March to End Child Poverty
It may come as a suprise to learn that 3.8 million children - one in three - live in poverty in the UK today.
Poverty has a profound impact on children and families. It can create problems in education, employment not to mention mental and physical health leading to social exclusion.
On Saturday, 4 October, the End Child Poverty coalition organised the UK's biggest ever event to end child poverty. Over 10,000 people packed into Trafalgar Square calling on the government to deliver on its promise to halve child poverty by 2010 and end it by 2020.
Although progress has been made and 600,000 children have been lifted out of poverty since 1997, this progress has now stalled and the government is not on track to meet the target.
The Campaign to End Child Poverty brings together more than 120 organisations including representatives of all the major faiths and denominations alongside charities, professional organizations and trade unions.
Bishop attends Keep the Promise event
Bishop John Hine, Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark, joined more than 10,000 people from around the country for the largest ever rally to end child poverty in the UK.
London’s Trafalgar Square was full of campaigners - the organisations, faith leaders, charities and thousands of individuals who make up the End Child Poverty coalition. They demanded the government keeps its promise to halve child poverty by 2010 and end it by 2020.
Bishop John Hine, Chair of the Catholic Bishops' Committee for Marriage and Family Life in England and Wales, thinks the current global economic situation makes the campaign message all the more pertinent:
"It may seem inopportune, in the middle of a financial crisis, to raise the issue of child poverty. But in fact it becomes more important than ever. If managing family income is going to be more difficult for the average family home, how impossible is it going to become for those who, in terms of income, are at the bottom of the pile? We may have to tighten our belts for a time, but we must give priority to children whose homes have absolutely no belt-tightening potential."
Online petition
If you want to encourage the Government to keep its promise to halve child poverty by 2010 and end it by 2020, visit the campaign site.
Plan for the day
Ecumenical church service - the event began with a service for children and families and supporters at St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey.
Short march - following the service there was a march led by children and families into Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar Square - the march arrived in Trafalgar Square at 2pm. 10,000 people made their voices heard calling on the government to halve child poverty by 2010 and end it by 2020.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor supports the End Child Poverty campaign
“We must remember that poverty exists in our midst and, following Christ’s example, it is our duty to care for our neighbour. Just as we seek to end extreme poverty across the world, so we should remember our commitment to end child poverty in the UK. I encourage you all to support the Keep the Promise rally on 4 October.”