The Paddle For Life by David Train

Chapter 1

The Problems of Earth

Now it was different. The climate was no longer very certain. It was always changing. He never knew what was going to happen and so he found it very difficult to know when to go to sleep for the winter and when to wake up for the summer, so now he stayed awake all the year during the day and only slept at night.

Walter was a very special tortoise, because he could listen and talk to people and he could read write and think about the problems of Earth. The more he read and saw on TV, the more he understood what was happening and changing the world of all the animals and plants on Earth.

Walter also loved making things. He had made his own wooden canoe, together with a wooden paddle. The people of Earth were very clever and they loved making things. They had learned how to make roads, bridges, cars and many other things in great factories.

As the people on Earth made more and more they made more and more rubbish. But, they threw the rubbish into the rivers and the sea making it dirty, and they made the air dirty with the gases from their factories and cars.

The gases were like a blanket around Earth and they trapped in the heat from the Sun. The Earth was slowly getting warmer and the ice was melting, changing the balance between the ice, the sea water, the river water and the clouds. And, if that balance was wrong, then life could not live on Earth. There would be less water to drink, there would be more storms and floods, and less land to grow food on.

The people of Earth had great problems. With less water to drink and less land to grow food on the problems were becoming greater and greater. Instead of working together to solve these problems, the leaders of Earth were always taking their people to war, fighting and bombing each other to decide who knew the best way of how to do things on Earth.

As the years went by, Walter started to worry more and more. He could not sleep in the winter, now he worried so much that they could hardly sleep at night.

Walter knew that there would always be problems to solve, and that as they were solved, then new problems would arise to be solved and that, when they were solved, there would again be new problems to solve. Problems would go on for ever and ever, but there had to be a better way for the people to solve them than fighting and bombing each other. And, with the Earth getting hotter and hotter, and the climate changing, it was becoming more and more important to find a way. Otherwise the plants, the animals, and all the people on Earth would die.

He knew he could not solve the problem of what to do about it by himself so, one day, he set out on a long voyage in his canoe, to visit his best and wisest friend Winnie, the hare. She lived in the North of the island in a village called Camden, in the valley of the river Tees. It took him a few weeks but, stroke by stroke, he eventually arrived on the Tees, and then walked to Winnie’s house in the village of Camden.

Chapter 2

War and Peace

The Tees Valley, like the Avon Valley ran across the United Kingdom, which was between Europe and the United States of America. The United Kingdom, Europe and the United States of America were part of a civilisation called the ‘West’.

When Walter and Winnie were very young and still living with George and Mary, the United Kingdom, together with the United States of America, went to war with Germany, a great country in the middle of Europe.

George had to go away to fight. Walter and Winnie did not see him for six long years. Mary looked after Walter and Winnie, together with her other children. It was very hard for her. There was little food. Then, one night, the German planes dropped bombs on Camden. Some of their friends, next door to where they lived, were killed. It was a time of terrible terror, which lived with Walter and Winnie for the rest of their lives.

Eventually, the war stopped and George came home. He became a chimney sweep, and, at that time, there were many chimneys to clean in the Tees Valley because all the homes were heated with coal fires. It made the chimneys and the air outside very dirty. George always took away every speck of soot, and left the houses so clean that all the people of the Tees Valley called him ‘Mr Spotless’. It meant that he always had many sacks of soot to take to the rubbish tip.

Walter and Winnie often helped George by taking the soot to the tip for him. The tip was a long way from where they lived, and there was a great hill to climb on the way. The only way to get to the top was by pulling together. So, as they climbed the hill, they shouted: ‘Pull together! Pull together! Pull together!’.

Winnie loved her home in Camden in the Tees Valley, and throughout her long life only once travelled outside the United Kingdom. She kept a lovely home for all her children, all her grandchildren, and all her great grandchildren, so that they would come to visit her. All the human children of Camden and the Tees Valley loved her, and she cared for them all. When the children felt unhappy, because they had not enough money to buy the things they wanted, she told them: “You do not need to buy things to be happy. Happiness is inside you, and you get it by helping others.”

But Walter was a restless tortoise and wanted to see the world and learn all about it. So he left the Tees Valley, travelled in the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, the West and the world, and then one day settled in Worcestershire, in the middle of the United Kingdom. He made his canoe and paddle, and enjoyed the quiet waters of the Avon. Now he was back in Camden to see Winnie and ask for her help.

Chapter 3

Climate Change

“Come in and I will make you a cup of tea”, she said. “Then you can tell me all about what you have been doing since I last saw you”.

Soon the tea was made and they sat down to talk. First they talked about the past. About Mary and George, about the bombs, about sweeping chimneys, taking the soot up the great hill, and shouting “Pull Together! Pull Together Pull Together” so that the could reach the top.

Then they started to talk about the problems of the world and finally on to the main problem of climate change that would one day affect every-one.

“I am very worried”, said Walter. “I can feel the climate changing year by year now and I read about it and see reports about it on TV.”

“The gas, called carbon dioxide, from industry and cars is getting worse, not better, and is like a blanket around Earth, trapping in the heat from the Sun. The Earth is slowly getting warmer and the ice is melting, changing the balance between the ice, the sea water, the river water and the clouds. Unless the people of Earth do something soon their children will have less water to drink, there will be more storms and floods destroying their homes, and they will have less land to grow food on.

“The people of Earth have great problems already and the problems are becoming greater and greater. Instead of working together to solve these problems, the leaders of Earth are always taking their people to war, fighting and bombing each other to decide who knew the best way of how to do things on Earth.”

“I have read about changes”, said Winnie. “We are already feeling the effects here. There are more storms and floods than ever before, and we have to keep building more and more walls to stop the floods reaching our houses. It can’t go on for ever.

“Like you, I think about it all the time, but I don’t think that the leaders of the people can do anything without all the people wanting them to do so, and the people are all too busy making things, driving, and flying all over the world, to have the time to think about the great problems they are making for their children and grandchildren in the future, by making so much carbon dioxide.

“I am sure that they love their children and grandchildren, but they are so busy they do not have the time to realise that, unless they change the way they live now, then lots of life and millions of children across Earth, perhaps their own children and grandchildren, will not be able to live. We have the time to think, and we, like all the other animals on Earth feel the changes before the humans. Some-how we have to find a way of making the adults listen and change what they are doing.

“I find that when I have problems, that the best way to solve them is to relax, go to bed and then, in the morning, I find a way forward. I think that we should watch TV for a while and then go to bed. It is really wonderful to have you here and I am sure that we will find away to help the people of Earth.”

So Walter and Winnie sat down, with another cup of tea, to watch TV.

Chapter 4

The Speaker's story

“I can’t believe that the humans are seeing all this happening and yet can’t find a way of doing something about it that works”, said Walter.

“Well, as I have said, we will to find a way of getting them to do something”, said Winnie. “So let us go to bed and see what we think the morning.”

Walter went to turn off the TV, but, as he did so, a programme came on from the House of Commons, the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and a man was telling some children a story. Walter loved stories, so he sat down and started to listen. Winnie sat down with him.

The man stood on the floor of the House of Commons with the children beside him, between two sets of benches. In between the benches, at the front, was a great chair. In front of benches, on the green carpet were two red lines.

“I am called the Speaker, of the House of Commons”, said the man.
“This Parliament is very old, the oldest in the world and is called the Mother of Parliaments, because there now are many like it around the world”, said the Speaker.

“Parliament is a way of many people coming together to solve the problems of the United Kingdom. Before we had Parliament one person, the King or Queen, decided, on their own, how to solve all the problems of the country. But other leaders thought that they had ideas that should be listened to. It caused great trouble and it led to wars, but eventually the Kings and Queens let others have a say. They came together to Parliament to say it.

“Not every-one in the country could get to Parliament, so the people elected people from each town, or city, to speak for them. They are called Members of Parliament. Usually they belonged to one groups. The largest group sits, led by the Prime Minister sits on one side of the Parliament, and the other groups opposite them. They are call the Opposition.”

“What are the red lines for?”, asked one of the children.
“They are a very important part of our history”, said the Speaker.
“When Parliament first met, the Members of Parliament were those that had fought in the wars. They always carried swords with them when they went to Parliament. It was very dangerous if people got angry when they discussed the problems, because they could draw out their swords and kill each other.

“To stop that happening a new rule was invented for the Members of Parliament. The red lines were drawn in front of each set of benches and were two swords lengths apart. When the Members of Parliament were speaking they were not allowed to cross the line, to stop them reaching for their swords and killing each other. That line is still there today, on the carpet of the House of Commons.

“Of course, the Members of Parliament today do not carry swords, but we still have the same rule. The Members of Parliament cannot cross the red line when they are speaking. And I have the job of making sure that they keep to that rule, and to all the other rules of the House of Commons.”
“When I want them to listen me I shout out, Order! Order!”
The Speaker then told the children about the rest of the history of the House of Commons and all the changes over the centuries as people had fought for their right to have a say in how their country was run. He told them about how the idea of Parliament had spread to the United States, across the West and to some other parts of the world.

Walter was very quiet as he watched, because an idea had started to come into his mind, but Winnie interrupted his thoughts.

“That was very interesting”, said Winnie. “It shows, how, over time, people change the way that they solve problems for a country. At first is was only the King or Queen. Then it changed to having Members of Parliament to speak for the people in their villages, towns and cities.

“So, you see, there are different ways of solving problems. There is always hope that we can do something different now, to solve the huge problems of Earth.”

“Yes, indeed it does”, said Walter. “As I watched and listened to the Speaker, I started to have an idea of what we can do.”

“Very good”, said Winnie. “But it will be a better idea when you have slept on it. It will give your brain more time to improve it while you asleep. You must tell me all about it tomorrow. It will also give my brain the chance to work on the problem. I’m tired now, so let’s go to bed.”

That night Winnie thought and thought about Walter’s problem and did not sleep to well at first, but by the morning she was in a deep sleep with her brain working away, without her knowing it.

Walter slept well, while his brain, deep down, worked on and on. The next morning he woke up early and he knew what he could do. He could hardly wait to tell Winnie.

Chapter 5

A better story

Walter desperately wanted to tell her about his idea but then he had another idea. He left the house and went to the nearest shop where he could buy some wood. He bought a piece of plywood and a broom shank and went back to Winnie’s.

She was still asleep. Walter went into the tool shed and shaped the plywood to look like a shield and he made a small cross piece for the broom shank and put it in place. It looked like a sword. Then he went back into the house with his sword and shield. Winnie was now awake, making herself a cup of tea.

“Good morning Walter. Did you have sleep well?” asked Winnie.
“I certainly did, and, when I woke up this morning, I had a brilliant idea about how to solve our problem, of how to get parents to listen to their children about them destroying life on Earth by making more and more carbon dioxide.”

“That’s wonderful”, said Winnie. “I know that you want to tell me all about it, but could I tell you what my brain thought about whilst I was asleep.”
“Go on”, said Walter.
“My brain thought about the story of the Speaker, of the history of the House of Commons, and how, once, only the King or Queen solved all the problems, but then more people took part in solving them. Now the problem of climate change is the main problem of all time. It seems to me that we will have find a way to get all the people on Earth to take part if we are to solve it.”

“I agree”, said Walter. “My brain too thought about the Speaker’s story and I think that I know a way of getting all the people to take part.”
He took out his wooden sword and shield and held it in front of Winnie.
“Like the Speaker of the House of Commons, we need a story to tell the children of Earth year after year after year, so that everyone in the world knows it. We need a story which has a real meaning to them about working together to solve the main problem and to show them the first step of how to do it.

“We can first tell them the Speaker’s story about the rule of the red line to stop people killing each other when they are angry, and then we can show them our wooden sword and shield. We can then turn it into a paddle, by turning the shield upside down and moving the cross piece to the top of the broom shank so that there is no sword handle to hold. Now, instead of a sword and shield to kill others with and defend ourselves we have a ‘Paddle for Life’ with which we can go on a voyage, with others, to save life on Earth. We have a story that turns the tools of killing to be the tool of saving life.

“But there is more to the story than that. When trees grow the suck carbon dioxide from the air and lock it into itself. In the United Kingdom, which is part of Europe, there is a law, that whenever a tree is cut down then more than one is planted to replace it, so that, in time, we will have more forests. So every child who make a paddle is using ‘wood for good’ and making the climate better. It is only a very small amount but it is first step that they can all take on their voyage to make things better on Earth.”
“How will you get them to do it?”, asked Winnie.
“First, we will tell the teachers about the idea”, said Walter. “They care for the children and they care about saving the Earth. I am sure that they will be delighted to help the children make a ‘Paddle for Life’. The children can draw their design on it about saving life on Earth.

“Then, when the paddle is made, the children can take the paddle home to their parents, grandparents, families and friends and tell them about that it is the first step in saving life on Earth. I am sure the parents, and their grandparents will listen to them and start to think and ask questions. Then the parents and grandparents will go to their Members of Parliaments and ask them what they are doing about it.

“If children throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States and the West all do the same, every year throughout the years to come, then they will never forget the story, and never stop thinking about taking part in saving life on Earth.

“The West, with its factories, cars and aircraft, has caused most of the damage up till now and must lead the way in finding a better way for the East to follow. But if all the people work to solve the problems then, step by step, I am sure that they will find a many ways to do so.”

“That is really great”, said Winnie. “We have worked together to find a first step for all people to take part. If they all come on board with us then it will soon make a great difference.

“Walter, just making the Paddle for Life, will help to tell the story and show people the first step for them to make a difference, but have you any ideas to use the paddle when it is made?”

“I have indeed”, said Walter. “What we will do first off all is to use the canoes we have already. Then, some day I will make a special boat, for the children, parents teachers, and our Member of Parliament and we will go on a voyage to the other villages and towns on our river, to tell them about saving life on Earth and asking them to join us and take part in making ‘Paddles for Life’. I am really excited about it. I must paddle back to Worcestershire to get started as soon as possible.”

“Before you go, you must tell our Member of Parliament about it”, said Winnie.

“He is young and enthusiastic. He has a family and he cares for the Earth. One day he might be important in Parliament and then he can take the ideas of how to save the Earth to the leaders of Europe, the United States, the West and the world. If the leaders, the children, the parents and grandparents all work together to save life on Earth then I am sure we can do it.”

So Walter and Winnie went to see Winnie’s Member of Parliament and told him all about the ideas. Walter showed him the Paddle for Life and told him how the Speaker of the House of Commons had inspired him and Winnie to think of a story. He thought that the ideas were wonderful.

“Trust me”, he said. “If ever I become the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, I promise you I will take these ideas to all the leaders of Earth.

Walter was so pleased, he left the very first Paddle for Life in Winnie’s Member of Parliament’s house.

Chapter 6

Walter's Festival

“Thank you for seeing my Member of Parliament about how to get everyone listening to the children about how we can start saving life on Earth”, said Winnie.

“I think it was very important”, said Walter. “When I get back to Worcestershire I will do go to see my Member of Parliament. If all the Members of Parliament knew about what we are doing then one, eventually, will become the Prime Minister and they will be able to tell all the leaders of Europe, America, the West, and the world.

“Now I must paddle back to Worcestershire to get started.”

So Walter said goodbye to Winnie, paddled back to Worcestershire and went to see the Mr Good, the teacher of the school in his village. He told Mr Good about making the Paddle for Life and Mr Good thought it was a wonderful idea for all the children to make a paddle. He knew all about the gases from industry, cars and planes that were causing the climate to change and he said he would explain it to the children, so that they could talk about it with their parents.

Soon the children had made their Paddle for Life and, at first, Walter and Mr Good took them out in canoes that they already had. But then Walter made a special boats, out of wood, that all people could go out in. He called them Bell Boats, after the shape of his shell. It was a very important shape to him.

The Bell Boats were Walter’s schools on the water and, because they were safe for people of all ages, everyone could go on them. They brought people together.

The first Bell Boat was called the ‘Spirit of Mid Worcestershire and Climate ’ and Walter asked the Member of Parliament to name and launch the boat. He did the same with the Members of Parliament for West Worcestershire and for Worcester City. Soon all the leaders, teachers, parents and children knew about how to take the first step to save life on Earth.

When the leaders, teachers, parents, children and Members of Parliament from Worcestershire were on voyages on the river, the people often saw the rubbish that they made floating down the river and getting caught in the trees. Because they were in team boats, they talked about the problems of factories, cars and planes damaging the Earth and they talked about how they could use them less and less.

There was also a great landfill site in Worcestershire which they could see as they went to the river. They called it ‘Rubbish Mountain’ and it grew bigger and bigger each day. They talked, together, about how they could recycle their rubbish to save energy.

Slowly, in Worcestershire, they recycled more and made less and less rubbish for the landfill site. They used their bikes, walked more, used buses and trains more and used their cars less and less. They used planes less and instead of travelling all over the world stayed at home in beautiful Worcestershire. To celebrate what they had done, each year, they held Bell Boat races and held a festival which helped to keep them working together on the main problem.

They called it the MAIN Festival for Earth, because it was so very important. The children called it Walter’s Festival.

Chapter 7

Winnie in Worcestershire

Walter was very happy with what was happening in Worcestershire and he wanted Winnie to share his happiness. So he emailed Winnie, told her all about it and invited her to visit him in Worcestershire. Winnie was delighted and started to get ready to hop and run to Worcestershire.

Soon she was ready, and was about to go when on the TV she heard that her Member of Parliament had become the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. She wondered if he would remember Walter and the ‘Paddle for Life’, now he had the power to change the United Kingdom. With that on her mind, she set out to see Walter in Worcestershire.

Winnie could hop and run quite fast and she keep going and going and going. After a few days she was in with Walter in Worcestershire.

“Winnie, it’s great to see you again”, said Walter. “I hear that your member of Parliament is now the Prime Minister. I wonder if he will remember to listen to the children to save life on Earth? I wonder if he will remember the first step in all the children making a Paddle for Life?”

“We must make sure that he does”, said Winnie. “But, first I would like to see you Bell Boats and go out for a voyage with the children, teachers, parents and leaders of Worcestershire.”

So Walter and Winnie went out with the people of Worcestershire on the Bell Boats and talked about how to save life on Earth. Winnie and Walter told them all about how they had left a Paddle for Life in their Prime Minister’s house, many years ago, before he was Prime Minister.

“Then we must make sure that he listens to the children”, said one of the girls. “We must go on a voyage to the House of Commons, in our Bell Boats, and tell the Prime Minister that it is only by all of us working together, every day, every year and for ever and ever, so that we can save life on Earth. We must ask him to tell all the leaders of Earth our message, and we must show them all how to take the first step, by all their children making a Paddle for Life.”

“I think it is a great idea to go to the House of Commons”, said Walter. “And I would be delighted if the Prime Minister will listen to us, but often, when people become powerful they have not time to listen to ordinary people. But every Prime Minister must listen to Parliament. I think that we should go to the House of Commons, with our member of Parliament, and tell our story to the Speaker about how the Members of the Mother of Parliaments can lead the way in saving life on Earth, by inspiring the Prime Minister to take our message to the leaders of Earth.

“And, on our voyage, we will speak to all the Members of Parliament of the villages, towns and cities on our way, so that they will all join the Speaker, and help him to inspire the Prime Minister to listen.

“On the way”, said one of the boys, “we must stand out, so that people will see us. We must have a flag. It must be a flag which says VICTORY by LISTENING to the CHILDREN and WORKING TOGETHER.” said one of the boys.

Another girl spoke out. “Look at Winnie’s ears”, she said. They are about LISTENING, they are the sign for ‘V’ for VICTORY that was once used by

Winston Churchill, the great war leader. We could use the shape to spell out ‘WE’, for the West and the East, working together, to save life on Earth. And we must call our voyage the MAIN Voyage for Earth, because climate change is the main problem for Earth.”

So the people of Worcestershire made a flag for their Bell Boats and got ready to paddle together with the Member of Parliament, for the MAIN Voyage for Earth, to see the Speaker at the House of Commons, and tell him the story of the Paddle for Life.

Then suddenly, on the very day Walter and Winnie brought the crews together to set out on the MAIN Voyage for Earth, an awful thing happened. It would change the whole world for ever. The world was being torn apart, just as Walter and Winnie and the people of Worcestershire were bringing the world together to solve the main problem for life on Earth.

Chapter 8

September 11th 2001

On September 11th, in the year 2001, the people of the United States of America, the richest and most powerful nation on Earth, were attacked.

Aeroplanes had been stolen by enemies of the United States of America. Two were used to attack the people by smashing into the Twin Towers, the tallest buildings in Manhattan, a part of New York where men and women made money. One attacked in Washington, the capital of the United States where the leaders of America met in their Parliament, and one crashed in the countryside.

Thousands of people were killed. The President of the United States declared war on the terrorists who had attacked them and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom followed. Walter and Winnie were horrified to hear the news of the attack on the United States of America, and the news of a new war. They had come together in Worcestershire to try to make things better for the people of Earth, but now things were getting worse and worse.

“It’s terrible”, said Walter. “I have been to the United States many time and I love the people. They seem to welcome everyone from around the world. They are so enthusiastic about everything and so warm. I know that most of the people want to make the world a better place. It’s awful that this has happened to them.”

Winnie turned to Walter.
“Soon, once more, the bombs will be falling across the world. The leaders will forget the main problem of Earth. What we came to do is now even more important. We must still try and find a way of telling the people of Earth that there is a greater problem than terrorism. It is about saving life on Earth, and we know how the children can take the first step. If all the children on Earth knew that then perhaps when they grew up they would stop bombing each other and going to war. They will never save life on Earth by killing each other.

“What can we do?”, she asked Walter.
“We wait a while”, said Walter. “There is a war now, but, after a time, the leaders and people will want it to stop it and then they will start to think of the main problem facing them on Earth. They will look for ideas of what to do about it. Every idea has a time and place and the ideas that we have worked on in Worcestershire, some day, I am sure, will be used to save life on Earth.

Then, one day, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom made a speech on TV. Walter, Winnie and the people of Worcestershire were listening.

“We have many problems facing the world”, said the Prime Minister. “But the main problem of all is the changing climate. My scientists tell me that unless we do something now to change the way we live then life on Earth will die. We must think of saving the lives of our children and grandchildren and stop thinking of ourselves. We must listen to our children and grandchildren.”

Then the leaders of the Opposition came on TV and said the same.
“At last”, said Winnie. “The leaders are together fighting the main problem. But neither they, or any world leader can do anything about it until all the adults of Earth start thinking of the lives of their children and grandchildren. All the leaders of Earth need our help. We must start our MAIN Voyage for Earth and go to Parliament to tell the Speaker how to get started, with a Paddle for Life.

Chapter 9

Voyage to the Mother of Parliaments

So, Walter, Winnie and the people of Worcestershire set of on the MAIN Voyage for Earth to the United Kingdom Parliament.

The Bell Boats, ‘Spirit of Mid Worcestershire and Climate’, ‘Spirit of West Worcestershire and Climate’, and the ‘Spirit of Worcester City and Climate’, all carried Winnie’s flag of the West and East working together for victory over the main problem of Earth - Climate Change, so that the leaders would look at it and listen to the children. Winnie sat on the top of the front flagpole, which had London looking to where they were going, and Walter was at the helm.

“Forward to London”, shouted Winnie, and as they move forward Walter shouted “Together! Together! Together! -WE ALL WIN WITH WINNIE.”

As they went through the villages, towns and cities on the banks of the rivers and canals, the leaders, Members of Parliament and people came out to see them. The Mayors and the members of Parliament made a speech and Walter asked everyone to take part in saving life on Earth, by making a Paddle for Life.

After a weeks paddling they arrived at the Parliament in London. The Speaker, together with the other Members of Parliament for Worcestershire came out to greet them. He invited them into the House and they could see the red lines, two sword lengths apart on the green carpet.

Walter spoke to him.
“We have come from Worcestershire, where the father of Parliament died in battle hundreds of years ago, to see you, because we believe that the Members of the Mother of Parliament, led by you, can help us to save life on Earth.

“A few weeks ago we heard the Prime Minister on TV saying that the main problem for the people of Earth was climate change. The Leaders of the Opposition agreed.

“Many years ago I saw the Speaker of the House of Commons telling children the story of the red lines, here on the carpet. It gave me an idea of how to tell another story to the children and people of Worcestershire about working together to solve our problems. Now the Prime Minister and leaders in Parliament are telling us that the main problem of Earth is climate change. We believe that the ideas from Worcestershire can now help the leaders to bring all the people on board with them.”

The Speaker was delighted that the story of the red lines, and that the Members of Parliament could help to save life on Earth. “What do you want me to do?”.

“It’s very easy”, said Walter. “ We have made you a Paddle for Life, with your name on it and the name of your city. All we want you to do is to take the Paddle for Life to a school in your city and inspire the teachers to inspire their children to each make a Paddle for Life. Then we hope that it will inspire every Member of Parliament to do the same, including the Prime Minister.”

“I will certainly do that, but you must tell me more about the Paddle for Life”, said the Speaker. “Before you do that, let us all have a cup of tea on the terrace of the House of Commons.”

Chapter 10

The Problem of the President

Walter, Winnie and the Worcestershire people went onto the terrace of the House of Commons. There, below them, were the Bell Boats on the river Thames.

“Look”, said the Speaker. “The Prime Minister and the Leaders of the Opposition are here. I think they should listen to your story now.” He went to speak to the Prime Minister and the leaders and invited them to listen.

“Carry on with your story”, said the Speaker.
Winnie turned to the Prime Minister.
“Many years ago, before you were Prime Minister, Walter and I came to see you in your home to tell you that we were worried about the climate changing and killing life on Earth. We left you a Paddle for Life, with our ideas of how to save life on Earth.

“Since then, Walter has tried the ideas out in Worcestershire and, a week ago, we heard you on TV saying that the main problem for the people of Earth was climate change. We heard the other Leaders of the Opposition, on TV, saying the same. We have come to remind you about the ideas.”

“I do remember you coming to my house”, said the Prime Minister. “I have been very busy with wars and solving so many other problems that I have not had the time to think about the main problem of Earth. But my scientists told me a few weeks ago that the problems caused by carbon dioxide are getting worse and worse.

“Many of the world leaders agree with me, but the President of the most powerful nation on Earth, the United States of America won’t listen to me. He is my best friend but he wants the people of America to live the same as they have always lived and he wants all the world to do the same as the Americans. He believes that the American way is the best way of living on Earth.

“But the American way is making more and more of the carbon dioxide that changes the climate and, if the world follows American way of living, all our children and our grandchildren will have great problems to keep alive. I don’t know what to do to get our friends in America to see that they have to change the way they live.”

“You are right. The main problem to change the world and save life on Earth is to change the mind of the President of the United States of America”, said the Leaders of the Opposition together. “We must all, in the free world work together to get him to change his mind.

“If he did change his mind, the American people would change the way they lived and then the West and the world would follow. It is a great opportunity”, said Winnie.

“It is very difficult for the Americans to understand what is happening to the rest of the world, because they live on a big island, cut off from the rest of the world. But I think that Walter and the people of Worcestershire can help you all to get our message to the President of the United States of America.

“Wonderful”, said the Prime Minister and the Leaders of the Opposition. “We are together and ready to listen. Tell us how to do it, Walter.”

Chapter 11

The Paddle for Life

“Well”, said Walter. We must learn from our friends in America. The Americans have always wanted to make the world a better place for all the people on Earth. They thought the way to do it was to make more and more things so that everyone could have a car, a TV, and many other things. They were very good at making things and everything they made they made in millions, so that everyone could share in them.

“Making things takes energy, and energy came from coal and oil, which makes the carbon dioxide, which makes the Earth warmer, and causes the climate to change. The Americans did not mean to cause the Earth damage. For a hundred years no-one knew what was happening. Then the scientists who study the climate found out. So there is no point in blaming the Americans. Like all the people of the West they did not know.

“But, now we do know and we also know that the Americans, as well as being good at making things, were brilliant at selling everything they made. They did it by selling the ‘brand’. When I was young I knew nothing about brands, just as the Americans and the West knew nothing about climate change. But now, all the children know about brands. In America, they know about ‘Smoky Bear’, who warns them about fires, and across the world everyone knows about McDonald’s and their brand of the ‘Golden Arches’.

“What we need now is to learn from the Americans. We need a brand that every-one in the world knows. A brand that one day will be better known than McDonald’s, with a message about saving life on Earth. We, in Worcestershire, believe that we have invented that brand. It is the Paddle for Life.

“It is a brand which tells the world about the main problem for Earth. It is a brand which says that by stopping killing each other, and working together, we can solve the problem. It is a brand that is made by the children and signed by all the adults in their community so that all can take part.

“It is a brand that shows the children how to take the first step in saving life on Earth, because every paddle they make will need more trees to be grown, and because they have made it they will treasure it for life.

“It is a brand about freedom, born out of the Mother of Parliament, and its traditions. Something that all the people of the United Kingdom, America and the West are proud about giving to the world.

“So, we have taken every child back to the making that made America so rich. Now we make millions of paddles as the first step in saving life on Earth. And we use the brilliant American idea of the ‘brand’ to solve the main problem of Earth.

“I think that the President and the people of the United States should be proud to think that their making and their branding ideas could now be used to start all our children on a voyage to save life on Earth.

“Life is always about solving problems, then new problems arising because of what we have done. Then we have to find new ways of solving our problems. The most difficult thing is to get the idea across to people and then show them the first step. That is what the Paddle for Life does.”

“That’s great”, said the Speaker. I will give every Members of Parliament a Paddle for Life and ask them to take this idea, that was inspired by the House of Commons, to all the schools in their villages, towns and cities. All the people of the United Kingdom will then know how they can lead the world in saving life on Earth. We must work together to do it and show the world the way.

The Prime Minister spoke.
“The United Kingdom is part of Europe. In a few months time I am President of the European Union. I will give every Prime Minister, or President, of the European Union a Paddle for Life and ask them to take this idea to all the schools in the lands.

“Next year, I am the President of a meeting of all the industrial nations of Earth, which are called the Group of 8. I will give every Prime Minister, or President of those countries, who are mainly from the West, a Paddle for Life and ask them to take this idea to all the schools in their countries. I will make a very special one for the President of the United States. We must inspire him to change his mind.

“Thank you”, said Walter. “I am sure that all the children parents and grandchildren will help by telling their friends in the United States about starting to save life on Earth by making a Paddle for Life. Then our American friends can tell their Members of Parliament, whom they call Representatives, about the Paddle for Life and perhaps the President will listen to them.

“If the Members of Parliaments across the West and the world work together with all the children, parents, grandparents and teachers then I am sure that we can together get a message to the President and save life on Earth.”

They all said goodbye to the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Prime Minister, and the Leaders of the Opposition and set off back on a voyage to Worcestershire.

The news of the Main Voyage for Earth spread across the United Kingdom and many more people came to the banks of the canals and the rivers on their way back home. They all said that they would make a Paddle for Life and in some of the villages they had made Paddle for Life into a flagpole for their tallest buildings with the the “WE” flag flying with its message of victory by working together.

Eventually they got back to Worcestershire and, on their Paddle for Life they painted a golden arch, like the McDonald’s golden arch around the edge and the rest red, with a golden ‘WE’ in the middle. They put it on the top of their clubhouse so that all could see it.

Their “Paddle for Life’ became very famous. Every child in the United Kingdom, the United States, the West and the world knew about it. It became a more famous brand than the world’s best known brand of MacDonald’s. Then, one day, the President of the United States had a granddaughter. She went to McDonald’s. She made a Paddle for Life in her school, and she read the story about her grandfather refusing to stop the carbon dioxide being made, that, one day, would mean that she and all the children on Earth might die. She went to see her Grandad.

“Grandad”, she asked “Why don’t you stop making the carbon dioxide, that is changing the climate, and that one day will kill me? Please look after the SKY.”

That night her Grandad, the President of the United States of America, and the most powerful person on Earth, wept and wept and wept. He could not sleep that night, just as Walter had not slept. The next day he changed his mind, and set out to save life on Earth, so that his granddaughter and all the children on Earth could live. With his granddaughter’s help, he took the first step: He made a ‘Paddle for Life’