Restore Nature Now: Hexham climate cafe gets involved

Estimates put the attendance at between 80,000 and 100,000 people from all over the country. They took to the streets and filled Parliament Square where they heard from speakers including Chris Packham and Fergal Sharkey as well as leaders of the main UK conservation organisations.

The Hexham contingent joined the crowds to show their shared concern for the continuing loss of the natural world and to make a plea to the new government, of whatever political persuasion, to do much more to halt the decline and start to restore nature.

Matthew Greening from Hexham said: "The UK is the most nature depleted country in Europe. We are losing our wildlife at a catastrophic rate. Just look around you. Where are the insects? Where are the birds? Since 1970 80% of our butterfly species have declined and we have lost 73 million birds in that time. Our government has pledged to protect 30% of our land and seas for nature by 2030 but we are miles off achieving that."

Members of the Hexham Climate Cafe outside Big Ben (Image: Supplied)

The five stated aims of the Restore Nature Now campaign are doubling the nature and climate-friendly farming budget, new rules to end fossil fuel usage, expanding and improving protected areas, an Environmental Rights Bill and  investment in warm homes and lower bills by increasing home energy efficiency.

Matthew added: "Surely these are hardly controversial aims but we have seen absolutely no determined action to achieve them and time has run out. All we can do now is try and restore some of what we have lost before all our wildlife has finally gone. We rely on nature for the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. If we don't act fast then we are in serious trouble. As Chris Packham said at the event, "we know how to do it, we know what works".

The Hexham Climate Cafe meets on the fourth Saturday of the month at Hexham Library from 11am until 1pm.