Fairtrade

Fairtrade City Beckum

You already use, buy and sell fair trade products, used fair trade products at your last festival or play with fair trade balls at your sports club?

Then you - like Fair Trade - are right on trend. Because awareness of sustainable consumption and fairer trade structures is growing. The range of Fairtrade products goes beyond coffee, tea and orange juice. Bananas, cocoa, sugar, chocolate, sweets, rice, wine, flowers, fair clothing and cotton bags also bear the Fairtrade seal, which has been well-known for 25 years now.

Beckum has been a "Fairtrade Town" since September 2017. Many people are pulling together for this. The re-certification process takes place every 2 years.

We look forward to your participation or involvement, but are also happy to answer any questions you may have.

  • Beckum for another 2 years Fairtrade town

    The head of the steering group, Dr Antje Ruhmann, was able to hand over the new certificate to Mayor Michael Gerdhenrich during a small ceremony.

    Dr Antje Ruhmann, spokesperson of the Fairtrade-Beckum steering group, presents the certificate to Mayor Michael Gerdhenrich.

    This means that the certification as a Fairtrade City was renewed for the 3rd time in 2017. "The municipalities are the nucleus of sustainable change," said Michael Gerdhenrich during the handover. "Therefore, it fills me with pride that the Fairtrade steering group, with the support of many committed groups and the city of Beckum, has once again succeeded in achieving the award." He thanked all those involved for their commitment, which is always particularly evident during the annual Fair Week with its numerous activities.

    The first inventory in 2017 had already shown that many people in Beckum support Fairtrade. Every 2 years, Fairtrade Germany checks whether the certified cities are making progress on the topic of Fairtrade. Once again, they gave the green light: Fairtrade coffee, tea or orange juice are served or sold everywhere in Beckum, whether in businesses, institutions, cafés and restaurants, supermarkets, teachers' rooms, parishes or clubs.

    "Fairtrade is the key to a better world," the head of administration continued. "What we buy, from football to a new T-shirt to coffee to chocolate has a direct impact on the people who produce these things or their components." Beckum is one of over 600 German cities with the Fairtrade City certificate.

    Happy about the recertification (from left): Annegret Kortmöller, Dr Rudolf Grothues, Monika Gerber, Dr Antje Ruhmann, Dr Jürgen Rauter, Mayor Michael Gerdhenrich, Timo Przybylak, Kathrin Averdung, Peter Dennin, Gregor Stöppel and Felix Markmeier-Agnesens.

  • Fairtrade products in Beckum

    Fair trade coffee, tea and orange juice are served in many companies and institutions in Beckum. In addition to the Beckum municipal administration, these include the Beckum water supply company, the Beckum energy supply company, the Gesellschaft für Wirtschaftsförderung im Kreis Warendorf, Markus Pust and hairdressers. Fair trade drinks are also available at the Beckum Protestant Parish and the Catholic Parishes of St. Stephanus, Beckum, St. Franziskus Neubeckum and in the staff room of the Beckum Vocational College. The women's community KFD gives fair gifts at the anniversaries of its members and uses fair trade products at the Women's World Day of Prayer. Associations like the DLRG and Frauen helfen Frauen Beckum e. V. sell fair-trade coffee and tea on special occasions, for example at the cake sale in Café Pütt on Pütt Days. People also enjoy sitting together with a fairly traded cup of tea or coffee in conversation at the women's and girls' meeting place Courage, the mothers' centre, the leisure centre in Neubeckum or the district living room Verve! Customers are also offered fair trade products in other businesses and restaurants, for example at:

    • Restaurant Haus Köller
    • Restaurant Zur Windmühle
    • Restaurant House Pöpsel
    • Restaurant at Kliewe in the Westfälischer Hof
    • Restaurant Samson
    • Hotel-Restaurant "Alt-Vellern
    • Restaurant Schuvino
    • Shop Be-lebt
    • Design & Flower
    • Café at the Mothers' Centre Beckum
    • Café Steinhoff
    • Verve! Coffee bar in the district living room
    • Cultural Initiative Filou e. V.
    • K+H vending machine service
    • Kirschbaum Natural Food by Bode
    • Health food store Zurhorst
    • REWE Schürbüscher
    • EDEKA Recker
    • Kaufland Beckum
    • Lidl
    • Aldi
    • Net

  • Fair actions 2024

  • Fair actions 2023

    • 23.01.2023 to 31.03.2023: Travelling exhibition:"Forgotten Worlds and Blind Spots - The Media Neglect of the Global South".
    • 25.04.2023: Soirée Chocolat - a (be)sensual journey around the world with musical accompaniment and chocolate tasting (Jürgen Bluhm).
    • 30.08.2023: Fashion upcycling - turning old into new (Heike Haltermann)
    • 02.09.2023: Fashion upcycling - turning old into new (Irina Haar)
    • 03.09.2023: Tonal affinities. Intercultural music as a cross-cultural and human connecting element. School of Music in the District of Warendorf (H. Blüder). Patron: Michael Gerdhenrich, Mayor of the City of Beckum.
    • 10.09.2023: Festival of Cultures.
    • 19.09.2023: Fair cooking. Cooking evening with fairly traded products - a fair treat.
    • 27.09.2023: Soirée Chocolat - a (be)sensual journey around the world with musical accompaniment and chocolate tasting (Jürgen Bluhm). The event will take place in Wadersloh.
    • 31.10.2023: Fast Fashion: Put an end to disposable fashion! (Frank Herrmann)
    • 09.11.2023: Chocolatier(e)-Workshop: From the origin of cocoa to your own chocolate. (Jürgen Bluhm). The event will take place in Wadersloh.

  • Fair actions 2022

    • Friday, 02.09.2022, 16:00 -18:00, BE-fair celebration at BE-lebt, Nordwall 45/corner of Weststrasse, then
    • Friday, 02.09.2022, approx. 19:00, Presentation of the certificate "Fairtrade City of Beckum" for a further 2 years (recertification) to Mayor Gerdhenrich by the steering group Fairtrade City of Beckum, stage market place (opening of the Pütt Days)
    • Friday, 16.09.2022, 16:00-19:00, Fair cooking with children at Freizeithaus Neubeckum, Registration: Sabine Will | Freizeithaus Neubeckum | 02521 29-695 | fzh@beckum.de
    • Saturday, 17.09.2022, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Fair Discovery Tour, meeting point BE-lebt shop, Nordwall 45/corner Weststrasse
    • Sunday, 18. 09. 2022, 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., Fairer-Kaffee-Klatsch in the district living room Verve!, Hauptstraße 37, 59269 Beckum
    • Tuesday, 20.09.2022, 20:00-21:30, book author Frank Herrmann on "After Corona - Continue on holiday as before?", auditorium of the VHS, Antoniusstrasse, registration: VHS Y1142, box office 7 Euro
    • Wednesday, 21.09.2022,19:00-20:30, Book author Frank Herrmann on Ultra Fast Fashion: "Put an end to throwaway fashion!", Evangelisches Gemeindehaus Wadersloh, Registration: VHS Y1143W
    • Thursday, 22.09.2022, 18:00-21:00, Conjuring up a fair 3-course meal, VHS kitchen, Antoniusstrasse, Registration: VHS Y3100
    • Friday, 23.09.2022, 16:00-19:00, Fair cooking with young people at Freizeithaus Neubeckum, Registration: Sabine Will | Freizeithaus Neubeckum | 02521 29-695 | fzh@beckum.de
    • Friday, 30.09.2022, 16:00-19:00, Fair cooking with senior citizens at Freizeithaus Neubeckum, Registration: Sabine Will | Freizeithaus Neubeckum | 02521 29-695 | fzh@beckum.de
    • Saturday, 22 October 2022, 09:00 to 11:00, Fair Breakfast hosted by Aktionsgemeinschaft AGEW, Hall in St. Stephanus Parish Hall, Clemens-August-Straße

  • Fair actions 2021

    Shaping a fair future - also in Beckum
    This year, Fair Week takes place from 10 to 24 September under the motto "Shaping a fair future - #fairtrade for human rights worldwide". Fair cooking and breakfasts, films, lectures, exhibitions, multivision and a consumption-critical walk: the people of Beckum are also invited to a variety of activities to get to know and taste fair products, to learn more about fair trade or to cook fair food together with their families. The steering group Fairtrade Stadt Beckum draws attention to fair trade with various events. "The annual theme 'Decent Work' has become frighteningly topical due to the Corona pandemic, because people at the beginning of the supply chains have suffered particularly from the effects of the pandemic. Among them are millions of children who toil every day for the survival of their families, have no chance to finish school
    and often face a future as day labourers," said Antje Ruhmann, chairperson of the steering group Fairtrade City Beckum. Positive examples from fair trade show how a humane and sustainable economy can be shaped. What can be done? That is probably what many people in Beckum are asking themselves. Fair Trade is an important mechanism to support disadvantaged producer families in Africa, Asia and Latin America so that they can improve their living and working conditions in a self-determined way. Higher wages for these families are often an important step out of poverty, allowing children to attend school - the key to a better future. "We can all help shape a fairer future when we shop," said Marion Matuszek, responsible for Fair Trade at the City of Beckum. Together with Antje Ruhmann and the other organising team, she whetted the appetite for fair consumption during the presentation of the programme. Actions during the Fair Week 2021

    • 17 September, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Fair Market Café at Freizeithaus Neubeckum, Gottfried-Polysius-Straße 6. The 16-minute film #ein Ball will be shown. It revolves around the theme "Sport acts fairly". The film will be shown alongside the poster exhibition "Trikottausch" on request until 26.09.2021 in the Freizeithaus cinema.
    • 17 September, 4 to 6 p.m.: Fair cooking for children aged 6 to 13 at Freizeithaus Neubeckum, Gottfried-Polysius-Straße 6, registration at Freizeithaus, in person or at fzh@beckum.de.
    • 18 September, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Consumer-critical walk, start at BE-lebt (Nordwall 49/ corner of Weststraße), registration via VHS Beckum-Wadersloh
    • 18 September, 3 to 6 p.m.: Fair cooking for teens, at Freizeithaus Neubeckum, Gottfried-Polysius-Straße 6, registration at Freizeithaus, in person or at fzh@beckum.de.
    • 19 September, 1 to 5 p.m.: Fair Cooking with Families at Freizeithaus Neubeckum, registration at Freizeithaus Neubeckum, Gottfried-Polysius-Straße 6, registration at Freizeithaus, in person or at fzh@beckum.de.
    • 20 September, 6 to 9 p.m.: Cooking evening with fair trade products - a fair treat with Kristin Duwenbeck, kitchen of the Neubeckum Comprehensive School, Turmstraße 11, 59269 Beckum. Registration requested through the VHS Beckum-Wadersloh.
    • Fair balls, film in the leisure centre cinema and "Fairer Sport" poster exhibition
    • Photo exhibition "Acting sustainably - Fairtrade's focus of work" during opening hours from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the 1st floor of the VHS Beckum-Wadersloh, Antoniusschule.
    • 23 October, 9 to 11 a.m.: Fair Breakfast of the One World Working Group, hall in St. Stephanus Parish Hall, Clemens-August-Straße.
    • 2 November, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.: Lecture in the auditorium of the VHS Beckum-Wadersloh, Antoniusschule, Antoniusstraße on the topic: "Fair, organic, vegan - less meat for a better climate and more health", registration via the VHS or directly at the box office.
    • 14 November, 5 to 7 p.m.: Multivision show: "World trip to Fairtrade producers, natural wonders & sanctuaries" together with the German Alpine Club and the Fairtrade Beckum steering group in the auditorium of the VHS, Antoniusschule, Antoniusstraße, registration via the VHS or directly at the box office.

  • Fair actions 2020

    Fair Week from 14 September

    Despite Corona, world shops, schools, church initiatives, supermarkets, catering businesses and many other active people will be drawing attention to Fair Trade in the coming days as part of Fair Week.

    Under the motto "Fair instead of more", this year's action week deals with the question of what it takes for a good life. The Fair Week is organised by Forum Fairer Handel e. V. in cooperation with TransFair e. V. and Weltladen-Dachverband e. V.

    "The question of what constitutes a good life has become urgently topical due to the Corona pandemic," said steering group spokesperson Antje Ruhmann at the presentation of the programme. The crisis makes it clear that our economic system is not invulnerable and that it denies many people the chance of a good life - especially in the Global South. At the same time, it offers the chance to question our own consumption behaviour, but also our growth-oriented system as a whole. "Fair Trade focuses on people, not profit," Antje Ruhmann continues and explains: "For 50 years, Fair Trade has ensured, for example, with higher revenues for producers as well as reliable trade relations, that people at the beginning of the supply chains can also have a good life."

    Beckum is participating in this year's Fair Week with 4 events:

    • On 14 September, at 7:30 p.m., speaker Nicole Fenneker will give concrete tips on how to avoid waste in everyday life at the Volkshochschule Beckum-Wadersloh (VHS). She will focus on the areas of food, personal hygiene and household. She herself has been living according to the principles of "Zero Waste" for one and a half years.
       
    • On the occasion of World Children's Day, a consumption-critical walk with Antje Ruhmann, spokesperson of the steering group Fairtrade City Beckum, on Saturday, 19 September, 11:00 a.m., is intended to raise awareness of child labour. Many people are aware of the exploitation of children in the production of bananas, cocoa or coffee. The tour starts at 11 a.m. with a tasting in the small world shop of the AGEW (Aktionsgemeinschaft Eine Welt) in the parish hall of St. Stephanus, continues with the focus on "Stones, steles, gravestones without child labour" and ends after about 90 minutes at the weekly market. Registration at the VHS. Participation is free of charge.
       
    • Fairtrade City of Beckum envelopes will be hanging at the weekly markets in Neubeckum and Beckum on 18 and 19 September respectively. On the clothesline there will be "Fairtrade to go", information and fair treats, to take away while stocks last. In addition, the wheel of fortune will spin at the weekly market in Beckum. Whoever spins 12, spins the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal with this number and wins. SGD 12 stands for SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION and THINK CONSUMPTION NEW. The aim is to draw attention to the fact that the world's population consumes more resources than the planet can sustain. The change to a sustainable economy and lifestyle is urgently needed. However, it can only succeed if we change our consumption habits and production.
       
    • Gourmets can cook new favourite dishes at the fair cooking on Wednesday, 23 September from 18:00 to 21:00 in the kitchen of the VHS.

    Of course, all events take place in compliance with the applicable distance and hygiene guidelines.

    Fair Trade creates prospects for around 2.5 million small producers and their families worldwide. Fair Week is taking place for the 19th time this year. Despite the Corona pandemic, the organisers expect more than 1,000 events nationwide. Among other things, representatives of producer organisations will report in video messages what constitutes a good life for them and how Fair Trade contributes to it. Fair Trade products are available in 900 world shops, more than 40,000 organic food shops, supermarkets, discounters and bakeries as well as in more than 20,000 cafés and restaurants. In Beckum, too, of course.

    From 14 to 23 September, several events will take place as part of Fair Week.



    Fair chocolate also tastes good to the carnies

    The steering group Fairtrade City Beckum met for the first time since the beginning of the Corona pandemic and could report a great success.

    350 fair bars of Rumskedi chocolate were sold. 50 cents per bar goes to the Friends of the Beckum Carnival. And so Regina Everke and Wolfgang Krogmeier from the Friends were delighted to receive 175 euros.

    Antje Ruhmann, chairwoman of the Fairtrade steering group, thanked the shops and customers for their support and for the fact that Fairtrade has arrived at the carnival. "We can do it again," said Wolfgang Krogmeier after the successful event. In addition, the Beckumer Heimatverein distributed the fair-trade chocolate "Jecke Fairsuchung" on the occasion of the 100th anniversary in the Shrove Monday procession. At Easter, "plain" BE-fair chocolate packages found their way to the twin towns of Heringsdorf, Grodków and La Celle Saint Cloud as an expression of solidarity in Corona times.

    The steering group would like to point out that the fair Beckum chocolate is still available for 2 euros in the citizens' offices of both town halls as well as on Saturdays in the small world shop of the Aktionsgemeinschaft Eine Welt in the St. Stephanus parish hall.

    Press article "Die Glocke" of 8 June 2020