A GROUP celebrating 25 years in the borough has been busy raising awareness of a national campaign.

The Basingstoke and Deane Fairtrade Group highlighted the 25 year anniversary of the Fairtrade campaign in the UK as part of the Fairtrade Foundation’s Fairtrade Fortnight, a national event which ran from Monday 25 February until Sunday 10 March.

The group distributed materials to local schools and faith groups and supported events including a talk in St Leonard’s Church in Sherfield on Loddon and a Bake-Off House Competition and Fairtrade film screening in Everest Community Academy.

Some of the members of the group, which is supported by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, also visited the council offices in London Road last Friday to showcase Traidcraft goods and provide information about the campaign, which supports a living income for some of the world’s poorest farmers and workers around the world.

Council staff were able to purchase some of the wide variety of Fairtrade products, including tea, chocolate and peanut butter, and find out more about local stockists.

Basingstoke and Deane Fairtrade Group member Jill Gibson said: “We’re a small but dedicated team of volunteers working to increase awareness and support for the Fairtrade movement as well as the availability of Fairtrade products in the shops and eateries across our borough.”

The borough was awarded Fairtrade Borough status in 2011 after a six-year campaign by the group, by promoting the use of Fairtrade and increasing the availability of Fairtrade products in the borough.

Cabinet member for regulatory services and the environment at the borough council, Cllr Hayley Eachus said: “We are proud of the borough’s Fairtrade status and the council’s commitment to working with the Basingstoke and Deane Fairtrade Group to maintain it.

“Fairtrade is a widely recognised ethical label and one that has paved a more conscious way of shopping since it started. Look for the Fairtrade Mark when you shop and enjoy some chocolate indulgence whilst supporting a move towards a living income for these farmers at the same time.”

To find out more about the Fairtrade group, visit facebook.com/BasingstokeDeaneFairtrade.