Bishops to fast for world's hungry

A volunteer from a non-governmental organisation distributes cooked food to the poor in Calcutta, India.AP

Church of England bishops will be fasting on Thursday for the one in eight people who go to bed hungry every day.

They will join thousands of people across the country giving up food to draw attention to the plight of millions of people going without enough to eat.

Among those taking part in the Big IF Fast is the Bishop of Oxford, the Right Reverend John Pritchard.

"It's just outrageous that the world produces enough food for everyone, but not everyone has enough food to eat," he said.

"As a Christian, I want to stand up for those who are suffering and dying as a result of hunger and don't have a voice.

"I hope that my small act of going hungry for a single day will help bring the plight of the starving to the attention of our world's leaders."

The other bishops taking part in the Big IF Fast are the Bishop of Birmingham the Right Reverend David Urquhart, the Bishop of Salisbury the Right Reverend Nicholas Holtam, the Bishop of Sheffield the Right Reverend Steven Croft, the Bishop of Buckingham the Right Reverend Alan Wilson, the Bishop of Pontefract the Right Reverend Anthony Robinson, the Bishop of Ramsbury the Right Reverend Edward Condry, the Bishop of St Germans the Right Reverend Chris Goldsmith, and the Bishop of Sherborne the Right Reverend Graham Kings.

The IF campaign is urging world leaders meeting at the G8 in Northern Ireland to take action to address global hunger. This includes clamping down on tax dodging by large companies and keeping aid promises.

Thousands of people are expected to take part in an IF rally in London's Hyde Park on Saturday, and a second one a week later in Belfast to maintain pressure on G8 leaders.