Douglas Academy
Institution: Douglas Academy (Milngavie, near Glasgow)
Achieved Fairtrade Status: May 2008
Number of students: 1000
Number of staff: 105
The Douglas Academy Fairtrade Co-operative was set up in 2006 by two very enthusiastic pupils. The aim of the group was twofold: to raise pupils' awareness of Fairtrade issues and to promote the sale of Fairtrade goods in school. Over the course of the next two school sessions as the numbers of pupils involved grew, the range of activities undertaken increased. Fairtrade snacks are sold to pupils on a regular basis at intervals; a staff ordering system for coffee, tea, biscuits and chocolate has been set up; Fairtrade stalls are held at Parents' Evenings in the school selling a range of items including chocolate, biscuits, cards and craft items. Staff coffee mornings have been held, at the most recent of which staff provided home baking made with Fairtrade ingredients.
Departments are encouraged to incorporate Fair Trade issues into the curriculum and a very successful cross-curricular project was held in 2008 between Modern Languages, Geography and Modern Studies to promote Fairtrade Fortnight. 2 guest speakers from Brazil spoke to S2 French classes about the benefits of Fair Trade to their communities and the S5 Geography class learnt about sustainable development from them.
Two of the senior pupils have represented the school at the Local Authority Fairtrade Steering Group meetings and proposed that an inter-school Fair Trade network be set up.
The reward for all this hard work and the careful documentation of the necessary evidence was being awarded Fairtrade status in May 2008. The activities are continuing with new group members this session, and plans are underway to develop a Fairtrade initiative in conjunction with local primary schools.
