Two hands holding the world with the caption ‘we have no planet B’ caught the attention of those who attended the preview of the Loving Earth exhibition at Bainbridge Quaker Meeting House.
The exhibition, which is open from 10am to 4pm from Friday, July 16 to Tuesday, July 27, includes textile panels which will be on show at the national Loving Earth exhibition in Glasgow during the International Climate Change Conference in November.
Eleanor Scarr, whose family farms around Askrigg, said: “It covered everything for me – not just about trees or bees or cows or all the arguments people put forward about climate change.
“We all have to be aware and do what we can.
“Farmers have a lot to think about and also make a living at the same time — no easy answers I fear.”
After visiting Bainbridge Meeting House, one of the organisers of the national project, textile artist Sue Tyldesley, described the exhibition as “stunning and beautifully displayed”.
“It is not grand scale but is a hugely effective community involvement led by local Quakers and I hope it can be a model we promote generally.
“Bainbridge Quakers have involved local schools and children did some excellent panels, some of which might form part of our ongoing national exhibition.
“They brought in local people from different walks of life to choose and panel and talk about it. I hope Bainbridge Quakers might write up the model of what they did.”
The Bainbridge exhibition organisers said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to see the national exhibition.
“Although many people are now concerned about climate change, they may feel powerless to do anything about it.
“The Loving Earth Project aims to show that making small steps can give them a direct stake in saving the planet.
“Hundreds of people in the UK and overseas have joined in this project to help to build momentum for action to prevent climate breakdown.
“Initially a Quaker-led initiative, people of all ages are invited to design and make a textile image of a place, person or creature that is precious to them and is threatened by climate change, or an action they are taking in response.
“Nearly 200 beautiful panels have so far been created in a variety of styles and textile techniques.
“Everyone’s opinions, reactions and feelings are important.
“We are excited to be amongst the first groups to have the exhibition on loan and to be able to involve as many people from our Dales community as we can.”
A Powerpoint presentation featuring John Craven will be shown during the exhibition at Bainbridge Meeting House.
The chief Executive of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, David Butterworth, said: “The evidence that climate change is affecting the national park is clear.
“We can see it in the movements of flora and fauna.
“We can see it in that one-in-one-hundred-year floods are happening much more frequently.
“Increasingly urgent political decisions need to be taken nationally and internationally to address climate change.
“But we also need to look at what can be done locally; with the Government’s recently announced funding promoting the changes that are taking place in upland farming being a good example.
“We can also all look at our own lives and ask ‘what is it that we can do to make a change?’
“The Loving Earth exhibition will help to keep the climate emergency in the public eye and I hope it will inspire those who come to view it to see that people can, and are, making a difference.”
