IT WAS inspiring and humbling to see so many children and young people take to the streets in Kendal for last Friday’s youth climate strike.

For decades we’ve known of the need to act to prevent climate breakdown, and yet we’ve done nothing. Those young minds have the clarity we’ve lacked.

Together with millions of young people from almost every country in the world, they’re demanding the adults leave them a habitable planet. Some say they shouldn’t disrupt their education, but they know that unless they can force the government to act they have no future; societal breakdown, famine and war are the inevitable consequences of our failure.

The kids have done it, now it’s our turn. From October 7 to 20, Extinction Rebellion (XR) will block the centre of London to traffic, and we need you to join us. Conventional campaigning hasn’t worked. Despite all our efforts over decades, emissions are still increasing at a terrifying rate. Why? Because there are too many powerful vested interests in keeping things as they are.

If we want rapid and radical change, tens of thousands of us need to engage in civil disobedience because history has shown us that’s what works. In October we’ll cause massive disruption, thousands will get arrested, many will go to prison and others will go on hunger strike. We’ll do all this in a completely non-violent way, and it might just work, but only if enough of us join in. We owe it to the next generations.

Lots of us will be going from South Lakes, some willing to risk arrest, others who will support in an equally valuable but non-arrestable way. We need you too: please join us. Get in touch at xrsouthlakes@gmail.com

Gwen Harrison

Kendal