Olympic plans of climate champion (From Evesham Journal)

Olympic plans of climate champion

11:40am Thursday 1st May 2008

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AN environmental campaigner and former Olympic canoe coach hopes to highlight climate change by sending paddles to the presidents of China and the USA.

David Train of Fladbury has already had the paddles signed by Beverley Hughes, minister for children, and Andy Burnham, secretary of state for sport, culture and and the media.

Mr Train said he had asked the latter minister to take them to the Beijing Olympics and present them to the two presidents to sign.

He said: "Andy Burnham said he would help get the paddles to Beijing where I have hoped that the president of China will sign a couple and present one to George Bush, so that an idea from the Vale will have joined together, in peace and harmony, the two greatest powers on earth on the issue of climate change."

Mr Train added that following a trip to London, his ambition had taken a step forward. "The aim came a little closer on Monday when, with my son Andy and Mike Haslam, executive president of the International Dragon Boat Association, I went to the Chinese Embassy where the Ambassador, Mime Fu Ying, signed the three paddles and promised to do all she could to inspire President Hu Juntao to take part.

"Our aim is now simple. It is to inspire the presidents of China and America to sign the Paddles for Life as a means of inspiring all to climb on board to solve the problems we face due to climate change in peace rather than by war. It seems that we are now a little closer to the top of the Olympian heights."

n A boat race organised by Mr Train was won by a crew from Pershore High School.

At the inaugural Wychavon-Main Communiversity Boat Race for the Blue Planet the school narrowly beat Pershore College after seeing off competition from eight other teams.

As a trophy, the winners collected the Wychavon-Main Paddle signed by David Cameron and many members of the cabinet as well as Wychavon chairman Don Lawley, county council chairman John Smith, and MPs Sir Michael Spicer and Peter Luff.

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