Famous faces come out in force for Fairtrade Fortnight

25th February 2013

Today marks the official start of Fairtrade Fortnight 2013 and there are a whole host of celebrities supporting the petition to make trade fairer for small farmers. Jonathan Ross, Bruce Forsyth, Harry Hill, Bruno Tonioli and Tulisa are just a few of the stars who are sending their mini-marchers to Parliament.

Despite producing 70% of the world's food, over half of the world's hungriest people are smallholder farmers. With their petition, they are calling on David Cameron to go further and champion a better deal for the world's smallholder farmers at this year's G8 meeting.

We're celebrating Fairtrade Fortnight with some fascinating facts:

• The Fairtrade system currently works with 1.24 million people - farmers and workers - across more than 66 developing countries
• In the UK, sales of Fairtrade products in 2011 reached £1.32 billion – a 12 per cent increase on the previous year

• Fairtrade products are now sold in more than 120 countries

• 75 per cent of all Fairtrade producers are smallholder farmers

• 78 per cent of consumers recognise the FAIRTRADE Mark

• Last year, farmers and workers from some of the world’s poorest countries invested €65 million in Fairtrade Premium in business, social and environmental projects in their communities

• There are now 991 Fairtrade producer organisations worldwide

• More than 6.5 million litres of Fairtrade wine was enjoyed in 2011

• One in every three bananas sold in the UK is Fairtrade

• Fairtrade accounts for 10 per cent of all tea sold in the UK

• Just over 8 per cent of all roast and ground retail coffee is Fairtrade certified

9,924 tonnes of Fairtrade hot chocolate was drunk in the UK in 2011 – that’s about 1.5 million of us sitting down to a cup of hot chocolate every day

• Chichester Cathedral became the world’s first public building to display • Fairtrade and Fairmined certified gold in 2011. A 3ft cockerel was gilded in • Fairtrade certified gold and positioned atop the 270ft Cathedral spire

• Fairtrade is a thriving and growing campaign movement with more than 550 • Fairtrade Towns, almost 900 Fairtrade Schools and 170 Fairtrade Universities, and more than 7,000 Fairtrade Faith Groups. Find your nearest campaign here

• Thousands of people across the UK will Go Further this Fairtrade Fortnight by helping to raise awareness through events, activities and buying Fairtrade products.

Famous faces come out in force for Fairtrade Fortnight

Find out how you can go further during Fairtrade Fornight here

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