CAFOD Salford campaigners gather in London for mass lobby of Parliament
Climate Coalition Mass Lobby of Parliament – June 17th 2015
At least 9,000 people, including CAFOD supporters from every diocese, met their MP’s on Wednesday to talk about climate change and the devastating impact it’s having on people living in poverty overseas. In what was the biggest ever climate lobby of Parliament, almost half of all MP’s were asked to tackle climate change and deliver 100 per cent clean, safe energy by 2050 by groups ranging from the Women’s Institute to Greenpeace. CAFOD are a member of the Climate Coalition campaign organisation who organised this mass lobby of Parliament. In London CAFOD Salford was well represented and Mary Clark, CAFOD Salford Diocesan Officer, who was there shares her recollections of the day’s events below.
Our fantastic group of 25 who travelled from Manchester Piccadilly yesterday lobbied 9 MPs! Only one MP that had been contacted ahead of the lobby didn’t come (Graham Stringer, Labour – Manchester Blackley and Broughton).
We lobbied:
Lucy Powell, Labour – Manchester Central
Jeff Smith, Labour – Manchester Withington
Rebecca Long Bailey, Labour – Salford and Eccles
Kate Green, Labour – Stretford and Urmston
Simon Danczuk, Labour – Rochdale
Ivan Lewis, Labour – Bury South
Debbie Abrahams, Labour – Oldham East and Saddleworth
Andrew Stephenson, Conservative – Pendle
Nigel Evans, Conservative – Ribble Valley
Julie Cooper, Labour – Burnley and Padiham
Andrew Stephenson MP for Pendle with CAFOD Salford campaigners
Sister Carmel Clancy (Presentation Convent, Collyhurst, Manchester) brought bunting that she took to Archbishops Park for display after lobbying her MP (Lucy Powell, Manchester Central). All the bunting will be taken to the Climate talks in Paris in December. She had been into the local school ahead of the lobby and the pupils wrote messages on the bunting. It was beautifully done. The pupils who helped decorate the bunting are from St Patrick’s Primary Collyhurst, Manchester.
Bernie Slater from St Edward’s, Lees, brought bunting representing all the groups she is involved with (CAFOD, school, parish, prayer group, family).
Another school group came from St Augustine’s RC High School, Billington, Nr Clitheroe. They lobbied their MP, Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley, Conservative).
We had a wonderful day. Thanks to all for making the effort to contact their MPs and coming on the day. I’m sure we really will make a difference to our brothers and sisters overseas.
CAFOD Salford campaigners from Rochdale lobby their MP Simon Danczuk
To get involved in the climate campaign and stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers who are suffering the worst effects of climate change visit the CAFOD website:
