A young woman from the Wirral has recently travelled to address MPs at a reception, calling on them to ensure Britain no longer contributes to climate change by 2045. She is 23 year old campaigner Anna Fraine, a past pupil of Upton Hall School FCJ, also an avid campaigner for CAFOD, spoke alongside Emily Thornberry MP and visitors from St Lucia who are experiencing the impacts of climate change first-hand.
Anna is currently studying an MA in Humanitarianism and Conflict Response at the University of Manchester and last December, travelled to Poland to take part in the UN climate negotiations as one of CAFOD’s delegates.
During the parliamentary event, Anna spoke about the challenges climate change is contributing to in some of the poorest areas of the world. She commented: It was a great privilege to be asked to speak at CAFOD’s parliamentary reception about my experiences. To be surrounded by such a fantastic group of people from all walks of life, but who share the same motivations to act, guided by their faith, has made me feel even more passionate about my volunteering in the future. The proverb ‘We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children’ chimes true with me. It is our duty to take responsibility for what we are doing to the planet, be caretakers, and protect it for future generations.
To be surrounded by such a fantastic group of people from all walks of life, but who share the same motivations to act, guided by their faith, has made me feel even more passionate about my volunteering in the future.
Anna Fraine
This speech was also backed by CAFOD’s Director Christine Allen, who is also from Liverpool. She added: “Anna spoke powerfully in her address at Parliament. She not only represented the voices of those in Merseyside, but the thousands of Catholics from around England and Wales who share her concern for the climate crisis we are facing.” “Climate change is something that is affecting our health, our homes, our heritage and our beautiful landscapes. It disproportionately affects the world’s poorest communities and is an issue we must act on urgently.”
Congratulations to Anna who has just got a job as research assistant for the Bishops Conference starting in September.
Credits for photo and text: CAFOD Shrewsbury Blog
