This is a letter to the students of Colchester Sixth Form College who took part in the Schools’ Strike for Climate on Friday, March 15.

Colchester and District Trades Union Council would like to extend our support and solidarity to all of you who went on strike.

You have joined other courageous pupils from around the world to argue for action on climate change. We urge you to continue striking and inspire us all.

Those of you who went on strike know that climate change will ultimately be catastrophic for all of humanity.

In the future you will struggle to feed your families, you will have to share your homes with more and more refugees fleeing uninhabitable lands, you will die early from new diseases, hotter weather and terrible air quality.

Our council calculates that in Colchester, 75 people suffer early deaths from poor air quality each year and almost nothing is done.

You will be called naïve, stupid and lazy for going on strike and neglecting your education, just like trade unionists are criticised when they go on strike.

You already know the naïve, lazy and stupid ones are those in power who have done nothing but betray your futures.

Our council, our Government and governments round the world need the courage to take urgent action to give you all a sustainable future.

They must immediately begin to create an economy in the UK that places human need and sustainability at its centre and demand changes to the very industries that are destroying the environment and threatening your futures.

Tell them they need to do more and tell them they need to do it now.

We call on more young people from more schools to join the strike. These strikes show the power of direct action.

You are not relying on politicians or charities, nor expecting business to "do the right thing".

You are taking power into their own hands and should be an inspiration to the rest of us.

Kevin Nunn

On behalf of Colchester Trades Union Council