CONGRATULATIONS on your coverage of the excellent Swindon Festival of Literature.

I was interested to read Barrie Hudson's review of the George Monbiot evening.

Lamentably, Mr Hudson is not alone in his view that the beliefs for a fair and just world as expressed by Monbiot are worthy but somehow unrealistic.

I would urge anyone who, however reluctantly, feels that poverty is inevitable to investigate the possibilities for positive actions which really do make a difference to people's lives.

Buying fair trade products is an easy way to support Third World communities.

Supporting the Trade Justice Movement, which campaigns against the unfair international trade rules that are weighted in favour of big companies and wealthy countries, is another way.

In June, the Trade Justice Movement is aiming to lobby every MP in Britain.

We will ask our MP's to urge the British delegation to the World Trade Organisation summit in the autumn to bring an end to unfair rules.

In Swindon, both our MPs as well as Sally Keeble MP, Parliamentary secretary for International Development, have promised to come to the Pilgrim Centre in Regent Circus to be lobbied on June 28.

It is through the collective action of diverse people that we can affect change.

If you want to change the world, perhaps this is the place to start!

For more information, contact the local branch of the World Development Movement on 704154. Kate Nash

Secretary Swindon WDM

Taw Hill

Swindon