Fundraising parishioners hike from Havant to Emsworth in Walk Against Hunger campaign

A team of walkers from St Joseph in Havant, SS Thomas of Canterbury and Thomas More in Emsworth, St Michael and All Angels in Leigh Park, and Sacred Heart and St Peter in Waterlooville have been raising money for the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (Cafod).

The international development charity has been encouraging communities to take part in its Walk Against Hunger challenge.

To show their support, parishioners from the local Catholic churches took part in a fundraising walk from St Joseph to Emsworth.

Cafod aims to help communities in the long-term through training people in farming methods, and savings and loans schemes which can help people to start small businesses.

Jo Lewry is the community participation coordinator for Cafod in the diocese.

She said: ‘Each year, more and more people around the world are going hungry despite there being enough food in the world to feed everyone.

‘It’s shocking that over 200,000 children across the world are affected by hunger and malnutrition and we are grateful to Cafod supporters for their solidarity and generosity in addressing this issue.’

So far, the group has raised £215 for the charity. Donate at cafod.org.uk/fundraising/st-josephs-and-ss-thomas-parish-havant.

Maureen, who organised the walk on March 26, said: ‘Along the way we stopped to pray for Cafod’s development work and for peace in Ukraine.’

Individuals, parishes, and schools are invited to sign up to Cafod's campaign up until the end of May.