Hundreds of secondary school students attend Cumbria's largest climate youth gathering

200 people attended the event which involved environment workshops and speeches. Credit: About Another Way

Hundreds of students from around the region have attended an event highlighting the impacts of climate change.

200 students and teachers attended the event which involved a full day of environment workshops and speeches.

Environment charity Another Way staged the festival for secondary school students to share their passion for the environment and their climate concerns.

The festival also saw the launch of Another Way’s Power of 10 movement which seeks to equip young environment changemakers to make a difference in their communities and highlight opportunities in the green sector.

Amy Bray, founder of Another Way said: "My aim is to create the largest community of young people making change for the climate.

"Our festival and our Power of 10 movement was created to enable young people from across Cumbria and the country to celebrate and elevate their thoughts and voices in relation to environmental issues.

“If one person shares a message with ten people and those ten people share it with a further ten it would just take ten days for that message to spread around the world," she added.

She said: "Change starts with just one person. That is our plan for Power of 10.

"Through our Power of 10 movement, we are providing young people with access to a wide range of resources that will empower them to take positive action.

"We have waited too long for someone else to fix our future. We need to help write our own future."

Students from across Cumbria took part in workshops which covered topics including eco-anxiety, creative writing, climate solutions games Credit: About Another Way

Key speakers included MP Tim Farron, founder of Save Windermere, Matt Staniek and poet and climate activist, Matt Sowerby, .

Mr Faron hosted an activity focusing on the history of climate change and the relationship with human activity

Speaking at the event, he said: “If you are concerned about the mass movement of human beings, you should absolutely be concerned about climate change.

"During COVID collective action saved many many lives which demonstrates if everyone is of a single mind and works together change will happen.“

“To make change we need to fix ignorance by sharing knowledge and facts, fix inertia - the feeling of powerlessness in the face of governments and multinational corporations.

"We need to challenge the vested interest that countries and companies have in fossil fuels and finally internet fake news created by those with a personal stake.

"People will believe people they like rather than what is true."

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