‘We will never stop trying’: what we’ve learned from a lifetime of activism

‘When I saw two people lying on the road, I put my dog collar on and joined them. The next minute, I was being arrested’: Reverend Bill White. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Observer

‘Being a priest forces others to think – I’m the nice vicar who conducted their granny’s funeral’: Reverend Bill White, 68, Macclesfield

I worked in the Church of England for 35 years before retiring. I’ve been married for 43 years to my wife, Rosemary. We met at Sunday school – she was nine, I was 11. We’ve got three adult kids and four grandchildren, too. When we thought about retirement, we imagined gardening and looking after the grandchildren. Instead, we have become climate activists. A few years ago, I’d never have believed it.