The longest ever campaign march in UK history will be passing through the West Midlands this summer. Christian Aid’s “Cut the Carbon March” starts in Northern Ireland on 14 July and ends at the London Stock Exchange on October 2nd. Christian Aid is hoping members of local churches, young legs and older ones (!) will join the march as it passes near their areas. Or are you perhaps a member of a walking group who could “Walk for Carbon Cuts” ? Walking just a short distance will be great support!

Climate Change is not just an environmental crisis – it is a global injustice on a scandalous scale. The worlds’ poorest are already suffering, despite contributing so little to the carbon emissions causing the crisis.

Christian Aid’s campaign aims to influence the government and UK companies to make the urgent carbon-emissions cuts necessary to halt climate change. A team of ‘core’ marchers, including Christian Aid partners from across the globe, will march the 1000 mile route over 11 weeks. The marchers include, Merryn Hellier, a local Christian Aid supporter from Hereford. Merryn says “The rich can usually pay their way out of disaster, the poor can only suffer and die. I feel compelled to take every opportunity possible to inspire a more just and caring world.”

The March passes through the West Midlands from 24 August to 4 September :

24 August: Burton to Lichfield
25 August: Lichfield to Walsall
26 August: Walsall to Birmingham
27 August: Rally in Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham
[28 August: rest day]
29 August: Birmingham to Halesowen
30 August: Halesowen to Bromsgrove
31 August: Bromsgrove to Worcester
1 September: Worcester to Ledbury
2 September: Ledbury to Hereford
[3 September: rest day]
4 September: Hereford to Ewyas Harold

A major rally will take place in Birmingham on Bank Holiday Monday August 27th. At 11am a mass walk will begin from Birmingham city centre to Cannon Hill Park, where there will be bands, speakers, celebrities and much more in a joint event with Islamic Relief.

For more information contact Christian Aids’ West Midlands Office on 0121 200 2283 or contact Virginia Williams locally on 078661 71784.