The arrival of the Olympic torch was the starting signal for a 'mass sew-in' taking place in the heart of Sydney. People dressed as sportswear workers sitting behind sewing machines put the finishing touches to a giant quilt, which was then presented to the Australian Olympic Committee. The quilt, made from hundreds of coloured panels depicting the life and work of women sportswear workers in developing nations and adorned with slogans, solidarity messages and signatures. People who have contributed include campaign supporters in Australia, Spain and Ireland and garment workers in Thailand, Indonesia, Honduras and Morocco. Travelling from Sydney to Barcelona, Ireland and finally Greece, the quilt drew great attention to the Play Fair campaign actions and the global support for sportswear workers' rights.

The national speaking tour by Thai garment worker Somphit (Noi) Pongkhwa and Thai Labour Campaign activist Premjai (Yong) Jaikla was a great success. Noi and Yong travelled to Australia's six major cities speaking to hundreds of people at public meetings, made numerous media appearances and made contact with workers and unions in Australia. As they travelled around the country, the 'Lives of women sportswear workers' quilts accompanied them. The first part of this spectacular quilt has been stitched by supporters all over Australia.

In Sydney delegates to International Youth Parliament had Noi and Yong as expert advisors for their consideration of issues around labour rights. Another highlight was a visit to the offices of the Australian Olympic Committee where 600 letters, asking for fair and decent conditions for garment workers, were handed over.

In Brisbane, Sydney 2000 Paralympian Sarah Houbolt joined Noi and Yong at a public meeting of 100 people to express her support for the campaign. Three-time Australian Olympic gymnast Graham Bond (representing Australia at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 games) joined the visiting Thai speakers on a visit to local factories to help endorse the campaign.

Adelaide had in excess of 200 at their combined public meeting and dance performance. The innovative dance piece "Made in Australia" by Adelaide choreographer and dancer Tina Evans explored issues of exploitation in the garment industry and was a dramatic start to a powerful evening.

Noi and Yong also attend a variety of functions in Perth, Melbourne and Canberra. All who attended the many meeting Noi and Yong spoke at were moved by the personal stories of Noi's experience as a garment worker and inspired by her participation in setting up the Solidarity Collective factory 'Dignity returns' where workers are starting to take back control of their working conditions.

A colourful local launch of the Play Fair at the Olympics campaign at the 2nd Annual World Beat Music Festival, Brisbane, Australia

The event, at popular venue The Brisbane Powerhouse, saw hundreds of people signing petitions and letters calling for better rights and conditions for women making sportswear. In all, 1150 signed the petition and about 700 letters were signed to the sports companies. Festival patrons - and performers - snapped up stickers, leaflets and "Make Trade Fair" transfers to take the message out into the community.

Children were keen to wave giant foam hands urging onlookers to "lift a finger" against poverty and sign their support. Many also added their names to a special "World Beat Festival Patrons" panel that will form part of the massive Olympics Quilt, sending messages of solidarity to factory workers and calling on Olympics committees and sports companies to "play fair" with their sportswear purchasing practices.

Womadelaide Festival of World Music in Adelaide, South Australia

The Play Fair at the Olympics campaign stall at the Womadelaide Festival saw a record number of people visiting over the weekend, with 2,800 signatures collected for the labour rights petition and over 1100 signed letters for us to deliver to the Olympic committee and sportswear companies.

The stall featured a full-size clothes line sporting singlets with campaign slogans printed on them, Make Trade Fair T shirts and assorted sportswear gently waved in the breeze.

Oxfam's green "pull your finger out for fair trade" foam glove fingers were seen all over the park with many a fan bopping seriously to the wonderful music, their fingers held aloft for all to see.

With campaign T-shirts, campaign tattoos and the giant fingers visible everywhere, the Play Fair at the Olympics campaign made an unforgettable presence at the festival. "The response was overwhelming" said Sally McHenry, Campaign Coordinator in Adelaide. " The link between the high ideals of the Olympic Movement and the suffering of the women who make the sportswear obviously struck a chord with people and they were keen to show their support for the changes that we are calling for."

Many, many thanks and congratulations to the team of Adelaide volunteers who made the weekend such a success and got the campaign off to such a great start in South Australia!

To ensure that they stood out in the annual May Day rally "Play Fair" campaigners in Sydney and Perth were body-painted in the Olympic colours. In just three hours these "living statues" collected 500 signatures in support of the campaign!