A FOOTBALL club in Chipping Norton has invested in Fairtrade footballs to help exploited workers in Pakistan.

Chipping Norton Town Football Club has been kitted out with Bala Fairtrade footballs and training bibs, thanks to local telecoms provider The Phone Co-op.

The balls and training bibs are made by a Scottish co-operative which aims to improve the lives of often exploited factory workers in Pakistan.

The group, whose name means “ball” in Gaelic and “strength” in Punjabi, works with manufacturers in the northern Pakistani city of Sialkot, close to the border with the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, where around 70 per cent of the world’s hand-stitched footballs are made.

Adam Hunt, treasurer and long-time member of the club, said: "We pride ourselves on being a club that is genuinely a big part of the local community. The vast majority of players live in the town and many of us have played for the club since we were youngsters.

"A lot of hard work is carried out by people at the club to try and obtain sponsorship from businesses based in the area, which is something the club relies on to keep going. The new training kit and footballs have given everyone a huge boost and are very proud to be wearing the Bala Fairtrade logo."

Vivian Woodell, CEO of The Phone Co-op, added: “When we decided to support Chipping Norton Town Football Club, it made sense to do so by partnering with Bala to supply footballs.”

For more information on Bala sports go to balasport.co.uk.