TWO West House clients have become a link in a fair trading chain that goes all the way back to South Africa.

Sean Burke and Kane Towers are working at Zuza Trading in Maryport, a company that imports fairly traded goods from South Africa and sells them throughout Britain and on the Continent.

West House is an organisation which supports people with learning disabilities including trying to find them meaningful employment.

Sean and Kane have been counting orders as they come in from South Africa, carrying out quality control and packing them to meet customer demands here.

This week they have been packing Christmas decorations for a company in Aberdeen.

Claire Shepherd, who owns Zuza Trading, has been awarded a British Association of Fair Trading certificate for her work with the African craftspeople who make everything from Christmas reindeer through a range of African animals and even Herdwick sheep.

"They started making those for me when Chimney Sheep, another Maryport company, asked for some. We had to send a lot of photos but we now have Herdwicks."

Many of her goods are sold to zoos throughout the country.

Claire, who works out of the Settlement on Castle Hill in Maryport, said she was initially a little apprehensive about taking on West Port workers but it has worked out really well.

"We don't wrap them in cotton wool. Having a support worker here has been helpful. We were a little apprehensive at first but now we are quite happy."

Staff member Kate Paterson said she had wondered if she would have to undo the work once it was finished.

"I haven't had to redo anything. They are working really well."

Kenny Milburn, employment officer for West House, said employers are sometimes afraid that they do not have the skills to support people into employment but a partnership such as this was an example of what could be done.

West House CEO James Cox said the charity was dedicated to building better opportunities and choices of work for its members.