A PROTEST by XR Wandsworth took place outside Wimbledon Station, and Gate 5, Centre Court, for Wimbledon tennis fortnight, to highlight that Barclays bank, the main sponsor of Wimbledon tennis, funds fossil fuel companies Exxon and Shell. 

Keith Bartlett of XR Wandsworth handed out leaflets to the queue outside Wimbledon station, where they will continue their protest until the end of the championships.

Caroline Hartnell, co-ordinator of XR Wandsworth, said: “Barclays are under increasing pressure because of the amount of finance they are putting into funding the fossil fuel industry.

“The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club are supposed to be a sustainable organisation yet they are accepting money from Europe’s biggest funder of new oil and gas.

“They are huge funders of Drax, the UK’s biggest carbon emitter, and have given money to help it destroy ancient forests in the Amazon, ravaging biodiverse areas and accelerating the climate crisis.”

Earlier this year, the Australian Open had searing heatwaves, fans were battling heatstroke, players were complaining, and the grounds were harder to maintain. XR warn the same is coming for Wimbledon. 

Barclays is also a major funder of the arms companies proving guns and bombs to Israel.