We would like to thank all those readers in the South West who have supported Oxfam's campaigns and appeals in 2007. Three years after the Indian Ocean tsunami, Oxfam has spent over £109m, helping over 2.3m people in seven countries. Our campaigns have

We would like to thank all those readers in the South West who have supported Oxfam's campaigns and appeals in 2007. Three years after the Indian Ocean tsunami, Oxfam has spent over £109m, helping over 2.3m people in seven countries. Our campaigns have challenged injustice in world trade, pressed for more education, where four million more children are in school than last year, and 48 million more than eight years ago. Since 1999, poor countries receiving debt cancellation have more than doubled the amount they are spending on fighting poverty. We have also successfully argued that sales of arms be more tightly controlled. The South West, in particular, has supported an increase in Fairtrade sales of 46 per cent. We cannot tackle poverty without action on climate change. 2007 has seen this become a major priority for Oxfam. This region has seen a huge growth in concern and grass roots action on this issue. Glastonbury Festival, working with Oxfam, collected 70,000 signatures for the I Count climate change campaign. We campaigned at the Bali climate summit to press for global carbon emission reductions and to ensure people in poverty would be given aid and technology to adapt to change.Throughout the South West the local Oxfam shop remains a vital community link to the world. We will continue to welcome gifts and customers, including items for recycling. 11,000 tons of unused mobile phones already sit dormant in drawers across the UK; each one could be worth £5 to Oxfam. Many shops are now selling a new range of ethical and carbon reducing items, solar chargers, wind-up radios etc.Roger James, Oxfam Southwest Campaigns.