Day of fasting

The Bishop of Manchester, the Rt Rev. David Walker

The Bishop of Manchester, The Rt Revd David Walker, has joined the End Hunger Fast campaign planned for Lent.

The campaign encourages those who are able to fast for a day on 4 April in sympathy with the half a million people who used food banks in the last year.

The End Hunger Fast campaign calls on the government to ensure:

• That the welfare system provides a robust last line of defence against hunger in Britain
• That work pays enough for working people to properly provide for their families
• That food markets function, promoting long-term sustainable and healthy diets with no one profiteering from hunger in Britain.

Bishop David is also being interviewed on Panarama on Monday 3 March at 8.30pm on BBC1 to discuss what's behind the dramatic rise in the number of food banks and the claims of hunger in Britain. As hundreds of thousands of people across the country are now getting free handouts of food.