Published: Friday, 20th June, 2008 09:00
Assembly has pupils trading their thoughts
By Annabel Williams
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Hannah Tointon with her father, John-Paul.
Pic by: Andy Evans
AN evangelical Caversham youngster is echoing the efforts of Jamie Oliver by provoking a hot topic at her school this week.
Hannah Tointon even got local branches of the country’s supermarkets on board for her assembly about Fair Trade, which she presented on Monday morning with help from proud father, John-Paul.
Hannah, who goes to The Abbey Junior School in Christchurch Road, Reading, says her interest in Fair Trade was sparked after an RE project earlier this year.
So the 11-year-old contacted local branches of supermarkets for information and to see if they would help her conduct taste tests with her classmates, collecting enough for 300 samples.
Asda in Lower Earley responded by donating chocolate bars, while the store’s community liaison officer, Kerry Curtis, gave Hannah a stereo system as a present for her work.
Sainsbury’s in Winnersh and the Co-Op both donated chocolate bars, while Claire Holland at the Caversham branch of Waitrose gave chocolate bars and a Fair Trade hamper.
And Hannah learned that Fair Trade is not just about supermarkets paying fair prices to Third World farmers for chocolate and coffee, but everything from wine to peanuts and honey, and even baby food.
Hannah said: “I learned how farmers pay for their workers’ children to go to school, and how in some places, they have to write on the wall for a black board and how they have to write with sticks on the ground instead of having books because the farmers aren’t given enough money.”
Mr Tointon, who lives with Hannah in Chiltern Road, said: “I wanted to be with Hannah when she presented her assembly to show everyone how little I helped with it all, all I did was help her with the computer for her slides.
“I can’t believe how much effort she’s put in. We kept having all these posters and leaflet and things delivered to the house, and then we had to pick up all these chocolate bars.
“She’s one sharp cookie.”
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