Young climate change campaigners meet Ed Miliband

Published by Becki Ord for City South Manchester in Housing and also in Communities

A CAMPAIGN to tackle climate change run by young people from Moss Side and Hulme received the backing of Labour Leader Ed Miliband when he visited Manchester last week (Thursday 14 April).

Members of Future Footprints asked Mr Miliband to sign up to their eight point pledge, which outlines simple steps everybody can take to reduce their impact on the environment.

The pledge points out a number of things we do in everyday life that are a unnecessary drain on resources – such as charging a mobile phone overnight, leaving electrical appliances switched on when they are finished with and leaving the tap running when cleaning your teeth.

Sarah Brooks, 14, from Future Footprints, said: “It was really great to meet Mr Miliband. Because we’re just kids and he’s so high up in politics we really didn’t think he would be interested in what we had to say, but he really was. As well as signing the pledge we talked to him about what we had learnt about climate change and how we were going to raise awareness in our community.”

The group, made up of eight 13 to 16-year-olds, was set up by City South Manchester Housing Trust and Groundwork to get young people from Moss Side interested in local issues that affect them and the neighbourhood where they live.

Mary Murphy, vice chair of City South’s Board, organised for Future Footprints to meet Mr Miliband when he attended a Labour Party event on Thursday.

Mrs Murphy said: “Living in Hulme I’m inundated with the intellectual climate change arguments. It was so refreshing to see 14, 15 and 16 year olds talking about climate change in the context of how it affects them and their neighbourhoods.

“They really made an impact on me. What they are saying is very simple, but very effective. I knew Ed would be thrilled to meet them and he was very impressed.”

Future Footprints is part of City South’s award winning Youth Network – a group of 30 young people the Hulme-based housing association is working with to gather their views, harness their skills, interests and aspirations to help improve their communities. The network also gives them access to opportunities that might otherwise have not been available to them.

Dave Power, Chief Executive of City South, said: “Future Footprints has put young people in a leadership role to raise awareness and to take practical steps to make a difference. Climate change isn’t something we can ignore - it will have an impact on future generations. We are proud to support this enthusiastic group of young people as they take their message out into our communities.”

Future Footprints also showed Mr Miliband and Central Manchester MP Tony Lloyd a rap music video they had made to get their message across.