COP26 and The Coat of Hopes
The COP 26 Climate Change conference took place in Glasgow in November 2021. We supported Andy James, on his Camino to COP. Andy and his friends took part in a long walk to Glasgow. World Leaders met there to decide how they planned to tackle the climate emergency. It’s really important that people let their governments know what they think they should be doing to help! Andy talked to lots of people on his walk to find out how climate change was affecting them already and what they thought could and should be done about it.
Children from across the school sent messages and pictures, on small fabric patches, to express what they care about and to wish Andy well on his journey.
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These pictures show him setting off from the Pier Head, wearing some of our patches!
Here’s a message from Andy (Monday 18th October)…
‘Now in the village of Ecclefechan and heading to Lockerbie today. Tonight we are in a village hall a few miles south of Carlisle, 17 days into my pilgrim walk. The children’s patches have been sewn inside the “Coat of Hopes” to protect inked patches from the weather.
Lots of people we meet ask if they can wear the coat. Each time it changes wearer a song is sung that explains its purpose. Each patch represents a message, prayer or wish for the delegates at COP26. I am busy sewing one of my own and have a kit to work from.
Once at COP the coat will be offered to delegates to wear, to feel the weight of the messages, and thereby generate an emotional response. So we hope the children’s patches will not just get to Glasgow but will get to the conference itself.’
And here are some more pictures of Andy’s walk, including some of the ‘Coat of Hopes’. Can you spot our patches?
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