MADAM, you may be aware that Ross was granted Fairtrade Town status on a provisional basis a year ago. Since then, the Steering Group has been keeping up the good work by organising a variety of Fairtrade events, including stalls, competitions, coffee mornings and even a circle dance.

We had an information stand at Ross Carnival, which was a great success. The number of people who came to talk to us was most gratifying, as it demonstrated the level of enthusiasm for Fairtrade in Ross. We would like to thank them all for their interest and for taking part in the competitions.

The 'Guess the Weight of the Fairtrade Cake' was won by Brian Reed; he took away a delicious cake made with Fairtrade ingredients. 'Guess the Number of Sweets' was won by Lily Greenacre, who received a lovely jar of Fairtrade sweets.

The Steering Group now wants to consolidate the work done, and expand awareness of Fairtrade in Ross. We would love some of the many traders and hoteliers who sell Fairtrade goods to get in touch, and let us know how we can support their efforts. There are two Fairtrade churches in Ross already, but perhaps some others would like to join them. It's a very simple process, and we can supply all the necessary information.

We would also like to include more schools and children's groups in future, and would love to hear from anyone who would like to get involved.

The next meeting of the Ross Fairtrade Steering Group will take place at the Quaker Meeting House in Brampton Street on September 15th at 7pm. We are a very friendly group, and we always welcome newcomers and new ideas.

Gillian Smith, Ross Fairtrade Steering Group