󠀠 󠀠 Weaving connections around the world through fair trade 󠀠 󠀠

Following the development and registration of the tartan, Hand Up Events received a request for a collaboration from Fair Trade Scotland, then a Scotland WFTO GS member, to pilot the tartan development with a GS member, Villageworks, in Cambodia. 

The first World Fair Trade Tartan journeyed to Cambodia, accompanied by a few meters of the Scottish woven fabric, a colour code, and a design brief. Once the colours were matched, Villageworks created the first weave and then proceeded to make World Fair Trade Tartan into a beautiful range of gifts, such as diverse collection of products like bags, scarfs, wallets, and other accessories. 

This initiative not only generated sales that supported both Villageworks and Fair Trade Scotland, but also provided weaving groups with valuable skills development, an exciting opportunity to up-skill. While Villageworks typically operated with a three-baton loom, the introduction of the six-baton loom for weaving the World Fair Trade Tartan allowed master weavers to train others in new and advanced techniques. This marked the beginning of this Tartan’s journey and while this partnership has since concluded, its positive impact on the communities involved endures. 

Having recovered from the global events of 2020, we are now forming new and exciting partnerships that we will be sharing more information about very soon.

In April 2023, having waited for 3 years, we finally made the trip to New York City Tartan Day Parade. After what had been a long (and not so patient) wait, being able to attend this truly inspirational event was something we will cherish for many years to come! 

So, thinking back to October 2022, Hand Up Events were in touch with Pulse of the Place and YES, they were all up for it and thankfully had been reimbursed for the 2020 trip, Pulse drummers were able to join forces and make this trip a reality! Next, we checked with Gail Porter to see if dates worked and received another YES as she confirmed she would love to join the World Fair Trade Tartan Clan and the talented drummers in NYC this year. 

Tv presenter and journalist, and truly one of Scotland’s greatest treasures, Gail Porter, has been an amazing ambassador for fair trade and the Tartan, and above all, she has been a massive supporter of the young drummers and their continuous efforts to raise funds and awareness prior to the New York trip taking place. 

Pulse of the Place are a most wonderful local Edinburgh charity that provides free samba drumming tuition to children and young people, aged 8 to 18. Pulse were also at the launch of World Fair Trade Tartan in 2017 and have been drumming up awareness of Fair Trade with Hand Up Events over the years since, at several concerts and other events such as fashionABLE in the Scottish Parliament and concerts at The Usher Hall. 

Then… in advance NYC Tartan Parade, earlier last year, we had a call to ask if we would mind that Gail Porter would be this year’s Grand Marshal at NYC Tartan Parade, perhaps as we had Gail Porter joining with the young drummers and the rest of our Clan, including the one and only Scotland’s finest female bagpiper, Louise Marshall. Of course this was the icing on the cake for World Fair Trade Tartan Clan to be leading the entire parade, with Gail Porter as Grand Marshall and with the young drummers and the Clan, also led by Louise Marshall, bagpiper extraordinaire.

With all things coming into place, this year was the very right time to regroup with Pulse of the Place and with World Fair Trade Tartan Clan, and that the Parade was led by Gail Porter – who also launched the tartan with us in 2017 at Fair Trade Fiesta, in Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens, with Rudi Dalvai, President WFTO at the time – made it that extra bit more special! 

Hand Up Events organised a fundraising event on Forth Road Bridge a few weeks prior to NYC (see below), with Gail Porter and the young drummers, we had such a wonderful day and did a great promotion of the fair trade message. The young drummers were totally brilliant and with Gail, it was just the most fun day. 

Next stop NYC and what a trip this turned out to be: about 32 degrees was not what anyone expected and so everyone sweltering but the vibe was electric! As the day came for the NYC Tartan Parade, we were there to welcome the young drummers, as well as Louise and Gail, as we filed into place with the World Fair Trade tartan banner at the front, with Gail leading and the young drummers and Clan just right there, behind her. Behind World Fair Trade Tartan Clan was Kyle Dawson, President of the NYC Tartan Parade and with NYC Mayor, Eric Adams and several other dignitaries the representatives of the Scottish Parliament, we truly felt the support!

The weather was amazing, the vibe electric and before we knew it, everyone in place along 5th Avenue, flags waving, all the doggies dressed in tartan, all the hundreds of clans, groups, individuals wearing tartans, so many colours, it looked absolutely splendid. The young drummers lined up and ready to set off, the first drumbeat, set off the clan and everyone grinning ear to ear, we could see Kyle behind, he was just beyond supportive, the kindest most wonderful person, we are always grateful this very special opportunity to raise the flag for fair trade in such a most wonderful way.

In 2023 Scotland also celebrated its 10th year anniversary as a Fair Trade Nation, while the NYC Tartan Week Parade celebrated its 25th year anniversary. We truly felt it was all so beautifully aligned!

The drummers with their so well-rehearsed syncopated rhythms, bellowing against the tall towers of NYC, were beyond brilliant! Sarah Kelly and Arwen Seilman led the drummers, skilled to support such a huge group of samba drummers and doing it with passion and talent. Rohan Seilman who is the director of Pulse of the Place, was also with them every step of the way, beating his drum in perfect synchronicity. Rohan is a superhero and we are so grateful to him and his daughter Sarah for accepting our invitation to join us in NYC with World Fair Trade Tartan. 

We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone involved and to everyone that supported this most wonderful event, in whichever way. As always, we are wishing the Pulse of the Place the very best of luck with their future adventures and we hope Pulse and Hand Up Events can continue working on many-many wonderful projects for many-many years ahead. Also, roll on World Fair Trade Tartan!

We cannot wait to share with you where our Tartan journey has taken us next!