Build it and they will come, and despite the rain, we did, in our thousands.
A day that brought together numerous NGOs, conservationists and celebrities and would end with the first draft of the People's Manifesto For Wildlife being delivered to 10 Downing Street.
Peoples Manifesto For Wildlife(link at end of blog to download, read and print your own copy)
We arrived in Hyde Park early when only a few people were just starting to mill around.Mike Dilger was the first person we bumped into and as he went off to do a podcast we spotted Charlotte Corney.It wasn't long before the NGOs started arriving, setting up stands and the crowd began to swell as the rain commenced.
Some of the NGO stands being set up.
Meeting up with other wildlife loving friends.
With Karen Elizabeth and Jo who is hiding behind the camera.
Before the main stage events some amazing young people were interviewed by Lucy Cooke as to why they were there and why was it so important to them to save our wildlife.Among them was Rebecca from Rebecca's Butterfly Farm.I'm not too embarrassed to admit that some of those youngsters were more articulate than myself ;) Lucy also spoke with one of the leading environmentalists Tony Jupiter.After a bit of wordplay with Mike Dilger and Rob McFarlane, Chris arrived on stage to address the already slightly damp ten thousand.
Lucy Cooke with Tony Jupiter
Mike Dilger & Rob McFarlane
Video clip No.1 starting with Chris addressing the sodden ten thousand and introducing Billy Bragg and Grace Petrie.
Video clip No.2 with Chris, Ecologist Derek Gow talking about rewilding, Beavers and Water Voles and author Dr. Rob McFarlane speaking about getting Nature back into Education.
Video clip No.3 with more from Chris, 16yr old environmentalist Mya-Rose Craig talking about visible minority ethnic(VME) people being given more opportunities to engage with Nature and Dr. Amy-Jane Beer telling us about social inclusion and working together for the sake of Wildlife.
Video clip No.4 with Ruth Tingay speaking about Wildlife Crime and Dominic Dyer about the Badger Cull and shooting of Scottish Seals to protect Fish farms.
Video clip No.5 begins with a heartrending rendition of "What A Wonderful World" by Scottish singer Saskia Eng and followed by some of the most inspirational young conservationists in the UK, Dara McNulty, Georgia Locock, Bella Lack and not forgetting 11yr old Findlay who was sacked for standing up for Sharks against Bear Grylls.
The event was ended with Billy Bragg singing "Where have all the flowers gone?" which had quite a few of the sodden ten thousand in tears.
It was time to leave Hyde Park and head through the city to Downing Street.
We walked along with Chris for a bit in Hyde Park til he was ushered forward to head the 10,000 strong procession on to the roads of London.
The crowd filtering out of Hyde Park.
A peaceful march to show our Love for our Wildlife with the beautiful Nightingale birdsong emanating from thousands of mobile phones with banners raised high.
Kate Stephenson with her fantastic sign.
Traffic was halted as the Police safely ushered us along, horns were tooted and cheers were returned from the Wildlife loving parade.We stretched the length of Pall Mall and beyond.
We were by now somewhere around the middle of the massive wave of people and so by the time we reached Richmond Terrace, Chris, Mark Avery and George Monbiot had already spoken.However we were able to watch as Chris and the six young conservationists crossed over to gain access to Downing Street and hand over the Peoples Manifesto For Wildlife to Sir John Randall.
Outside Downing Street with Wildlife heroes and friends, Sally Stewart, Peter Egan and my partner Majella Fox.
Chris, after delivering the Manifesto to end the War on Wildlife.
The crowd slowly dispersed, (some of us into nearby pubs) but with renewed hope that together we still have time to save our wildlife and even bring back into the UK some of what was already lost.Surely the government cannot continue to ignore the voices of reason and must start to implement the proposals from the Manifesto.
Download and read the Manifesto here..
A massive, massive Thank You to Chris and his team for imagining and organising such a colossal event, one that we were so very proud to be a part of.
Thank you for reading and please join and support these events if possible.
