A Fairtrade beer produced by Forest brewer Don Burgess is proving a popular thirst quencher with a supermarket chain.

And to give it the stamp of approval the Freeminer Brewery product has been endorsed by Malawi farmer Henry Matenda, one of those now using his two and half hectares of land as part of a Fairtrade producer group.

Mr Matenda is visiting Britain for Fairtrade Fortnight and gave the thumbs-up to the Forest brew – because, he said, it contained sugar from Malawi!

Mr Burgess said the Fairtrade beer had produced using the best Fairtrade and British ingredients. It was selling well with Co-op customers not only for its ethical properties but for its good taste.

The Freeminer Brewery is also producing a Fairtrade honey beer.