Christmas came early for some Limerick students today when the winners of the Limerick City Fairtrade Christmas Card Competition were announced at City Hall.
Following hundreds of entries from primary and secondary schools throughout Limerick, two students from Milford NS and Laurel Hill Secondary School will have their cards reproduced and sent to a variety of Limerick businesses, shops and cafes that have supported the Fairtrade initiative in Limerick.
Limerick City was awarded status as a Fairtrade City in 2005 as a result of the concerted efforts by local people to ensure that Fairtrade produce was made widely available.
In recent years, an annual Christmas Card competition promoting the Fairtrade status has been run by the Limerick Fairtrade City Committee and supported by the Environment section of Limerick City Council. The theme of this year’s competition was ‘A Fairtrade Christmas’.
1st Prize in this year’s competition for Primary Schools was awarded to Faye Hogan of Milford NS who finished ahead of Jade Ryan of Corpus Christi NS in Moyross (2nd) and Chloe Hannon of Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh in Roxborough (3rd).
Amongst the students ‘Highly Commended’ in the Primary School section were Jennifer Fitzpatrick and Kasey Hayes (Donoghmore NS), Eva Barrington, Lucie Roche and Chloe Brennan Higgins (Milford NS), Amy O Connor and Charley Quinn (Scoil Fhionáin Kilfinane), Caoimhe Deery (Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh, Roxborough), Courtney Devereux, Courtney Bermingham and Chelsea Hogan Obrien (Corpus Christi NS, Moyross), Caitlin Keane and Patrick Phelan (Our Lady of Lourdes NS, Rosbrien), Sophie O Connor and Hannah Cremin (Scoil Mhuire Broadford), Isabel O’Malley and Sarah Bryce (Knockea NS), Guillermino Texsera (St Mary’s Boys’ NS, Abbeyfeale) and Aoife Coughlan (Newport Convent Primary School, Co Tipperary).
Meanwhile, Sophie Lynch of Laurel Hill Secondary School was named overall winner of the Secondary School section. Jason Payne of Coláiste Mhichil Sexton Street was second and Caitlín McNamara of John the Baptist Community School in Hospital finished third. The Special Prize for Secondary School students went to Vanessa Killacky of Laurel Hill Secondary School for her topical twist to the Fairtrade Theme.
A number of other students were highly commended including Mary O Connor (Desmond College, Newcastle West), Tyrone Franklin (Coláiste Mhichíl, Sexton St), Fionn Flanagan (John the Baptist Community School, Hospital), Eibhlín Ní Riain (Laurel Hill Coláiste), Yumna Agha and Olivia Sztyrmes (Laurel Hill Secondary School) and Sophia Krashiqi (St Nessan’s Community School).
Presenting the winning students with their prizes today, Mayor of Limerick Cllr. Kathleen Leddin said she was delighted to participate in the City’s 8th birthday celebrations. The Mayor commented: “I would like to thank the Fairtrade Committee for their terrific work throughout the year and congratulate all the schools who participated in the Christmas Card Competition. I am particularly impressed by the winning designs by Faye Hogan and Sophie Lynch”.
“Fairtade is an important ideal and it is great to see the ongoing for support for Fairtrade among businesses and householders in Limerick,” added Mayor Leddin.
Fairtrade is about getting a fair deal for farmers and workers in the developing world, such as better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade. Products that carry the Fairtrade mark are guaranteed to meet these standards.
“‘In my role as Chair of the FT Committee I have had the privilege of meeting with many Fairtrade producers. If I could summarise all of those conversations about what Fairtrade meant to their lives it would be that it is all fair,” explained Dolores O’Meara, Chair of the Limerick Fairtrade City Committee.
Ms. O’Meara continued: “Fairtrade puts producers at the heart of things, not at the periphery. It is about allowing them to trade and not depend on aid. It supports their children’s education. It helps them develop their communities and enables them to have a living wage in their own country.”
For more visit www.fairtrade.ie.
Following hundreds of entries from primary and secondary schools throughout Limerick, two students from Milford NS and Laurel Hill Secondary School will have their cards reproduced and sent to a variety of Limerick businesses, shops and cafes that have supported the Fairtrade initiative in Limerick.
Limerick City was awarded status as a Fairtrade City in 2005 as a result of the concerted efforts by local people to ensure that Fairtrade produce was made widely available.
In recent years, an annual Christmas Card competition promoting the Fairtrade status has been run by the Limerick Fairtrade City Committee and supported by the Environment section of Limerick City Council. The theme of this year’s competition was ‘A Fairtrade Christmas’.
1st Prize in this year’s competition for Primary Schools was awarded to Faye Hogan of Milford NS who finished ahead of Jade Ryan of Corpus Christi NS in Moyross (2nd) and Chloe Hannon of Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh in Roxborough (3rd).
Amongst the students ‘Highly Commended’ in the Primary School section were Jennifer Fitzpatrick and Kasey Hayes (Donoghmore NS), Eva Barrington, Lucie Roche and Chloe Brennan Higgins (Milford NS), Amy O Connor and Charley Quinn (Scoil Fhionáin Kilfinane), Caoimhe Deery (Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh, Roxborough), Courtney Devereux, Courtney Bermingham and Chelsea Hogan Obrien (Corpus Christi NS, Moyross), Caitlin Keane and Patrick Phelan (Our Lady of Lourdes NS, Rosbrien), Sophie O Connor and Hannah Cremin (Scoil Mhuire Broadford), Isabel O’Malley and Sarah Bryce (Knockea NS), Guillermino Texsera (St Mary’s Boys’ NS, Abbeyfeale) and Aoife Coughlan (Newport Convent Primary School, Co Tipperary).
Meanwhile, Sophie Lynch of Laurel Hill Secondary School was named overall winner of the Secondary School section. Jason Payne of Coláiste Mhichil Sexton Street was second and Caitlín McNamara of John the Baptist Community School in Hospital finished third. The Special Prize for Secondary School students went to Vanessa Killacky of Laurel Hill Secondary School for her topical twist to the Fairtrade Theme.
A number of other students were highly commended including Mary O Connor (Desmond College, Newcastle West), Tyrone Franklin (Coláiste Mhichíl, Sexton St), Fionn Flanagan (John the Baptist Community School, Hospital), Eibhlín Ní Riain (Laurel Hill Coláiste), Yumna Agha and Olivia Sztyrmes (Laurel Hill Secondary School) and Sophia Krashiqi (St Nessan’s Community School).
Presenting the winning students with their prizes today, Mayor of Limerick Cllr. Kathleen Leddin said she was delighted to participate in the City’s 8th birthday celebrations. The Mayor commented: “I would like to thank the Fairtrade Committee for their terrific work throughout the year and congratulate all the schools who participated in the Christmas Card Competition. I am particularly impressed by the winning designs by Faye Hogan and Sophie Lynch”.
“Fairtade is an important ideal and it is great to see the ongoing for support for Fairtrade among businesses and householders in Limerick,” added Mayor Leddin.
Fairtrade is about getting a fair deal for farmers and workers in the developing world, such as better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade. Products that carry the Fairtrade mark are guaranteed to meet these standards.
“‘In my role as Chair of the FT Committee I have had the privilege of meeting with many Fairtrade producers. If I could summarise all of those conversations about what Fairtrade meant to their lives it would be that it is all fair,” explained Dolores O’Meara, Chair of the Limerick Fairtrade City Committee.
Ms. O’Meara continued: “Fairtrade puts producers at the heart of things, not at the periphery. It is about allowing them to trade and not depend on aid. It supports their children’s education. It helps them develop their communities and enables them to have a living wage in their own country.”
For more visit www.fairtrade.ie.
