Fair Trade

Presentations and Drawing Investors

Simultaneously, the Fair Trade students began to draw investors and shareholders into their project. Perhaps they gained most of their shareholders during the National Pathfinders Launch on 17th November 2004 at the ABN Ambro Bank. Oona King (MP), Ken McCarthy from Tower Hamlets EBP, Roy Howard from Young Enterprise were but a few prominent people to invest in their business.

Pathfinder Launch - ABN Ambro Bank

Fair Trade with Oona King

Linda Austin delivering her speech

Fair Trade with their project leader

These students also attended a second Pathfinders Launch - Enterprising Workshop on 6th December 2004 at Morgan Stanley in Canary Warf. They received a speech on the challenges that work and employment can bring and were given an opportunity to promote their Fair Trade business.

In schools, the students produced Fair Trade business cards and posters. Furthermore, they went to HSBC bank to open up an account for their financial requirements. They frequently organised Company meetings in order to discuss issues and concerns regarding the status of their business. On several occasions they were assisted by advisors from Morgan Stanley who offered support and guidance in developing the business to a professional level.

Having successfully built the kiosk, the next step was to purchase Fair Trade products. For this, the students carried out extensive research in order to ascertain the types of Fair Trade products available for purchase. On completion of their research, they discovered that Fair Trade manufactured chocolate, coffee, tea bags, orange juice, and olive oil amongst other products. They decided to purchase chocolate to meet demands from students and tea and coffee to satisfy members of staff. The students bought all their products from Gainsford Street in Tower Bridge costing them a total amount of £300.

By this time, students were ready to sell their products to both staff and students. They spent break time trading in the school mall. Their trading sessions were a huge success and demonstrated excellent social enterprise skills.

Swanlea Fair Trade boys at Morgan Stanley

Due to their success, they were entered in a trading competition to Camden Town by Young Enterprise, a charity that collaborates with Swanlea School on various projects. After a day of trading their Fair Trade products, the students won a prize for Best Selling Techniques.

After consistent weeks of trading, Fair Trade worked on their accounting and found that they had made a profit of £600.

Again at Morgan Stanley, the Boys present their project

When Teacher’s TV, a freeview channel came into school in January 2005, to film good practice at delivering Business and Enterprise activities in educational environment, Fair Trade were undoubtedly an example to film. The students were interviewed and filmed trading in school. The documentary production was broadcast on Freeview during July 2005 (see video).

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