CO-OP DIRECTOR HAZEL BLEARS VISITS LA RIOJANA
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On Monday 21st October 2019, La Riojana was delighted to receive the prestigious visit of Co-op director and former Member of Parliament, Hazel Blears.
During her visit, Hazel was taken to the rural village of Tilimuqui, where she was able to see firsthand the impact of Fairtrade and how Fairtrade funded projects are improving day to day living conditions for the villagers by way of better water, education and healthcare and in doing so, creating a better future for the next generation.
Accompanied by La Riojana’s export director, Walter Carol, the day started with a visit to the Colegio Nacional Agrotecnico, the Fairtrade funded secondary school in Tilimuqui, which first opened in 2010 with a total of 33 pupils and has now over 520 pupils.
Whilst visiting the school, Hazel met with the headteacher Luisa Dallaglio and the English teacher Cecilia Gonzalez, who is responsible for the current Pen Pal project initiated by the Co-op and La Riojana to link up students in Tilimuqui with similar aged pupils at a Co-op Academy school in Manchester. Hazel also spent a lot of her visit with the students themselves, many of whom were keen to show what they have learnt about Fairtrade and to introduce Hazel to the Argentine national drink, mate tea.
After visiting the school, Hazel was invited into the homes of two Tilimuqui residents Carmen Castro and Cristina Narvaez. Through chatting with Carmen and Cristina, she was able to learn more about life for the people living in Tilimuqui before and after the projects and how they have changed people’s lives in the village.
This was followed by a visit to the village water facility, La Riojana’s first Fairtrade funded project, which since its inauguration in 2009 has been responsible for providing the community with a reliable drinking water supply. This project holds particular significance for both La Riojana and the Co-op as it is where their Fairtrade journey started over a decade ago, following the Co-op’s first visit to Tilimuqui and seeing the need for change.
After the visiting the water facility, Hazel continued her day on to La Riojana’s latest Fairtrade project, the construction of the new health centre situated on the outskirts of Tilimuqui village. A project which once completed is expected to provide medical care to over 10,000 people living locally. Hazel was given a full guided tour of the building site and shown the impressive progress since the laying of the first foundations almost a year ago, in November 2018.
In addition to visiting these Fairtrade funded projects, Hazel met with Mario Gonzalez, La Riojana’s President and was given a tour of the La Riojana’s biodynamic and organic vineyards, which concluded with a wine tasting conducted by La Riojana’s chief winemaker Rodolfo Griguol back at the main winery.
The timing of Hazel’s visit to La Riojana could not have happened at a better time, not only coinciding with the 25th anniversary since the first FAIRTRADE Mark certified products were launched in the UK, but also commemorating the 20-year special relationship that has been established between The Co-op, UK with La Riojana co-operative.
