A COALITION of groups and charities will join together this week to raise awareness about world poverty in the run-up to the G8 summit.

Campaigners will descend on the market town of Guisborough, in east Cleveland, on Thursday, where they will wrap the Market Cross in a Make Poverty History banner.

The event is one of many to be held around the country in the climax to the G8 meeting, in Edinburgh, at the beginning of next month, when the eight most powerful leaders in the world will meet to discuss Third World poverty and debt.

Members of the East Cleveland World Development Movement (WDM) group will be joined by supporters of Oxfam, Christian Aid, Traidcraft and various church groups at the Market Cross, at 1pm.

Andy Welford, chairman of East Cleveland WDM, said: "We have been watching pictures of starving children on our television screens for far too long.

"A child in Africa dies every three seconds. We must act now to stop this happening."

The Guisborough campaigners will be collecting signatures in support of the Trade Justice Campaign, which will be sent to Tony Blair, at Downing Street, to show the extent of public feeling.

They believe that trade rules need to change to favour the rich countries less and the poor countries more.

Around the country, local campaigners will be draping the Make Poverty History banner around other well-known buildings.

For more information about WDM, contact Barbara Welford on (01287) 640642.