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World marchers swamp city streets
When more than 40,000 people swamped the streets of London and Manchester for the historic Climate March, A Rocha UK workers, volunteers and supporters were among them.
A Rocha UK banners were lifted high as marchers walked from Temple to Westminster on 21st September, urging world leaders to act on climate change.
‘It was just one of 2,700 events happening across 161 countries worldwide,’ said A Rocha UK’s Policy Officer Stephen Drury, ‘and we were proud to be a part of it!’ These mass marches were timed to coincide with the United Nations summit on climate change, which took place the following Tuesday in New York. More than 300,000 took part in that city’s march.
‘It was overwhelmingly encouraging,’ Stephen said of the London march. He met with volunteers from A Rocha UK at a gathering point for faith groups in Inner Temple Gardens. Stephen said there was ‘an expectant atmosphere’ as marchers gathered there. ‘There was a sense of fellowship and friendship as we connected with different organisations,’ he added.
Sir David Attenborough urges faith leaders to fight for nature
Leading naturalist Sir David Attenborough has joined Christian conservation charity A Rocha UK and others, in encouraging faith groups to save nature.
Sir David and A Rocha UK’s Conservation Director Andy Lester were both on the speaking team at the ‘Conference For Nature’ event in Church House last week (3rd September 2014) – which drew more than 250 people, including other experts from across the environmental lobby.
Just before the event, Sir David urged religious leaders to pursue conservation. ‘From you and I in our own domains, from business magnates to politicians, and from farmers to faith leaders, everyone has an opportunity to save nature,’ he said. ‘With an increasing global footprint, mankind is intensifying the crisis for wildlife, but as individuals we can all be a part of the solution for saving it, too,’ he said.
Addressing the role of faith groups in environmental work, Andy Lester highlighted projects by A Rocha UK partners – and the charity’s own scheme to turn a former West London drug den into a community garden.
Community Leaders Back Wolf Fields
A peer, a principal and a priest have joined growing numbers of West Londoners backing A Rocha UK’s bid to turn a former Southall drug den into public gardens.
Labour’s Shadow Business, Innovation and Skills Spokesperson Lord Tony Young, who chairs Norwood Green Residents’ Association, Wolf Fields Primary School head Sharanjit Gata-Aura and St Mary’s Church Rector Rev Jeff Payne endorsed the charity’s plans to transform the three-acre wasteland known as Wolf Fields into community space.
They cut the ribbon on 13th July for the scheme’s open day (pictured). One of the special guests described the event as ‘a unifying message to all our local communities’.
Together they supported A Rocha UK Conservation Director Andy Lester and Environmental Education Officer David Melville as a team led an action-packed programme.
Strong Start To Foxearth Appeal
A deluge of donations has dropped on the doormat at A Rocha UK since the launch of the Foxearth appeal. ‘But there’s still a way to go to set up our own nature reserve,’ said CEO Mairi Johnstone.
‘So far it’s one of the best appeals ever,’ Mairi explained. ‘We’re genuinely humbled by the response – especially against a backdrop of a challenging financial climate.’
The appeal was launched at the end of May, to raise funds for what is set to become A Rocha UK’s first ever nature reserve. Generous donations were received within the first few weeks, along with messages of support such as:
– ‘we do hope this goes well, it sounds very exciting’;
– ‘so excited to hear about Foxearth’;
– ‘Foxearth…fabulous place!’
After reading all the emails and letters from supporters, Mairi expressed her delight at the response so far for funds to buy what she called an ‘amazing’ piece of land. ‘It’s quite clear that people have responded because they absolutely believe in the vision,’ she explained.
Sense of wonder under threat
Spiritual as well as physical damage is being done by our disconnection from nature. That’s the main message of the latest edition of A Rocha UK’s magazine ‘Root & Branch’ – which lands on supporters’ doormats soon.
In his column for the publication, Conservation Director Andy Lester explains how people have told him they miss ‘a sense of awe and wonder’ about the natural world. ‘There’s something deeply spiritual about our connection to nature,’ writes Andy, ‘and we’re losing that connection at a very rapid rate.’
Editor Jean Morgan warns of ‘the relentless pursuit of “progress”‘. She points out, ‘That loss in the natural world causes the loss of something within ourselves as well.’ In her introduction, she unpacks the journal’s theme – and how it’s reflected in such articles as an interview with celebrated birder, author and journalist Dominic Couzens and a highly colourful spread on dragonflies.