CAMPAIGNERS hoping to make Musselburgh a Fairtrade town are appealing to residents and businesses for support to help further their progress.

Businesses, schools, churches and shops are being urged to back the bid.

Musselburgh community councillors are mooting the project, which would require retail outlets to make a range of Fairtrade products readily available, local workplaces and community organisations to support Fairtrade and use Fairtrade products whenever possible, and a local Fairtrade steering group set up to ensure the Fairtrade town campaign continues to develop and gain new support. Linda Watson, the community councillor behind the project, said the process would not happen overnight.

"We're talking about a year at least, if longer, but as long as people are aware that this is not an overnight success then we should be able to get everything sorted," she added.

"The next stage for us is to carry out an audit which would establish what is currently happening in the town and where Fairtrade products are already available - we will be visiting restaurants and cafes and hopefully get more sites to take this project on board.

"East Lothian Council are keen for East Lothian to become a Fairtrade county and as other towns have done it, I don't see why we shouldn't do it as well."