So, here we are. Welcome to 2008! How scary is that? How many of you have made your list of completely and utterly unachievable New Years resolutions? How many of you have given up already?

Ah yes, I know the feeling well. Every year I commit myself to achieving a Renée Zellweger-like physique and the physical prowess of Paula Radcliffe and I have generally given up by the second week in January. Still, at least I'm not stupid enough to think that I'm ever going to give up the delights of a glass of wine - or two - for the entire month of January, unlike many of my colleagues in the wine trade. Truth be told, January is a bad month to socialise. There are way too many people on diets or on some detox or another.

I, on the other hand, have a much more reasonable suggestion. Let's forget the whole giving up drink thing and decide to turn our love of all things wine-related to something positive. Let's make January the month when we commit to Fairtrade wines.

The FAIRTRADE mark is an independent consumer label which appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal. All of the wines that are featured in The Oxford Times Wine Club offer this week are Fairtrade wines, two of which hail from the Los Robles Co-operative in Chile.

The co-operative was set up by local farmers following a devastating earthquake in 1939 which saw more than 10,000 local people killed. The aim of the co-operative was to help rebuild the local community.

Today the winery is instrumental in improving the social and economic conditions of both employees and those that live in the wider community. If this all sounds like too much of a PR fairytale, then let me give you an individual story that defines the success of Los Robles and similar Faritrade wineries.

Miguel Calquim is the head of maintenance at the Los Robles Co-operative - a position he has held since 1990. He has lived in his home in Tutuquén, Curico, with eight other family members, for as long as he can remember.

The house was built on the low lands and has two water channels running on either side of the house. Inadequate construction and heavy rain mean that the house floods anything up to 70 times a year.

The family has had to move out time and again and many of their treasured family possessions have been destroyed. If that wasn't enough, the damp problem in the house has been cited as the primary reason for the death of Miguel's father who passed away from bronchial pneumonia.

Thanks to the Fairtrade Social Premium (all products with the Fairtrade mark pay a social premium to the farmers which goes towards supporting community projects), Miguel was able to repair the water channels and adjust the levels of the surrounding ground to a height that meant that there would be no more flooding.

The Fairtrade Social Premium isn't just about one story. It has helped the community in numerous ways.

There is now a school bus for the children of El Corazon; more than 30 Los Robles workers have been able to repair homes in poor condition; many more have received help in putting down deposits on their first home; and education programmes have been initiated throughout the district.

Fairtrade is a wonderful thing and it costs you nothing to support. Just buy a Fairtrade wine. How difficult is that? Quite simply, not at all. Instead of chasing that elusive Kate Moss figure, why don't you keep doing what you enjoy and make a difference by supporting a Fairtrade winery? All you need to do is order this week's case from The Oxford Times Wine Club.

Click here for The Oxford Times Wine Club offers.