THE great Fairtrade Chocolate Cake Bake-Off marked the culmination of Fairtrade Fortnight at Newcastle Emlyn.

Events during the fortight included talks to NE Friendship Group and Clynfyw Care Farm coffee morning, a creative session with NE Rainbows (Girl Guiding) and a Fairtrade pub quiz at the Pelican.

The cake competition was the first of its kind organised by NE Fairtrade Group and organiser were delighted with the support, with 23 wonderful chocolate cakes represented in the three classes.

Rhian Howells, food technologist and owner of Cacennau Rhimon Cakes, Mayor Cefin Evans and his daughter Megan judged the cakes. NE Co-op Food had a display of all the Fairtrade products they stock and donated a raffle prize.

Fairtrade Fortnight is the highlight of the year for the Fairtrade movement in the UK and in 2019 it ran from Monday, February 25 until Sunday, March 10. Fairtrade is also celebrating 25 years of Fairtrade in the UK.The focus of the campaign this year was on cocoa farmers, £1.86 is the amount a cocoa farmer in West Africa needs to earn each day in order to achieve a living income. Currently, a typical cocoa farmer in Cote d’Ivoire lives on around 74p a day. Almost all cocoa farmers in West Africa live in poverty.

That is why the Newcastle Emlyn Fairtrade group set the entry fee at £1.86 per category, the amount a cocoa farmer in West Africa needs to earn each day in order to achieve a living income.

Winners

Adult: 1 Heather May; 2 Christine Little; 3 Esther Peacock; 4 Nicola Rabjohns

Child 11 and under: 1 Ceridwen Bowler; 2 Eilidh Griffiths; 3 Charlotte Purcel; 4 Danial Jones

Child 12–16: 1 Ryan Maczka; 2 Eve Allen; 3 Cesca Woolley and Emily Keane

People’s vote winners for the best looking cake: child - Ryan Maczka; adult - Helen Maxwell