Local Volunteers Are The ‘Beating Heart Of Fair Trade In Dumfries & Galloway

South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth, who is chairman of the Dumfries and Galloway Regional Fairtrade Steering Group, as well as convener of the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party group on Fair Trade, has praised the work of local volunteers who work tirelessly to promote Fair Trade in our region.

The local MSP attended the Dunscore Big Brew event on Saturday to see first-hand what is being done in the region to promote Fair Trade.

The event took place in Dunscore Church, with a range of stalls with both locally produced and Fairtrade products, as well as tea, coffee, soup and baking in the Glenriddell Hall.

Colin Smyth said: “The Big Brew event in Dunscore is a highlight of the Fair Trade year and as always, it was a fantastic opportunity to see how tirelessly local volunteers are working to promote Fair Trade.

“Local volunteers are the beating heart of the Fair Trade movement in our region and I am always in awe of the work they put in each year.

“As Chair of the Dumfries and Galloway Fairtrade Group and Convener of the Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on Fairtrade, people know I’m passionate about Fair Trade but it’s the volunteers that ensure Dumfries and Galloway is a Fair Trade region.

“The basic principles of Fair Trade—better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in developing countries and across the world—have never been more important than they are now.

“Fair Trade is also absolutely consistent with a desire to buy local.

“There are obviously many Fair Trade products that are simply not grown here, from coffee to bananas, but also many fantastic local Fair Trade supporting shops.”