Fair Grounds is a

Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...

based

Fair Trade Fair trade is an arrangement designed to help producers in developing countries achieve sustainable and equitable trade relationships. The fair trade movement combines the payment of higher prices to exporters with improved social and enviro ...

social enterprise A social enterprise is an organization that applies commercial strategies to maximize improvements in financial, social and environmental well-being. This may include maximizing social impact alongside profits for co-owners. Social enterprises ca ...

. Fair Grounds exists to enable people to make informed ethical lifestyle and consumer choices. Fair Grounds buys from producers within an ethical business model and has a relationship with each producer. Fair Grounds sells Fair Trade products wholesale, retail in a Fair Grounds shop in Sheffield and at various events, and conducts an education programme in schools teaching about social justice and trade. Fair Grounds ltd is a member of BAFTS (The British Association of Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers).

History

Fair Grounds ltd was founded by Nina Carter-Brown. Nina had the idea whilst attending

Bradford University The University of Bradford is a public research university located in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. A plate glass university, it received its royal charter in 1966, making it the 40th university to be created in Britain, but ...

and studying Peace and Development Studies. She then travelled to

Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast ...

to visit her friend David Atherton and meet Fair Trade producers in the country. On her return Nina put all her energies into the idea and Fair Grounds was born. The founding Directors of the company were Nina Carter-Brown, Ian Carter-Brown and David Atherton. Fair Grounds was initially supported by ThinkBusiness@Bradford, a programme at Bradford University aimed at helping university students start a business.

Retail

Fair Grounds ltd sells handmade, recycled, and ethical products. The company follows the principles of the

Fairtrade A fair trade certification is a product certification within the market-based movement fair trade. The most widely used fair trade certification is FLO International's, the International Fairtrade Certification Mark, used in Europe, Africa, As ...

movement and aims to give a fair wage to individuals, families and cooperatives throughout Asia, Africa and Central America. Buyers are also supporting the awareness raising education work of Fair Grounds in Bradford and the UK. Fair Grounds travels around the UK attending fairs, festivals and events selling Fair Trade products. In 2014 Fair Grounds opened its first shop in Broomhill,

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

Awards

Fair Grounds was the winner of the Glastonbury Ethical Trade Awards 2014. Fair Grounds was a winner of the Future 100 awards in 2011.

References

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External links

Official website
Social enterprises Fair trade organizations 2006 establishments in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 2006