The Diocese of Leeds was pleased to welcome walkers from the Young Christian Climate Network (YCCN) last week, as they came to the diocese as part of the Relay to COP26, Rise to the Moment.
The YCCN walkers were welcomed into our diocese at St Bartholomew’s Marsden on September 14, with a short service and refreshments, and the following day headed to Huddersfield to be hosted by the Rt Revd Jonathan Gibbs, Bishop of Huddersfield, and the Revd Canon Rachel Firth, Vicar of Huddersfield, at an evening event. 
The next day the walkers reached Drighlington for a service at the Methodist church there, where they attended a service with Kim Leadbeater, MP for Batley and Spen.
On Friday September 17 the group arrived in Leeds and were welcomed by the West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, Alex Sobel, MP for Leeds North West, and Leeds City Councillors Al Garthwaite and Emma Flint. 
They were also joined in City Square by over 100 people from churches across Leeds for ‘Climate Prayer in the Square’ led by the Revd Jon Swales of Lighthouse West Yorkshire and St George’s Church.
The relay continues via Aberford and Tadcaster to arrive in York on Monday September 20.
The relay aims to raise awareness of the issues climate change is causing, especially for those in climate-vulnerable countries.
Those participating are calling for the reinstatement of the UK foreign aid budget to pre-COVID levels, agreement from rich countries to at least double the decade-old promise of $100bn a year for climate finance, financial support for climate-induced loss and damage and debt cancellation so climate-vulnerable nations can better confront the climate crisis.
To find out more about the relay and YCCN, please click here.