MONTROSE COULD be a registered Fair Trade town by national Fair Trade Fortnight in March next year.

Ten months into the campaign a steering group is being formed and local businesses are being urged to offer Fair Trade items and the public to ask for them.

Montrose’s councillors have all backed the campaign and the local authority has agreed to help produce a leaflet which will be issued in time for next March and which will detail where Fair Trade items are being offered.

“The practical action now is to ask local retailers what Fair Trade items they offer and to ask hotels, restaurants and cafes if they would be willing to make available Fair Trade tea and coffee to customers,” said Peter Stevens, who has been working towards the town’s designation for the past two years with the backing of Montrose Churches Together, the Montrose Partnership, Angus Council and local councillors.

“There is a further need to ask local work places if they would use Fair Trade products. Montrose Academy already has with a daily Fair Trade tuck shop.”

The campaign will be given a boost on Friday evening when local woman Fiona Thomson, who now lives in Northumberland and travels the world seeking out producers to supply the trade charity Traidcraft, will be the principal speaker at “Montrose—A Fair Trade Town” in the Academy at 7.30pm.

Fiona has returned recently from Chile and will speak about her experiences with producers around the world.

In Chile she met Chino Henriquez, general manager of Apicoop honey co-operative. He visited Fair Trade meetings in Aberdeen and Ellon during last year’s Fair Trade Fortnight.

“I am very happy that Montrose is deciding to go down the same path as other cities and towns in Scotland,” he said.

“Have no doubt that efforts like this contribute to a better living for thousands around the world.”

The scheme guarantees a fair standard price to producers and the few pence “premium money” from the sale of the items goes to a Fair Trade contract which the producers allocate to their communities for investment in facilities such as schools, hospitals and roads.