Singer Sandi Thom in crisis appeal

Oct 23 2008 By Frank Hurley

CHART topping singer Sandi Thom is calling on Glaswegians to dig deep and donate to Oxfam's World Food Crisis Appeal.

The rocker said money was desperately needed to help the millions of people around the world who are facing the worst effects of the global increase in food prices.

Oxfam urgently needs an extra £15million to pay for its international development and humanitarian work on food and agriculture, and to campaign for changes to the flawed trade and agricultural polices that have left poor farmers vulnerable.

Scots-born Sandi has just returned from a week long visit with Oxfam to southern Malawi.

There shemet some of the families and communities who are already facing hunger as food prices soar in countries around the world, and learned about how Oxfam is helping those communities.

She has wholeheartedly backed Oxfam's urgent call of donations to respond to the crisis and support families struggling to feed themselves.

Glaswegian readers can make a donation online at www.oxfam.org.uk by phone to 0300 200 1242 or at any Oxfam shop.

Sandi said: "My visit to Malawi opened my eyes to the extent of poverty and the harsh reality of how some people live and how rising food prices are affecting them.

You have to ask yourself what you would do if you were in the situation many Malawians face with prices doubling or tripling.

"I urge and plead the public to make a donation. People shouldn't even consider not giving.

"I've now had the chance to see the harsh reality of how some people are being affected by rising food prices and its everyone's responsibility to help in time of need."

Oxfam Scotland's Malcolm Fleming, who accompanied Sandi, to Malawi said: "There are many factors behind the crisis, but it is clear from talking to subsistence farmers in Malawi, that climate change has affected their ability to get a decent harvest. Many spoke about erratic rains, and unpredictable seasons."