Rick Guest, a Herefordshire resident and Greenpeace campaigner, has been appealing to local MP Jesse Norman, to take a stand against fracking in the Wye Valley. Rick will be joining forces with Frack Off Our Forest (FOOF) and several hundred other anti-fracking groups, later this month for a peaceful protest.

Rick (pictured right) is planning a quest to the heart of government to draw attention to licences which have been issued by the Government to South Western Energy, to explore for gas and oil. Rick believes these licences threaten the tranquillity of the outstanding Wye Valley and its neighbouring Forest of Dean.

“FOOF have done an amazing job highlighting the issues facing the Forest of Dean,” Rick told the Gazette. “The foresters have been formidable, and we really appreciate the support they are giving us in the shire.”

On August 17th, Rick will be taking on the persona of Gandalf, donning a wizards cloak, and he will walk from Hereford to Hoarwithy in a Tolkien-style quest through Herefordshire, and he is inviting concerned residents to join him at any point on his journey.

At Hoarwithy, he will take a canoe through the stunning landscape of the River Wye to Ross-on-Wye, and then on to Symonds Yat, an area where the Government licences have been issued.

On Saturday, August 20th, Rick will be joined at 12pm by FOOF, at Symonds Yat Rock. The gathering will be followed by a walk through the ancient Herefordshire landscape, along the River Wye.

It is the first leg of a walk during which Rick plans to take his ‘Don’t Frack the Shires’ message to Downing Street, and he hopes to gather further support along the way.

“I think the government may have underestimated the resistance to fracking,” Rick said. “There are thousands of us who believe that fracking is the wrong way ahead, leading to nothing but grief and confrontation. Why would we be willing choose that route?

“We can see exactly what has happened in America and Australia. No matter what the industry says fracking is not safe. How can it be when you are dealing with an element like water? Don’t we know enough about water in this country to understand that you cannot contain it, poisoned or not, and the release of methane spells disaster for our commitment to climate change legislation.”