Letters and posters urging East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds to do more to tackle climate change were handed to him at a Young ACAN event last Friday.

They had formed the basis of the well-attended Dear Damian protest held at Alton’s Public Gardens on November 12.

Mr Hinds was invited but was unable to attend. He has arranged a follow-up meeting with organisers the Guild of Optimists, Alton Climate Action Network (ACAN) and Young ACAN.

Guild of Optimists co-founder Annie Lancaster said: “We’re frustrated and clearly we’re not alone. We had 12 people reading out letters to the crowd – from children as young as six to pensioners – and still more dropping letters into the box to pass on to Damian. This is a crisis that affects us all. It is time to act.”

Children created more than 50 posters on the theme ‘Save Our Planet’ which were displayed on the ACAN stand. Alongside the letters there was music from Ecostreets Alton project leader Scott Gudrich, and the children and crowd sang for the climate.

The letters called on Mr Hinds to steer his party in a more sustainable direction – abandoning oil and gas exploration plans and new coal mines, encouraging use of public transport to end reliance on cars, and retrofitting homes with energy-efficient measures.

Emma Jones, who helped found Young ACAN, said: “It was particularly emotional to hear the young people speak. They are the ones who will be most affected by this crisis.”

Co-organiser Kat Guenioui, of the Guild of Optimists, said: “We have a responsibility to act.”