Fashion and football fun for Fairtrade Fortnight

An array of fun events for staff and students will be taking place at the University from Monday, 28 February to Sunday, 13 March 2011.

Fashion with a conscience will be the theme of a fashion show on Wednesday, 9 March 2011, with students modelling outfits produced from Fairtrade Cotton in association with The Co-op. The event will be held in the Students’ Union at City Campus from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Staff and student teams will be going head-to-head in a football tournament on Wednesday, 2 March 2011 from1pm to 3pm. Entry is free for the contest in the City Campus Sports Hall with a prize for the winning team.

Other highlights include talks by guest speakers Paul Spray of Traidcraft and a representative of Waitrose, Wolverhampton on Friday 4 March 2011. The Digging Deeper event, organised with the Wolverhampton City Fairtrade Partnership, will cover the latest developments in the Fairtrade movement from 6.30pm in the Students’ Union at City Campus.

Jon Elsmore, Dean of Students and Chair of the University’s Fairtrade Steering Group, said: “Last year the University was recognised by the Fairtrade Foundation for our outstanding achievements in supporting Fairtrade Fortnight - so this year we are trying to raise the level of our campaign again. There is something for everyone in our package of events, which I am sure, will be well supported.”

As part of the fortnight, there will also be cake stalls featuring tasty treats baked with Fairtrade ingredients and a chance to try a Fairtrade Full English breakfast. Fairtrade awareness stalls will be at Wolverhampton and Walsall Campuses with information about Fairtrade products and how people can get involved.

The fortnight will conclude with a chance to look around the University’s facilities and meet lecturers and current students while sipping on a Fairtrade cuppa at an Open Day on Saturday, 12 March 2011. The event is open to all and will take place at Wolverhampton and Walsall Campuses from 10am until 3pm.

The University of Wolverhampton was granted Fairtrade status in June 2008 and Fairtrade products are sold in all University outlets across its campuses. The University is also a member of the Wolverhampton City Fairtrade Partnership.

For further details, visit www.wlv.ac.uk/fairtrade

ENDS

For media inquiries, please contact Vickie Warren in the Media Relations Office on 01902 322736 or email v.warren@wlv.ac.uk