Divine Chocolate tour in Ireland continues

Mayor of Skibbereen and Divine Chocolate unveil the towns Fairtrade status

Divine Chocolate's touring farmer's visited Skibbereen, a small town south west of Cork to announce the town's Fairtrade status with the Mayor of Skibbereen. An ex Nigerian cocoa farmer who now live's in Skibbereen met the farmers and shared experiences. Congratulations to Skibbereen on achieving Fairtrade status!

A long day ended with a trip to Bantry - an idyllic village on the southern coast of Ireland. The wind was beginning to blow but the warmth and enthusiasm of our welcome was very touching.
After having been formally welcomed by Mayor Mary Haggerty and signed the visitors book in the Town Hall our party crossed the road to a fairtrade event at the Christian Fellowship Church. The local Fairtrade Steering Group had organised a limerick competion, the first line being 'There once was a producer from Ghana'. Over 200 entries were recieved and the farmers were delighted to hear the limericks and hand over Divine Chocolate hampers to the two winners.

Winner of the Bantry Limericks competition

Under 12 Winning Limerick
There was a producer from Ghana
Who liked to produce a banana
Be just and be nice
and pay a fair price
To himself and his wife Susannah

Under 18 entry Winning Limerick
There once was a producer from Ghana
Who worked in a field with a lama
He grew chocolate from seeds
For fairtrade societies
To be sold to your lovely old nana

Divine Chocolate at Cork Music School

Paul and Kojo with the Mayor of Cork and guests

Fairtrade activists, local retailers, Oxfam, Trocaire and the Mayor of Cork welcomed Divine Chocolate and Kuapa Kokoo to the Cork School of Music. Divine gave presentations to the audience followed by Peter Gaynor, Director of Fairtrade Ireland. They then enjoyed a variety of Irish music played by the school.

Divine Chocolate in Ballymun

Divine Chocolate were welcomed by Global Action Plan and the Ballymun Fairtrade Steering Committee at their ‘Wake Up and Smell the Coffee’ event in Ballymun, near Dublin.
The evening was celebrated with a 100 guest's from the local community who enjoyed the chocolate fountain oozing with Divine Chocolate as well as other Fairtrade sample's and goodies. Paul and Kojo were the guest speaker's and were followed by a screening of the highly acclaimed documentary Black Gold.

Belfast Fairtrade Awards

Stormont

David Greenwood-Haigh from Divine Chocolate attended the Belfast Fairtrade Award's organised by the Belfast City Council at Stormont to recognise shop's, restaurant's and cafe's who had actively promoted and sold Fairtrade product's over the last year.
There were 7 categories to vote in:

1. Best independent retailer
2. Best supermarket
3. Best café
4. Best employer
5. Best bar or restaurant
6. Best school
7. Outstanding contribution to Fairtrade

We were delighted to see Oxfam, one of our Divine Chocolate's top customer's, win 3 awards and Co-op winning an award for best supermarket.

Divine Chocolate getting down to business in Cardiff

Kojo and Paul with Elizabeth Hudson of the Wales Co-op Centre

It's Monday - and Tom Allen (Trading Visions) and Charlotte Borger (Divine Chocolate) have joined Kojo and Paul in Wales. First stop this morning was a Business Breakfast held in the spectacular Millennium Centre just near Cardiff Bay. Organised by Wales Co-operative Centre, it was an opportunity for local businesses to hear more about what Fairtrade is achieving and the great reasons for stocking and supplying Fairtrade products (especially Divine and Dubble!). Kojo and Paul made a strong case for supporting Fairtrade, and then it was straight on to a roundtable discussion to talk about ways Welsh companies can be involved in making and keeping Wales a Fairtrade country. We had lunch while serenaded by wonderful Welsh voices singing to a lunchtime audience in the atrium of the Millennium Centre. Outside we were all photographed by the legendary silver tower made famous by Dr Who and Torchwood!

Our Llanelli visit was cancelled - but not wasting any time, another visit to a Cardiff primary school (the Herbert Thompson School) was instantly arranged and several classes of Year 5 schoolchildren unexpectedly found themselves meeting real-life cocoa farmers and asking important questions like "How do you carry 62.5 kg sacks on your head?". Paul obligingly demonstrated with my bag (which weighs almost as much). The children heard all about how cocoa beans are fermented and dried - and also were amazed to hear how much Ghanaian children do to help their parents - clean the house, fetch water, feed their younger brothers - before going to school in the morning.

They learned how to say 'best of the best' in Twi - and we learned how to say 'hello' in Welsh!
Next stop Aberystwyth.

See the ITV Wales films from Kuapa Kokoo (featuring Paul Ayepah) here
Introducing Fairtrade
Empowering women
Growing cocoa
Linking schools in Ghana and Wales

A Divine Day of Rest

Divine Chocolate attend a church service in Wales

Sunday was a much needed day of rest for the Divine Chocolate tour. Paul and Kojo from Kuapa Kokoo attended a Mothers Day service at the Park End Presbyterian Church of Wales, Cardiff and spoke a few words to the congregation telling them the benefits of Fairtrade. Afterwards they enjoyed Fairtrade tea and biscuits with the community, a great end to the first week!

Divine Chocolate arrive in Wales

Kuapa Kokoo farmers Paul and Kojo with the mayor of Merthyr Tydif, Allan Jones

Divine Chocolate, Kuapa Kokoo farmers and Fairtrade Wales with Allan Jones, the mayor of Merthyr Tydfil and his wife

A warm welcome was waiting for Divine Chocolate and the cocoa farmers, Kojo and Paul in Merthyr Tydfil on St Davids Day. The sun was shining as everyone sat down for a delicious meal hosted by the mayor of Merthyr Tydif. The produce in the meal was grown locally by cooperatives of meat and vegetable farmers who attended the dinner and enjoyed talking to the cocoa farmers about the similar issues they both faced.

Then on to a St Davids Day Concert with guest performances from the opera singer Rebecca Evans and the Welsh Dowlais Choir. Everyone at the concert enjoyed meeting the farmers and sampling Divine Chocolate. The farmers were very impressed by the hospitality in Merthyr Tydfil and the fantastic music throughout the evenings event.

Divine Chocolate and the Eden school trip

Sara and Wendy finish their tour at Eden with Paul and Kojo

Two groups of fourteen year old school girls were taken for a tour of the tropical Eden Biome to see cocoa pods growing on the trees before being treated to presentations from Kojo and Paul. After taking the groups through the bean to bar process they were also able to talk in detail about the benefits of Fairtrade and the importance of their roles as Kuapa Kokoo recorders in their villages. After a Q and A session everyone was treated to Dubble chocolate bars.

ASDA support Fairtrade and Divine Chocolate

ASDA head office staff in Leeds had a chocolaty treat when they got to sample Divine Chocolate and Fairtrade fruit with the Divine Chocolate fountain on Thursday. It was a real hit with everyone!
Also on site sampling of Fairtrade coffee, fruit, chesses and wine the Fairtrade Foundation Bus was on site before moving on into the Leeds city centre

Divine Chocolate tour Exeter

Paul and Kojo outside Exeter Cathedral

Paul with Exeter school children

Paul and Kojo proudly holding up a fabric painting from the school children

Kojo and Paul fuelled up for the day on a hearty fry-up (with extra mushrooms and bacon) before we all headed off on the bus to our first destination – ‘The West of England School and College for Children with Little or No Sight’ in Exeter.

Three different groups of students enjoyed a day of learning, cooking and painting. Kojo and Paul took us through the ‘bean to bar’ story, and introduced students to cocoa pods, fermenting and dried cocoa beans. Touch, smell and taste all helped to familiarise unsuspecting participants to the surprising origins of their Divine and Dubble Fairtrade chocolate.

It was a great morning and we were rewarded with delicious chocolate dipped bananas and pineapples (all Fairtrade of course!) At the end of the workshops Kojo and Paul were presented with a wonderful ‘bean to bar’ fabric painting that the students had worked on during the day. The scene depicted each stage of the bean to bar story and included seeds and beads to give the pods a great textured finish. We thanked all the students and organisers with Dubble bars and ‘Stock the Choc’ postcards before leaving for the next destination - Exeter FM radio station!

Following Kojo and Paul’s interview we were taken (via a delicious Fairtrade Café!) to Exeter’s Global Centre, where we got the opportunity to meet Martin Odoch, Field Manager for the Mpanga Growers Tea Factory in Uganda. Kojo, Paul and Martin talked to Plymouth University students about Fairtrade and how its benefits are experienced by cocoa and tea farmers. Following the talks, the celebrations begun for the evening and we were treated to farmer presentations, songs, role plays and, of course, some delicious Fairtrade food and wine! (Devon Fairtrade campaign)

Divine Chocolate sampling in Sunderland

Sunderland University celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight with hot chocolate, a chocolate fountain with Fairtrade bananas and Divine Chocolate samples. Divine Chocolate's Sales and Marketing Manager, Alistair Menzies, gave a talk to the business school students showing how Fairtrade businesses can benefit everyone including the producers throughout the supply chain. Sunderland University have been great supporters of Fairtrade for many years and have Fairtrade University status.

Divine Chocolate and Kuapa farmers in the City

Kojo and Paul were out and about in London's financial district on Monday. In the morning, they spoke at a well attended Business Breakfast at Guildhall, the old 15th century seat of government for the City of London.

At the event there was also a speaker from the Fairtrade Foundation, and someone from BT, who spoke about how they implemented Fairtrade purchasing across the company. Kojo and Paul spoke about the benefits of Fairtrade to cocoa farmers in Ghana, and about how Divine's unique farmer-owned model meant that they themselves received a share of the profits from Divine's first dividend last year.

Off to nearby St Mary le Bow Church on Cheapside for a lunchtime debate, organised by Trading Visions and Justshare. The farmers spoke alongside speakers from Divine, Tropical Wholefoods and Fairtrade Foundation, along with an academic and a sceptical business consultant. It was a lively debate with good audience participation, with wine and chocolate afterwards.

Paul and Kojo had time to visit St Paul's while they were in the City, climbing the great dome of one of the largest cathedrals in the world. They thought it was an amazing building and really enjoyed the bright February sunshine views across London, though they also found the wind rather cold!

A Divine Fairtrade Fortnight Launch

What a fantastic start to Fairtrade Fortnight!

Fairtrade companies, supporters, producers, farmers, Londoners and everyone in between gathered together on the Thames on London's Southbank to celebrate the launch of Fairtrade Fortnight with a Fairtrade Fairground.

Divine Chocolate was giving away free delicious tasters of chocolate and were joined by a Henna Tattooist who was giving free Adinkra symbol Henna tattoos (the Ghanaian symbols which feature on the Divine packaging). The two Ghanaian cocoa farmers from Kuapa Kokoo, the cooperative of farmers which co-owns Divine Chocolate, had flown into Heathrow that morning and met visitors to the stall and telling everyone about the difference Fairtrade is making to them and their communities. The weather was glorious and the event was a lot of fun thanks to dancing Fairtrade bananas, a walking talking Dubble bar, games and rides for the children and lots of wonderful Fairtrade samples to try.

Happy Fairtrade Fortnight everyone

From everyone at Divine Chocolate and Kuapa Kokoo

Countdown to Fairtrade Fortnight

Sunrise in Bayerebon, Ghana

Fairtrade Fortnight 2008 is round the corner! There are so many ways you can get involved to make this the best year yet!

• Send off for your free Divine Chocolate supporter kits from Ethical Superstore. They contain leaflets, postcards, posters and of course chocolate so you can set up an event to spread the Divine word! http://www.ethicalsuperstore.com/products/divine-chocolate/divine-chocolate-supporter-promotion-pack/
• Check out our events calendar and attend an event and meet the farmers for yourself. Divine Chocolate will be in London, Exeter, St Austell, Wales and Ireland, see you there! http://www.divinechocolate.com/events/upcoming.aspx
• Visit the Fairtrade Foundation bus tour http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/fortnight_bus_tour.htm
• Make something Divine, like a cake and take it into work. For recipe ideas visit http://www.divinechocolate.com/joinin/recipes.aspx
• Look out for offers in your supermarkets over the next 2 weeks on Fairtrade goods, especially delicious Divine Chocolate!
• Stock the choc, if your local newsagent or store does not stock Divine Chocolate then please request for them to sell it. You will be directly benefitting thousands of Ghanaian farmers by doing so
  

Fairtrade Fairground

For the first time ever the Fairtrade Foundation will be holding a large public launch event to mark the beginning of Fairtrade Fortnight!

Come and enjoy a Fairtrade Fairground on London's South Bank on Sunday the 24th February.
With a traditional helter skelter and tea cup rides, you can also try your hand at the Fairtrade coconut shy and decorate Fairtrade certified cotton T-shirts or get your fortune read in Fairtrade tea leaves.

Divine Chocolate and Dubble will be there with samples and tasters and a Henna tattooist who will be giving free Adinkra symbol tattoos to all the stall visitors. Two cocoa farmers from Ghana will also be there to meet you and share their experiences of how Fairtrade has improved their lives.

Hope to see you there!

Date: Sunday 24th of February
Time: 11am - 4pm
Location: Coin Street on the South Bank
Getting there: the closest Underground Station is Waterloo

Fairtrade Fortnight Tour

image by kim naylor

Welcome to the Divine Chocolate Fairtrade Fortnight blog.

Divine Chocolate is inviting two cocoa farmers from Ghana to join them here for Fairtrade Fortnight 2008 (25th February – 9th March). Throughout the tour Divine Chocolate and the two farmers will be regulary updating this blog with stories of their journey. This year Divine Chocolate’s tour will include visits to Ireland and Wales, as well as several events in England.

Throughout the two weeks Divine Chocolate and the two Kuapa farmers will be attending a variety of Fairtrade-inspired events and talking to schoolchildren, shoppers and retailers, church groups and local businesses, government officials and Fairtrade steering committees. They will be telling their stories of how Fairtrade, and owning a chocolate company, has changed their lives – and in turn discovering how much we love chocolate here in the UK – and why ‘chocolate makes the world go round’!

The current schedule includes England events in London, Exeter and the Eden Project in Cornwall. In Wales the tour includes Bangor, Powys, Cardiff and Aberystwyth. Then on to Ireland where visits to Dublin, Cork and Belfast are planned.

Divine Chocolate has toured every year for the past six years with cocoa farmers during Fairtrade Fortnight, and 2008 will be the first time the farmers who come will be men! Their roles as Recorders are key to the structure and organisation of Kuapa Kokoo – they are elected as trusted fellow-farmers to weigh the cocoa accurately and pay farmers the right price accordingly. Each year thousands of people in the UK have had the chance to hear farmers speak and hear firsthand the impact of Fairtrade, and hundreds of them have had the chance to speak to the farmers in person. This direct connection with the farmers behind the food we love is key to the appeal of Fairtrade.