THREE women from West Devon were part of the thousand strong Extinction Rebellion (XR) protestors who converged onto Westminster to highlight their concerns over climate change.

Earlier this month, protestors blocked roads and set up camps with tents and banners as part of the two-week long protests to demand ‘government action on the climate and environmental crises’.

Sian Aubrey from Buckland Monachorum, Chris Simpson, Tavistock, and Perdie Heller, Horrabridge, are part of local XR groups who came together to form the Tamar London Extinction Rebellion, which also included residents from Calstock, Horrabridge and Tavistock.

XR was created almost one year ago and has since grown global. It has three demands: That the Government ‘must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change’; Government must act now; and the Government ‘must create and be led by the decisions of, a citizens’ assembly on climate and ecological justice’.

Sian, Chris and Perdie all felt it was their duty to join the protests.

Sian, a retired teacher for the deaf and volunteer at Citizens Advice, said: ‘We are in a climate emergency and more extreme measures are needed.

‘We caused some disruption as they (the Government) are not fulfilling their duty.

‘We had to act in the only way we can and caused disruption for the Government to take measures. How we live our lives daily is important and how we are going to change our lives.’

Sian, who was arrested for obstruction during the protest, said: ‘The big thing is that XR is non-violent but we protested by causing obstruction. XR does not mean you have to get arrested — four of us from the group of 26 were arrested for obstruction of the highway and causing a nuisance.’

Chris, a teacher in higher education, said: ‘People need to understand that it’s a real emergency and take action. These are small impacts on this country but the impacts are much greater around the world.

‘I learned about the greenhouse effect in school in 1975 so it’s not new. I have tried to live in environmental ways, signed petitions, made donations, not eaten meat, so I have been doing these gentle things in the system. I woke up to the fact that we have this last chance and the solutions are there and it is possible to turn it around. XR have given me hope that I am able to do something.

‘There are a lot of older people who took part in the rebellion and you can see the concern and fear in people’s eyes for the future.’

Perdie, a foster carer, gardener and mum, added: ‘It doesn’t take that many people to put themselves on the line and that we are prepared to give up our liberty to change the Government’s focus.’