I SPENT a week as part of the Make Poverty History coalition taking part in action around the G8 summit. South West campaigners were there amongst the 250,000 people at the massive rally who formed a human white band around Edinburgh city centre. We were marching to demonstrate the strength of public opinion on global poverty to the leaders of the eight richest countries meeting in Gleneagles with the power to make poverty history. Unfortunately, yet again, they disappointed millions of campaigners, and more importantly, they failed the children and adults who will still die every day because of their inaction. The aid increase of $48 billion, although welcome, is delayed until 2010. Millions of children's lives will still be lost because the G8 didn't provide it now. The deal on debt was positive, but will still provide only $1 billion of the $10bn figure needed to tackle poverty. On fairer trade and climate change there were promises but no justice or actions. The G8 has failed to make the historic moves needed; the Make Poverty History campaign will continue to press them to act. The G8 was one opportunity, world leaders will again meet at the UN summit in September and at the World Trade Organisation meeting in December, we will be there, demanding action. We will not let the unnecessary deaths of 30,000 children every day go unnoticed.

ROGER JAMES Oxfam Campaigns SW