Events Archive

OPEN DAY AT GREENPEACE PLOT IN SIPSON -
SATURDAY 7TH FEBRUARY

Over 30,000 people have signed up to Airplot - the land in Sipson that Greenpeace has purchased to thwart BAA plans to build a runway on it.

If you are one of them, or are thinking about it, you might like to pop down to Sipson and take a look on Saturday afternoon.

Greenpeace are opening the site to the public from 2pm-5pm. You can take a look at the plot and chat to some of the people who are working to make this a focal point in the campaign - with the large white lettering, "Our Climate Our Land", visible form the air.

There is a pub next door, the King William IV, if you need to thaw out!

PROTEST AT DOWNING STREET -
THURSDAY 19TH FEBRUARY

Third Runway - No Way! Protesters will be gathering opposite Downing Street to take that message to Gordon Brown at 5.30pm-7pm on Thursday 19th February.

The protest, organised by the Campaign against Climate Change, aims to tell Gordon Brown that his decision to expand Heathrow is the height of irresponsibility when scientists are warning of the consequences of increasing emissions of greenhouse gases.

WATCH THIS SPACE...

There will be a number of small events coming up to publicise events surrounding the campaign to stop the third runway.

For example, on Wednesday, 28th January, protesters turned up at Parliament with 57 red balloons to remind the 57 rebel MPs that they should vote for the motion put forward in the Conservative's opposition debate.

While most simply posed for cameras and generated interest amongst the MPs, a small group of Climate Rush suffragettes chained themselves to railings. It was a lively morning.

If you can spare some time and want to get more involved, watch this space for forthcoming events. This is your chance to help step up the campaign.

Look forward to seeing you.

HAYES AND HARLINGTON MP
COMPLETES FIRST ROUND OF PUBLIC MEETINGS

John McDonnell MP, whose constituency would be devastated by a third runway, is organising a rolling programme of community meetings to keep local people informed and get them more involved in the campaign.

The first three meetings were in Sipson on Saturday 17th January, Harlington on Sunday 18th January and Hayes on Thursday 22 January.

The MP, who was suspended from the House of Commons for lifting the mace in an outburst against the Transport Secretary, is working with fellow MPs and campaign groups like NoTRAG to step up the fight against Heathrow expansion.

MAYOR'S PUBLIC MEETING
EXPOSES FEEBLE ARGUMENT FOR RUNWAY

The Mayor's public meeting at the Beck Theatre in Hayes on 21st January, exposed the feeble arguments for a third runway, with only two people prepared to defend the runway on the panel and only two supporters in the packed 600-seat auditorium.

Mayor Boris Johnson had invited Prime Minister Gordon Brown to the meeting but his invitation remained unanswered and his seat was left empty. The organisers struggled to find anyone prepared to defend the government's decision. This was left to Lord Soley from the aviation-industry funded Future Heathrow and Frank Wingate, Chief Executive of West London Business.

Putting the case against the runway were: Zac Goldsmith, former editor of The Ecologist Magazine and Conservative parliamentary candidate; Cllr Ray Puddifoot, leader of Hillingdon Council and the Mayor himself.

Cllr Richard Barnes, Hillingdon councillor and Deputy Mayor, chaired the event, which began with questions from residents of Sipson, Harlington and Harmondsworth. While this was an excellent way to start the debate, both Wingate and Soley never gave answers, preferring to trot out the same old stuff they spout in TV interviews.

Questions that never got answers included: Where do Mr Wingate and Mr Soley live? Having said that the road map in the Consultation document wasn't where the roads would be, why wouldn't anyone reveal the true location? Knowing that taxpayers would have to fund the rebuilding of schools, council houses, community facilities etc, what was the true cost of building the third runway?

Frank Wingate accused residents of putting their own interests above those of the country. When a Harmondsworth resident showed her husband's war medals, earned for his service in the RAF, she demonstrated clearly that residents do care about their country and asked what Mr Wingate and Clive Soley had ever done. Again, no answer.

When Cllr Barnes asked for questions for supporters of the runway, only two hands went up. One lady said the runway was needed for jobs. Lord Soley had stated that, without a runway, Heathrow would lose business to Europe and there would be no reason for it to exist. He said he could give residents silence but it would be the silence of an area with no airport.

A second lady was sure a runway would benefit the country but could not explain further.

No businessmen in favour of the runway turned up to the meeting, despite Mr Wingate claiming that a large percentage wanted it. (Based, he claimed, on an independent poll - he did not say how many were polled or how they were chosen, which would have an impact on the result. Lord Soley also said a poll showed that residents wanted it, while he carefully avoided giving details of the poll.)

The meeting showed the strength of feeling against the runway and the feebleness of the argument in favour. Frank Wingate and Lord Soley should learn at least one thing from the meeting - opposition to the runway is as strong as ever and threatening residents with the demise of Heathrow and mass unemployment is a tactic that won't work.

TERMINAL FIVE FLASHMOB - SATURDAY, 17TH JANUARY

Following the government's announcement on Thursday, 15th January, a flash mob went ahead on Saturday, 17th January - and everyone had a ball!

At 12 noon hundreds of protesters revealed their red Stop Heathrow Expansion T-shirts. While four women from Artport, a group using art to make their point, stripped to the waist and painted their bodies red.

Carrying on the red theme, red foam balls painted with the word "No" were thrown at a Geoff Hoon lookalike (a series of brave volunteers wearing Hoon masks.)

The festive atmosphere continued with a whole bunch of protesters in Gordon Brown masks causing climate chaos with an inflatable globe.

And a member of NoTRAG dressed in her Climate Rush Suffragette outfit to repeat

CLIMATE CAMP CONFERENCE CAME TO HARLINGTON
- SATURDAY, 26TH JULY

Direct Action protesters joined villagers and MPs at a conference to plot the next move to stop expansion at Heathrow.

Around 200 people attended the conference at Harlington Baptist Church in Harlington to discuss what action to take if the government says yes to a third runway.

The decision announcement has been delayed yet again and is now expected in December 2008.

Airspace Change Consultation - London Protest - 19th June 2008

Thursday, 19th June was the final day of the NATS consultation on proposed airspace changes to the Terminal Control North region. Air traffic and airport expansion were NOT part of this consultation.

According to NATS, the Terminal Control North region is one of the most complex areas of airspace in the world, with routes in and out of major airports including Heathrow, Stansted, Luton and London City as well as smaller airports such as Southend and RAF Northolt.

All of these airports have grown considerably in the past 20 years - London City has grown from virtually nothing since the early 1990s - and this growth has been accommodated within the existing airspace infrastructure.

As the increase in air traffic is causing delay, increased pollution and annoyance to people under flightpaths, NATS says it has redrawn routes in an attempt to tackle these problems.

To mark the end of the public consultation, AirportWatch, the umbrella group for organisations such as Stop Stansted Expansion, which is fighting its own airport expansion threat, held a protest in London.

After speeches at the short rally, a letter was handed in to NATS, before everyone headed down to Victoria Embankment Gardens for a picnic.

Further information on the NATS consultation and proposed changes to flightpaths is available from the Stop Stansted Expansion website

NoTRAG AGM - 5th June

The 2008 AGM was held at Heathrow School, Harmondsworth Lane on Thursday, 5th June at 7.30pm.

Make a NOise - 31st May 2008

31st May 2008 - Thousands form a human NO against Heathrow expansion

Stop Heathrow Expansion, a coalition that includes NoTRAG, organised a major event for Saturday, 31st May 2008.

Those people against Heathrow expansion, HAD TO BE THERE. An announcement on the third runway could be made as early as June, so the NO was set to be loud and large. Campaigners had been working with police and local authorities to make this a safe, good-natured event. Even BAA co-operated and permitted marchers to walk around the airport perimeter.

Participants met up at Hatton Cross tube station at noon and joined the march (moving off just after 1pm) to Sipson village, which would be wiped out by the proposed third runway development.

At Sipson Memorial Recreation Ground, marchers were then organised into a massive NO visible from the air. The photographs were amazing - showing the giant NO and the proximity of the current runways.

After the event, many people walked through the village for a drink and a bite to eat. On the way to the pub entertainment, music on the main stage and childrens' funfair, campaigners and residents were able to stop at various stalls. As well as putting messages on "The Sipson Shroud", there was the opportunity to sign the petition to save Cherry Lane Cemetery from being destroyed for new roads.

In the NoTRAG tent, there was a stall selling plates featuring local landmarks and displays showing the Tithe Barn at Harmondsworth and a photo exhibition "Sipson - Through the Years".

It was a fun event with a carnival atmosphere. And, after a week of wet weather, the sun shone all day.

Service of Hope and Community - Sunday, 25th May 2008

The Archbishop of Canterbury lent his support to a Service of Hope and Community at 6pm on Sunday, 25th May at St Mary the Virgin Church, Harmondsworth Village Green (off Hatch Lane).

This Norman church, built in 1067, is a listed building but will find itself at the end of the third runway if the development goes ahead. While the church is reprieved, the Anglo-Saxon villages it serves would be devastated by destruction and airport construction on a massive scale.

The Archdeacon of Northolt, Rachel Treweek, preached at the service and the ancient building was filled with the beautiful voices of the Trinity College Cambridge Choir, taking time out of their exam schedule.

Christians were asked to stand in unity with this threatened parish.

Before the service, Rory Adams, an 82-year-old lifetime Sipson resident said: "I’m so pleased that our church is holding a service of community. When big businesses like BAA are allowed to knock down homes, relocate families and make impossible an old man’s weekly visit to his parents’ grave, it’s heartening to know that the Church, unlike the government, will side with the community."

The parish priest, Father Amatu, grew up in Nigeria and said: "Before the 80s, most Commonwealth countries' educational curriculum included English history. In my primary school in Nigeria, I was taught to believe that the English cherished and preserved its heritage. I imagine the pain and concerns of my parish people when they think of the effect of a further expansion at Heathrow airport on them. They are traumatised."

Tamsin Omond, who helped to organise this event commented: "The nerve of BAA is unbelievable. They couldn’t get permission to knock the church down so instead they will relocate half its parish and build right up to the church’s door. It’s a despicable show of disregard for England’s heritage and for Sipson’s threatened community."

The service came six days before the Make a NOise event. The march was London’s last chance to say NO to a third runway before the government’s decision, which was thought likely to be made in June.

Does London Need A Bigger Heathrow? - 22th May 2008

We tracked down Ruth Kelly! Fed up with being Ruth-less because the Transport Secretary refused to visit areas affected by Heathrow expansion, campaigners took the chance to be in the same room as the illusive minister.

The Rt Hon Ruth Kelly MP joined Baroness Valentine (Chief Executive Officer, London First), another supporter of Heathrow expansion, on the panel of the Evening Standard debate - Does London Need A Bigger Heathrow?

The debate took place on Thursday, 22nd May at the Royal Society of Arts, 8 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6EZ at 7pm.

Protest Vigil - 20th May 2008

NoTRAG supporters were urged to join a protest vigil organised by WeCAN, a group of mothers concerned that the government is not doing enough to tackle climate change.

The group said: "We are tired of feeling powerless. There are solutions to climate change but the government appears unwilling to pursue them, prioritising profit over the planet. We need decisive political action now."

"What will we tell our children when they ask us what we did when the scale of the problem facing the world became apparent? The 20th May is our opportunity to stand up and be counted."

The vigil, calling for a halt to airport expansion, took place from 6pm to midnight on Tuesday 20th May, outside the House of Commons, Westminster. During the vigil, a delegation delivered a letter to Downing Street.

Although the organisers were all mothers, they welcomed support from everyone - children were very welcome.

Those going along were asked to take a candle and a green awareness ribbon.

Enquiries to: info@wecan.uk.com

The group, which includes writer and broadcaster, Rosie Boycott and former ITN Home Affairs Editor Jennifer Nadel, is keen for new members. Actresses Fay Ripley ("Cold Feet") and Rula Lenska were among those who joined the protest.

Yummy mummies turn ecoactivists

Video by co-founder Rebecca Frayn that says it all

Find out more about WeCAN

Terry Waite and Zac Goldsmith join forces for Campaign Fundraiser

Communities threatened by airport expansion at Stansted and Heathrow got together on 6th March 2008 at a special fundraising concert of English Choral music interspersed with speeches from Terry Waite CBE and Zac Goldsmith.

Both have been outspoken critics of BAA’s airport expansion plans from not only an environmental perspective but also because of the significant community impacts. Additional capacity and new runways at the two airports would have a devastating affect on the regions in which they are based.

The musical evening, at Mayfair’s 18th-century Grosvenor Chapel, came at the end of the DfT Consultation on expansion at Heathrow. Meanwhile, the Stansted community awaits the lodging of a planning application for a second runway at Stansted Airport and the outcome of a public inquiry into expansion on its single runway.

It was organised by Stop Stansted Expansion in conjunction with Stop Heathrow Expansion campaigns and was very well attended.

The programme included works by Purcell (Hear My Prayer, O Lord) and Elgar (Serenade) and Bach’s E Major violin sonata, performed by members of the Ground Bass Ensemble – professional singers and music school students who were lending their support to the cause.

There was also the premier of a new composition, a setting of poems from Tagore’s Gitanjali by James Lindsay and Lucy Mulgan. Musical accompaniment was provided by Alexandra Reid (violin) and also by Jonathan Galton (piano) who was responsible for mobilising his musical colleagues to contribute to the event. The conductor was Ben Palmer.

Terry Waite's inspirational address particularly struck home with the NoTRAG campaigners. The joint event was a visible sign of the solidarity which exists between the Stansted and Heathrow campaigners yet, with the areas they represent appearing very different, it is often forgotten that there are striking similarities.

As Terry Waite described the corrosive affect of endless expansion plans on communities near Stansted, veteran NoTRAG campaigners recognised the same symptoms of blight that Heathrow villages have suffered for years. Mr Waite passionately expressed his views on the value of communities and how society destroys them at its peril.

Carol Barbone, Stop Stansted Expansion’s campaign director, commented before the event: "Our two communities are in the frontline of the airport expansion battle and this occasion will have a symbolic as well as practical role in demonstrating our shared commitment to overturning BAA’s plans for its airports in the south east."

NoTRAG joins 10,000 protestors on London march

Despite almost constant rain and cold winds, 10,000 protestors took part in the National Climate March on Saturday 8th December.

Among the good-natured crowds which gathered at Westminster, were large groups who focused their attention on aviation and airport expansion.

As well as NoTRAG placards, there were prominent banners from
Stop Heathrow Expansion, Stop Stansted Expansion and The Green Party.

Long-time campaigners were encouraged to meet so many people eager to take up the cause to fight more flights and further pollution and destruction.

Then, after the march arrived in Grosvenor Square, speaker after speaker criticised the government for its plans to build a third runway at Heathrow.

It was also announced that this Global Day of Action had resulted in marches across the world to coincide with the Climate Talks in Bali, Indonesia.

NoTRAG would like to thank everyone who braved the weather to demand that issues which affect climate change, such as the pollution generated by the aviation industry, be addressed urgently.

For more information see the Campaign Against Climate Change website:

www.campaigncc.org

Greenpeace "Jetstream" gives residents a voice

A head-turning 'Jetstream' American bus cruised into Sipson village on 7th November to launch a project to draw attention to the forthcoming Dft Consultation.

The project has recorded the voices of those opposed to expansion at Heathrow to make sure they're heard loud and clear by decision makers. Villagers facing the destruction of their homes were some of the first to participate.

Shouts of "The People of Sipson are Listening"
disrupt Parliamentary Committee

Climate activists briefly halted a Transport Select Committee Inquiry into The Future of BAA to show their opposition to a third runway at Heathrow.

The Inquiry, sitting on Wednesday 28th November inside the House of Commons, was about to hear evidence from Stephen Nelson of BAA.

Suddenly, several people seated in the public area revealed anti-runway t-shirts
and called for those in the room to remember that they would be held accountable for their comments.

As the protestors, from Plane Stupid, attempted to hand out copies of a report on the impacts of flying on global warming, they were removed from the room.

NoTRAG was not involved in the protest.

View The Select Committee Inquiry here

Reality of expansion revealed at public meetings

Residents of the villages nearest to the proposed third runway attended two public meetings called by local MP, John McDonnell.

Appalled by the lack of information in The Department for Transport Consultation summary delivered to their homes, people turned out on winter evenings to hear the panel of speakers.

It was standing room only at Heathrow School on 29th November and a full house at Harlington Baptist Church on 3rd December.

NoTRAG's presentation was particularly well received and a shorter version has already been requested by other boroughs, eager to inform their own residents of the massive scale of the destruction.

Details of future meetings will be on our Events page as soon as they are available.

Read about the Harlington meeting here