DELIGHTED: Simon Killane, Clem Hitchings, Dottie Kearney, Mayor Andrew Woodcock, Izzy Gabbitas, Jay Parker, Coun Catherine Doody and Fairtrade coordinator Aimi Bisco
FAIRTRADE campaigner Simon Killane has spoken of his delight that Malmesbury has been awarded Fairtrade status.
The town is the first in North Wiltshire to be given the award which follows months of hard work by the town council's Fairtrade Steering Committee.
Meanwhile the secondary school has been awarded its own certificate.
Coun Killane, who led the campaign, said: "We are absolutely delighted to finally have the hard work recognised.
"And even better, the school has got its own recognition.
"I thought it was going to be easy to get but it wasn't. We had to work really hard to get every aspect of the community involved.
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"Put it this way, if you went into a shop in Malmesbury to buy a dress with sequins on and it cost £1 you'd think it was cheap.
"But if you then saw the children who made it, who live with no sanitation, no food, in terrible conditions, you'd call the police.
"Well that's the reality in Third World countries and what we are trying to do is raise awareness of what goes on elsewhere."
The certificate will be presented to the council at a Fairtrade Awareness day on July 12.
The award means that Malmesbury has been formally recognised for its efforts in promoting the ethics of Fairtrade and for encouraging the shops, cafes, schools and churches to stock Fairtrade goods.
There are now more than 200 towns throughout the UK with Fairtrade status.
In order to get status, at least two local stores had to promote Fairtrade products.
The town council had to pass a resolution supporting Fairtrade, and serve Fairtrade coffee and tea at its meetings and in offices and canteens.
Mr Killane is now helping to draw up signs to announce the town's status at the entrance into Malmesbury.
Students at Malmesbury School have also done their bit for the Fairtrade cause by getting Fairtrade goods in their canteen.
Malmesbury Fairtrade Day will take place on July 12 from 9am to 1pm and will promote the town's achievement.
The event will focus around the Market Cross. Fairtrade refreshments will be served in Le Flambe.
Coun Killane added: "This is just the beginning, we don't just put up the certificate and pat ourselves on the back, we keep working to inform people and raise awareness."
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