Last month, a collection of enthused young people across Wiltshire gathered online to deliver their messages about climate change to the leaders of our county.

It has already been two years since Wiltshire Council acknowledged a climate emergency, yet our Youth Group is alarmed at the leisurely manner, in which it is being addressed.

We therefore took the initiative and decided to invite all elected Wiltshire MPs and councillors to a bespoke online conference. Whereby we gave young people the platform and opportunity to make statements and have their voices heard.

I am the Wiltshire Climate Alliance’s Youth Group’s coordinator. I founded the group last August when I noticed a significant lack of younger members within the alliance.

After witnessing the extraordinary climate strikes pre-COVID-19, I knew that many young people were extremely passionate about these issues. However, formal and inaccessible processes were preventing them from engaging. I became proactive and made it my mission to change this.

We now have an amazing team of young and dynamic individuals, who are working vigorously with me to realise this vision. During the conference WCA heard from a number of young people of all ages. We had artwork from a five year old, statements from school and university students and a moving poem from someone aged 13 years. It demonstrated the shared anxiety that many of us are feeling - often from a noticeably young age - regarding the state of our planet, but more importantly it clearly demonstrated, that we do have a voice and our leaders are willing to listen.

At the event, we outlined our Youth Goals for 2021 and in a follow-up survey, then invited the MPs and Councillors to share theirs. The feedback so far has been extremely positive and we hope that this marks the start of a collaborative and progressive partnership.

Since forming the WCA Youth Group, more than 50 young people have now joined and we continue to welcome new members. Our group is open to all people aged under 25 years of age within Wiltshire and who equally wish to be actively involved, with local climate action. Simply register for membership on wiltshireclimatealliance.org.uk After all, this is our future and we absolutely deserve to have a say.