My experience speaking up
Sarah Croft is CAFOD’s campaigns officer. This is her reflection on the Speak Up climate lobby last week. Find out how you can take action on climate change with CAFOD.
When I first moved to London, I had high ambitions. I wasn’t going to become that stereotype of a Londoner, I was going to say a cheerful morning to people on my way to the office, I was going to break the ultimate rule and make eye contact with people on the tube.
Fast forward three years, and a couple of awkward conversations about my staring, I am sorry to say it did not last. My conversations quickly became limited to sighing about delayed trains or the weather.
It was so refreshing to go along to the Speak Up lobby outside parliament last week and to see people engaged in conversation with each other. I found myself exchanging a smile with a surfer trying to get his board through parliament security, with an 84 year old nun who was enjoying the beautiful sunshine after having had tea with her MP and students from a college just round the corner where I live.
It was a fantastic gathering of 9,000 people celebrating the things they love that are affected by climate change and meeting with their MPs to let them know that they care.
However, there was one thing about the day that worried me.
My MP told me that climate change is not an issue that comes up in my constituency. In her election campaign it wasn’t mentioned in the weeks of her knocking on people’s doors.
Last week, in Laudato Si’, Pope Francis invited us to think about the challenges we face regarding our common home.
For the love of those who are being pushed deeper into poverty overseas, I have taken away from the lobby a personal challenge. To stay in contact and continue to write to my MP over the following months.
To keep talking to others in my constituency and to continue to speak out for change.
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