Anti- Heathrow campaigners to meet airport residents from Clydebank, Paisley, Cramond, Aberdeen.

Communities from all across Scotland are co-ordinating and mobilising to halt airport expansion, with a little help from the 'Heathrow Ladies.'

Key figures from the attention grabbling campaign against Heathrow expansion will be touring Scotland to meet with communities fighting expansion plans at Scotland's main airports.

Next week two of the 'Heathrow Ladies' – Maggie Thorburn and Geraldine Nicholson – will speak at public meetings in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

• Monday 16th February-Glasgow University Union Reading Room 1.00pm Clydebank Town Hall Lecture room 7.00pm
• Tuesday 17th February- Cramond Davidsons Mains Parish Church 7.00pm
• Wednesday 18th February-Edinburgh Chaplaincy Centre Bristo Square 6.30pm
• Thursday 19th February-Aberdeen Arts Centre 7.00pm

The tour has been organised by PlaneSpeaking .

The tour has been timed to coincide with scrutiny by the Scottish Parliament of the National lanning Framework which may give the green light to expansion at Glasgow, Edinburgh, berdeen and Prestwick airports.

PlaneSpeaking spokeswoman Tilly Gifford said,

"We are delighted that the 'Heathrow Ladies' are coming to Scotland. They will meet both local communities and activists, telling their stories and sharing their experiences."

Tilly added,

"Communities, environmental groups and individuals across the country have become frustrated with the refusal of those in power to acknowledge the impact of aviation expansion on climate change and the extra noise it will mean for so many local people. What will really interest people is the way that the Heathrow campaigners have developed a radical, high-profile campaign which many believe we see off the plans to build a third runway."

Geraldine Nicholson is a mother of three young children who will find herself living 100 yards from the third runway if it is built at Heathrow. Together with other local people, the majority of them women, she formed the No Third Runway Action Group (NoTRAG). Geraldine now chairs
the organisation. She will tell the story of how a group of localpeople have taken on the might of BAA.

Maggie Thorburn has lived under the flight path to Heathrow for nearly 30 years. During that time she has seen BAA and successive governments break a series of promises about expanding the airport. She will explain how the experience has radicalised her to the extent that, despite having a walking disability, she is prepared to take direct action to stop further expansion at Heathrow.

John Stewart, who chairs the coalition opposing expansion at Heathrow, will also be part of the tour for three days (Monday –Wednesday). Last year he was voted 'the UK's most effective environmentalist'.

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