MarkDawson

Well it's the end of the challenge & yes I've made it in one piece.  I've been asked quite a few times about my motivation for doing the challenge.  Firstly it was to draw attention to global poverty issues & keep them fresh in people's minds. Secondly, I picked fasting, in particular, for the challenge, because of its traditional role as an act of meditation.  Creating a space to gather one's thoughts. 

I haven't been on a fast for 20 years.  I guess I was influenced in my choice by John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, who fasted in the Minster, to both draw attention to, and meditate upon, the situation in the Middle East.

It's interesting that fasting as a spiritual practice is prevalent in many cultures - yet in Western Christianity has largely slipped out of fashion, despite the many references in the Bible.

Looking at it at the most basic level - the going without food - my challenge was pretty comfortable compared with the impact poverty has on the food intake for millions of people.  With my challenge it was more of an exercise in eating a similar amount as usual but at different times.  It did make me think about the way I eat & it did make me appreciate my evening meal in a new way. 

I wont say that it has given me an insight into living in poverty.  Construed most rosily, you could say that it has been an act of solidarity.  However the best act of solidarity with the poor is to do something to change things.  So to those who campaign on poverty issues - keep up the good work.  To those thinking of doing so - make the leap today.

Hi everyone,

The end of the challenge is in sight now.  To my surprise I have actually lost a few pounds in weight.  I didn't think I would because I've been pigging out in the evening.  Last night I did an after dinner speech on Fairtrade for the Association of Speakers Clubs.  Their National President was in attendance, so it was very nerve wracking.  However a lot of people came up to thank me at the end - so I can't have been too bad - unless they are just very polite people.  Anyway the meal, at the Pike Hills Golf Club, was fantastic, particularly the pudding - a banana in toffee, a meringue, cream and icecream.  In fact the perfect pudding for anyone on an Oxfam fast.

So many of the achievements made in international development stand to be undermined by the increasing impact of climate change.  The other week in York we hosted an Oxfam speaker, called Dante, from the Philippines.  The country is prone to typhoons and tsunamis and these are increasing in regularity and intensity.  I was shocked by the devastation that Dante recounted in his talk.  Oxfam stress that climate change is't something that may have an impact in the future -  it's already a problem. Particularly for the world's poorest countires which, like the Philippines, are in the most vulnerable environments and are the least able to cope.  The Trade Justice Movement highlights that whilst the poor will suffer the most, they are the least to blame, with minimal carbon emissions compared to those of the developed nations.

Do Check out Oxfam's website

I've had an email this evening asking me to talk about climate change on this blog.  Climate change is already having a big negative impact on the poor and on the world food supply.  I'll make climate change the theme for tomorrow.  There is an impressive level of climate campaigning taking place in York.  I include this photo I took of a climate action candlelit vigil that took place in King's Square last year.

Just to give a shameless plug to the York Oxfam Campaigns Group.  If you live in the York area do come and join us.

Email me at [email protected]