A visit to a war-torn African country has prompted the Bishop of Bradford to organise a crucial meeting to provide aid for the ravaged community.

The trip made by the Bishop of Bradford, the Right Reverend David Smith, his wife Mary, and the Diocese's overseas links officer Bridget Rees, underlined the poverty in Sudan triggered by a continual civil war.

The Bishop said: "There has been a civil war in Sudan for 18 years non-stop. We went to meet a number of bishops and church leaders to discuss how we might offer better support for what they are doing. We also met a number of senior figures in the Sudanese government to talk about the problems the country faces."

Strong community ties between Bradford and the Episcopal Church of Northern Sudan already exist, and the Bishop sees the meeting as a chance to further develop relations.

"The link between the Diocese of Bradford and the four northern dioceses of Sudan goes back more than 20 years," he said.

"The meeting is an attempt to help people in England to get to know about and offer support and encouragement to Christians in Sudan and people in Sudan as a whole.

"We are encouraging people in as many parishes as possible to come together to be better informed about Sudan and to encourage prayer for Sudan and financial support for the church there."

Other speakers will include Alan Goulty, the former British Ambassador to Sudan, Dr Lilian Craig Harris, author of books on the problems faced in the troubled area, and Andy Wheeler, the Archbishop of Canterbury's Adviser on Anglican Communion Affairs.

The Bishop said: "Dr Harris has initiated important work involving Muslim and Christian women in Sudan and was also largely instrumental in setting up a fund to help women to study in universities in Sudan.

"Andy Wheeler has edited a series of books on the history of the church in Sudan.

"They are three of the most knowledgeable people on Sudan as a whole and its people."

The meeting, at Christ Church, Skipton, on Saturday from 10am, is open to all.