The Youth Climate Change Summit is to return to Carlisle for another day of inspiring talks that will bring the county’s children together.

The summit follows on from a successful first year that saw the development of a network of children from across the county who worked together to raise awareness about climate change.

It is organised by the Carlisle-based Robert Ferguson Primary School, whose headteacher Graham Frost said: “The motivation behind last year’s event was very much to provide the young people with a chance to speak out and have their views heard.

“There is still that element, but rather than it being about hearing the young people giving speeches, instead this year we are having input from people of different generations, all of whom are actively and continually engaged in activism and campaign work to bring about change on the issue of climate.”

The speakers that young people can expect to hear from have been at the forefront of climate campaigning.

Amy Bray, 17, founded a charity aimed at raising awareness of alternative and sustainable lifestyles.

Clover Hogan is a researcher on eco-anxiety and the founder of Force of Nature, which helps to mobilise young people to make a change.

Mike Downham is a climate activist who was previously a farmer in Cumbria.

Rebecca Willis has 20 years of environmental research under her belt and she is an expert leader in the UK’s climate assembly.

Mr Frost said: “The idea this time is to provide the young people with some inspiration but then to have round-table discussions with them and the teachers looking with a view to ‘how can we do something that isn’t just around one event, what can we do to continue the opportunity for young people to speak out?’

“The motivation behind that is a recognition of some very strong evidence now that eco-anxiety is on the rise.”

Eco-anxiety is often mentioned by young people who are campaigning for governments taking action over climate change.

It is defined as a chronic fear of environmental doom.

The hope for the summit is that it will give young people an opportunity to deal with their fears as they decide on ways in which to enact change.

He said: “The research clearly shows that when young people are allowed to act in a way that makes them feel that they are really constructively working towards dealing with the thing that they fear, that they are anxious about.

“That goes a long way to alleviate eco-anxiety.”

Last year, representatives from 30 Cumbrian schools attended the summit and shared their thoughts on climate change and how it can be tackled at a local as well as a national level.

This year, Mr Frost is hoping that figure will be doubled.

The summit has moved from the University of Cumbria to Carlisle Racecourse which has a greater capacity.

“I think we have already taken the equivalent bookings to last year and we have still got several weeks to go before the event.”

Looking to the future of the youth climate summit, he hopes it will continue to inspire and empower young people in the county but perhaps also further afield, with a greater potential impact among industry and business leaders.

“I envisage that the kind of events that we’re putting on in Cumbria, we will start seeing happen in other parts of the country,” said Mr Frost.

The second Youth Climate Change Summit will take place on Wednesday, April 22 at Carlisle Racecourse from 12pm to 3pm.

It is free to attend but schools must register online beforehand.