Residents' stories
Armelle intends to fight against the runway for people like her husband, who worked with the RAF's Special Duties Squadron during World War II and is now threatened with losing his home.
Armelle is not a woman easily ignored. With a strong French accent, that she hasn't lost despite 40 years in Britain, she speaks passionately about her determination to save the local villages despite government indifference. "I wrote to Tony Blair when he was Prime Minister and said, "When the country needed my husband he was there, now you want to throw him out of his home." I never even got a reply, just a note saying that the letter had been received."
Armelle met her husband John, known affectionately as Tommy, in 1969 when both were working at Heathrow. "BAA like to suggest that campaigners are anti-airport but that is not the case."
Tommy and Armelle had a French connection; Armelle is a British subject but was born in France, while Tommy spent his early life in France because his father remained there after fighting in World War I and marrying a local girl.
Despite an age gap of over 20 years, Armelle fell for the handsome BEA employee who looked after travelling VIPs. She learned that in 1940 Tommy volunteered and was called up at RAF Uxbridge. He supplied resources to the Special Operations Executive on flights over occupied France, for which he received the Legion d'Honneur.
He survived the war and settled in Harmondsworth in 1964. Armelle is adamant: "We have no intention of leaving and I am angry that Tommy's latter years are being dominated by the fight to stay in the area he loves. I have grown to love it too. Very different from my roots near St Tropez!"
Armelle's affection for the village impacted on her life again in the summer. "Despite my support of the anti-expansion campaign, I had no intention of visiting the climate camp until I arrived at a history project in Harmondsworth on the Saturday before the camp was due to start. Participants were suddenly surrounded by police and a Forward Intelligence Team, who photographed us all for their records. I was so angered by our treatment that I went to the camp on Sipson Lane to see for myself."
Possibly the smartest dressed person on the camp, Armelle visited regularly, attending workshops and supporting residents who had set up a Sipson tent. She became increasingly involved and has never been afraid to question authority.
Later that month, Armelle decided to leave her job with market research company, MORI. After 19 years in a demanding job interviewing MPs and Captains of Industry, she found she could devote more time to NoTRAG, recently joining the committee.
Even rain and cold winds could not dampen her enthusiasm at the 10,000-strong Climate Change march in London on 8th December. Armelle has a fighting spirit - and that is something Tommy certainly understands.
NO THIRD RUNWAY ~ Heathrow is Big Enough
