STUDENTS at Malmesbury School have been raising cash for Cancer Research UK during Fairtrade Fortnight by selling roses.

The charity was chosen by pupil Rosie Dicks, who recently received a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma and released a video message to her school explaining why she would be missing school.

Sixth formers at the school set up a stall last Thursday and Friday to sell roses for Valentine’s Day at  £1 per flower and were nearly sold out by the start of their second lunchtime.

The stall was well placed in the upper part of the building where students relax in their lunch hour and several deliveries were made from class to class with students sending a flower.

Olivia Cook, one of the sixth formers selling the roses, said that it was important not to just focus on Fairtrade food, but also other Fairtrade products like flowers.

She said: “If we’re selling Fairtrade roses then people will think about it more.”

One of the school’s teachers Sam Robertson, said that she had been involved with the school’s Fairtrade Fortnight for three years but that school had been working to raise awareness for more than a decade.

She added: “As a school we run lots of events to support Fairtrade, to make sure our students are making the right choices.”

The school, which achieved Fairachiever status due to its work, will also be visited by a Fairtrade Farmer from Nicaragua who will talk to the Year 7s on February 25 before an ‘unfair netball match’ between staff and Y11 pupils.