CAF� customers at St Albans Cathedral are being served coffee from the UK’s first Fairtrade and Organic coffee social enterprise.

The Oromo Coffee Company was set up in 2009 by political refugees from Oromo, Ethiopia, and is the first-ever UK initiative of its kind.

The Cathedral refectory in the Chapter House launched the new coffee recently with guests including the St Albans Mayor Cllr Maxine Crawley.

She said: “St Albans Cathedral has once again shown how caring and community-minded it is by linking with Oromo Coffee Company.

“The presentation by Oromo, who now supplies all of the coffee to the refectory, was inspiring.

“The company has been set up by Ethiopian refugees and the profit goes to the growers from the Oromo region of Ethiopia.

“It is a brilliant example of Fair Trade and the coffee is delicious.”

The Rev Canon Kevin Walton, said that the Cathedral had been delighted to team up with Oromo when they heard of the venture and added: “This way, our own community here at St Albans Cathedral has a direct link with the community of Ethiopian farmers, ensuring a fantastic quality of coffee for the customer at a fair price to the producer.”