Following a long absence during COVID lockdown, on 24th April we once again held our Malvern XR stall opposite the Post Office at the top of Church Street. We offered a wide range of free gifts including plants, seeds, jam, craft items, homemade cake and secondhand books. Lovely sunny weather ensured that ...
News
This is the news page for Extinction Rebellion Malvern. Updates coming soon!
- Art to Imagine a Better Future
A few of us are launching the Art to Imagine a Better Future project in January, which invites people to produce stories and artwork showing what it would look like in 10 years if all that could be done to solve the climate and nature crisis had been done.
We have set up a Crowdfunder to help support the project, so if you could afford a one off or regular donation that would really help us get the project off the ground.
You can also contact us if you would like to help. We are particularly looking for people to be part of a team running workshops in schools and colleges, for which we have materials prepared.It is a Malvern Climate Community Group project that has grown out of Rob Hopkin’s imagination work. We have the display boards near Malvern Waitrose booked for early 2025.
- Dirty Water – blue plaques
XR Malvern joined a UK-wide day of action unveiling blue plaques in Upton on Severn and Worcester, where we joined with other Worcestershire XR groups to highlight the impact on the River Severn of our local MPs’ voting record on the discharge of raw sewage. In Upton, the plaque reads: “Harriett Baldwin MP Voted to block a law requiring water companies to dump less raw sewage in our waterways and seas, 20th Oct 2021”. The 2021 records show the Upton on Severn overflow spilled sewage for a total of 1,407 hours. This is happening up and down the River Severn and all our major rivers and coastline.
- Festival of resistance postponed
Festival of resistance postponed
Due to Thursday’s news about the passing of Queen Elizabeth, the Rebellion Planning team, and other groups involved, made the difficult decision on Thursday to postpone the Festival of Resistance this weekend in London until further notice.
It was felt that the risks to our mobilisation efforts outweigh the desire to continue, and occupying a Royal Park at this time would not be practical. The decision has not been made lightly and in full appreciation that it will impact so many who have put much time, heart and commitment into making this festival the beautiful reality it was gearing up to be. This message comes with immense gratitude and respect for everyone involved and every single person who was about to attend Rebellion for the first time. This decision comes as multiple groups who had protest plans over the coming week make similar announcements.
There will be further updates after the weekend about what we intend to do next. If you’re not already following the Rebellion Broadcast, please join now for updates.
There will be many strong feelings around this decision, which everyone involved in this decision shares. There will be a space to come together on Saturday at Mile End Park for the afternoon for those in London or planning to travel to London in the next few days.
Love & gratitude,
Rebellion Planners
- Well Dressing April 2022
XR Malvern Well Dressing!
The Temperance Drinking Fountain has been dressed by Malvern Extinction Rebellion – and looks stunning!
Well worth a visit, it’s in place until Sunday 8th May. We chose a theme of biodiversity and nature in literature.
The Well Dressing festival was originally going to coincide with the UN Biodiversity conference – COP 15 in China (now delayed), which aims to agree a new set of goals for urgent action to halt and reverse the loss of plants, animals and ecosystems on our planet.
People depend on nature and nature is being destroyed at an alarming rate. The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world, with 1 in 4 British mammals now at risk of extinction.
The loss of biodiversity worldwide is intrinsic to the climate change crisis and needs to be addressed with the same urgency.
When you read a piece of literature, it is like a time machine that transports you to another time and place, and the wonders of nature are represented throughout historic as well as modern literature. Contemporary literature represents the world we see today; many poems are written to express the emotions associated with losing our natural world. Much has already been lost, including large mammals, birds and small insects.
In Malvern we have lost these birds:- Curlew, Quail, Willow Tit, Tree Sparrow, Woodlark, Nightjar.
……and we have lost these butterflies and moths:- Juniper, Purple Emperor, Large Tortoiseshell, Small Blue, Large Heath, Grizzled Skipper, Small Bordered Fritillary, Wall Brown, Dingy Skipper, High Brown Fritillary.
……and we have lost these mammals:- Red Squirrel, Harvest Mouse, Pine Marten.
Throughout art and literature, we celebrate our emotional and spiritual connection to the natural world.
Here is more information on visiting the dressed wells.
- Barclays, February 2022
XR acts against Barclays
“Oil heads” appeared in Worcester to show how Barclays’ continued investment in fossil fuels is destroying the earth.
Several “Oil heads” descended on Worcester Barclays branch in February, from groups across Worcestershire, including Malvern.
Some hard working scrubbers tried to clean up the dirty money at the same time….
Barclays seemed to have left their “green-washing machine” out in the street…
Greenwashing definition: “behaviour or activities that make people believe that a company is doing more to protect the environment than it really is.”
- Pilgrimage of love for the Earth – Camino to CoP 26 is coming to Malvern
Camino to CoP 26 is a long distance walking pilgrimage for all faiths (and no faith) to the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow:
• as an act of faith and love for our planet,
• drawing attention to communities to come together to address the climate and ecological emergency.
The local legs of the pilgrimage are:
Wed 15th September: Tewkesbury – Upton – Malvern https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1646615?units=km
Thur 16th September: Malvern – Worcester https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1636594?units=km
Do you feel inspired to…
- join for a day or part of a day? Meet us in Upton for lunch (approx 1pm) and walk back to Malvern perhaps?
- welcome the group into town (we will approach Great Malvern via Poolbrook into Barnard’s Green, approximately 5pm on 15th September)
- join us for a meal (bring and share) and stories of our journey in the evening plus hopefully some music (musical offers welcome!). The evening meeting will be both a celebration of the walk and for everyone who’s taken part in the London Rebellion, or supported from home!
- share stories of all our adventures!
- see us off on our next stage, leaving 9-9.30 am on 16th September, from Link Top. Walk with us across Link Common or a bit further! We’ll go down to the retail park (more outreach?) And then out through Madresfield, across Old Hills, to Powick, over the new footbridge and along the Teme and then the Severn into Worcester. Total distance 10.7 miles, or walk partway and get a bus home from Powick!
The evening meeting will be at the Methodist Hall, Lansdowne Crescent – 6-9pm.
Camino WhatsApp group
https://chat.whatsapp.com/LREB1nxBrcf6ztNW5UvoAp
If you are planning to walk for a day/part day, or meet us en route, please join this WhatsApp chat for last minute announcements. Please note this is ONLY to be used for essential communication: ‘I’m lost, where are you?’ ‘Walkers have been delayed, will arrive later than expected’ ‘Was offering accommodation, but last minute problem’ etc. Please do not clutter this chat with general observations/pictures of your cats/etc. Even if your cat is supporting the Camino! Non-urgent messages can be posted in the Telegram chat: https://t.me/joinchat/LHnob6W7sBkzMmU0
We recommend you join the WhatsApp group just for the day(s) of your involvement, and then leave again afterwards.
The main Camino to COP website is: https://caminotocop.com/
Contact for more information: Iszi Jones xrmalvern_community@riseup.net
- Swap don’t Shop for Malvern Green Space
Saturday 24th July, 11am until 3pm, Malvern Cube, Albert Rd N, WR14 2YF. Free event.
Bring a bag of like-new or gently used clothes, toys, books, jewellery, ornaments or household goods that you no longer want and swap it for stuff you love. Nothing to bring? Just take. No furniture or electricals please.
Malvern Green Space is part of the Climate Emergency Centre Network
Refreshments available at the Cube Café. Donations go to Malvern Green Space eco-community centre project. www.malverngreenspace.com Want to get involved?
With special thanks to Malvern Cube.
- XR Malvern G7 Vigil and stall for the Earth
While many of the Extinction Rebellion Malvern rebels travelled to Cornwall for the G7 summit, those in Malvern held a vigil for the Earth, and adjacent to that, our stall was filled with many free gifts that had been generously donated. The block printing went down well. We connected with XR rebels from London and Swindon, made new friends locally and were grateful for many new people signing up. It was great to have face to face discussions in the vigil space and at the stall about climate change and the climate and ecological emergency.
The G7 Summit protests were covered by this BBC article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-57454319
- XR Worcestershire Groups at County Hall
Extinction Rebellion members greeted the newly-elected Worcestershire County Council councillors as they arrived at County Hall. Waving banners and flags, we stood along the car park entrances and handed leaflets calling for the council to declare a climate emergency.
Suzanne Savage, speaking for the group, said: “By 2050 we will be facing extreme heatwaves, wildfires, droughts followed by torrential storms, all of which will significantly impact the global food supply. We face a frightening future where basics such as clean water and food for our families will no longer be secure, even here in the UK.”
The group gathered to call again for a climate emergency to be declared. In 2019, Worcestershire County Council debated a climate emergency motion by Green Councillor Matt Jenkins which would have sharply reduced emissions to net zero by 2030. However, the council amended the motion, and only committed to achieving net zero by 2050. According to Extinction Rebellion, that is too late.
- Rebellion of One
The three activists joined more than 200 others across the UK, on Saturday 24th April, to block traffic and draw attention to lack of government action on the climate and ecological emergency. Protesters blocked City Walls Road and The Cross in Worcester while a third blocked a main road in Barnard’s Green, near Malvern.
“This action marks two years from the date that the UK Parliament declared a climate emergency,” said Leo Lewis-Farley, spokesperson for the protestors.
“Sadly, very little has been offered by the government beyond warm words in terms of concrete action, so people have taken to the streets to express their deep fear and concern at the future that awaits us. We have been warned by Sir James Bevan, the chief executive of the Environment Agency, that the UK is hitting worst case environmental scenarios.
“If these are left unchecked, he says climate breakdown will collapse ecosystems, slash crop yields, take out the infrastructure that our civilisation depends on, and destroy the basis of the modern economy and society. Our leaders are still not taking this seriously. The people taking part in this protest feel that it’s time for ordinary people to refuse to be bystanders while the planet burns. It’s time to step up and demand action.”
You can re-watch the livestream of all of their protests on the Facebook pages: Worcester 1 – here and here. Worcester 2 – here. Malvern – here. Read about it in the Malvern Gazette here and read about the national action in the Guardian here.
- Malvern Outreach Stall
Following a long absence during COVID lockdown, on 24th April we once again held our Malvern XR stall opposite the Post Office at the top of Church Street. We offered a wide range of free gifts including plants, seeds, jam, craft items, homemade cake and secondhand books.
Lovely sunny weather ensured that we were visited by a steady stream of relaxed people who stopped to chat and pick up leaflets, stickers and badges to accompany their gifts; and many offered cash donations! The Climate Science Museum banner made it’s second outing and was appreciated by all. And it was lovely to have Satya and Jonathan doing their vigil on the steps above us. Thanks to everyone for contributing to this great team effort!
- Vigil for Earth Day
The Earth Vigil on Thursday 22nd April was beautiful event, with rebels from the area coming together peacefully and joyfully to reconnect with the earth and with each other, from 8am to 8pm. Our new banner made its first public appearance. We welcomed faces we haven’t been able to actually see due to covid and it was also wonderful to meet new faces too.
- Climate Crime Scene
Extinction Rebellion groups in Worcestershire performed a “climate crime scene” as street theatre in the centre of Worcester on Saturday 17th April, to highlight that Worcestershire County Council is putting future generations at risk due to their lack of action on the Climate and Ecological Emergency.
The “crime scene” featured a faceless councillor stamping bits of paper at their desk, ignoring the warning signs of what is to come. People beg for help but when their pleas go unanswered, they fall to the ground and die. Forensic investigators in hazmat suits move in to examine the bodies. They issue death certificates which list extreme heat, food shortage and air pollution as causes of death.
Here is our YouTube video of the action: https://youtu.be/tuTLTcsjmo4.
We also had good press coverage including the Worcester News: https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/19243073.extinction-rebellion-worcestershire-holds-climate-crime-scene-protest/
Climate Crime Scene (Most photos: Sharon White photography) - Local Rebel’s Experience of Arrest
Last week I received a six month conditional discharge following my arrest in Parliament Square on 1st September last year. The reasons that I chose to risk arrest are set out in the statement I sent to the court (below). After sitting in the road peacefully for several hours, I was carried off to Brixton Police Station, and released at around 1.30 am the following morning.
I was able to make an informed choices to the risks of my actions due to the support of many lovely people of XR, and my privileged position. I live in a relatively free and open society, I have no dependents, or disabilities; I am a woman but I am not a person of colour or a member of any other disadvantaged group; I am financially able to cover the costs of my action (£85 plus ‘victim surcharge £22).
The Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill in its current form will make it much harder for people to stand up for their beliefs and exercise their freedom to protest, particularly those whose voices are already suppressed. It would be morally indefensible for me to stop speaking up for what I believe to be right, and of vital, urgent importance. It is morally indefensible for our elected representatives to try to stop me.
We will be looking at the implications of the Bill at our next Malvern Group meeting on Thursday 1st April 7-9pm. We will also be looking at the responses gathered during our Visioning Workshop in January, to assess how best to meet everyone’s ambitions and needs. All voices are welcome and we hope to see you there.
Statement of Mitigating circumstances
I am 50. All my life I have been aware of the impending climate and ecological emergency, and the crisis of social inequality that means the burden of the damage we do falls upon the poor and vulnerable.
I am appalled by our collective moral failings. I am frightened of the harm that is happening right now and how this will be worse in the future.
I have devoted my working life to tackling inequality and homelessness. I have donated my earnings, written letters, signed petitions, attended meetings. In recent years I have spent the majority of my annual leave and many weekends on practical volunteering to restore ecosystems in my local area and around the UK. I have planted trees on Scottish hillsides in snow and rain and devoted many, many hours to my local wildlife trust.
I have tried individual and collective dialogue with my MP. She thinks the Government is doing enough. I don’t feel my vote counts. Our government has failed to react with the necessary urgency and compassion. Promises are made and not kept. Amongst many other sources, Parliament’s own Climate Committee tells us our actions are too little, too late.
On 1st September Caroline Lucas presented the CEE Bill to Parliament. It seemed to me that this was one last chance for our representatives to take the action needed. My MP would not support the Bill. It was absolutely imperative that I should put my own comfort and security aside and say ‘not in my name’ to any future destruction of our planet and of our moral standing. Lack of agency to do this in other ways led me to resolve to join Extinction Rebellion and pursue non-violent civil disobedience by sitting in the road outside Parliament to ask the Government to act. I am willing to take the consequences of my actions: I feel they were necessary for the protection of our Earth.
- Motivational climate conversations
As we begin to win the argument for the truth, surveys show that in many countries, including the UK, majorities see climate change as a threat. But there can seem to be a lack of urgency in the public response.
In his latest book The New Climate War, Michael E Mann says we are fighting a war against the forces of inaction. How can we take up this challenge without alienating the people we speak to? Maybe you want to inspire others into action? Or just help them understand why we do what we do?
Motivational interviewing is used by the health and social care sectors as a non-aggressive way of inspiring change. It uses a guiding style to engage people and evoke their own motivations for change. It’s used in the treatment of addictions. Arguably we are all (more or less) addicted to ‘Business as usual’. So perhaps we can borrow from this technique to influence our conversations on the climate and ecological emergency and support us as we try to change the world.
Our main meeting on Thursday 18th March 7-9pm will include a workshop on these ideas, but here are some suggestions to get you started:
- how we speak to people is likely to be just as important as what we say
- we each hold our own answers to our own route to change. What works for you may not work for me.
- being listened to and understood is an important part of the process of change
- people only change their behaviour when they feel ready – not when they are told to do so
In conversation:
- we can recognise cues in what someone says that indicate they may be open to the possibility of change
- we can also notice when they are explaining their barriers and respond in an encouraging, rather than critical way
We should avoid:
- arguing
- using an authoritative/expert stance that leaves the other person in a passive role
Because:
- the solutions people find for themselves are the most enduring and effective
- The Deep Water Project
Beyond our own plans for flooding actions in Worcestershire, there is a Midlands-wide project being developed by XR’s Midlands Outreach and Local Group Development team. Called ‘Deep Water’ it aims to coordinate flooding-related actions across the Midlands Region from the Marches to Lincolnshire (where coastal flooding is a real concern). The project will involve local XR groups as well as forging links with the many non-XR flood action groups. Through talks and other messaging the project will help people to understand the causal links between flooding and climate change; it will also encourage people to express their concerns about this when lobbying their elected representatives, especially as the CEE Bill approaches its next reading in Parliament in March 2021.
You can contact the project at xrmidlands.deepwater@protonmail.com.
- Extinction Rebellion Malvern links flooding to climate change
Extinction Rebellion Malvern gathered in Upton-upon-Severn on Wednesday 30 December 2020 to highlight the role of climate change in local flooding. Dressed as office workers carrying on with business-as-usual despite the floods around them, they held signs reading “Climate Change = Increased Flooding Chaos”.
The protestors are emphasising that climate change isn’t something far away which will only impact us at the end of the century. They point to unprecedented storms in 2020 which led to record rainfall amounts. These extreme weather events will become more frequent as carbon emissions drive global temperatures higher. At the same time, the trees, hedgerows and flood plains which have traditionally soaked up excess rainfall are being lost. “While we have always had flooding in our area, the climate emergency is making the flooding much more frequent and extensive,” said Dr Johnny Birks, 62, a retired ecologist. “We cannot continue with business-as-usual and ignore the grave threat our communities face”.
The UK currently spends £2.2 billion every year to clean up flood damage. “The situation we are facing is like an overflowing bathtub: Do we get mops and buckets to clean up the mess, or do we address the cause and turn off the tap?” asked Dr. Birks. “The sensible option is to turn off the taps, and the only way we can do that is to rapidly decrease our carbon emissions. We’re in a climate emergency and it’s time we had policies capable of addressing that emergency.”
However, the Climate Change Committee, the government’s climate advisors, say the UK is not on track to meet its targets to lower carbon emissions. “Boris Johnson is great at producing sound bites which give the impression that he’s providing leadership on the climate,” continued Dr Birks. “But he’s failing to do what’s necessary to keep global warming to safe temperatures. We must all demand the government act now, at both the national and county level, to bring down emissions and restore our damaged ecology. “Covid has taught us we can make great changes in a short time when we need to. Rather than ignore the climate crisis, Extinction Rebellion encourages us rise to the challenge together before the flooding and other natural disasters get even worse.”
Coverage in the local press
- Visioning Workshop 21st January 2021 7-9pm
Our main meeting on 21st January will be devoted to an important new activity for us as we embark upon a new year of engaging with XR – a Visioning Workshop to be run by Dolly, XR’s chief UK Outreach and Local Group Development person (currently living mainly in West Malvern).
By way of introduction to the workshop, Dolly explains that “2020 has been both a growthful and challenging time for Extinction Rebellion. The movement has had to learn on its feet and adapt to a continuously changing landscape. As part of our regenerative culture, we need space to reflect, learn and plan for the future and this visioning workshop has been designed with this in mind.
The aim of the workshop is to give each person in the group a chance to express their visions for XR and be an integral part of the planning and decision making process, in this way making each local group (and the people in it) more energised, aligned, committed and autonomous since each person’s vision will be an integral part of the overall goal. Another aim of the workshop is to make a visual plan with reachable targets so that working towards a big goal in 2021 is tangible and realistic.”
To enable us to prepare for this exercise Dolly will send out a document in advance with some questions for us to consider before the workshop. We will distribute this document as widely as we can so that everyone has the opportunity to engage and contribute as much as they wish to. We really do hope that you will be able to join us on 21st January so that you can be part of this important exercise! If you have any questions at any stage please email xrmalvern_community@riseup.net - Act Now Worcestershire County Council
Saturday September 26th saw a fantastic turnout of socially distanced groups of six parading through Worcester City Centre. We had three groups of Faceless Bureaucrats, a forthright group of bees, cyclists, dinosaurs and our spectacular Rainbow Guardians. At noon we had a die in at Cathedral Plaza with around 50 people, plus a very impassioned speech. Following on, a group of Faceless Bureaucrats headed to the Worcestershire County Council headquarters.
- Worcestershire Banner Action
The Worcestershire XR groups organised an extremely impactful set of actions on Friday September 25th and Saturday September 26th. It was tremendous to have all local groups working together to focus our demands on the County Council.
Friday saw huge banners displayed on four bridges surrounding Worcester, with the message “County Council! Act Now on Climate Change!”. Thanks to all the teams who took turns looking after the banners, as well as engaging with the public and occasional visits by ‘officials’. Following on from this there was an excellent interview on BBC Hereford and Worcester between XR’s Suzanne Savage and Councillor Tony Miller, which again highlighted the County Council’s complete lack of ambition and vision.
- Letter to Harriett Baldwin
Response to tweet/ CEN letter 10.9.20 (by Isabel Jones)
Dear Harriett
In 1990 Margaret Thatcher told the second world climate conference: ‘The danger of global warming is as yet unseen, but real enough for us to make changes and sacrifices, so that we do not live at the expense of future generations,” according to a transcript of the speech archived online at the Margaret Thatcher Foundation.
“Our ability to come together to stop or limit damage to the world’s environment will be perhaps the greatest test of how far we can act as a world community,” she said. “We shall need statesmanship of a rare order.”My son, born that year, is now 30. In his lifetime, very few of the changes and sacrifices suggested by Thatcher have happened. We certainly have not seen any ‘statesmanship of a rare order’ on this matter from any of our political leaders in Government.
While I understand from your membership of the CEN group that this should indicate an understanding of these issues, your own voting record shows remarkably little support for any substantial measures to protect our environment.
Your letter indicates that the UK is on track to meet its 2050 target: information from the Committee on Climate Change suggests otherwise, and further that this target is too late to protect us from the worst impacts.
None of the members of your group have offered support for the CEE Bill, which has been written with the input and support of leading scientists and academics, and is the first legislation to offer the UK a serious and comprehensive plan to tackle the emergency.
Given this and all previous governments’ track records, I wonder what indication you have that the current administration will pay any attention, even to the limited requests of the CEN group?
Would even those limited measures taken so far have happened, were it not for the groundswell of public opinion moving towards urgency created by the numerous ‘radical’ voices of the past couple of years: Extinction Rebellion, the School Strike movement, etc?
We have needed to move towards more determined measures including non-violent civil disobedience, because of the long-term failure of government to respond appropriately, which has lasted for decades. The dangers mentioned by Margaret Thatcher are no longer unseen, and the test is being failed.
We are making sacrifices so that we do not live at the expense of future generations. We have to do this so that we can look our children in the eyes, even though we are at least 30 years too late.
Yours sincerely
- We need you to listen – poem
We need you to listen
Malvern – Parliament Square – Wembley Police Station, September 2020Poem by Isabel Jones
For the people sitting in silence
With their love and their faith and their grief
We need you to listenFor the ones who are dancing and singing
Drumming their passion and rage on the streets
We need you to listenFor the hills and the meadows behind me
Threatened islands of life in my heart
For the trees and the woodlands you’ve bulldozed
For the destruction of life in your path
We need you to listenFor the wild things running and dying
As the buzz of their life force fades
For the lands degraded and burning
And the debt that will never be paid
We need you to listenFor the grandiose facades of your vanity
Speaking only to each other’s power
For the cruel web of lies that entangle us
From your faceless and heartless glass towers
For the elders, the youth and the children
Who are shouting that they want to live
For the deaf ear, the blind eyes, the beaten
Who feel they have nothing to give
We need you to listenFor the dirt on the street that I lie on
With the bones of our one earth beneath
For the blue sky above the pollution
And the hope of a life that can breathe
For the police who are carrying my pain away
It’s too much to carry alone
For the black skin of the officer bearing me
And the centuries of harm I have done
We need you to listenFor the statues of freedom and slavery
Voices silenced in marble and bronze
For the love and the strength of my people
Which cushions the slam of the doors
For the hollow grand houses we pass
As they hide in their luxury and fear
For the grey streets of ordinary millions
Where life is just something to bear
For the white tower, green heart of Grenfell
Where the souls of the dead cry our shame
For the refugees denied our asylum
For the voiceless who shoulder our blame
We need you to listenFor the vast and glorious planet
That vibrates outside of my cell
For the words I don’t have and the stories
That I am unable to tell
For the people who sit with my silence
With my hope and my love and my grief
We need you to listen - Family Arts Workshop
23 November 2019: At Extinction Rebellion, we use art to tell a story and to create a striking visual impact. We are now scheduling monthly Family Arts Days where we gather as a community to make these beautiful things. With Gratitude Peace and Love, everyone big and small (and even smaller ) joins together to print, paint, laugh and muck in, which makes a very special day!
Our next Family Arts Workshop will be Saturday, 11 January, 2020 at the Lansdowne Methodist Church in Malvern.
- Christmas carolling at the Malvern lights switch on
23 November 2019: About 20 XR Malvern carolers gathered at the Malvern Christmas Lights Switch On Festival. Singing some great alternative lyrics to traditional carols written by Tim Cranmore, our merry group handed out leaflets & loads of mince pies to the public. [Sample lyrics: To the tune of Good King Wenceslaus, “David Attenborough looked out, On a sea of plastic…”] The event was peaceful and attracted positive attention from many passersby who appreciate our positive message of a Greener Christmas. Thanks to all those who took part!
Listen to the dulcet tones of the XR Malvern Choir, led by Tim Cranmore - Malvern Climate Strike: Make Black Friday Green!
29 November 2019: Malvern XR joined with youth strikers across the world for the second Global Climate Strike. Starting at Newtown Car Park, they marched down to the retail park where they handed out minced pies and sang traditional Christmas carols with alternative lyrics that highlight the climate crisis. The Malvern Gazette and Worcester News printed a long article about the strike (albeit with an inaccurate headline!) and one of the group members was also interviewed on BBC Hereford and Worcester radio.
- Skull People Election Action
8 December, 2019: This was a largely silent procession/street theatre action to highlight the importance of climate in the General Election. The group marched through Malvern Town Centre, Barnards Green and the Malvern Retail Park. Other XR members handed out leaflets to the public. Periodically, one of the skull people spoke the following into the megaphone: “We are facing an unprecedented global emergency. The Government has failed to protect us. To survive it’s going to take everything we’ve got. We are at risk of triggering abrupt climate breakdown and a sixth mass extinction. We are facing floods, wildfire, extreme weather, crop failure, mass migration and the breakdown of society. We are asking our candidates, if elected, to take immediate action on the Climate and Ecological Emergency. The time for denial is over. It is time to act. Think climate when you vote. Vote for the future of your planet. Vote for our children’s future. VOTE EARTH!”
A good article also appeared in the Malvern Gazette and Worcester News about the action.
Special thanks to Harriett Walby for the stunning photographs below (more of which can be found on this link):
- Post-Election Emergency Candlelight Vigil
13 December 2019: With the Conservative party victory in the General Election, Malvern XR felt the need to join together to call on Boris Johnson to #ActNow on the climate and ecological emergency. Our mission is beyond party politics: we will always be committed to fighting for this planet and to bringing about the system change that is needed. This means holding the new government to account – and it will mean striving to reshape the political world.
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The Earth Vigil on Thursday 22nd April was beautiful event, with rebels from the area coming together peacefully and joyfully to reconnect with the earth and with each other, from 8am to 8pm. Our new banner made its first public appearance. We welcomed faces we haven’t been able to actually ...
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Extinction Rebellion groups in Worcestershire performed a “climate crime scene” as street theatre in the centre of Worcester on Saturday 17th April, to highlight that Worcestershire County Council is putting future generations at risk due to their lack of action on the Climate and Ecological Emergency. The “crime scene” featured ...
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Last week I received a six month conditional discharge following my arrest in Parliament Square on 1st September last year. The reasons that I chose to risk arrest are set out in the statement I sent to the court (below). After sitting in the road peacefully for several hours, I ...
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As we begin to win the argument for the truth, surveys show that in many countries, including the UK, majorities see climate change as a threat. But there can seem to be a lack of urgency in the public response. In his latest book The New Climate War, Michael E ...
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Beyond our own plans for flooding actions in Worcestershire, there is a Midlands-wide project being developed by XR’s Midlands Outreach and Local Group Development team. Called ‘Deep Water’ it aims to coordinate flooding-related actions across the Midlands Region from the Marches to Lincolnshire (where coastal flooding is a real concern).
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Extinction Rebellion Malvern gathered in Upton-upon-Severn on Wednesday 30 December 2020 to highlight the role of climate change in local flooding. Dressed as office workers carrying on with business-as-usual despite the floods around them, they held signs reading “Climate Change = Increased Flooding Chaos”.
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Our main meeting on 21st January will be devoted to an important new activity for us as we embark upon a new year of engaging with XR – a Visioning Workshop to be run by Dolly, XR’s chief UK Outreach and Local Group Development person (currently living mainly in West ...
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Saturday September 26th saw a fantastic turnout of socially distanced groups of six parading through Worcester City Centre. We had three groups of Faceless Bureaucrats, a forthright group of bees, cyclists, dinosaurs and our spectacular Rainbow Guardians. At noon we had a die in at Cathedral Plaza with around 50 ...
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The Worcestershire XR groups organised an extremely impactful set of actions on Friday September 25th and Saturday September 26th. It was tremendous to have all local groups working together to focus our demands on the County Council. Friday saw huge banners displayed on four bridges surrounding Worcester, with the message “County ...