Climate activist to cycle to Scotland to highlight 'people pedal power'
A 16 year old climate activist from Devon is preparing to cycle to Glasgow ahead of Cop 26 - and hopes others will join her along the way.
Last updated 27th Sep 2021
Jessie Stevens decided to cycle the 570 miles after she couldn't afford a train ticket from Newton Abbot to Glasgow and is backed by a group of female cyclists known as The Adventure Syndicate.
Almost £2,000 has so been crowdfunded to support Jessie on her challenge - roughly half her goal. She will be cycling on quieter routes which she hopes will encourage others to join her - and promote cycling and sustainable transport.
The teenager founded her People Pedal Power movement over climate concerns, saying: "I wanted to find a way to get to the COP that was purely powered by myself.
"Bearing in mind that COP6 is being held in Scotland in the Great British Autumn, and is 570 miles away from my home in South Devon, I needed to find a way to get there relatively quickly and efficiently.
Campaigner Jessie Stevens and The Adventure Syndicate's Catherine Dunn speak to reporter Andrew Kay
"It was then that I settled on the idea of cycling. Large distances can be covered in rain or shine and is far more direct than any other human powered modes of transport.
"To me, cycling is a very community orientated mode of travel. It gives space for as many individuals to join the ride, gathering force and power - the more who join and the louder our demands are."
The Adventure Syndicate will be supporting Jessie through people pedalling a cargo bike - carrying Jessie's stuff - along the route.
Filmmaker Catherine Dunn will also record the journey to help tell the stories of those Jessie meets along the way and 'the power of people-led action'.
Jessie added: "We are in a climate emergency, yet our leaders and big corporations are failing to treat it like one.
"At every summit, meeting and event which is supposed to discuss and put into place stringent climate legislation and targets, drastic action is very rarely taken."
To support Jessie's crowd funder click here
For more about Jessie and her Pedal People Power movement click here
For more about The Adventure Syndicate click here