EIGHT years after settling in Abergavenny, Martha Musonza Holman, who lives in Gilwern is to receive an award from the Welsh Government in recognition of her contribution to Fairtrade in Wales.

Martha was part of the team who managed to make Wales a Fairtrade country in 2009, and along with her husband, David Holman, she has constantly travelled the length and breadth of the country talking to churches, schools, universities and local community groups about Fairtrade.

Martha, who runs Wales-based charity, Love Zimbabwe is to be presented with this top award by the First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones at a ceremony at The Senedd in Cardiff Bay on December 4.

The award is part of the WCVA links scheme, which connects towns in Wales with those in Africa. There are currently 130 such links operating.

Martha will be very busy that evening as Love Zimbabwe is also to receive a partnership award for their work in Zimbabwe under the same scheme. The certificate will sit alongside their two previous awards from the Glastonbury Festival also for contribution to Fairtrade work.

Martha said, "This is great news and I feel very honoured. It is also very good news for Abergavenny as the major Fairtrade event of the year is based here:- the Wales Fair Trade Fair."

The Mayor and Mayoress of Abergavenny, Martin and Alison Hickman, who have supported Martha's efforts since her arrival in Abergavenny in 2007, added, "This is truly excellent news, and very well deserved."

AM Nick Ramsey, who will be attending the ceremony, explained, "Martha is a shining example of the work going on to support Fairtrade in Abergavenny. Martha and volunteers like her put in so much time and effort to support the Fairtrade cause it is only right that this should be recognised by the Assembly. I hope Martha's dedication inspires others to do their bit to support worthy causes such as this in Wales. Well done Martha!"

On a recent BBC radio Wales interview, Eleri Sion described Martha as 'The face of Fairtrade in Wales'. Now it seems that this statement has come true.