I was devastated to learn yesterday of the sudden passing of Kay Holmes who many in Halifax will know for her tireless work promoting Fairtrade.

Kay along with her husband Clive, were instrumental in establishing Halifax as a Fairtrade town, having worked with schools and churches to promote the value of Fairly traded goods for decades.

You would regularly find Clive and Kay holding stalls in the town centre in all weathers, selling all manner of Fairtrade foods and gifts, in order to provide producers from around the world with a helping hand.

Clive and Kay have been the very heart and soul of our annual Fairtrade fortnight celebrations. Events included coffee mornings at the old library, taster sessions at the Piece Hall, and most recently at the Albany Arcade in the Borough Market for this year’s schools poster competition. Kay was always popular at such events, thanks largely to both her warm character, and her free chocolate samples.

Kay was one of the kindest people you could ever have the pleasure of meeting and it has been my privilege to be able to work with her since becoming an MP. I will be working with the Halifax Fairtrade group to think about all the ways we can pay tribute to Kay’s dedication to the Fairtrade movement, so that all the many positive seeds she has sown, continue to grow long into the future.