CONTINUED support for the worldwide Fairtrade movement is likely to be approved by Trowbridge town councillors on Tuesday.

They are expected to vote for Cllr Stephen Cooper's motion to reassert their continued support for the aims and efforts of the Trowbridge Fairtrade Group and the wider Fairtrade Foundation.

Fairtrade is a movement which seeks to support producers in the developing countries of the Third World. Its core aim is to assist producers, whether farmers, growers or artisans, in earning a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.

Trowbridge has been a Fairtrade Town since 2009, and the serving mayor is the Trowbridge Fairtrade Group’s honorary president.

Trowbridge Town Fairtrade group works with the council, businesses, schools, churches and community groups to promote its principles and ethos.

Fairtrade producers together supply not just foodstuffs such as tea, coffee, cocoa, bananas and nuts, but more refined produce such as cotton and oil and manufactured produce such as chocolate and cosmetics, all ethically sourced, produced and marketed.

For the farmers and workers involved, Fairtrade means workers’ rights, sustainable employment, safer working conditions and fairer pay. For consumers, it means higher quality, ethically sourced products.

There are 1.7m farmers, growers and artisans and 1,411 producer organisations working worldwide to Fairtrade standards.

In 2018, in addition to all these individuals and groups being assured fair returns for their work, Fairtrade contributed an additional £166.2 million towards community development projects in the form of Community Premiums.

Fairtrade is a global movement with a strong UK presence represented by the Fairtrade Foundation.

The Fairtrade logo is now universally recognised as being an assurance of ethical trading standards.