MAYOR of Devizes Paula Winchcombe and Michael Ancram MP celebrated the tenth anniversary of Fairtrade when they cut a cake at the special fund-raising breakfast held in the town on Saturday.

Fairtrade is an organisation that tries to assure food producers in the Third World of a fair price for their produce by marketing goods that have been ethically produced.

Mrs Winchcombe and Mr Ancram had a choice of delicious food including fruit juice, bananas, muesli and toast, washed down with Fairtrade tea, coffee or cocoa.

Fairtrade stalls and events have been taking place all over Wiltshire during the last two weeks and the tenth anniversary fortnight has been hailed a huge success.

July Pitts, the Kennet Fairtrade co-ordinator, ran a Fairtrade stall at the Marlborough farmers' market on

Saturday.

She said: "More people now know about Fairtrade, and interest is building every year. Our first ever Fairtrade stall in St Mary's Church, Marlborough on Sunday did a roaring trade. Also several cafs have agreed to sell Fairtrade goods, which brings us a step nearer to Marlborough's goal of getting Fairtrade town status.

"Fairtrade Fortnight is brilliant because it keeps on pushing the message that we need to trade more fairly, and it provides me with samples that I can give out to the public. When I have something to give, it provides me with an opening to talk to people and introduce the subject."

Gina Cooke ran Fairtrade tasting events for 300 children combined at the Ogbourne School and St Peter's Junior School, Marlborough. She took in a variety of Fairtrade goods.

She said: "When you ask in school assembly what is Fairtrade, about half of the children put their hands up to answer. They can explain that when you buy Fairtrade you are giving the farmer a fairer price for his products."