Pupils’ protest Children go on strike from school to highlight climate change
CHILDREN from across the county came together for a ‘Strike from school’ protest to raise awareness for climate change.
Approximately 50 children from Dean Close School and other schools across the county went on the march on Friday, after connecting through a Facebook event one child posted.
The march started and ended from Imperial Gardens in Cheltenham, going around town and the Municipal offices whilst chanting.
They carried signposts and chalks to write their message across the towns landscape.
The rally even attracted one nineyear-old boy from Tewkesbury who got in touch with the town’s first Green Party councillor Cate Cody, both coming along for the protest.
The event was initially started on Facebook by a young girl from Dean Close School, who backed the strike by the students.
The Housemistress of the girls who founded the idea, Julie Kent said: “The girls had the backing by the school, it was completely their idea.
“They only told me last Monday. I was shocked but it was really emotional and I’m so proud.
“I’ve been banging on about climate change at school, we’ve banned single use plastic bottles and bags and given them reusable ones instead.
“They asked the Headmaster and he said yes as long as they permission
The girls had the backing by the school, it was completely their idea. Julie Kent
from their parents they could take part.
“Climate change is so important and it’s on the schools agenda to teach about.”
Supporting the children in the march were members of the Cheltenham branch of the Extinction Rebellion group who had also taken part in the London protests.
Ralph Pettingill said: “It’s amazing what these children have done.
“It’s up to the younger generation to take charge and make people pay attention to climate issues.
“A total of 29,000 people per year in the UK die as a direct result of air pollution, this is madness, it’s a bigger figure that terrorism.
“Changes have started to happen but it’s air pollution from cars we need to focus on, if Holland can do it why can’t we?”
The children made clear that although they were currently off school, they were going back.
One said: “We’re actually heading back now for second period.”
As well as the signs that they proudly carried, the activists brought chalks with them to write messages such as ‘sea levels are rising and ‘save our planet.’