Ananova.com – Wednesday 3rd September, 2003

Richard E. Grant is to star in a new cinema ad written by Bridget Jones author Helen Fielding for Oxfam’s Make Trade Fair campaign.

Viewers are called upon to join the Big Noise, Oxfam’s global petition, which has already been signed by more than a million people.

For Grant, the Swaziland-born star of Posh Nosh, the Scarlet Pimpernel and Withnail and I, there were personal reasons for taking part in the ad:

He said: “Born and bred in Africa, I have a lifelong obsession and passion for the continent and its people.

“Anything that I can do to help alleviate the suffering and injustice there, is a way for me to give something back to a place that has given me so much.

“Africa has incredible potential – Africans just need a fair chance to make that potential work for them. Without a change in the world trade rules, they wouldn’t get that chance.”

The actors, director and crew from the Paul Weiland Film Company gave their time and skills for free to produce the one minute advert which will be initially shown in independent cinemas across the country.

The release of the ad is timed to put pressure on governments to end unfair trade at the meeting of the World Trade Organisation in Mexico which starts on September 10.

Grant and Fielding are the latest celebrities to add their support to the Make Trade Fair Campaign after the likes of Colin Firth, Minnie Driver, Kate Moss, Katherine Hamnett, Chris Martin, Bono and REM.

Make Trade Fair aims to change the rules of world trade so that they no longer disadvantage the world’s poorest people.

Story filed: 12:13 Wednesday 3rd September 2003.