Pupils from Sibford School on the march. Photo: Courtesy of Sibford School.
Quaker children in climate change protests
Quaker children were among those who took part in climate protests on 15 February
Quaker children and teenagers took part in climate change action that swept the UK on 15 February to protest against the lack of government action being taken to combat the environmental crisis.
Bath Quakers reported that one member of their Children’s Meeting had taken part, while a twelve-year-old member of Winchmore Hill Meeting in London also protested. She told the Friend: ‘I believe the older generation are jeopardising the future of our planet and I think that it is unfair that we, the younger fraction of society, are not being given a choice on a matter which will affect us greatly.’
A group of around twelve students from the Quaker Sibford School in Banbury, Oxfordshire, travelled to Oxford on Friday to join the Youth Strike 4 Climate march through the city. The students, who ranged from fifteen to seventeen years old, gathered at Oxford Meeting House before joining the march, which was organised by the UK Student Climate Network.
Sibford School student Ethan said: ‘We chanted “What do we want? Climate action! When do we want it? Now!” because the current government isn’t listening to what needs to happen in the world… It’s our future and we feel it is really important that we take a stand on this issue. Today was brilliant. There were thousands of us walking through the streets of Oxford and everyone was taking notice of us.’
Pupils from Quaker Bootham School in York also joined demonstrations, including a group called BEAST (Bootham Environmental And Sustainability Team) that has been set up by students to take action supporting climate justice.
