LEEDS SCHOOL PUPILS TAKE CAMPAIGN TO DOWNING STREET
April 19, 2006 12:00 AM
Three pupils from Lawnswood School, Leeds took their campaign straight to the top with help from their local MP, Greg Mulholland.
Jessica Wanless (15) Iona Boyle (16) and Ciara O'Brien (16) delivered letters written by pupils at Lawnswood School and other local schools asking the Prime Minister to do more to promote fairer trade rules to ensure producers in developing countries get a fair deal.
The campaign began when the three Jessica, Iona and Ciara asked the school for permission to organise a Citizenship Day highlighting Fairtrade and Trade Justice. The purpose of the day was to raise awareness of these issues amongst young people and Mr Mulholland was invited along with representatives from TIDAL to speak.
Commenting Ciara O'Brien said:
"We are delighted to have this opportunity to raise awareness of the need for fairer world trade with the Prime Minister following the success of the Citizenship Day at Lawnswood School. We hope that he will take the views of so many pupils, from our school and others, very seriously."
Iona added "We hope that many more people at Lawnswood School now have a better understanding of Fairtrade and the reasons it is so important. We hope that they will sample those products and make a conscious effort to continue buying them."
Jessica continued; "In the future we hope to start a campaign to convince the owners of Lawnswood School to make it a Fair Trade school. We feel that the school could be a great example to others schools in the region and the country."
Greg Mulholland, who as a councillor was on the Fairtrade City Steering Group that successfully achieved Fairtrade City Status for Leeds, commented:
"It was a pleasure to welcome Jess, Ciara and Iona to Parliament and to join them taking their campaign to 10 Downing Street.
"They organised the Citizenship Day themselves and I am sure that many other pupils have taken an interest in Fairtrade and Trade Justice thanks to their initiative.
"It is great to see that they are taking an interest in politics and doing their bit for a fairer world. I am certainly very impressed with what they have achieved and in raising this issue. Perhaps we will see one of them as an MP in the future!"
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