Exeter XR Actions

Activities during the last year – March 2020 – April 2021 and beyond

Despite Lockdown and the cancellation of many events, Exeter XR has remained active and busy throughout the year. 

Affinity and Working Groups as well as fortnightly General Meetings have continued to met regularly, often on Zoom and whenever possible outdoors with suitable distancing. 

MAY  No Going Back & Build Back Better 

A group with banners gathered outside the main entrance to the RD&E to support NHS workers by holding  a vigil  

JUNE Some of our group took a letter and banner to the office of Central Devon’s MP, Mel Stride – to highlight his lack of response to Climate Change. 

JULY XR Flags Sidmouth Cliff Falls highlighting effects of Climate Change. 

August – Bank Holiday  

Friday Banner Drop 7 Bridges, 12 banners and a team of 40. 

Saturday Many join Action at Bristol Airport  

Sunday  The Lost Children. A solemn procession gathered round empty pushchairs with flowers, poems, songs:  joined by the Red Rebels at the Exeter Quay to commemorate all the children already and those in the future – lost  to Climate Change. 

Monday Bank Clean The cleaning crew were out informing the public and urging them to change away from dirty banks. In tabards and head scarves with brooms, mops and buckets gave the High Street banks who continue to invest in fossil fuels– HSBC, Santander and above all Barkleys – a jolly good clean 

SEPTEMBER Action at Met Office. 

We wanted to reach out to the experts – to speak up and out for them. Action– all dressed in extreme weather gear – some as politicians and with the Samba Band – we made a big impression and gained media attention. 

Exeter XR Website.  Went live and is becoming a useful resource. 

OCTOBER Red Rebels on Dartmoor – make a powerful video 

NOVEMBER 

Introductory Workshops 

Outreach initiated and organised 3 zoom welcoming meetings to engage with those interested in XR to explain the why, what and how 

Banner Drops. 

Co-ordinated banners on M5 from Bristol – Taunton and including Ashburton A38 as well as Exeter city-centre 

Plan for October abandoned because of gales re-ran in November 

December co-ordinated banners from Cornwall to Gloucestershire as well as Exeter city-centre 

Making these hugely effective banners and hanging them from motorway and city-centre bridges has been a great way of getting our message to drivers and passers by.  With the Samba Band and Sandwich Boards and a banner hung from Cricklepit Bridge, Exeter Quay we made a big impact. 

Rebel Ringing Campaign  

Taking part in this national campaign to ring and speak to those expressing an interest in XR and joining us. 

Sandwich Boards with messages of our demands. 

Taking 5 boards out on the streets of central Exeter has been very effective. Sometimes with the Samba Band, always giving out leaflets. Began November 2019 and as Lockdown eased were back on the streets in early July and then regularly until in Lockdown again.  

These outings resumed from April 2021with 2 regular outings each month. 

2021 

MARCH  A group lobbied outside Exeter Labour Party HQ with a banner demanding that MP Ben Bradshaw sign the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill, which he later agreed to do. 

APRIL Stop the Bill weekly protests held in Bedford Square began, demanding an end to the proposed new legislation that threatens the right to protest and gives the police more powers 

Help get Exeter Buzzing campaign 

The Biodiversity Group were at the quay to raise awareness of diversity loss – attracting lots of public interest with banners, leaflets and free seed and tree balls. 

MAY Rebellion of One Part of a UK-wide Action 

 to protest against the lack of Government action despite their declaration of an environment and climate emergency 2 years ago. 

2 of our members sat in the road in Exeter while another blocked a road in Topsham. They wore boards explaining why they were there and we got lots of excellent media coverage.   

Sandwich boards  We are going out for an hour sometimes with the Samba Band, each first and third Saturday of the month meeting at 11.45am outside Central Station , Queen Street  Exeter EX4 3SB.  

This is an easy way to be active – do come along. 

G7 Summit in Cornwall  in June  the June and  

COP 26 in Glasgow in November  

Plans are afoot 

Exeter Community Alliance – a newly formed charity that seeks to have premises in Exeter to act as a networking hub for Climate Action