Thomas, 9, calls for action in his climate change video

A nine-year-old’s climate change film encouraged Sheffield churches to make plans to help tackle the climate crisis.
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Thomas Edwards, from Woodseats was asked to make a film about climate change and is involved with early plans at St Chad’s Church to build a community garden to help combat food poverty and the mental health crisis.

Thomas said: “I made a plan to have bee hives, bird house and flower beds and a pond. Bees make our flowers and all our food grow so if they go what else can we do?”

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Coronavirus restrictions have delayed St Chad’s plans. They are hoping to receive grant funding and donations towards the project in 2021 to help it move forward.

Young Thomas Edwards who was asked to make a film about climate changeYoung Thomas Edwards who was asked to make a film about climate change
Young Thomas Edwards who was asked to make a film about climate change

Thomas’s mum, Jo Edwards, with the Diocese working group, said the community garden will be used as a place for the local community to come together and take-action to improve their environment. It will encourage people struggling with mental health issues to do some gardening, and produce from the garden will be used to combat not only food poverty but nutritional poverty as well.

Environment Officer for the Diocese of Sheffield, Cathy Rhodes requested Thomas’s film to be made as she was impressed by his knowledge and passion for climate change.

Ms Rhodes said: “The reaction to the video has been amazing. Many people at the Synod meeting have told me they were really moved by it.”

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The film was shown at the Diocesan Synod to declare a climate and ecological emergency at the Diocese of Sheffield.

It also supported the Motion by the General Synod, which is the Church of England's governance body, for all parts of the Church to reach ‘Net Zero’ carbon emissions by 2030.

Thomas said even the bishop said well done.

Mrs Edwards spoke with Ms Rhodes about the film. She said: “I mentioned this film to Thomas. He sat there for half an hour just writing it all out, it is all his own work.”

Ms Rhodes joined the Diocese in March after retiring from the NHS in 2019, she said: “We want to show that as Christians and members of the Church of England that environmental issues are really important to us and we have a will and mandate to take action.”

Thomas’s video is available on YouTube.

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