GP is an innovative development education and awareness-raising initiative with a very practical focus. It aims to:

GP works at the interface between public awareness-raising and academia, and with individuals and organisations from the NGO sector, government, business, industry, churches, education and civil society, both in the UK and overseas. GP draws on Christian roots. At the same time, it is committed to a genuinely inclusive approach, involving individual participants and partner organisations irrespective of creed, or any other factor such as gender, colour, and so on.

has worked with others to facilitate and host a number of high profile events, such as forums with Clare Short MP and George Foulkes MP, Secretary and (former) Under-Secretary of State for International Development. Various other awareness-raising events, campaigning and educational initiatives have also been organised, drawing participants from around the North West of England. Lecture courses in development-related subjects in various College departments have been part of the overall scheme. The core of the programme has been to raise awareness and build commitment by enabling groups from the UK and beyond to experience grass-roots reality in the South, to reflect on their experience, and to allow it to prompt them to more informed, committed action on their return. Over 100 participants from all over the UK have already done so since 1997, visiting Kenya, Peru, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Vietnam and the World Bank in Washington DC, with encouraging results. Participants are drawn from a wide range of backgrounds and ages.

Some of those returning have channelled the experience into such things as:

GP is keenly aware of the need to equip participants to engage with the social, political and economic processes which lie behind global issues. We see this as part of changing public opinion in the wealthier nations, and thus opening up new political possibilities for finding global solutions. In these programmes, there has been consultation and collaboration with staff from Christian Aid, and from other like-minded organisations, which has been a very positive feature. We aim not to duplicate what others are already doing, but to support their work. We will continue this collaboration wherever possible at the same time as pursuing other partnerships.

The future holds the prospect of developing GP's work in a number of exciting directions:

We aim to build up GP's resources with these challenges in mind, and through working creatively together.