PARISHIONERS at a Whitefield church are to join trade justice campaigners in a week of action.

St Andrew's Church, Hillock, will host an evening of education and prayer about the issues of the Trade Justice Movement, on Wednesday, April 13.

The Trade Justice Movement, which has organised the week of action in the UK, wants poor countries to have the right to help and support poor farmers and vulnerable industries.

They state that poor countries are forced to accept free trade policies and, as a result, millions of farmers are left to compete with cheap exports that flood their markets. Unable to sell their goods, they lose the means of making a living.

The organisation and campaigners are calling on the government to put trade justice on the agenda of the G8 summit when it meets in July.

The week of action will take place from April 10 to 16. The event, at St Andrew's, in Mersey Drive, will start at 7.15pm.

There will be a presentation about the Make Poverty History campaign and prayers until 9.30pm.

The Rev Andy Williams, of St Andrew's, said: "The reality for millions of people in poor countries is that they can't afford to feed their families or send children to school because of the free trade policies that their governments are forced to accept.

"World leaders must change this and make it possible for poor countries to use trade as a way out of poverty."