IF campaign launched in Oxford!

The 'Enough Food For Everyone...IF' campaign, a new multi-agency campaign against hunger, launched in Oxford with an open-air breakfast in freezing weather outside St Michael's of Northgate, Cornmarket Street, today (24 January) at 10am.

The IF campaign is for an end to the unnecessary hunger and malnutrition which blights the lives of millions, in a world in which there is enough food to go round. We are calling for:

• an end to the land grabs by big companies that leave families landless, hungry, and destitute
• an end to tax avoidance by companies, so that governments have enough income to support their farming sectors
• an increase to international aid in line with the decades-old promise to increase it to 0.7% of our national income
• transparency among companies and governments so we can see what they are actually doing to help or hinder people's access to food.

Guests at the campaign launch, including MP Andrew Smith, and local representatives of the groups involved in the campaign (including me) were lucky enough to have real bread and jam, tea and coffee - I had assumed it would be faked for the photoshoot!

Hardy volunteers including Caroline Brown and Jan and Tim Treacher explained the campaign to curious passers by, as the rest of us did the hard work of sitting and quaffing while being photographed for the Oxford Mail (your turn next time guys!).

Left to right: Paula Clifford, Abigail McMillan (CAFOD), Andrew Smith MP, Jessica Hall (Christian Aid), Rev. Bob Wilkes (St Michael's of Northgate), Maranda St John Nicolle (Christian Concern for One World), Naveed Chaudhri (Oxfam), Pip Micklem (Save the Children).

Many thanks to Christian Aid for leading this event.