Ashley The Warrior

Ashley has been a frequent visitor to St. Anne's House and is a friend of Edges Magazine. Last December he accompanied us in the centre of Manchester where we held a Vigil for people who are homeless and in need.

Ashley has spent some time moving from hostel to hostel; however he now feels he has finally found fulfillment in his life. At present he is at a camp near Manchester Airport, he states the following: -

There's an Aviation Law that says there have to be changes to the woods we are staying in, they are such a distance from the airport why does it need to happen? 300 trees are going to be affected by it. We are there to try and stop them doing that, but it's on National Trust land, so we don't know whether the evictions are taking place or not. They want to build a new runway and the woods are directly next to the rear of the second runway, so we're there to stop them, well try to stop them, from felling the trees, which are the woods we are occupying.

I first got involved at the last Manchester Airport campaign against the second runway being built. I went down every day and finished up staying. I've been travelling about the country ever since to various other campaigns. As well as Manchester Airport, I've been to Crafnant Valley in Wales, from there spent a bit of time in Liverpool, Teddybear Woods in Weymouth, I've been to Birmingham (Northern Relief Road), and then back to the Airport.

I really enjoy being on the camp; it's doing something positive. We have done campaigns that have been successful and stopped road buildings, tree-felling etc. We had a successful one in Crafnant Valley in Wales; it was Cashcrab they were felling. We weren't too worried about the Cashcrab but there was a badger set that has been there for over 100 years and there are ten badgers that are there in permanent residence. We stopped them from felling within so many hundred yards of the badger set. There were about five of us at that one and we were the first ever people to win against the Forestry Commission. We continue to go back to see that they have kept to their guidelines - they have done so far. I have a dog myself called "Tip" and he got the name because he was found as a puppy abandoned on a tip in Anglesey. I've had him ever since he was found. He travels round the sites with me and really enjoys being outdoors and he gets fed dog food -proper dog food - which people are always asking me about - they say "what do you feed your dog!?"

Over the last few years I have learned that if you just sit back and accept what the Government, or whoever else it is that wants to do some campaign that is destructive, then it is just going to go ahead, but if you actually get up and do something about it and let people know you are not willing to accept it, then you can be successful.

I am not really sure what I'd like to do in the future, I'll probably just carry on travelling round and campaigning. I don't know what is going to happen in the future.