"UK government, please keep your green promises"

Picadilly Gardens 1st October CEL Banner

Christians  converged on Manchester on 1st October to send a message to Mr Cameron that the Conservative Party should live up to their green promises. Workshops were organised in three places by Christian Aid, Tearfund and CAFOD in the afternoon. At 5pm there would be a sevice at Manchester Cathedral. then a march and a vigil.

A group of CEL members met before the above meetings.. On the hottest October day for many years, we sat on a bench and shared ideas and discussed:-

• Ecocell.. How to get more people to know about it – maybe to offer talks to local churches
• 100 churches project – to encourage 100 churches to raise £100 for Rainforest and other habitat rescue projects
• Activities in Leeds.

Then is was off to the workshops

Christian Aid Introductory Meeting at Central Hall

Keep green pledges, say protesters-
The Methodist Recorder on 13th October reported the event thus:-

A RESPONSE to the Prime Minister is being formulated by leading development and environ-mental NGOs (non-governmental organisations) concerned about the content of Chancellor George Osborne’s speech to the Conservative party conference. NGOs have commended the Government’s ring-fencing of the aid budget, but are now urging them to fulfil their “green agenda” commitments.

The organisations, which include Christian Aid, are raising their concerns that the optimism generated by the Government’s promise to be the “greenest government ever” could be damaged by Mr Osborne’s conference address in which he said, “We are not going to save the planet by putting our companies out of business” and made reference to using a loophole to avoid the responsibilities of the Fourth Carbon Budget to tackle carbon emissions.

Inside Manchester Cathedral

CEL banner in front of Conservative Party Hotel

Candlelit Vigil on Albert Square