Local families gather to oppose fracking in Billingshurst on Mothers Day

A group of Billingshurst mums gave up their usual Mother’s Day celebrations to launch the Keep Billinghurst Frack Free campaign, at the Women’s Hall on the High Street. Around 30 people, including local actress Sue Jameson and award-winning human rights activist Nicola Peel, from Pulborough, gathered to share information about fracking, and make banners to take to the site, to raise awareness of what’s happening just outside the village.

 Despite recent jubilation in nearby villages Wisborough Green, Kirdford and Fernhurst, after Celtique Energie decided not to go ahead with plans to test drill, their site on Adversane Lane, between Billingshurst and Pulborough, could see exploratory drilling start as early as next month.

 As one local mum Anna Currado says, “Already the site is an eyesore - there’s a huge industrial fence topped with barbed wire – and it’s only going to get worse. I'm worried about public safety and the local wildlife - there's an ancient woodland near the site, and they have already chopped down a beautiful old oak tree. And this is before the lorries go in with all the equipment.”

Celtique Energie has permission to test drill for oil or gas at the site. Being an exploratory well, no fracking will take place at this stage, but if oil or gas is discovered it could do in the future. Hydraulic fracturing of the earth by injecting at high pressure millions of litres of fresh water, mixed with various hazardous chemicals, to release oil and gas from deep underground, is a highly controversial method of drilling for unconventional fossil fuels. 

Emily Anderson, a local mother says "If this test well turns into a fracking site there are so many possible risks involved. We will see an enormous increase in local traffic – much of it massive lorries thundering down country lanes, air pollution from flaring, and potential damage to our precious water supply. It is not a tried and tested, safe method – many countries have banned it. In the US, there are thousands of cases of ill-health caused by living near fracking sites. Even if it's a 'conventional' oil well we need to think of the effect on the climate. Clean, renewable energy from wind turbines or solar panels is the safest, most sustainable way forward.”

Many people who came to the Mothers’ Meeting didn’t know much about fracking when they arrived, but joined in the banner making after seeing videos of the site, and of the so-called ‘Gold Standard’ industry safety regulations at another site at Barton Moss, Manchester. Here lorries were filmed dripping hazardous chemicals onto roads where children walked to school, and pipes were held together with screwdrivers and rubber gloves.

 As one local mum Anna Currado says, “Already the site is an eyesore - there’s a huge industrial fence topped with barbed wire – and it’s only going to get worse. I'm worried about public safety and the local wildlife - there's an ancient woodland near the site, and they have already chopped down a beautiful old oak tree. And this is before the lorries go in with all the equipment.”

Celtique Energie has permission to test drill for oil or gas at the site. Being an exploratory well, no fracking will take place at this stage, but if oil or gas is discovered it could do in the future. Hydraulic fracturing of the earth by injecting at high pressure millions of litres of fresh water, mixed with various hazardous chemicals, to release oil and gas from deep underground, is a highly controversial method of drilling for unconventional fossil fuels. 

Emily Anderson, a local mother says "If this test well turns into a fracking site there are so many possible risks involved. We will see an enormous increase in local traffic – much of it massive lorries thundering down country lanes, air pollution from flaring, and potential damage to our precious water supply. It is not a tried and tested, safe method – many countries have banned it. In the US, there are thousands of cases of ill-health caused by living near fracking sites. Even if it's a 'conventional' oil well we need to think of the effect on the climate. Clean, renewable energy from wind turbines or solar panels is the safest, most sustainable way forward.”

Many people who came to the Mothers’ Meeting didn’t know much about fracking when they arrived, but joined in the banner making after seeing videos of the site, and of the so-called ‘Gold Standard’ industry safety regulations at another site at Barton Moss, Manchester. Here lorries were filmed dripping hazardous chemicals onto roads where children walked to school, and pipes were held together with screwdrivers and rubber gloves.

 “This is not something I want to see happening anywhere, let alone just outside Billingshurst,” said mother, grandmother and actress Sue Jameson More people need to know about this.”

After the success of this Sunday’s meeting, Keep Billinghurst Frack Free are holding another public meeting with speakers and films at the Community Centre on Friday 10th April, and further events to help the local public find out more about what’s happening just outside their village that could affect their children and grandchildren.