambodia’s first WFTO Guaranteed Member, promoting Fair Trade through an audited supply chain.
Blighted by the effects of the Khmer Rouge regime, when all production of silk and cotton is said to have been destroyed, it is Anak’s vision to produce raw silk and cotton on their own farm which will greatly enhance quality control of their raw materials, which currently has to be imported from neighbouring countries. Fifty women are currently being trained in entrepreneurship and sericulture, enabling them to feed into the Villageworks supply chain by supplying locally grown yarn.
Anak Norm, director of Villageworks, added: “We are very excited to be part of this new venture, which will see the new World Fair Trade Tartan, incorporated into their extensive range of bags, scarves, ties and accessories from Cambodia. Our unique designs, combined with the skills of the artisans, make the new Fair Trade Tartan products a must for the ethically conscious consumer, wanting to buy into a truly sustainable supply chain.”
The journey from the small village enterprise in Cambodia to a thriving Fair Trade business has been championed by Eve Broadis, a fellow WFTO GS* member from Fair Trade Scotland, and Tania Pramschufer, whose vision to create a World Fair Trade tartan triggered a series of exciting business opportunities for WFTO GS weavers around the globe.
Eve Broadis, Fair Trade Scotland and WFTO member: “We are so proud to be a part of the World Fair Trade Tartan range with our Cambodian partner, Villageworks.
“Anak is a testament to the fact that women’s and girls’ empowerment is essential to expand economic growth and to promote social businesses that engage in the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit.
“We are continuing to work collaboratively to build capacity to ensure that the skilled weavers are paid more for the complicated tartan pattern and this should see an increase in the family income, which in turn should lead to an improvement in health and education opportunities for children.
“As WFTO members both organisations encompass the 10 WFTO Fair Trade Principles into their daily working practice, and the consumer can be confident that their purchase contributes to sustainable livelihoods for the artisans and their families.”
On a recent visit to Scotland, Bill Gates was presented with a gift of the hand woven WFTO Fair Trade Tartan Krama and tie by the First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, made by Villageworks.
Tania Pramschufer, creator and director of World Fair Trade Tartan, added: “Through the tartan, we aim to connect with many WFTO projects around the world, to weave the tartan and make it into a range of accessories which can then be brought to market and eventually sold not just in the UK, but in US, Canada, Australia and everywhere in between. And working collaboratively, we also aim to bring more awareness of weaving the tartan in Scotland, sharing these resources with other nations and the products to profit Fair Trade members and organisations around the globe.
“Development of the tartan design and colours has been a long but meaningful process and made possible with a great team of people. We worked with Nick Statt and Trudie Ainsworth from House of Edgar, a great Scottish company with a heritage of more than 200 years weaving and a robust ethical and environmental commitment.
“Working together on the design to create World Fair Trade Tartan, the colours and design of this new tartan have been inspired by and gifted to World Fair Trade Organisation GS members to weave using wool and or cotton and then to make into tartan accessories.”
Fair Trade Nation photographic exhibition
A full photographic exhibition will be travelling around Scotland over the course of the year which is focussing on Scotland as a Fair Trade Nation, the World Fair Trade Organisation, the principles of Fair Trade and the sustainable development goals as well as the journey and process of weaving the first World Fair Trade Tartan and WFTO GS products through Villageworks as well as collaborating with other WFTO members globally.
Paul Little, principal and chief executive, City of Glasgow College, said: “I am delighted that City of Glasgow College is hosting this special meeting and inaugural photographic exhibition of the new World Fair Trade Tartan. We are proud to support such an inspirational partnership which includes our retail and marketing students who are working with Scottish Fair Trade Forum and Fair Trade Scotland to help promote the tartan within Scotland. This not only provides a great learning experience for our students but is a continuation of our ongoing commitment to Fair Trade Status which our college achieved last year.”
Martin Rhodes, of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, said: “We are delighted that we have Anak here all the way from Cambodia along with the Lord Provost to launch this photographic exhibition. It’s great that the City of Glasgow College, which has done so much to support Fair Trade, is hosting this launch today. This exhibition is a great resource for community organisations, schools and colleges to promote Fair Trade in their local areas all across Scotland.”
ENDS
Images from the photo-call will available after the event.
For further information on Scottish Fair Trade Forum check out: www.scottishfairtradeforum.org.uk
World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) Guarantee System check out https://wfto.com/standard-and-guarantee-system/guarantee-system
For further information on World Fair Trade Tartan www.worldfairtradetartan.co.uk http://www.fairtradescotland.co.uk
For further information on Fair Trade Scotland www.fairtradescotland.co.uk
For all enquiries about World Fair Trade Tartan contact:
Tania Pramschufer, director of World Fair Trade Tartan
For further press information contact:
Fiona Stewart, PR Consultant, Interwoven PR
E: fiona@interwovenpr.com M: +44 (0)7940560453
Notes to editors:
*ten principles World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO)
1. OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISADVANTAGED PRODUCERS
2. TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
3. FAIR TRADE PRACTICES
4. FAIR PAYMENT
5. NO CHILD LABOUR. NO FORCED LABOUR.
6. NO DISCRIMINATION. GENDER EQUALITY. FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION.
7. GOOD WORKING CONDITIONS.
8. CAPACITY BUILDING
9. PROMOTE FAIR TRADE
10. RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Scottish Fair Trade Forum
The Scottish Fair Trade Forum was established in January 2007 by a group of Fair Trade campaigners, Scotland-based non-governmental organisations and the Scottish Government, to promote the cause of Fair Trade in Scotland and, in particular, help secure Fair Trade Nation status for Scotland.
When the Forum was established, the intent was to become one of the world’s first Fair Trade Nations and we were tasked with leading this effort. After years of hard work, Scotland achieved Fair Trade Nation status in February 2013 and was reassessed in March 2017.
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Website: http://www.worldfairtradetartan.co.uk
