Ludlow is going bananas for Fairtrade Fortnight

The Fairtrade logo adorns many products and shows that producers have been given a reasonable price for their goods.

"We had a banana costume and a blow up banana so we thought "why not?"," said Liz Taylor, of Ludlow Fair Trade Town Group.

"About 25 per cent of all the bananas imported into this country have the Fairtrade logo, which is much higher than other products, which are about 2 per cent."

Being certified by the Fairtrade Foundation means something has passed various ethical tests. The foundation is a charity and Fairtrade Fortnight is held to raise funds for the cause.

This year's Fairtrade Fortnight runs from Monday February 21 to Sunday March 6 and it will have a

Every year during Fairtrade Fortnight, the Ludlow Fair Trade Town Group – who are members of Ludlow’s sustainable action group, Ludlow 21 – organise a calendar of immersive and informative events to raise awareness of trade justice and celebrate Ludlow’s status as a Fairtrade Town.

This year, Fairtrade Fortnight has a focus is on the impacts of climate change on the people who grow our food, mine our gold and produce the cotton in our clothes.

These people, say the group, are often exploited, underpaid and facing the greatest threat from the climate crisis.

Among the events coming up are a Fairtrade Quiz and Green Drinks on Monday, February 21, from 7.30pm at The Blue Boar. Entry is free.

There’ll be a special Fairtrade Fortnight theme at the regular Traidcraft Stall at Ludlow Market Square on February 25, from 9am to 2pm.

A Big Brew coffee morning and Traidcraft stall will be at St Laurence’s Church at 11am on Sunday, March 6, following the parish Eucharist.

There will also be a Traidcraft Spring Fair and Big Brew at Ludlow Mascall Centre on Saturday, March 12 from 10am – 4pm.

Ludlow is a Fairtrade town, which means that as a town it is committed to promoting ethical, fair trade. Ludlow was awarded Fairtrade Town status in 2003.

Ludlow Fair Trade Town Group is a member of Ludlow 21. The group focuses attention on the wider issues of unfair international trade, joining with national campaigns working to change the rules that govern world trade in favour of, rather than against, producers in the developing world.

For more information about Fair Trade in Ludlow, and to get involved, email ludlowfairtrade@gmail.com and visit the Ludlow Fair Trade Town Group website at http://ludlowfairtrade.com