Sidmouth's catholic church hosts conversation about climate change and the environment

The threat to the planet, life on earth and the day to day pressures placed on the environment have kick started a conversation at The Church of the Most Precious Blood in Sidmouth.

Other churches in the town will come together this autumn to host a series of lectures and events on related topics.

At this first open evening local organisations Sidmouth Plastic Warriors, Sidmouth Repair Cafe, Surfers Against Sewage and catholic organisations Caritas and CAFOD were on hand to discuss and debate pressing issues and to give out information to participants.

A pledge table asked people to sign up to one thing they could do to care for creation and the environment.

These included eating more vegetarian and vegan food, cutting car use, taking the bus more often, reducing the number of flights taken and generally buying products that were not wrapped in endless layers of plastic.

Part of the evening involved a series of round table discussions where those attending looking at how individual actions can help make a difference and the role of the church in campaigning for change.

The conclusions were similar from all the breakout sessions. Individual actions had to be harnessed to changes brought about by government and big businesses like the supermarkets. However pressure could be applied by groups of people coming together and making their voices heard and leading by example.

One of the key things was to speak out on behalf of those unable to do so such as the poor and dispossessed and those living in parts of the world whose very existence was threatened by oceans rising as a result of global warming.

Naomi Hogg (organiser of the event) said: "It was a privilege to bring together people from the churches in Sidmouth alongside town based organisations such as Sidmouth Plastic Warriors, Surfers Against Sewage and the Sidmouth Repair Café to kick start conversations about the environment and climate change in relation to our personal beliefs and subsequent actions.

"We must all continue to do our best look after creation; always bearing in mind that what we do as individuals and collectively will make a difference to the future of Sidmouth, the beautiful county of Devon and the whole future of planet earth."

For more information on the church's activities and further open evenings, click the red button below.