With so much media coverage of hauliers calling for a reduction in the price of oil and our spineless PM calling for more oil to be dug from the ground, my 8 year old daughter and I just had to join the "Make-a-Noise" protest at Heathrow on Saturday. We met up with Ed Beale (who walked from Land's End to John O'Groats to make money for ON in 2004) and happened to meet Anne Van Staverine who used to work for CTBI and did the media for ON. We marched from Hatton tube station to Sipson, the village that would be removed for the runway and marked out a giant NO on the ground across 3 football pitches. Unlike December, it was a lovely dry, warm day - perfect for a march and our picnic on the edge of the N of the big NO. It was terribly well organised with instructions given out to everyone which were to "please wait for a steward to guide you to your place"! George Monbiot was as inspiring as ever and said "It is not acceptable that the poor must die so that the rich can fly".
The day ended with more speeches including a message of support from the Archbishop of Canterbury. He said Christians were "stewards of God's creation … As such, we have a responsibility, both to God and to generations to come, to ensure that this remains a sustainable world." There was also a party which we couldn't go to if we were to catch the last bus home. A good day, fabulously organised. If the government refuses to listen to this legal protest, I am sure, and hope, that the organisers could arrange something a little more disruptive.
