CHRISTIANS from Southampton are to take part in a mass rally demanding action on world hunger.

Supporters of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) will travel from the the city to join thousands of people in Hyde Park.

They are taking part in the Big IF London Rally to demand Prime Minister David Cameron and G8 leaders tackle global hunger.

During the event they will see speakers including Bill Gates, Rowan Williams and Natasha Kaplinsky.

The rally, next Saturday, is to show support for the Enough Food For Everyone IF campaign, which is calling on David Cameron to use the UK’s G8 presidency in 2013 to prioritise the issue of hunger.

Lynda Mussell, CAFOD’s manager for the Southampton area, said: “Parishioners from Southampton want to show their solidarity with the one in eight people in the world who go hungry every night.

“They’ll be travelling to London in a special coach organised by CAFOD together with Christian Aid, Oxfam and Save the Children, to make their voice heard and demand that David Cameron leads the way in ending this scandal.”

Judith Maleski and Judy Brown, CAFOD supporters and parishioners at St Joseph’s and St Edmund RC church in town centre, will be among the supporters taking part in the event.

Judith said: “No one needs to die or suffer because of a lack of food in this day and age, and it’s up to all of us to make our voices heard.

“We are looking forward to joining thousands of campaigners from all over the country to send the strongest possible message to world leaders, and to pray for the issue and the G8 outcome at the ecumenical service.

“If enough people come together in Hyde Park to create a big noise about hunger, G8 leaders will have to sit up and listen.”

The Big IF London Rally will kick off a 10-day campaign in the run-up to the G8 summit in Northern Ireland, calling on world leaders to take specific steps which could help create a world free from hunger: The CAFOD/Christian Aid/Oxfam/ Save the Children coach will be leaving Southampton at 8.30am from Freemantle URC church in Shirley Road. Tickets are £15 each and under 14s go free.

To book a place, please contact the CAFOD Portsmouth office: portsmouth@cafod.org.uk or 01252 329385.