Students in Bude decided to strike and protest as part of the UK Youth Climate on Friday, May 24. The strike, at Bude triangle, was in support of their key demands for the government to declare a climate emergency, to tell the public the truth about the ecological crisis, and to act now to protect their future.

These actions are in response to the latest UN IPCC reports that governments of the world only have 11 years before the planet suffers dangerous levels of climate catastrophe.

There were around 25 protesters with signs, mostly teenagers, but two were from primary school as well, with the youngest being only 6 years old!

Indigo Haynes, one of the Bude protest organisers and member of the Cornwall Youth Parliament, said: “We are angry about the threat to our planet’s future. Every day 200 species fall into extinction, and our generation faces an unsafe future of extreme weather causing crop failures and food shortages. Government needs to listen to scientists and act now or one day we will follow those species into suffering and extinction.”

Indigo also said that Budehaven students involved in the strike did not want to disrupt exams in any way. She explained: “We have made our protest in the centre of Bude so that our action does not disturb our fellow students taking their GCSEs and A levels, and to take our message to the wider public.

“We want adults and politicians to realise that we have run out of time for reacting to this global crisis in small ways, we must immediately begin reducing emissions and improving carbon absorption: drawing it down and locking it up.”

Organisers also hope that adults will see this as an example of young people taking a full part in the fight against climate catastrophe, Indigo said: “They have the biggest stake in the planet’s future, and that it is also time to reduce the voting age to 16.”

This strike is part of a much larger one across the country, with a number of young people also having gathered at New County Hall in Truro, also calling for more action on climate change.

Indigo said: “We all really want to raise awareness and working alongside thousands of others up and down the country. Something that started off in London and has made it down to the nooks and crannies of somewhere like Bude is amazing.”

Katie Leitzel’s daughter also took part in the protest, she said: “My daughter, Rosie is 10 and I thought we might not be able to go because I had appointments, and when I told her we couldn’t go, she cried, and said, ‘I have to go mummy, it’s my planet too you know’, so we went and I’m really pleased we did as I watched her chanting, what do we want ­­­— climate change! When do we want it ­— Now.”

Katie continued: “I felt so proud. The older children really took her in and looked after her too. There was a real spirit of togetherness amongst the children there.”

Cornwall Council welcomed the passion shown by the young people and is keen to work with them to create a collective Cornish voice to lobby parliament.

In recognition of the Council’s commitment to tackling climate change, at full council on Tuesday, May 21 Cllr Edwina Hannaford was appointed to the cabinet with new responsibility for tackling climate change in addition to the Neighbourhoods portfolio.

Cllr Hannaford said: “I welcome the passion shown by the young people who are calling for more urgent action to tackle climate change and I look forward to talking with them and taking their ideas on board as we work towards a common goal. We are facing an unprecedented challenge and we are calling on Westminster to provide the powers and resources necessary to achieve the target for Cornwall to become carbon neutral by 2030.”

Cornwall Council is also urging parents and carers whose children could be absent from school, to have followed the advice from their school to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their children is maintained during the protest.

Similarly Torridge District Council also welcomed the strikes and Jenny Wallace, head of paid service at Torridge Council explained the green initiatives they have been running.

She said: “Previously we have already installed solar panels on our buildings, moved to a single site for operations, reducing our carbon footprint in the process, along with installing other eco friendly systems such as reactive lighting, better insulation, and removing water coolers to name just a few.”