Representatives from the hot drinks manufacturer went into Shotton’s Venerable Edward Morgan Catholic Primary School to sell cups of hot chocolate, raising money for Oxfam as well as delivering a presentation to a school assembly.
Head of sales for Barry Callebaut Beverages UK, Paula Bentley, said: “We were keen to give the children some background on where their chocolate comes from and to give them an idea of the conditions that the African workers face.
“We also wanted to educate them on the importance of supporting the villagers and helping in the fight against ebola.
“The demand for chocolate will soon outweigh the supply as the West and the richer Asian countries are consuming it in increasing quantities. Supporting the people who work to bring us this chocolate is a sustainable issue as well as a humanitarian one.
“If we don’t help the people in these regions, cocoa will run out in the next five years. The children appreciated these larger issues and we have managed to give Oxfam’s appeal fund a good boost as a result.”
Head teacher of Venerable Edward Morgan Catholic Primary School, Mrs Langley, said: “It was nice to see the children so engaged. It’s great to give them such background and to encourage them to be aware of how we come by food and treat items, particularly so soon after Easter.”
Image: (l-r) Kelly Fitzgibbons, credit controller for Barry Callebaut, Mrs R Langley, head of Venerable Edward Morgan Catholic Primary School, Paula Bentley, sales manager for Barry Callebaut with pupils from the school