[UK] Stars join bid to beat poverty

from The Evening Times

LORD of the Rings actor Billy Boyd and El Presidente's Dawn Zhu hope to drum up support for Christian Aid at this weekend's T in the Park.

The stars are backing the charity's anti-poverty campaign, the Beat Goes On, a continuation of the Make Poverty History drive.

As part of the campaign, hundreds of thousands of people across the UK at noon on Saturday will try to break the world record for drumming simultaneously.

Currently, the record stands at 10,102 people but Christian Aid is asking festival-goers at T in the Park in Balado, near Kinross, to back the campaign.

Billy will be joined on the festival's main stage by drum troupes from Africa and Scotland and as an appeal is shown on huge screens and he will urge revellers to text the Beat Goes On petition.

T in the Park audiences will also find out if the world record attempt was successful.

Billy said: "If we all keep drumming home the message that the world's poorest people deserve fairer treatment than they're getting, our leaders will be forced to listen.

"It is a great way, and a great time, to make some noise about the inequality in the world."

Drummer Dawn added: "It's up to all of us to keep the pressure on."