CHILDREN, politicians and activists united in Salford today as part of the Global Climate Strike.
Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour MP for Salford and Eccles and Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, made clear the importance of these national climate strikes to save the climate.
Mrs Long-Bailey said; “It’s such an important day for climate justice. We have hundreds of strikes going on right across the country. We’re in Salford today where workers, trade unions and school children have joined together to campaign against climate injustice. It’s never been more important to do that because we’ve only got a limited amount of time in which to take radical action to turn back the clock on climate change.”
Over 100 members of the Salford community from local schools, unions, industry and the council joined together outside the Salford Civic Centre to hear MP Rebecca Long-Bailey and several other speakers.
The protest started at 12pm, featuring children as young as nine as speakers, over the course of half-an-hour, local school headmasters all having been reached out to before the event.
Year six eco champions, Ted Stalsbury and Lucia Lesti, from Christ The King Roman Catholic Primary School, took to the stage to talk about their concerns for the future, with a message of change.
Miss Lesti said; “This climate change is putting our friends’ lives across the world in danger, and it is affecting their access to health, food, water, clean air and education. We need to keep our planet magnificent for our families, our friends and ourselves. We need to change now.”
Alongside them, students from the Co-op Academy Swinton and St Peter’s CofE Primary School attended, with their home-made signs and banners, in support of their local area.
#Salford eco champions Ted and Lucia delivered powerful speeches today at our #climatestrike action in support of young people globally. We need to live on our planet without making a mess and it's shameful what we are doing to it. Wise words! #welldone #youngheroes pic.twitter.com/HrxWjeTa19
— Salford City Council (@SalfordCouncil) September 20, 2019
Steven North and other members of Unison, the UK’s largest union, serving more than 1.3 million members, were in place to support young activists with their campaigns, moving to the Manchester climate strike following the final speech to continue their action there.
Councillor Derek Antrobus, Lead Member for Planning and Sustainable Development, said: “This is absolutely crucial that we respond to the call of young people throughout the country, throughout the world, calling on us to take action on climate change.
“We’re the first generation in the whole of history who understand the causes and consequences of climate change. We’re the first generation who know and have the technology, to address it but we’re the last generation who can do anything about it.”
Salford climate strikers outlining the E in Emergency just now #climatejustice pic.twitter.com/wCL3BWT4oE
— Rebecca Long-Bailey (@RLong_Bailey) September 20, 2019
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