THE people of Bolton banded together over the weekend in a bid to stamp out poverty.

People of all ages, faiths and cultures united for Bolton White Band Weekend and show their solidarity for the 2005 Make Poverty History Campaign.

The campaign calls on world leaders to reduce child poverty, which claims 30,000 young lives every day.

Bolton Anti-Poverty Group, which organised the three-day initiative, called on mosques, schools, temples churches, and businesses to distribute the white wrist bands to highlight the campaign locally.

Those who did not have a white band were urged to tie a piece of white cotton cloth round their wrist to show their support. As well as highlighting the campaign, representatives from Bolton Anti-Poverty Group said the weekend helped bring together all communities in support of a common cause in today climate of terror.

Reverend Sue Forrest-Redfern said: "The United Nations is having a summit in New York this week.

"The purpose of the meeting is to assess how well the UN is doing on its Millennium Development goals which refer to targets towards alleviation of world poverty.

"The UN is way off its targets set in 2000, supposedly to be achieved in 2015.

"It is pressure groups like the MakePovertyHistory movement that will ensure world leaders press on towards achieving the goals."