Cumbria has become only the second county in England to be awarded Fairtrade status.
The award means Cumbria has met five key criteria set out by the Fairtrade Foundation which are aimed at promoting the Fairtrade mark and giving a better deal to farmers in developing countries.
There are currently eight towns, districts, and villages in Cumbria with Fairtrade status, and six more are in the pipeline. Spread over the county are many Fairtrade churches, and large numbers of schools and community groups supporting Fairtrade. In addition dozens of restaurants and cafés, hotels and guest houses now serve Fairtrade teas and coffees; and a large number of shops sell a huge range of Fairtrade products.
The decision to award the whole county with Fairtrade status follows a unanimous passing of a resolution by Cumbria County Council in November. Deputy leader Joan Stocker, who proposed the motion, said: "Cumbria County Council is proud to have supported the Fairtrade Network in a number of ways. Fairtrade has received cross-party support and it means Cumbria County Council is thinking about its own procurement policies as well as Cumbrians in general.
"Fairtrade is more than just a label - it means you're not just thinking about the plight of those overseas, but you're also aiming towards complete sustainability. It means buying locally where possible as well," said Councillor Stocker.
Joe Human, Coordinator of Cumbria Fair Trade Network, said: "This is a tremendous achievement. Cumbria is second to none in the take-up of Fairtrade and many firms in the Cumbrian tourism sector realise that Fairtrade is good for business too.
"There is also a growing understanding of the similarities between small producers in our part of the world and small producers overseas," he said.