AN ENVIRONMENTAL campaigner from Whitchurch is walking 195 miles to raise awareness of climate change.

Andrew Smith will trek from London to Paris with around 40 other pilgrims, and set off from St Martin-in-the-Fields Church in Trafalgar Square on Friday. 

The first leg of the pilgrimage will see the group arrive in Paris where a UN summit next month will hammer out an agreement providing the basis for global actions on climate change.

Andrew, 59, who attends All Hallow's parish church, in Whitchurch, decided to take part in the challenge because he feels "it is important to bear witness to the need for a fair, just and binding international response to climate change."

He also hopes to raise the profile of Christian Aid's climate change campaign, The Big Shift.

The pilgrims aim to arrive in Paris in time to join the climate march on Sunday, November 29.

Andrew, a keen hill-walker, will walk between 10 and 19 miles each day, staying overnight in basic accommodation, often sleeping on the floor.

He said: "Millions of people in the world’s poorest communities are already seeing their lives devastated by climate change. The UN climate talks in Paris are a key opportunity to move the world towards a fairer, low-carbon future.

"We need an agreement that sees countries reducing their emissions and aiding the transition to a low carbon world. We also want to see the UK and other rich countries commit funds to help vulnerable countries adapt. We have to protect this planet and enable the world’s poorest to develop in a sustainable way.”