Bangor Students’ Union go the extra mile to break the record for the world’s longest bunting

Fairtrade fans in Bangor Students’ Union are celebrating after contributing to a world record breaking line of Fairtrade bunting. 

On World Fairtrade Day (last Saturday 14 May), the Fairtrade Foundation hung a total of 3.4 kilometres (2.1 miles) bunting around Battersea Park in London to highlight their campaign demanding trade justice for West African cotton farmers.

Bangor Students’ Union joined people in Fairtrade Towns, Universities, Schools and faith groups across the country (including Bath, Bedford, Canterbury, Cardiff, Leeds, Lincoln, Northampton, Newcastle Under Lyme, Preston, Tameside, Warrington, Wendover, Ullapool, and many more besides) in decorating over 130,000 individual pieces of Fairtrade cotton bunting - equivalent to almost 31 kilometres km (19miles) worth - with messages to the UK Government and European Parliament demanding an end to unfair cotton subsidies.

Rich Gorman of Bangor Students’ Union said: “We are so pleased to have taken part in the world record.  The record attempt is part of the ongoing Great Cotton Stitch-Up campaign to end harmful subsidies in the EU and US keeping West African cotton farmers in poverty. This alone won’t change trade but we hope it will act as a powerful message to leaders in the UK, Europe and beyond.”

Full size images are available on request from Rich Gorman, rich.gorman@undeb.bangor.ac.uk

For further information on the Fairtrade Foundation:  Stuart Barber, Media and PR Manager on 020 7440 7695

For further information of the local Fairtrade group: Rich Gorman, rich.gorman@undeb.bangor.ac.uk

Publication date: 23 May 2011