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Ten thousand people join historic rally to end child poverty - 5th of Oct, 2008
More than 10,000 people travelled from around the country to take part in the largest ever rally to end child poverty in the UK.
Keep The Promise, staged by the Campaign to End Child Poverty, saw thousands of people join forces to call on the Government to keep its promise of halving child
poverty by 2010 and ending it by 2020.
Host Chris Parker was joined on stage by the Children’s Society’s celebrity campaigner Sophie Ellis Bextor who performed two songs.
Sophie said:
“The End Child Poverty rally brought together thousands of people for one main reason – because they all want to see an end to child poverty in the UK.
"Today, we all sent a clear message to the Government that as a nation we will not sit back and watch millions of children face a bleak future simply by default of being born into a poor family.
"I felt extremely proud and honoured to have played a part in such a vital event.”
Chris said:
"As a Londoner I was shocked and saddened to learn that four in ten children in London are living in poverty - 12 per cent above the national average!
"It’s time to send a wake-up call to the Government and let it know that the public will not accept a continued increase in child poverty.”
Director of End Child Poverty Hilary Fisher said:
“What an amazing day! We’re extremely grateful for everyone who made the effort to come to London for this historic event.
"3.9 million children in this country live in poverty. Public pressure is vital to make the Government keep its pledge to put an end to child poverty in the UK today.
"The Keep The Promise rally showed Gordon Brown how passionate this country is.
“We are encouraging anyone who couldn’t make the rally to sign our online pledge, which will be delivered to Downing Street.
"The Government made a bold promise, now we must all hold them to it.”
ENDS
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