Quakers welcomed the Young Christians Climate Network walkers when they came to Manchester in their journey from Cornwall, where the G7 summit was held in June, to Glasgow, where the COP26 UN Climate Conference will be held in November. There were tributary walks from South Manchester and Stockport, and one along the Bridgewater Canal. Manchester was at the heart of the Industrial Revolution, which led eventually to the climate crisis, and the Bridgewater Canal was dug to enable coal to be easily transported from the mines in Worsley to factories in Manchester, to fuel that revolution. We were also invited by the YCCN organisers to take part in an ecumenical walk around Salford Quays, where one Quaker read a reflection outside the War Museum.
The tributary walkers met with the YCCN walkers at Central Manchester Friends Meeting House, where we heard from the YCCN participants about their concern for the effect of climate change on the Global South, and we then joined in worship together. People of all ages made paper boats in the morning, which will be sent to Christian Aid with messages to be taken to COP26.
