Protesters in Horncastle take a stand against climate change

Some of the protestors who met in Horncastle on Friday including Holly Pavey (right). EMN-190415-100824001

The group assembled in the Market Place at 11am - with banners and leaflets in hand - to make their voices heard on this important issue.

One of the protestors was Holly Pavey, 12, from QEGS, in Horncastle.

Holly and some of her fellow pupils gathered in the Market Place last Friday to hold the first - of what is hoped to be - many protests.

Some of the younger protestors. EMN-190415-100836001

Speaking to the Horncastle News, Holly said: “I’d heard about Gretha Thunberg and that she’s outside the Swedish Parliament campaigning about climate change.

“And I thought that because it is such a big crisis that everyone needs to act.

“I thought this was the best way I could do it.”

Greta Thunberg is a teenager from Sweden who first staged a school strike for the climate in front of the Swedish parliament in August last year.

Since then, she has been missing lessons most Fridays to stage her regular protests - and has now been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in honour of her efforts.

Holly explained that staff at QEGS have been supportive of her decision to strike - and she hopes that more people will join the cause in the future.

She said: “The crowd has got bigger - next time I am hoping that more people will come along.”

Speaking ahead of the strike, Holly added: “Although,April 12 is not a school day, I will be continuing with the monthly protests asking both local and national Governments to declare a climate emergency and to take immediate action to prevent runaway climate change.

“School strikers have been criticised in the past for taking strike action, not for the planet, but to simply skive off school for the day.

“This action will show that we are sincere and are extremely scared that our planet will be destroyed by a rise in global temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees.”

The Horncastle News also spoke to Holly’s mum - Cheryl Pavey. Cheryl said: “Last time people claimed that the protestors were only trying to ‘skip school’.

“This shows that even in their own time, they are prepared to stand around in the cold and protest.