Getting on their bikes with COP26 message
Three-day ride to join cyclists’gathering at conference
Strath cyclists will be pedalling for the planet when they set off from Comrie next week on a journey to the COP26 conference in Glasgow.
An intrepid group of riders, currently consisting of seven adults and five children, will leave from Comrie Croft next Thursday to take the message ‘bikes can fight climate change’ to the world’s politicians, who are gathering in Glasgow for the United Nations’ Conference of the Parties.
Cycling 86 miles, via Loch Earn, Callander and Dumbarton, the pedalpowered crew will take three days to ride to Glasgow city centre.
Once there, they will join cyclists from across Scotland as part of a mass mobilisation in the city on Saturday, November 6.
Organised by Comrie’s Emily Greaves and Andrew Donaldson, the Comrie rideout is part of the national Pedal on COP initiative by grassroots cycle campaign, Pedal on Parliament – which is calling for cycling to be taken seriously as a tool to urgently combat climate change.
Cyclists will arrive in time for the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice.
Marching under the banner ‘ This Machine Fights Climate Change’, the Strath group will join tens of thousands of others to parade through the city centre and rally in Glasgow Green.
The march, organised by the COP26 Coalition, is bringing together those concerned for the planet, from indigenous groups to youth climate strikers, to make the case for global climate justice as world leaders wrangle over cuts to emissions at the summit.
Emily told the Herald: “We are hoping to stay in community halls along the way overnight.
“Because we are taking the children we didn’t want to camp in case there was bad weather.
“We are splitting the journey up so we can make it fully inclusive and we are inviting anyone who wants to join us, although they would have to figure out their own accommodation, or people could just join us for one of the days.
“The rally is very well organised. We have a meeting point when we get there. And we will be part of a walking block with our bikes going from Kelvingrove to Glasgow Green where there will be speakers. We have to wear masks and do lateral flow tests before we go, which makes us feel better about taking part.”
The group is hoping that locals will come along to the Croft at 11am on Thursday, November
4, to wave them on their way or cycle with them for part of the first leg.
They will also be taking their climate message to the communities they pass through expressed in banners made by local children.
Emily added: “I feel it’s important for our children to be part of this because they are our future.
“All the schools have been learning about COP26, and Strathearn Climate Action Group did an event at Comrie Croft recently with all the kids posters on show.
“We are hoping to take some of these banners with us and parade them on our bikes.
“We just felt it was really important to add our voices.”
If anyone would like to join the Comrie contingent on their journey, contact Emily on 07525 787784.