Toronto, Ontario – December 23, 2009– Trade Winds Ventures (TSX-V: TWD, FSE: TVR) reports that it has closed the first tranche of a flow-through private placement.

The closing consists of Mineralfields Group purchasing a total of 9,739,997 flow-through units ("FT Units") at $0.105 per Unit for gross proceeds of $1,022,699 (the "FT Closing").

"We are very pleased to be renewing our relationship with MineralFields Group", said Ian Lambert, CEO. "This is Mineralfields' eighth financing in the development of Trade Winds since 2003. We look forward to working with MineralFields Group as we develop our Canadian gold properties".

Each FT Unit consists of one flow-through common share and one-half of one non-transferable non-flow-through common share purchase warrant, with each warrant entitling the holder to acquire one further common share of the Company for a period of one year from closing at an exercise price of $0.20. All securities issued on the FT Closing have a hold period in Canada until April 24, 2010.

In addition to a cash finder's fee of $61,361.94, the Company has issued 741,104 compensation options entitling the finders to acquire that number of non-flow-through Units equal to 8% of the FT Units sold under the FT Closing at $0.105 per Unit for a period of one year.

The gross proceeds from the issue of FT Units will be used for exploration and development of the Company's projects in Ontario. The flow-through funds will constitute Canadian exploration expenses and will be renounced for the 2009 taxation year.

The Company expects that the closing of the remaining portion of the flow-through financing of up to 4 million units will occur on December 31, 2009.

About MineralFields, Pathway and First Canadian Securities ®

MineralFields Group (a division of Pathway Asset Management), based in Toronto and Vancouver, is a mining fund with significant assets under administration that offers its tax-advantaged super flow-through limited partnerships to investors throughout Canada as well as hard-dollar resource limited partnerships to investors throughout the world. Pathway Asset Management also specializes in the manufacturing and distribution of structured products and mutual funds (including the Pathway Multi Series Funds Inc. corporate-class mutual fund series). Information about MineralFields Group is available at www.mineralfields.com. First Canadian Securities ® is active in leading resource financings (both flowthrough and hard dollar PIPE financings) on competitive, effective and service-friendly terms, and offers investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, and mining industry consulting, services to resource companies. MineralFields and Pathway have financed several hundred mining and oil and gas exploration companies to date through First Canadian Securities ®.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Ian D. Lambert, CEO/President (604) 648-6225
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Visit our Website at www.tradewindsventures.com

This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future exploration drilling, exploration activities and events or developments that the Company expects, are forward looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.