Bexhill Bananathon

That's each and every one of you - Bexhill Fairtrade campaigners want to see us all go bananas by holding a bananathon on from midday March 6 until midday March 7.

The idea is to create a world record for the number of fairtrade bananas eaten in 24 hours in the hope of raising awareness of ethically produced food.

Fairtrade spokesman Jack Doherty said: "The banana is the most popular fruit in the world - 10 billion a year is spent on them globally.

Eleven years ago they cost 1.08 per kg in UK supermarkets. In June 2008, the price was as low as 50p per kg. The majority of banana plantation workers do not earn enough to live and support their families - some earn less than 1 per day. Worse than us, their basic food prices are rising faster and higher.

"The Fairtrade Foundation is working with more farmers to get them a fairer price and better conditions. They want to double this number by next year.

"We want each school to unite as one for Fairtrade Bananathon with pupils as groups eating their bananas and posing for a photo as verification for entry into the Guinness book of records.

"We would like each business, company, bank, organisation, church group, hairdressers, pub, cafe, etc to have their photo taken supporting the poor and enriching their own good health."

He is urging everyone to come along and join the Fairtrade Committee in Devonshire Square on Saturday March 7 at 11am to ring in the economic change to "a fair deal for a fair fruit" while indulging in a mass eating of fairtrade bananas.

Send all photos by email etc and details of numbers of bananas eaten to the Bexhill Observer or the Fairtrade committee - Jack on 01424 214605, or Denis and Christina Lucey on 01424 845225.

Also guess the number of fairtrade bananas eaten in Bexhill during the banathon and win a bottle of Coop Fairtrade Wine.