For two weeks in March each year, the Fairtrade Foundation organises a series of events to showcase the products and positive impacts behind the Fairtrade mark

This year it’s taking place between 1 – 13 March, and looks to be better than ever, with tasting stands, clothes shows, promotions and loads of other stuff taking place all over the country.

The theme for this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight is ‘Check out Fairtrade’, a call to UK shoppers to find out more about what the Fairtrade mark signifies, and encourage them to take more Fairtrade goods to the checkout. A lot of people tend to associate Fairtrade goods with chocolate, coffee and bananas – but in fact there are now more than 800 products carrying the Fairtrade mark, from honey to roses, and from footballs to beer.

The Fairtrade Foundation wants to show shoppers that the Fairtrade mark means more than producers receiving a fair price for their goods. The mark guarantees that traders have paid a ‘premium’ to producers so that they can invest in development, and have signed contracts with the farmers that allow for sustainable production. It’s about a long-term relationship that benefits both sides – the buyers get better quality products, and the farmers get a regular income and a real opportunity to invest in their future.

Take part in Fairtrade Fortnight

It’s really easy to get involved. First up, find out about events happening near you here. You can then contact the organisers and ask if they need your help. Or, if you live in the Styx or don’t fancy any of your local events, you can follow our 14-step plan to Fairtrade Fortnight, which is packed with ideas, from taste challenges to nagging your local supermarket.

If you don’t want to organise anything but you do want to find out how trade really affects peoples’ lives, then why not listen to what the producers have to say themselves? Tadesse Meskela (an Ethiopian coffee co-operative manager) and Regina Joseph (a banana farmer from the Windward Islands) will be touring the UK to talk about the difference Fairtrade has made to their lives. To find out where they will be speaking, and to learn more about Tadesee and Regina, visit www.fairtrade.org.uk