STUDENTS from both West Somerset and Africa officially marked the end of a successful four-year project to raise the profile of Fairtrade tea.

On Saturday, West Somerset Community College students presented a cheque for £1,412 to exchange students from Uganda to give to the Mabale Tea Growers in their home country.

The cheque was presented during a community meal at Alcombe Methodist Church.

Since 2007, college students have worked with local firm DJ Miles to produce their own Fairtrade label tea from Mabale in Uganda.

Under the scheme, local people paid a slightly higher premium for their tea, safe in the knowledge that the tea growers were receiving a good price for their produce.

The additional £25 premium paid for each sack of tea was used to improve both living and working conditions for the growers.

The money raised has helped to pay for everything from two new classrooms at the nearby Buhemba Secondary School, a health clinic to ensure the children of the growers receive basic immunisations and for toilets and drinking water wells to be built.

New bridges and roads have also made the export of tea safer and quicker for the Ugandan workers.

Saturday's cheque presentation came from the profits of the college scheme, which has no officially come to an end.

Students said they felt they had achieved their aim of raising the profile of the Fairtrade label and with the wider availability of Fairtrade products, they felt it was no longer necessary for residents to pay a higher premium for the Mabale tea.

Lynne Wooldridge, who helps to organise the college's Ugandan exchange scheme, said: "We would like to thank not only Miles tea and coffee merchants for their encouragement and support, but also all the people who have faithfully bought Mabale tea for so many years.

"The students have learnt a lot about business and Fairtrade and the people of this particular part of Western Uganda have warmed to the knowledge that they have friends in Britain who care passionately about them and their wellbeing."

Photo: Steve Guscott