Campaigners demonstrated outside Seven Kings Jobcentre to call for more "green jobs" to be created in Redbridge.

New research, compiled by non-profit group Green New Deal UK, revealed that Redbridge is likely to suffer thousands of permanent job losses due to the pandemic.

The group feels that investment in green infrastructure and care work in the next two years could make up for those losses and result in more than 5,000 new jobs.

Ilford Recorder: (Left to right) Carole Vincent, Mei Moore, Tina Da Costa, Will Crossley and Bailey Johnson outside Seven Kings Jobcentre calling for more green jobs to be created.(Left to right) Carole Vincent, Mei Moore, Tina Da Costa, Will Crossley and Bailey Johnson outside Seven Kings Jobcentre calling for more green jobs to be created. (Image: Cedric Knight)

At the demonstration, campaigners from Wanstead Climate Action (WCA) held up signs saying "Give us a job - in clean energy" and "Give us a job - insulating homes."

John Cryer, MP for Leyton and Wanstead, who last week signed a motion in Parliament to invest in green jobs, met with WCA members.

Campaigners said investment would not only make up for the job losses but would also help the country meet its climate targets.

WCA spokeswoman Vanya Marks said: "We are trying to highlight the positive transformation that is possible and hope other local MPs will join this push for a real green recovery."

Previous research from Green New Deal UK found that 1.2m green jobs could be created throughout Britain in the next two years at a cost of around £68bn.

Vanya added: "Our research shows that you can tackle unemployment and create jobs whilst tackling climate change at the same time.

“We can’t afford not to do this. There’s an unemployment crisis and a climate crisis. To fix both, a Green New Deal can create thousands of good green jobs right here in Redbridge.

"We all know that climate change is going to have a huge impact everywhere and we can’t let people just fall by the wayside."

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: "The UK is a world leader in the fight against climate change, and we are determined to seize the economic opportunities and build back greener from the pandemic by supporting up to two million green jobs across the country by 2030.

“There are already over 460,000 jobs in low carbon businesses and their supply chains across the UK.

"To build on this progress, we are bringing together businesses, skills providers and trade unions through our Green Jobs Taskforce to deliver the skilled workforce we need to put the UK at the forefront of the global green industrial revolution.”