A Suffolk school run as a co-operative community has been presented with an award for its work supporting a charity which helps impoverished farmers around the globe.

Summerhill School, the world’s oldest democratic school, where children and staff meet as equals on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to run the community, making its laws, organising, and running its justice system, has been presented with a FairActive Award by members of Leiston-cum-Sizewell Fairtrade Town Steering Group.

The school has organised Fairtrade displays, events and cafes, run by an elected committee of students and staff. It is looking into purchasing more Fairtrade products for the school kitchen, which focuses on buying local produce.

“We are excited to receive this award as it celebrates our values as a community, of sharing, equality, human rights and social justice. Summerhill hopes that it can inspire others to co-operate to create better communities.” said Michael Newman, Summerhill staff member.

Steering Group chairman Ann Nunn said: “We are proud to recognise the achievements of local groups and schools that work towards helping the lives of impoverished farmers around the world, especially through the values of co-operation.

“Fairtrade is about us all working together as communities to create a more just world, in which all children can go to school, and families can escape from poverty through their work.”

The school has supported Fairtrade over the years, organising an event in London’s City Hall with state schools in partnership with the Co-op College, as well as hosting in Leiston’s café, Simply Delicious, workers from Liberation Nuts and the Ugandan Co-operative Alliance.

In partnership with the Long Shop Museum, it organised a centenary Fairtrade tea and cakes with six local primary schools, celebrating the suffragists Millicent Fawcett and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson.

Its staff also ran a conference of student lead workshops in Tower Hamlets Town Hall, east London, on how to set-up and run co-operatives in schools as a part of Fairtrade Fortnight this year.

Summerhill was founded in 1921 by educationalist, writer and teacher AS Neill and shares the values of co-operatives all over the world, which aim to empower groups such as children, women and the poor.

The United Nations recognises co-ops as schools of democracy and human rights, and says they benefit the lives of half the people on the planet. The school and its founder are recognised by the UN for their influence on democratic education and children’s rights.