WORLD famous film and music stars have backed Fairtrade in Huddersfield by designing their own bags.

Celebrities including Sir Patrick Stewart, Annie Lennox and Joanna Lumley have put their mark on Fairtrade cotton bags which will be auctioned later this year.

The superstars were sent the bags by the Holmfirth Fairtraders Co-operative ahead of their own bag designing events as part of Fairtrade Fortnight.

Other high-profile names to have lent their name to a bag include Fearne Cotton, Corrie star Shobana Gulati, Prime Minister David Cameron, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, local author Joanne Harris, Barnsley poet Ian MacMillan and a host of former Last of the Summer Wine actors including Burt Kwok and Brian Murphy.

The theme for Fairtrade Fortnight (February 28 – March 13) this year is ‘Show Off Your Label’, encouraging people to shout about their commitment to Fairtrade.

Helen Robinson, director of the Fair Traders Co-operative, said getting famous names on the cotton bags was their own way of boosting the profile of Fairtrade.

She said: “The Holme Valley Fairtraders sent them off to celebrities in the hope they would support the cause and send them back.

“Eventually we will auction them but the bags will be exhibited in the shop during Fairtrade Fortnight.”

The Fairtraders will be holding one-hour bag design events for the public at their Holmfirth shop at 11am and 2pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (Feb 23 to 25).

The Friday workshop will feature support from local comic publisher Dr Simpo.

Dr Simpo, aka Holmfirth artist Ben Simpson, will submit his own bag design for the exhibition and will be on hand to advise participants on their artwork.

The Fairtrade fans will also be taking part in a world record attempt as part of a host of events in the Holme Valley.

The group, who run a shop in the Old Toll House on Huddersfield Road, will be hosting a Big Brew and Bunting event on March 5.

The event, which features complementary hot drinks, will see them put up bunting decorated with Fairtrade messages across the Holme Valley.

Groups around the country will take part and all the pieces of bunting will be stitched together by the Fairtrade Foundation, in an attempt to break the world record for the longest piece of bunting.

The bag design workshops cost £3 and booking is desirable. Telephone 01484 690515 for further details.