About...
Edward Gildea
Edward’s life changed as a result of taking part in the 2014 and 2018 Clipper Around the World Yacht Races.
Until then, he was moderately concerned about the state of our planet, recycling and using trains conscientiously. Sailing 40,000 miles across the oceans from Australia back to London and then from Uruguay to Australia changed all that. It gave him a powerful connection to the planet.
“Helming is a form of mindfulness. One of my skippers had a rule ‘Helm and Breathe’. The only other thing you were allowed to do at the helm was breathe. Not talk, drink, laugh, point out a breaching whale… just breathe. You then felt every shift in the breeze on your cheek, every movement of the boat under your feet, every changing sound of the wake at your stern…
“You connect to the planet.”
These powerful experiences, coupled with the birth two of his grandsons while at sea, turned him into a committed green activist.
High altitude trekking and mountaineering also provided formative experiences, increasing his awareness of the 2 billion people whose agriculture depends on the slow melting of snows and glaciers.
Environmental Activism
A former inner city headteacher, Edward had 25 years' teaching experience followed by 18 years as an educational consultant specialising in leadership and conflict management. He now works through the Church, the Green Party, Christian Aid, Greenpeace, XR and Al Gore’s Climate Reality organisation. “I’m willing to pull almost any lever I can to ensure that my children have a chance of surviving on this planet.”
He initiated “Ring out for Climate!’ in 2021, with the result that a thousand churches from Jersey to the Shetland Isles rang their bells as a warning of the Climate Crisis on the eve of COP 26. The bells rang out again on the eve of COP 27. He is Eco church team leader for his local church and contributes to a variety of environmental working parties to drive strategy locally.
Mindful of potential parents agonising about whether to bring a baby into a world of uncontrolled climate crisis, he is launching #WhyConceive? as the ultimate question to put to politicians and the CEOs of fossil fuel companies: “Why would conceiving a child be a loving and responsible act in the world you are preparing for this generation?” It is time they gave an honest answer.
He has been selected to stand as the Parliamentary candidate for the Green Party in Uttlesford for the next General Election.
You can hear him discussing his ideas and activism on ‘The Pod Barber’ here:
With a degree and a lifelong interest in the History of Art, Edward enjoys exploring paintings and sometimes gaining an original insight into them. He shares those insights here and offer of talks and workshops to help you truly engage with great works of art.
