COP27 relay baton passes through Reading Hydro in Berkshire on its way to Egypt

Locals have run across Berkshire carrying the COP27 baton containing a message about the climate crisis from young people.

The message will be delivered to world leaders at COP27 in Egypt.

They are joining thousands of people volunteering to run, cycle or sail sections of the Running Out of Time Relay.

The baton and the message it contains will travel 7,767km/4,826miles through 18 countries from Scotland to COP27 in Egypt by the 7th November.

It's the largest non-stop relay ever attempted.

The message inside the baton is calling for more support, training and resources from governments to help communities tackle climate change where they live.

The relay route is passing 27 outstanding examples of communities already achieving positive things to tackle climate change.

One of those projects is Reading Hydro, a hydroelectricity plant on the River Thames adjacent to Caversham Weir.

Sally Waterman, Director of the community energy project Reading Hydro, was one of 9 people chosen to carry the baton through Reading.

£1.2 million was raised to fund the construction of the Hydro, which began generating electricity in September 2021. The plant is capable of generating about 320mW of renewable electricity a year - enough to power around 90 homes - and will be operational for decades to come.