Fairtrade supporters in Alsager will have a stall at Saturday's Olive and Stitch Market and will be encouraging the community to buy fairly traded goods whenever possible.

Sitting on the Alsager Fairtrade Steering Group are councillors Jo Dale, Julia Hawkins, Sue Helliwell and Phil Williams, who were elected on the group last year.

The councillors are joined by chair of the steering group Margaret Keeling, and other volunteers Sandra Moores, Cathie and Tony Smith.

Speaking about the town councillors' input, Mrs Keeling told Nub News: "We have a fantastic steering group and it's great to have some youth, energy and direction with the councillors, who are very active."

The group will be holding their first Fairtrade market stall at the Olive and Stitch Market on Saturday inside the Alsager Civic from 9.30am. The Fairtrade group will have a stall at the Olive and Stitch Market for the next three months.

There will also be a Fairtrade stall at the Alsager Market on 4th November, which is held on Fairview Car Park.

In 2006, Mrs Keeling and Bob Snowdon were invited to make a presentation to Alsager Town Council about Alsager becoming a Fairtrade town.

After receiving the town council's support, Mrs Keeling and the group of volunteers started campaigning and raising awareness about Fairtrade and the benefits it would bring to the community.

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Within a year, Alsager had secured Fairtrade town status and it is a status they have retained ever since. The status renews every two years and Alsager recently had theirs renewed at the beginning of March when Fairtrade Fortnight was about to start.

The award recognises the town's commitment to tackling poverty by helping disadvantaged producers from poor countries receive a better deal for their produce.

What is Fairtrade?

Fairtrade is about giving a fair price to the craftsman or farmer in the third world for what they make or grow.

The fair price includes a social premium which helps to benefit the craftsman's community for development in health, education, housing, and sanitation.

The steering group was delighted to receive a "very kind and generous offer" to work with Ethical, Local, Fairtrade (ELF).

In April, Alsager was named by the Fairtrade Foundation as their Fairtrade community of the month. The Fairtrade Foundation said: "They [Alsager] just renewed their Fairtrade town status and have proven to be an unstoppable force in raising awareness of Fairtrade in their area."

The group's ELF initiative enables the group to keep in touch with partnership organisations and provide opportunities to promote and showcase Fairtrade products.

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The group ran a monthly Fairtrade stall at Wesley Place Methodist Church pre Covid-19, has led Fairtrade sessions at cub and brownie groups and recently redesigned their Fairtrade cotton tote bags, with help from pupils at Alsager School and head of design and art at the second school Laura Howard, which saw 200 bags made.

The bags, which were designed by Agatha Scczecina are £3 each and will be available at the Olive and Stitch Market.

Mrs Keeling is eager to reach out to the wider Alsager community and make residents aware of the principles of Fairtrade.

Mrs Keeling concluded: "With Fairtrade products you are getting a fair price which is granted, but it's all about meeting new requirements which help the welfare of people all around the world. We have to look at the environmental impact, there is no exploitation with Fairtrade products, and it is sustainable."