Devizes shows its Fairtrade credentials (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Devizes shows its Fairtrade credentials

8:32am Monday 7th March 2011 in Devizes By Lewis Cowen

Devizes celebrated its status as a Fairtrade town on Saturday with a fair dedicated to the produce sold in the town that gives a fair deal to producers in the Third World.

Stalls selling a wide range of Fairtrade items filled the Ceres Hall at the Corn Exchange and cookery demonstrations by chefs from The Bistro featured Fairtrade ingredients.

Plank’s Farm Shop and A Beckett’s Vineyard were represented while other stalls sold musical instruments, soap products and a chocolate fountain proved popular.

Jasper Selwyn, chairman of the Devizes Fairtrade committee, dressed up as a Fairtrade banana, introduced Mayor Pete Smith and Claire Perry MP, who officially opened the fair.

Mrs Perry said: “Being introduced by a banana is definitely a political first for me.

“I am so impressed by the range of things here today that you can buy in the knowledge that they have been sourced ethically. This is a great chance to think about the ways we spend our money so that we can support people in developing countries.”

A Fairtrade fashion show was due to take place in the town hall on Wednesday evening.