SCHOOLCHILDREN from across the district plan to strike to raise awareness of the negative affects of climate change.

Pupils in the Hexham area are due to head to the bandstand in the Hexham Abbey Grounds on Friday between 9am and 11am to join the global School Strike for Climate Action campaign.

The global strike has been inspired by the actions of Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg who has made headlines across the world for starting the first school strike for climate action.

To join in with the political activity, Hexham Youth 4 Climate group, a youth subsidiary of the newly formed Hexham Climate Action, has organised the strike in the Tyne Valley.

A member of Hexham Climate Action, Carolin Blackburn, will have three children at the Hexham school strike on Friday.

She said: “The group had a meeting on Saturday and it was felt that young people wanted to support the school strike to promote the fight against climate change. They have been really inspired by Greta.

“The problem is there has been a lot of talking saying we need to do this or that, but now it’s about getting the government to act.

“The young people want to do something positive and it will make them feel more empowered, rather than moping about and feeling they have no power to make a change.”