Around 45,000 people gathered at Hyde Park on Saturday to call for action at the upcoming G8 summit to tackle the root causes of global hunger.

A sizeable proportion were Christians, including a group from BMS World Mission. Methodist Central Hall reached its 3,500 capacity for the ecumenical service prior to the rally, and two overflow venues were also packed. The service was organised by CAFOD, Tearfund, Christian Aid and other major faith agencies with  preacher, the Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, stating that 'millions go hungry every day is a responsibility we all must share.'
 

Following the service there was a march to Hyde Park, where many of the agencies involved in the IF campaign had set up stalls highlighting the issues and encouraging responses. Tearfund had prepared banners featuring the words of Proverbs 31:8 ('Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves')

In Hyde Park a series of videos and live addresses from the main stage. Danny Boyle, the film director who organized the Olympics 2012 Opening Ceremony, cited the suffragette movement in highlighting how transformative change can begin by a gathering in parks. 

Bill Gates spoke of Britain leading the way on child hunger.  There was also a huge visual petition at the event to demonstrate the scale of public support for the IF campaign. The petition was made up of 250,000 spinning flowers, their petals representing the millions of children who die each year because of malnutrition.

Members of Baptist churches from around the country were at the rally. They included the Revd Peter Shepherd, who travelled from Stoneygate Baptist Church in Leicester. Christian Aid had organised the coach, which also picked up people from Nottingham and Loughborough.

'We have a justice group in our church, and are keen to support Christian Aid on justice issues,' he said.

'We wanted to stand alongside the hungry in the world. It's something we feel passionately about, and it's good to actually do something, to express a call for change. And it was inspiring to see lots of different charities stand for the same thing.'

The Revd Dr Simon Woodman, a minister at Bloomsbury Baptist Church, said there was a palpable sense that change could happen.

Referring to Mr Gates, he said, 'Here's a man who would be the world's richest if he hadn't given so much away, speaking about wealth redistribution. It lent a gravitas, an air of authenticity, that this could be done.'