About

About The FIG Tree

The FIG Tree was the world’s first International Fair Trade Centre, founded in the world’s first Fair Trade Town, Garstang. The FIG Tree is a small evolving social enterprise with huge global ambitions. It aims to provide information and workshops and hosts a display telling the now famous ‘Garstang story’ while focusing on chocolate and the three local heritage themes; Fair Trade Towns, the British Atlantic slave trade and its abolition and Quaker History.

After having to relocate from Garstang in 2015, The FIG Tree moved to St. John’s Church in historic Lancaster but following severe flood damage in December the same year was again forced to move.

The FIG Tree became a cooperative in 2017 to enable our supporters to become members. Although no longer running a cafe The FIG Tree, now located in Lower Dolphinholme continues to produce and sell bean to bar chocolate, run workshops and support Fair Trade and the International Fair Trade Towns movement. The FIG Tree centre also houses our Fair Trade/slave trade exhibition. We welcome visitors, but by appointment only. For details on how to become a member click here.

 

We all know that some people are very hard to buy for, but if someone special loves both chocolate and fair trade – and who doesn’t? – this Christmas you can give the special people in your life gift membership of The FIG Tree.

Complete our application form with their details and we will do the rest.

As each one is hand crafted our gift membership is also available for other occasions, like birthday presents, wedding gifts etc so please just let us know and we’ll make it extra special!

Join the FIG Tree as a member