From turtles to Parliament: Lancaster & Morecambe green campaigners celebrate action-packed first year

From a standing start, Lancaster & Morecambe Greenpeace has built a dedicated team that has organised community campaigns, engaged local MPs, and built partnerships with environmental and community organisations across the district.

In their mission to tackle everything from ocean plastic and nature depletion to fuel poverty and the climate crisis, highlights of the year include:

• Creative Campaigning:The group’s Greenpeace Turtle became a local celebrity during walkabouts in Lancaster and Morecambe, helping to collect over 130 personal messages from residents that were hand-delivered to local MPs.
• Community Unity: Alongside campaigning the group has built alliances, working with networks such as LancsCAN, Zero Hour, local eco churches and other community organisations to coordinate lobbying and public engagement.
• Street-Level Action: Members have been active on the ground, from campaign stalls to supporting Lancaster Quaker-led silent vigils, to wider Greenpeace actions poster campaigns highlighting the link between fossil fuels and the cost-of-living crisis.
• Political Pressure: The group successfully secured multi-group quarterly eco-focus meetings with Lancaster MP Cat Smith, with the next session scheduled for Friday March 13. They continue to work on engaging Morecambe MP Lizzi Collinge in a similar cross-group relationship.

“We’ve grown quickly and built real momentum,” said Laura Thorburn, Local Group Coordinator.

“People across Lancaster and Morecambe want to see stronger action on climate and nature protection, and we are here to make sure those local voices are heard in Parliament.”

The group says it won’t be slowing down in its second year with its strategy including pushing for the adoption of the Climate and Nature Bill, campaigning for the UK to officially ratify the Global Oceans Treaty, and championing a fair green energy future that lowers bill and does not cost the earth, ending the price of gas setting the price for renewables.

The group will be hosting talks and craft events in the coming months, with full details on Instagram.

They will also be working with other groups to organise screenings followed by discussion of the People’s Emergency Briefing, a series of talks examining the impacts and implications of climate change across the UK

The group is encouraging anyone interested in environmental campaigning to get involved as it begins its second year of activities.

Monthly get-togethers take place on the first Thursday of every month at the Friends Meeting House in Lancaster, 7.15pm for 7.30 start

For further information, you can contact Laura Thorburn at [email protected], visit act.gp/greenpeacelancastermorecambe or follow on Instagram @lancastergreenpeace