Campaigners take to the road for climate justice relay
Pupils to politicians and walkers to worshippers – people from across South Wales pulled on their walking boots to support a relay campaigning for climate justice.
Organised by the Young Christian Climate Network (YCCN) and supported by the Church in Wales, the 1,000 mile relay began at the G7 Summit in Cornwall and ends at the UN COP26 climate meeting in Glasgow in November. Their aim is to put pressure on world leaders to take action on climate change and its effects on the poorest countries.
The Welsh tributary, which was 125 miles, started in Swansea on July 3 and ended in Bristol on July 11.
It was launched at St Thomas Church, Swansea with a prayer breakfast and messages from the Senior Bishop Andy John, the Church in Wales Climate Champion Julia Edwards, Brecon Cathedral's Canon Mark Clavier and Ayub Khan from St Edmund's Church, Crickhowell. Prayers were read by members of 1st Swansea Eastside Boys Brigade and Girls Association. Here's a short film of the event:
In Newport the walkers were joined by students from St Teilo’s Church in Wales High School. Arriving at Newport Cathedral, they were welcomed by the Dean of Newport, Ian Black, and took part in a Q&A climate session with local politicians, the Bishop of Monmouth, Cherry Vann and Julia Edwards, the Church in Wales’ Climate Champion who shared her experience of climate change in the Pacific islands region. The walkers were also filmed and interviewed by a reporter from ITV Wales for the evening news bulletin.
Cathedral choristers sang ‘Gee Seven’, a song written for children by Sir Tim Rice and Peter Hobbs for the G7 Summit in Cornwall with a strong message for world leaders.
The following morning, Yr 5 students from Malpas CIW Primary school, sent the walkers off in great style - with beautiful prayers, wonderful singing – and some quite challenging questions!
The walkers headed off in the sunshine on the 13-mile stretch – arriving in St Mary’s Church, Magor, for a service later in the day.
On Saturday morning, the relay team headed for Chepstow and a welcome service at St Mary’s. They were treated to a community breakfast barbecue in the grounds of St Mary’s, Chepstow on Sunday morning, before being waved off to continue into England.
