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Greenpeace lifts the lid on John West's tuna
ON Wednesday 28 October, 2015, Liverpool; Greenpeace activists installed an enormous, provocative, sculpture outside tuna company John West's Liverpool HQ, to protest against the company's destructive fishing practices and to highlight John West's owner Thai Union's links to human rights abuses.
The towering tuna tin is flanked by huge
effigies of threatened marine life, including sharks and sea turtles;
reflecting John West's broken sustainability promise to consumers; while at the
heart of the installation, the tuna tin is ripped open to reveal a screen
showing short campaign films including chef and campaigner Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall and vox pops from the people of Liverpool.
John West has been under fire since Greenpeace
revealed 3 weeks ago that it had broken its promise to consumers to ensure that
at least 50% of its tuna was caught sustainably by the end of 2014. And despite
a further commitment to be 100% sustainable by the end of 2016, the company has
so far achieved a dismal 2%.
Louise Edge, Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said:- "Looking out of their office window here in Liverpool today, John West's management will be unable to ignore the harm they're causing to our oceans and their owner's links to human rights abuses. And many of their staff, just like the British public, will be rightly concerned that John West is a company which doesn't keep its promises; and that it doesn't think twice about catching and killing sharks and turtles if it means they save a few quid. John West claims to tell its customers 'the story behind every can'. Well sitting on their doorstep is a macabre monster of a tuna can which has many stories to tell: stories like John West's continuing environmental destruction which is killing threatened marine life; and tales of Thai Union's links to human trafficking and the exploitation of workers."
Celebrity chef and campaigner Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, whose Fish Fight TV series was instrumental in achieving John West's original sustainability commitment back in 2011, features in one of the films. In it he says:- "John West has treated us all with total contempt… it's not just insulting, it's extremely cynical. If John West want to restore even a shred of credibility to their tattered reputation, I think they've got to do a couple of things pretty much straight away. They need to stop using the kind of Fish Aggregation Devices that are ensnaring so much endangered marine life and they need to call on their parent company, Thai Union, to drive out human rights abuses from the Thai fishing industry."
The films also lift the lid on issues in the Thai fishing industry, including John West's owner Thai Union's links to human rights abuses, such as bonded labour and human trafficking.
The Thai fishing industry is currently under
scrutiny for its fishing practices, labour rights abuses and human trafficking;
including from the US government and the EU. While the CEO of Thai Union has
previously condemned human rights abuses in the industry, he recently stated:-
"we all have to admit that it is difficult to ensure the Thai seafood
industry's supply chain is 100% clean."
Greenpeace's Louise Edge continued:- "Today's action in the UK is just one of several taking place in countries around the world, including the US and Thailand, targeting Thai Union's tuna brands. Thai Union can't afford to wash its hands of the huge problems of environmental destruction and exploitation of workers in the Thai fishing industry. John West must meet its sustainability commitment now and call on Thai Union to clean up its act; proving its supply chain is free from human rights abuses and using its weight in the Thai fishing industry to put an end to the disgraceful exploitation of workers and the oceans."
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Dates set for Liverpool's 7th Annual Winter Arts Market OVER 200 contemporary artists,
designers and makers selling work at Grade I Listed venue St George's Hall on
5 and 6 December 2015.
The Winter Arts Market, Merseyside's largest arts and design market, returns
to St George's Hall, on 5 December and 6 December 2015. Open from 10am to 5pm, on both
days, it's the best independent shopping experience in the City and the
perfect place to pick up beautiful, unique Christmas gifts.
The stunning Grade I-listed St George's Hall will be transformed into a
bustling festive market with work from more than 200 of the North West's
best artists, designers and makers. There'll be thousands upon thousands of
items for sale, with everything from paintings, screenprints and handmade
jewellery and accessories to beauty products, upcycled items, Christmas
decorations, cards, photography and textiles. There will also be a vintage
fair upstairs in the Concert Room.
Shoppers will also be able to enjoy a range of other activities, including
workshops, performances and live music to be announced in November.
Delicious homemade food and drink will be available from Cuthberts Café at
the North Entrance. Tennis Charity Serves Up Free Tennis Lessons In Liverpool
NATIONAL sports charity 'Tennis
For Free' has served up an ace for Sefton Park and the surrounding area
by investing in a 50 week programme of free tennis lessons hoping hundreds
of people join in and make a racket at the Park's tennis courts. The timing
of the launch couldn't be better with tennis fever heightening. 'The World
ATP Finals' are being held in London in mid-November 2015 and then at the end of
the same month Great Britain take on Belgium in the Davis Cup Final hoping
to win for the 1st time since 1936. The charity has created a partnership
with Liverpool City Council, Mersey Bowmen Tennis Club and the LTA to help
provide free coach led tennis sessions for all the family starting on
Sunday, 1 November 2015, between 10.00am and 12.00noon. You don't even need a racket as
all equipment is provided free of charge. Bonfire Safety Film For Schools Launched
A film has been launched for
schools across Merseyside advising children and young people about the
dangers around Bonfire Night. The bonfire safety film, launched by
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, has been designed as an education and
awareness tool for Primary and Secondary Schools. It tells the story of a
teenage boy injured after an aerosol can is thrown on to a bonfire and the
impact this has on his own life as well as that of his family. A version
aimed at young people of Secondary School age shows the story from the point
of view of the teenager. The Primary School version of the video tells the
story from the perspective of the boy's younger sister. Both videos are
available to view on the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service YouTube page.
Watch Manager Ian Mullen said:- "The bonfire period is traditionally
the busiest time of year for the Fire and Rescue Service as a result of
deliberate fires caused by anti-social behaviour. This year we have launched
the video to prevent children and young people being injured by bonfires or
fireworks around Bonfire Night. The video has been well received in schools
across Merseyside where it has been presented by our Firefighters, our
prevention staff and Police Officers. The aim is to educate young people to
think about the positive ways they can behave so that they can enjoy a safe
Bonfire Night. If we can prevent a child or a teenager being injured this
year then the hard work that has gone into producing the video will have
been worth it. I would ask parents to ensure their children attend an
organised display this year rather than building a bonfire. Deliberate fires
can easily get out of hand and we have attended call outs where children
have been burned resulting from bonfires. The lasting effects can be
devastating, so I would urge people to take extra care this year." |
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