Young people from the borough were among the first in the country to watch a hard-hitting new film about climate change after they were invited to the Bafta headquarters in London for the premiere showing. Afterwards they met senior Government officials to discuss the film’s content.
Alex Pickett, Caroline Richards and Amy Rutterford, all members of St Edmundsbury’s successful Youth Forum, attended the first UK showing of An Inconvenient Truth on Thursday following an invitation from Defra. They were welcomed to the screening by David Miliband MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The thought-provoking film, which goes on general release in September, tells the tale of former US vice president Al Gore. Shocked by the reality of climate change, he has now devoted his life to reversing the trend and the film presents the evidence he has gathered in an informative and uncompromising way.
Alex Pickett, from the Youth Forum, said:
“The film really made me think about how serious climate change really is and how we need to act now. The film is very scary, but it showed how we can act locally to tackle things that affect climate change. We all need to think how we can help prevent climate change. In September when the Youth Forum next meets I want us to discuss the film and see how we can help. I think everyone should go and see the film when it comes out, especially young people.”
The Youth Forum members were invited to the premiere by Defra because of their work around environmental issues including transport and climate change and following a debate they had on the subject with American exchange students at a special International Youth Forum meeting last week.
ENDS
ISSUED BY MARIANNE HULLAND, COMMUNICATIONS UNIT, ST EDMUNDSBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL. Tel 01284 757034, marianne.hulland@stedsbc.gov.uk
