We are a small group of Shirehampton residents who are deeply concerned about Climate Change. We came together at a public meeting in May 2019 where we hosted the Extinction Rebellion film Heading for Extinction. We agreed to form an on-going group, our purpose – to raise local awareness about the climate crisis. We organized several public meetings and talks about the effects climate change will have on our local community. Our last major event, a morning on flood risk presented by speakers from the Environment Agency and Bristol city Council, took place just days before the first lockdown in March 2020. We managed to stay together as a group on Zoom and as Covid restrictions lifted in 2021 we organized a public talk about COP26 and the urgent need for our government to take action to reduce carbon emissions now. We created a Count Down to COP display on Shirehampton Green to maintain public awareness about the COP conference.

We are a disparate group with links to a range of other climate action groups. Some of us are active with Extinction Rebellion and have taken part in national Non-Violent Direct Action. Some of us are connected to Christian Climate Action and took part in the Camino to COP last year walking in pilgrimage to Glasgow. Some of us are active in BAAN – the campaign to stop airport expansion. The group is committed to acting peacefully and lawfully and to non-judgemental inclusivity.

In XR’s words, we welcome everyone and every part of everyone.