Last updated 05:36, Friday, 04 July 2008

SIGNS heralding Brampton a Fairtrade Town have been put up.

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Spelling it out: The Rev Sue Wilkins with John Hanning, of Brampton parish council, Keith Read-Bone, Hannah Wilkins, of Brampton Fairtrade, Jacqui Geddes and Brampton Fairtrade secretary Kate Allan

The local fairtrade group hope the signs will raise the profile of the town and encourage more people to shop there.

Secretary of the group, Kate Allan, said: “The signs celebrate that Brampton is a Fairtrade Town and all that this means – that the local people in schools, churches, organisations, bed and breakfasts, shops, cafés and businesses use Fairtrade.”

The signs, which cost more than £800 are part of ongoing work to promote Fairtrade products and Brampton is leading the way for the county being home to Cumbria’s first Fairtrade school and military base – Brampton Junior School and RAF Spadeadam.

Parish councillor and member of the fairtrade group John Harding kick started the project 12 months ago after seeing the success that similar signs had in Millom. Signs have been erected below existing road signs on two entrances to the town on the A69 and at Townfoot industrial estate.

They were paid for with a grant from Brampton and District Neighbourhood Forum for £500 and the remainder was gathered through coffee mornings and fund raising.

Kate added: “The group is grateful for assistance from the neighbourhood forum.”

The project was supported by Mayor of Carlisle Jacqui Geddes, the appointed fairtrade champion for Carlisle City Council and new city councillor for the Brampton area Steve Layden, who encouraged the group to apply to the Neighbourhood Forum.