Over 300 towns in the UK are already designated, with around 200 more in the pipeline.

What does this mean? The independent Fairtrade Foundation sets five goals which must be reached before a town can be designated – these include support from the Local Authority, a target number of retail and catering outlets in town, good media and on-line coverage and the support of all kinds of community groups, churches, schools, offices, etc.

Find out more at www.fairtrade.org.uk

What is already happening? The Town Council meeting on March 3 agreed to support this campaign. The Exmouth Library organised a poetry competition for Fairtrade Fortnight, with prizes given by Oxfam and Tesco. Several shops and stores in Exmouth already stock and sell fairly traded goods, though they do not all publicise the fact. Exmouth probably has already the required number of retail and catering outlets. Most churches in the town use fairly traded tea and coffee, some with regular ‘Traidcraft’ stalls. The Journal and Herald has carried items with pictures recently.

Martin Odoch a tea grower from Uganda visited Devon last month and addressed Exmouth Town Council and a public meeting at the Glenorchy United Reformed Church Exeter Road. He spoke eloquently about how Fair Trade has transformed the life of his area; the small extra price paid adds extraordinary value to a poor community, such that they can now run a health centre and junior school.

What next? A larger steering group will be assembled over the coming months, representative of all sectors of the town. Research will be done over the summer into the present use of fairly traded products in the tourist industry and in local offices and churches and community groups.

Fairtrade towns in Devon include: Dawlish, Newton Abbot, Crediton, Tavistock, Bideford, Barnstaple, Teignmouth, with Tiverton and Bovey Tracey working towards the Award. Exeter already has Fairtrade City status and Exeter University gained Fairtrade status in December 2007.

A campaign for designation for the whole county of Devon is well advanced: www.fairtradedevon.org.uk

It’s time for Exmouth to be a Fairtrade Town

Further contact: Peter Brain: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Martin John Nicholls: 01395 222304 (office and answer-phone)