Back in 2003, a few of us who had been supporting Oxfam's campaigning activities as individuals felt that we could be more effective working together. And as there was no Manchester local group at the time, we decided to start one.

At present, our campaigning is focused on the rules governing international trade, which are skewed against the interests of developing countries, and also on the uncontrolled international arms trade, which is fuelling human rights abuses and thwarting development in many parts of the world. Climate change and corporate responsibility have recently been added to our agenda.

Oxfam UK already runs national advertising campaigns, and lobbies decision-makers at a high level. We complement this work by bringing the issues to the people of Manchester, and offering them the opportunity to take action. It may be an apparently small thing, like adding their names to the Million Faces petition, or buying our Fair Trade products. But if enough people take these simple steps, change can come about.

We aim to be a friendly and welcoming group, and it's always great to see new people getting involved, whether for a long-term commitment or for a particular event or project that is of interest. We do have a lot of fun, and it's not unheard of for us to decamp to the nearest pub at the end of the day.

But we never lose sight of our raison d'etre, and one story may explain why. Not long after the group was established, we were busy collecting photographs for the Control Arms campaign. A man approached us, tall and immaculately dressed. As he talked to us, his manner was courteous but serious. It emerged that he was from Sierra Leone, and had been in the country during that harrowing time when fighters would enter a village, line up every man, woman, and child, and systematically mutilate them. He pointed to our campaigning literature and nodded. "It's good that you're doing this," he said. "Keep on doing this."

Join us!! Here's a link to the Oxfam Northwest Facebook page: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=77997019329&ref=ts

...also a link to the Outreach Group:
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=100241853728