Climate activists and well-wishers turned up at the Guildhall to watch the Mayor of Cardigan, Debra Griffiths, present a bilingual letter to the delegates at the international COP 26 Climate Summit in Glasgow.

Peter Weldon, a member of Velo Teifi and an Extinction Rebellion supporter will cycle 400 miles to deliver the letter, which contains a message of hope on behalf of the people of Cardigan.

The letter asks that the COP 26 delegates commit to measures that will keep the world on a path to limit global warming to the 1.5°C goal agreed in Paris in 2015.

Peter, in a heart-felt speech, said he hopes to average between 50 to 70 miles a day, with Machynlleth scheduled to be his first overnight stop.

He will start the journey this week and will eventually be greeted in Glasgow with a meal supplied by Extinction Rebellion supporters.

One of the mobile kitchens helping to feed the protesters will be run by volunteers from the Cardigan area.

Following a long tradition of pilgrimages and protest marches around the world, Pete joins several other individuals cycling or walking to Glasgow to raise awareness of the climate crisis.

“In a year plagued by severe floods, wildfires and heatwaves, the need to act on climate change has never been more urgent,” said Pete on receiving the letter.

“The time for decisive action is overdue, and our governments have a duty to protect the lives and wellbeing of their citizens.”

Many watching the hand over went on to join the Amnesty International floating of small paper boats on the River Teifi to commemorate asylum seekers who have sadly lost their lives.

These included Bim Mason from Pembrokeshire, who attended the handover of the letter for the COP summit,  who was in character as Boris Johnson.

“These issues are inextricably linked”, said Bim.

“Unless the climate crisis is taken very seriously, we will see increasing numbers of people on the move as they try to find secure futures for themselves and their families, as natural resources such as water and food become short and land disappears beneath rising sea levels.

"It really does not bear thinking about.”

Marches to coincide with COP and to protest the urgent need for action are happening all around the country, including Cardiff and Swansea on Saturday November 6.

The marches are being supported by multiple organisations including faith, disability, environmental groups and unions.

More details are available on Facebook at COP Coalition or email cop26hubpembrokeshire@gmail.com.

Wording of the letter to be sent to COP from the people of Cardigan

Annwyl Gynhadledd COP 26,

Mae cysylltiad annatod rhwng pobl y byd gan yr hinsawdd rydym yn ei
rhannu. Mae Ysgrifennydd Cyffredinol y Cenhedloedd Unedig, António
Guterres, yn datgan bod adroddiad diweddaraf yr IPCC yn 'Cod Coch i
ddynoliaeth'. Mae'n amlwg bod yn rhaid mynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng
hinsawdd ar frys.

Mae Cyngor Tref Aberteifi yn galw ar y cynrychiolwyr cenedlaethol i’r
gynhadledd i weithredu er budd pobl ledled y byd, gan arwain at y
canlyniad sy’n hanfodol i bawb, sef ymrwymiadau a fydd yn cadw’r byd ar
lwybr i gyfyngu cynhesu byd-eang i’r dyhead o 1.5 °C y cytunwyd arno ym
Mharis yn 2015.

Yn ddiffuant iawn, mewn gobaith,

Cyngor Tref Aberteifi
(ar ran pobl Aberteifi)

To Alok Sharma, President of COP 26, Glasgow.

Dear COP 26 Conference,

We are inextricably linked across the globe by the climate we share. The
UN Secretary General António Guterres has declared the latest IPCC
Report a 'Code Red for humanity'. It is clear that the climate emergency
must be addressed with the utmost urgency.

Cardigan Town Council call on the national delegates to the conference
to act in the best interests of people across the entire globe, leading
to the outcome that is essential for all, namely commitments that will
keep the world on a path to limit global warming to the 1.5°C aspiration
agreed in Paris in 2015.

Very sincerely, in hope,
Cardigan Town Council
(on behalf of the people of Cardigan)