Visit to the Methodist Church, Stonehouse

Thursday night last week I was invited as the speaker to the Methodist Church in Stonehouse (see photos) - and asked to fill the 90 minute session with Climate Change and local solutions. It always feels like a privilege to speak to a group - for people to give up their time to listen - it was only the second time I've spoken about climate change in a church (see last time here).

I gave some of the flavour of the last talk but a little more about climate change and lots more about the things that are going on locally - and while there was plenty to scare and make fearful it was the facts as far as the science knows and also I tried to focus on the hope - so much has changed in the last few years - indeed over the weekend I helped send out a letter about Obama from Martin Whiteside as he wasn't able to use his internet connection - see it here. I like the last line which is adapted a little from a Caroline Lucas quote: "In politics, 'hope' is a powerful driving force. This is a new start for US and global politics, and Barack Obama is to be congratulated on a breathtaking journey which is far from over."

At the end I finished with a quote from John Wesley that I've always liked: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”

Then questions - David Drew arrived in time for those - and then it was a much-needed cup of tea and some interesting discussions - one of those with several of the audience about being about whether nuclear power is the answer - of course it is clear cut to me - nukes wont be ready before 2017 and we need to act now - spending money on them means less available dosh to invest in the efficiency and renewable measures needed - of course there are many other reasons - some of which Gerald Hartley covers in his letter in response to one in the SNJ - see here - Gerald has been selected to fight the County seat in this area this May - he has already been helping me deliver some leaflets - I hope we will see more of him.