Aylesbury Mum shares reasons why she joined Extinction Rebellion

Now, having made their preparations, a local mum from Aylesbury explains why she is taking action.

Lucy, who joined XR last year and is a student of environmental sciences spoke to the Herald about her concern for the destruction of the environment.

She said: "My eyes were opened to the terrible situation we’re in regarding climate and habitat destruction."

Lucy has a small daughter she she said "It is for her sake, and the sake of all children, that she started to feel that she must take action."

Believing that the Government wasn’t doing enough to tackle the crisis, Lucy searched online for a support group and when she found XR she felt she had found exactly what she had been looking for.

Lucy went along to her first local Aylesbury Vale meeting feeling quite nervous, but enjoyed the small group discussions and the friendly chat. And then she embarked on her first major protest by joining the October protests in London last year.

With her daughter she joined XR Families with other mums with babies and toddlers.

She added: "It felt very emotional seeing all these children, thinking, this is why we’re here.

"No-one really wants to take any risks of getting arrested or losing their job, but when you see all those kids, it reminds you why you’re doing this."

The decision to go to London this week is also a hard one for Lucy to make with concerns about the social distancing needed during the pandemic.

She said: "It is a risk, but do you take the bigger risk of the government not taking action and ruining our kids’ future?"

Lucy is certainly not looking to get arrested, and looks forward to playing in one of the famous XR samba bands.

"I do feel anxious, but feel I have to go, there’s no other choice."

The Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill commit the Government to acting at speed, accounting for the entire UK carbon footprint, while conserving nature here and overseas.

Extinction Rebellion are also calling on the Government to call a properly representative Citizens’ Assembly, to make truly democratic and binding decisions, with full scientific input, about how to go forward in the challenges and opportunities that face us.

XR Aylesbury vale unfurled a banner over the A41 over the weekend, and have been taking other action around the Vale too.