COMEDIAN Dave Spikey is giving his support to Fairtrade Fortnight later this month, with the challenge "I've changed, how about you?"

The theme of this year's Fairtrade Fortnight, which runs from February 26 to March 11, is "Change Today Choose Fairtrade."

Fairtrade aims to give producers a fair price for products and encourages people to think about where their products come from.

Bolton has opted to link the event with commemorating the 200th anniversary of the passing of the Slave Trade Act, which led to the abolition of slavery in British colonies.

Bolton Fairtrade co-ordinator Jim Hollyman said: "Though slavery has officially been abolished, it still exists in our world in many forms.

"This year Fairtrade Fortnight gives us an opportunity to see how Fairtrade is helping people, who are shackled by unjust trade rules, to break those chains of injustice."

The Mayor of Bolton Cllr Walter Hall will open an exhibition of children and young people's art and poetry on the theme at Bolton Museum and Art Gallery at Le Mans Crescent on March 3. The exhibition will run until March 17.

The Fairtrade Theatre Company will be staging "One for Me" at Theatre Church, Seymour Road, Astley Bridge, on March 1, at 7.30pm.

A coffee grower from Uganda will give a talk at the end of the performance.

Bolton now has 39 shops, 26 cafes, 53 workplaces, 37 faith communities and 10 schools which offer Fairtrade products.

In the UK Fairtrade sales double every two years and there are over 2,000 Fairtrade products available.