A 71-year-old grandmother walking 100 miles to raise money for a legal challenge to onshore oil production has beaten her £3,500 target.
Pat Smith is spending a week walking around six sites designated for oil and gas operations in Sussex and Surrey.
Half-way round the route, she has increased her target to £5,000.
She is raising money for a judicial review of Surrey County Council’s decision a year ago to allow long-term oil production at the Horse Hill site near Gatwick Airport. The case centres on whether the council should have considered the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from using Horse Hill oil. DrillOrDrop report
Stopping near UKOG’s oil site at Broadford Bridge near Billingshurst, she said:
“This Judicial Review is not only significant to the area of Horse Hill but has national consequences. If this succeeds, not only will the Horse Hill oil site lose its planning permission, but it could mean that planning authorities have to assess all carbon emissions arising from planning applications for fossil fuel exploration. This could have an enormous impact because despite being in a climate emergency, they’re not doing that.”
Sunday 27 September 2020: Brockham to Leith Hill
Monday 28 September 2020: Leith Hill to Dunsfold
Tuesday 29 September 2020: Dunsfold to Broadford Bridge
Wednesday 30 September: Broadford Bridge towards Balcombe
Thursday 1 October: Arriving in Balcombe
Photos: Weald Action Group
Friday 2 October: Balcombe towards Horse Hill
Saturday 3 October: Arriving at Horse Hill
Photos: Weald Action Group and Pat Smith
Categories: Opposition, slider
DRILL OR DROP? 
Go on Pat , wonderful dedication
Thank you Pat for keeping going in all weathers. And thank you to the 124 generous souls who have sponsored Pat. Together we can get this very bad decision overturned – and bring the planning system into line with climate policy and the climate emergency.
So proud of you, Pat!
It takes a 71yr old granma to get off her butt to show the rest of us how it’s done.❤️
Go for it Pat, you and all your supporters are making such a difference
No donation button visible?
Here is the link for donations – total now just over £5,000
LINK
https://chuffed.org/project/pats-walk-the-weald-stop-oil-fundraiser?fbclid=IwAR0dGyH3tJhBdCITgabrc7Bzpqjz1swnvkLm4n87NjQYr3W5YUXcvsPq3rY