Burstow Trades Fair at Sutton High School

6.24.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 15th May 2007

Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, had Fair Trade tea and cake with students at Sutton High School last Friday on a visit to learn more about the school's initiative to promote Fair Trade.

Students at Sutton High have formed a Fair Trade cooperative to promote awareness and sell Fair Trade products to students. Fair Trade goods require companies to pay above market prices and give a fair price to weaker producers who cannot otherwise get a decent price for their goods. On Thursday 1 March, the London Borough of Sutton officially became a Fair Trade borough, after efforts to encourage residents to make positive purchasing choice.

The students spent time talking to Mr Burstow about their cooperative and presented him with a set of pledge cards they had completed. The cards - on which individual students have written what they would do to support Fair Trade - will be presented at 10 Downing Street by Mr Burstow and some of the students in coming weeks.

Speaking after his visit, Paul Burstow MP said:

"It was great to see the girls taking up the challenge of Fair Trade and joining in with other initiatives being taken across the borough."

"Young people can play a great role in promoting the idea of Fair Trade to parents and other adults, helping them to change their shopping habits."