Many faith groups are coming together to create a multifaith relay pilgrimage towards Glasgow, where world leaders plan to meet in November for the COP26 UN climate talks.
Suffolk Quakers are taking faith based action for climate change and as part of this are joining the pilgrimage to carry clear messages to the delegates. The messages voice our concerns that more action must be taken to address the impact of Climate Change on our world.
There are two pilgrimages involve people of different faiths all over the UK and have been initiated by the XR Faith Bridge and Norfolk Quakers, links are https://caminotocop.com and www.multifaithpilgrimage.org
Bury St Edmunds Quakers are joining the Camino Pilgrimage, leaving from Bury St Edmunds Meeting House travelling by bicycle and train to Sudbury. Plans are in the process of arranging links to London through Essex.
Ipswich Quakers are joining the Suffolk section of the Multifaith Pilgrimage starting in Ipswich, journeys by bus and bicycle to Stowmarket and on to Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge and then to Kings Lynn, to meet up with the Norfolk pilgrimages.
The pilgrimage route will run in sections between churches and Quaker meeting houses, allowing participants to join by walking, cycling or taking public transport for as many or as few sections as they would like to.
We welcome your support and involvement to show the delegates at COP26 our grave concerns. This is a crucial time for building the movement for climate justice. People in Britain and beyond want radical action to prevent climate breakdown – and we must take action to make sure that the UK government knows our depth of feeling from the messages we will be sending.
The letter to the Prime Minister at the end of this post, will be available at Bury St Edmunds Meeting House for you to sign or you are welcome to write your own message. The messages will be carried onto COP26.
SCHEDULE
Sunday August 1st
Andrew Sterling was interviewed on the religious programme of Radio Suffolk 6.45. To listen go to https://www.bbc.co.
Saturday August 7th
11:26 train from Bury to Stowmarket. Bury Friends to meet Ipswich Friends at the Rural Life Museum in Stowmarket to collect their messages for taking to Bury St Edmunds and then to Cambridge
Monday August 9th
3pm meet Andrew, who is cycling from Ipswich; at Bury MH for tea, then walk to the train station with messages for pilgrims travelling to Cambridge – Andrew reckons the trip will take about 4 hours with stops. He is using National Cycle route 51(Claydon, Needham Market, Stowmarket, Onehouse, Harleston, Shelland, Borley Green, Woolpit, Drinkstone, Tostock, Thurston)
Tuesday August 10th
13:57 train to Cambridge. Friends to meet Cambridge Friends and convey the Suffolk messages, at Hartington Grove Meeting House
Tuesday August 17th
Cycle or bus to Sudbury from Bury St Edmunds Meeting House. Messages then to be passed on to Essex to link with Northeast London Meetings.
12:45 Publicity photocall, particularly for the cyclists who will have to get off sharp at the end of Meeting for the 17-mile journey, and or one after Meeting walking or at the bus.
1:30 (after the end of lunch time Quaker Meeting) Bus, No.750 at 2:15 from the bus station, arriving 3:06. Those supporting the pilgrims might like to walk to the bus or travel a short distance on the bus if only to St Andrews St South! Meet Sudbury Quakers on arrival.
Bus no.753 returns at 3:40, 4:37 and 5:17 (two people have to go back to Bury on the 3:40)
Further info from Ian, including public transport for returning with a bike. Sudbury friends, will provide tea and a welcome at the meeting house, five minutes from the bus station
If you would like to join us, please send an email to Edwina stating the dates etc. you are available. She is happy to answer any questions.
We hope to advertise the Pilgrimage at locations along the route. We also need help with this.
Wednesday August 18th
Messages taken from Sudbury to Colchester arriving in time for Colchester’s 12 o’clock Wednesday mid week meeting.
LETTER TO BE AVAILABLE AT BURY MEETING HOUSE FOR YOU TO SIGN EVEN IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO JOIN THE PILGRIMAGE
Dear Prime Minister
“What we do in the next five years will determine the future of humanity for the next millennium.’’ These are the words of Professor Sir David King, head of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group (June 2021). Please read them again.
As President of COP 26 the UK government has the responsibility to ensure that the climate negotiations in November are successful so that temperature rise is kept well below 2.0C. ‘The 1.5-degree global warming limit is not impossible – but it soon will be’ (Hare. B May 2021)To show the necessary political and moral leadership we must demonstrate that our own backyard is in order. But the latest report (June 2021) of the Climate Change Committee makes clear that the government is failing abysmally, only doing 20% of what is required to meet its own climate targets.
The climate crisis has been caused mainly by the high-income countries whose citizens have the highest carbon footprints. Yet it is the citizens of the lower income countries who are paying the highest price as they are battered by extreme weather events which destroy lives and livelihoods (though no country will be immune as the recent off the scale heatwaves in north west America and Canada show).
The UK government recently reduced the overseas aid budget from 0.7% to 0.5% of GDP even though a redistribution of wealth from higher income to lower income countries is necessary to ensure a just transition from a fossil fuel to a low carbon world. This sends completely the wrong message about solidarity between countries at this time of crisis.
In May this year the International Energy Agency stated “If governments are serious about the climate crisis there can be no new oil, gas or coal development.” Yet the UK’s policy is that previously licensed projects which have the capacity to produce 1.7 billion barrels of oil will not have to show they are consistent with the government’s climate commitments.
According to the Office for Budget Responsibility the cost of the UK transitioning to a green economy could be less than the Covid pandemic and could be offset by taxes on carbon. But if we delay the cost will be nearly twice as much.
The government must stop pretending it is serious about climate and ecological breakdown when its actions fall so short of what is needed. The window of opportunity is narrowing. Can you give assurance that you will now tell the truth about the gravity of the situation and act with the urgency, vigour and courage required?
Bury St Edmunds Quaker Meeting
PRESS RELEASE
Faith groups in East Anglia are coming together to participate in a multifaith relay pilgrimage to the COP 26 UN climate talks taking place in Glasgow in November. The pilgrimage has been organised by Quakers and the Church of England
Members of Bury St Edmunds Quaker Meeting are taking part in www.multifaithpilgrimage.org and the Camino Pilgrimage https://caminotocop.com which includes Quakers and other faith groups from Devon, Somerset, the Midlands and the east of England. They will set off on 7 August on the first leg of their journey which will take them from Bury via Cambridge, Sudbury and Essex to London where they will meet up with pilgrimages departing from the capital.
The pilgrimage route is run in sections between Meeting Houses and churches, allowing participants to join in by walking, cycling or public transport for as many or as few sections as they choose.
We invite anyone, whether or not they identify as part of a faith group, to join the relay to express their concern and hope that the government leaders meeting in Glasgow will commit to the radical changes needed to save the planet from looming ecological disaster. Please contact edwinaann1517@gmail.com for details and timings.
As Quakers, we are inspired by these words from our book of discipline, Quaker Faith and Practice:”We do not own the world, and its riches are not ours to dispose of at will. Show a loving consideration for all creatures, and seek to maintain the beauty and variety of the world. Work to ensure that our increasing power over nature is used responsibly, with reverence for life. Rejoice in the splendour of God’s continuing creation.”
