Extinction Rebellion boat setting sail for Hastings Pirate Day

Extinction Rebellion rebels say the aim of the creative project is to show support for Pirate Day’s Clean Seas environmental campaign.

They will be singing specially written sea shanties and songs for the planet and handing out ‘black spots’ to fellow pirates.

SEE ALSO: Hastings Pirate Day: Everything you need to know

The plan is to meet at Goat Ledge, on the seafront opposite Warrior Square, at 12.45pm and then process along the seafront to the Old Town, leaving at 1.10pm.

The boat will then be in the Stade/Winkle Island area of the Old Town from 2pm - 2.45pm and at Pelham Beach from 3.15pm - 4pm,

By raising awareness of the global climate change emergency we are facing, they hope to encourage more local people from across the community to join XR.

Phoebe Cecchini, a member of the Hastings and St Leonards XR group says: “We decided to build a huge boat to celebrate the special fishing heritage we have here in Hastings.

“We made the frame and wheel-house from willow, which is a wonderful natural material. We covered the boat with pink tissue paper as this is one of the recognised XR colours and to help get us noticed by the thousands of pirates in the area on Pirates’ Day.

“The current Government target is to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050. The central Extinction Rebellion team works closely with the world’s leading environmental scientists, and the real picture is much starker than that presented to the public.

“To address the climate crisis, experts say that the Government needs to take drastic measures so we can achieve zero emissions by 2025 to make a real difference.

“Everyone in our local area is welcome to join us. There are so many ways to get involved.

“We have ‘affinity groups’ like our art group who make XR banners, patches and public installations to get everyone’s attention at big events.

“Some truly amazing local children take part in our regular ‘Youth Strikes’, and another group is putting together a handbook of local ‘green’ services.

“A further way to get involved with XR, is to take part in non-violent, direct, disruptive actions in cities around the UK, designed to get the attention of society, the media and central Government.

“The aim is to drive forward urgent changes in Government policy to address the damage that individuals, organisations and businesses are causing to the earth, humans, flora and fauna.

Pictures by David Bruce.

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