Shropshire Star

Climate campaigner, 74, who spent Queen's funeral in prison says she would do it again

A climate campaigner from Mid Wales who spent four days in prison on remand after sitting in the road outside an oil terminal says she would do it again.

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Climate campaigner Pam Williams

Pam Williams, aged 74, and her husband David Williams, aged 76, are Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil campaigners from just outside Llanidloes and Mrs Williams is proud of being one of 51 people arrested outside the Kingsbury oil depot on September 14.

"I would do it again," said Mrs Williams who is a retired teacher and organic farmer.

"We were sitting on the road on a beautiful day, it was a refreshing experience.

"I wouldn't be able to climb high fences with spikes on the top, I am too old for that, but I am convinced about the climate change cause."

Mrs Williams was handed a 25-day prison sentence suspended for two years at Birmingham Court on September 20 and ordered to pay costs of £413 for breaching a private injunction on protests outside the oil terminal.

Mrs Williams, whose four-day stint at Foston Hall women's prison included the bank holiday for the Queen's funeral, says she will be taking part in Occupy Westminster action in London during October.

She said she thinks everyone should do their bit to reduce the use of fossil fuels and has come in for online abuse for her stance, as well as being questioned about using cars.

Mrs Williams said she travelled most of the journey from Llanidloes to the protest by public transport but used an "old diesel car" to get to town from her home in the countryside because there are no bus links to town from where she lives.

"I remember being able to wipe the ice off the inside of a single glazed window in the winter," she said. "We would go to bed with a hot water bottle and heat the human instead of the whole house. There is no need to have the heating at 70 degrees and walk around in shorts."

Mrs Williams is concerned about the Government announcing the possibility of a further 130 new oil drilling licences.