We are stewards of this world

No doubt you saw Extinction Rebellion on the news – blocking the roads and taking over London’s bridges.

You may have been in London deliberately to support them, or inadvertently caught up in the massive traffic jams they caused, and fuming at the delays.

Whatever you think of their tactics, there is now little doubt that the science agrees that we are endangering our planet. Once ice-gaps melt and rain forests are destroyed, they cannot be replaced. I do not want to claim that Judaism has always been green, but it has certainly got a long record of taking the environment seriously, going right back to the Bible (Deut. 20.19), and the law that if you are besieging a city, do not cut down the fruit-bearing trees in the area - either for wooden battering rams or simply to destroy local supplies. When the battle is over, someone will still be living there; whoever wins will depend on the land, so no scorched earth policy. There is also the wonderful story from the 2nd century about a person who sees an aging rabbi, Honi Ha’Magel, planting a sapling. He sneers at Honi for bothering with something he will never live to see grow to its full height, to which Honi famously replies: “When I came into the world, I found it fully stocked by those who came before me; I now plant for those who come after me”.

We are stewards of this world and need to ensure it survives.

Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain

Maidenhead Synagogue

A Million Hands needs support

As Scouts, here in Reading, we make a promise to help other people.

We’re the doers and the give-it-a-goers. We’re the change-makers. We’re not afraid to take a deep breath and speak up.

This month we’re renewing this promise with the relaunch of our campaign, A Millions Hands. This is a way for Scouts to improve lives right here in Reading, while developing the skills to succeed. The campaign is about raising awareness across six themes, all chosen by young people themselves. But it’s about taking action too. From protecting our environment to ending homelessness, supporting refugees and displaced children and promoting kindness in every community, we’re also renewing our commitment to supporting better mental health for all and understanding disability.

Over the last one hundred years, the issues we’ve tackled have evolved and changed, but our young people’s drive to make a positive impact remains as strong as ever.

As Scouts, we’re always striving to leave the world a little better than we found it. Scouts are not bystanders. We play our part to create a better society and a better future for our precious planet.

We don’t wait for change to happen. We make it happen.

To each and every Scout and volunteer in Reading, I say thank you. for playing your part And if you’re not involved yet, please join us.

You’ll gain valuable skills for life and make all the difference.

Tim Peake, Scout Ambassador

Corporate Courts: a thank you

Through your column, please could I thank all the wonderful volunteers who braved the weather on Saturday to speak to shoppers in Reading Town Centre about Corporate Courts?

Many people that we spoke to were shocked to hear that when our country makes trade deals with other countries, there are plans to set up Corporate Courts (ISDS*) where the foreign corporation will be able to sue our government if their profits are interfered with. Through similar courts around the world, corporations are suing elected governments for everything from banning fracking, to increasing the minimum wage or protecting the health of their citizens. VisitThere is more information about this at www.globaljustice.org.uk/trade or there is a screening of ‘Lydian vs Armenia’ at RISC, RG1 4PS at 7.30pm on Wednesday 30 October where we will discuss the problem and what action we can take.

Jackie Oversby

Co-ordinator, Global Justice Reading