Harry Hill and Cheska Hull have backed a new Fairtrade campaign to end supermarket price wars over bananas.
The two TV stars were in London’s Clapham Common this morning (24.02.14) for the unveiling of a giant billboard made from over 5,000 of the fruits to mark the start of the Fairtrade Fortnight ‘Make Bananas Fair’ campaign, which has seen the organisation team with Colombian farmer Foncho Cantillo to petition the government to intervene after retail prices of bananas fell by almost half over the last decade, sparking financial problems for struggling growers.
Harry said: "While the banana business is booming, not everyone is enjoying the benefits. Price wars in supermarkets, coupled with the rise in the cost of producing bananas, mean many banana farmers and workers are unable to put enough food on the table or provide basics such as education and healthcare. We need a much fairer system."
Cheska added: "I was privileged enough to visit Fairtrade banana plantations in Ghana earlier this year and learnt how Fairtrade can change communities. That’s why I am sticking with Foncho to make bananas fair."
Other famous faces backing the campaign include Amanda Holden, Caroline Flack, Eddie Izzard, Rankin, Helen Skelton, Sarah Parish, Sara Cox, Aggie MacKenzie, Simon Rimmer, Simon Reeve and Angela Griffin.
The 6×4 metre billboard – which took artists Henry Coate and Toby Crowther three days and 11 hours to make – features the iconic raised fist clutching a banana, and all the fruit used to create the signage will be donated to local food banks and Battersea Park Children’s Zoo.
To sign the petition, find out more about the campaign and create your own personalised sticker, visit stickwithfoncho.org.uk.
Harry Hill launches Fairtrade campaign
