Maggie Sutton is a veteran campaigner with the Stop Stansted Expansion campaign.

Tuesday 11 March
Ran off several hundred leaflets on the impact of extra runways on the village of Henham which is holding a parish council meeting on Thursday.

Want to make sure it's all there in black and white since this lovely place will be ruined by five or six times the current level of traffic and will suffer all sorts of road upgrading which will transform it completely.

The Quiz Night on Friday is now fully booked - 130 people when only last week we thought we wouldn't even half fill the venue. It should be fun.

A chap called Gerry took on the organisation of this one off his own bat. I met him for first time last week - thought him a really nice bloke. We're so lucky to have such committed people working on this campaign.

Ian - another great guy - spent the day in office with three of us today. We had a meeting first thing and Ian went on phone duty before we went through distribution lists and he helped me on the computer. He was only meant to stay a couple of hours and eventually his wife called him home at about 4 o'clock.

Friday 6 March
Very busy in the office, reorganising furniture. People using the photocopier, papers everywhere, machines awaiting collection, fax being relocated, just for the afternoon. Started sticking on address labels and stamps for a special mailout, but need to run off another 150, still. It's never ending but should be finished in the morning. Quick catch up with our deputy chairman who was feeling pleased about the progress of a summer concert that we're planning.

Went home and my sister straightened my hair and coloured it so I'll have to put up a new picture to show you 'the other me'.

Tuesday 4 March
Met with Jackie and Ian who've been working very very hard organising our leaflet distributors. We talked about a tactic to use when trying to make a personal contact with these people. I was given a map and the bits etched in red are my responsibility.

Next I await from Jackie the finished list we have all contributed to of who exactly, in our given areas, can be relied upon and where we must drop our leaflets. That suits me because these are the areas I have dropped before.

I was given a map and the bits etched in red are my responsibility

Monday 3 March
In the office to pick up envelopes for tomorrow 's member mailout. Took a copy of Essex Life to Bambers Green for Pat and Dave who always turn up to support the campaign. Pat had dug up some plants from her beautiful garden for me as a thank you!!!!

Tuesday will be busy - first thing photocopying and then the envelopes. But will meet up with lots of 'mates' who will help - as they always do - and bring it all together.

Sunday 2 March
This afternoon Gill, her husband and daughter, my sister, Moya and I have been invited by Douglas Kent from The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings to attend their "Afternoon Visit to Great Pitley Farmhouse, Great Bardfield and Wethersfield Place, Wethersfield". Sounds marvellous.

The Society is increasingly keen to strengthen links with the campaign because of the shared interest we have in protecting the many beautiful buildings which would be destroyed (65 are Grade II listed) or severely compromised by extra runways.

Meanwhile, my friend who lives in France came to stay with me on Thursday and we roped her into one of our meetings to get the art auction - planned for September - off the ground. She couldn't believe at the end of the meeting that we had all only known each other for a few months and seemed to share such an incredible sense of purpose. Wasn't that a compliment! She was very impressed at our dedication.

Friday 28 February
Lunch at Juliet's with the Pledgon Barn team to congratulate ourselves and sort out the handing over of the big cheque!

Thursday 27 February
Consultation relaunch today, with everyone scanning the pages of the new documents issued by the government. No great surprises - Gatwick included but no discussion of any other potential options.

Talk about blinkered and narrow minded - the government really does need to do more to put people before planes

Talk about blinkered and narrow minded - the government really does need to do more to put people before planes, as Norman says, and to start taking its broader responsibilities to people more seriously. Lots of committee activity to follow, no doubt, as we explore the legal opportunities further�

Wednesday 26 February
In the office for a few hours earlier this week and at a fundraising meeting last night. Plenty to do in preparation for the big event: the delivery of a photocopier donated by a kind local business. Guess what! It arrived in a tractor bucket - the only way we could raise it up to the first floor since our staircase is so narrow.

Our chairman, Norman, even had to take the window out - much to our protests of letting someone else do the hard work for we had a carpenter lined up - but Norman being Superman and all things to SSE did it himself.

Trish, Jackie and Richard C, Moya and Lucy all stood by in amazement as the huge beast that is the photocopier was raised up on high. We then set about learning about the all-singing all-dancing beast itself.

Saturday 22 February
Still pondering over yesterday's meeting with our local coordinators who are playing a key role in pulling grassroots activity together. We met up to discuss the best way to use the networks of the parish newsletters, residents' associations and other village groups to distribute leaflets, disseminate information and news and stimulate local activity.

We're hoping that after the initial work is done (and there's certainly plenty of it) it will start to run itself and hopefully as our area widens (to Cambridge!!!) we will link up with many others.

More requests for campaign banners came in today from local councils - this time Stansted and Henham Parish Councils - following our approach on this front.

More requests for campaign banners came in today from local councils

Thursday 20 February
Planning continues apace for awareness raising events to show people what's at stake if extra runways go ahead here.

We've decided to open up our gardens in Broxted on Sunday 29th June - everything from beautiful lawns, plants and flowers to meander through, to a garden featuring model train sets, another with a BBQ and yet another with a pool.

Fantastic views across beautiful countryside towards Thaxted and Saffron Walden - many of which are at risk - free of charge!

Meanwhile, a little earlier in the calendar (29 March) local historian Alfie Wright is preparing to show picutres of the Five Parishes (Broxted Chickney, Tilty, Great Easton and Little Easton) by the airport as they were in the past and as they are now.

Monday 17 February
Was absolutely fuming this morning when I saw the cutting from yesterday's Sunday Express attacking Jamie Oliver for flying.

Honestly, the things that the airline industry and airport developers will stoop to in order to try to make out people are wrong to call for a balance between economics and factors such as health, the environment and quality of life.

My daughter was livid too - and she's only 11. She immediately said that she wanted to complain to the paper that they were wrong to attack someone who has the concerns of everyone - not just people around Stansted - at heart.

Sat her down at the laptop straight away - a girl after my own heart. We sent a copy to Jamie's mum too to let her know that we support her boy. Wonder if they'll print it in the paper.

Happy Valentine, Darling

Sunday 16 February
Up in Glasgow this weekend to attract the attention of Alistair Darling with a giant Valentine's Card for display at the Labour Party Spring Conference.

The enormous 3m x 6m card went on show outside the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre where MPs, Ministers and Labour Party officials were meeting,

All the MPs and their hangers on had already been given a mini-version of the card on the 14th, and we know for a fact that Aviation Minister John Spellar had registered its receipt! That's great, since he's Alistair Darling's right hand man and it's vital that he gets the message just as much as his 'boss'.

Thursday 13 February
Our friendly volunteer electrician came in this morning in readiness for the campaign office's Big Makeover this weekend. A few lights here, an extra socket or two there�

Everything's being moved out tomorrow to make way for a spring clean and lick of paint - then we'll be taking delivery of new desks, carpets, shelves and blinds, all kindly donated by friends of the campaign.

It had better be ready by Sunday afternoon when one of the local papers is planning to send their photographer in to capture the result for posterity!

Wednesday 12 February
Saw Martin on my travels this evening - the lights on his van flashing wildly. There he was banging in big posts for displaying his posters - talk about nick of time�

As well as helping with our mass postering, Martin has managed to create a bit of a stir locally with his 'your village - twinned with Heathrow?' signs. Certainly prompted a few concerns amongst locals out late, walking their dogs or going back from the pub.

Hopefully a few extra people will wake up tomorrow and ask what's at stake here - in other words, take note of the fact that the government wants to build an airport here with five times the number of passengers, double the capacity of Heathrow today, which would be the world's largest hub airport.

Tuesday 11 February
Met Marion and Gill for lunch. This is the late birthday celebration we had planned the other day but cancelled due to pressure of voluntary work! Talked about a new events committee idea and we have made a provisional date next week regarding taking it further and asking a few 'lucky' people to help.

Went to Duton Hill Three Horseshoes pub to give out Valentine cards this evening for people to send to Alistair Darling to say 'Don't go breaking our heart, Darling' and 'Make our Valentine's Day - No new runways at Stansted'.

Was up till 1am this morning laminating posters because everyone (and his wife) needed the last few.

Monday 10 February
What larks, Mr Pip... Received a call from Jane and Clare in Hatfield Forest - fabulous historic woodland owned by the National Trust but threatened by the expansion proposals - putting up posters along the roads nearby which the aviation spokesmen for the Lib Dems and Tories will be taking when they visit us on Thursday and Friday.

I must say we've really gone to town to make our views known. Think we must have put up around 3000 posters already - all laminated too for longer lasting looks! If they don't go back to Westminster taking a strong message about our opposition to expansion, I'd be very much surprised.

Sunday 9 February
Just back from the Stop Stansted Expansion Community Conference which was held this afternoon for nearly 200 people. It was great - especially Sally Oliver - Jamie's mum - who moved me almost to tears with her description of how her parents were so proud to be able to give her a good quality of life when she was little and how she tried to do the same for her children.

She really summed up the threat which faces so many thousands of people locally when she explained how her own children are now doing their best for their kids - but how unknown the future is because of the government's fixation on expansion at any price.

Local MPs and MEP were good too - so was Peter Sanders who edited the campaign's formal response to the consultation (see http://www.stopstanstedexpansion.com/responses.html). He gave a riveting presentation of the main arguments against proposals for Stansted as well as outlining how demand management and offshore solutions should be given greater attention in planning for the future. Alistair Darling, take note!

Thursday 6 February
We're all reeling from the horror that is John Prescott's so called 'community plan' which will plonk hundreds of thousands of houses not too far from here at some point over the next twenty or so years. They'll be sustainable shoeboxes according to the spin.

Shame that a government can't be concreted over in the way that the countryside can. Where will it end? It certainly makes you wonder if the whole community plan and airports consultation thing isn't an elaborate stitch-up.

Still, we had plenty of coverage as our campaign chairman Norman was called on for the One O'clock news (we invaded the Four Ashes pub in Takeley to watch him - thanks to the landlady for letting us turn up the telly).

Mike, meanwhile, went out with the Ten O'clock News team to film with them, while Tricia whose been campaigning to prevent the destruction of the area for some thirty years was scooped up by the BBC Online News team to tour the area and meet the locals.

Tuesday 4 February
It may not have sounded like it, but it really has been a busy week - not least because we're all laminating posters ready for the political visits. In fact, I'm going to have to get a new machine since this one is on its last legs.

It was madness in the office when I popped in there. Gill and I were due to have lunch together as it was her birthday but it was so very busy in the office we didn't leave until about 5pm even though lots of us were in. We were sorting out the packs for Sunday's Community Conference at the Stansted Hilton and producing badges and delegate packs for one and all. More like a couple of hundred and all!

This week will be busy preparing for the Plegdon Barn champagne reception and fundraising evening but hopefully we'll find time to finish putting up most of the posters before then.

Monday 3 February
Back to the barn to clean up! Still can't believe we did so well on Saturday.

Plenty of running about today - visiting the post office and carrying on with the organisation of the leaflet distribution with dozens of others.

This evening I set off to deliver loads of leaflets and posters; having to go to Great Bardfield, Wendens Ambo, Ugley, Rickling Green, Great Chesterford (yes, where Germaine Greer lives) and Arkesdon. However the snow came down before too long and it was really scary trying to maintain control.

I couldn't see and the car was skidding

I couldn't see and the car was skidding - it was so frightening I had to finish before I'd done everything.

Saturday 1 February
Tonight's champagne fundraiser was a tremendous success - the barn was packed and there was masses to eat and vintage bubbly to drink.

It was lovely meeting old and new faces too - we certainly have some very loyal supporters out there!

Best of all we made just under �10,000 on the 20 or so auction lots and we estimate that we will have made in excess of �13,000 all told - but there isn't as yet a final figure.

That will certainly help pay for some of the Parliamentary consultants, media specialists and campaign managers we're using to give our campaigning an edge. Not to mention all those posters we're churning out and laminating!

Oh, and I came out of it well: my husband bid for the signed Jamie Oliver knife and gave it to me as a present

Friday 31 January
Many of the newsletter distributors are also helping with the distribution of the Green Letter Writing Campaign and News Update leaflets. We're targeting Margaret Beckett, the Secretary of State for the Environment, to get her to have a word with her opposite number, Alistair Darling, over in Transport.

We've had around 50,000 of each leaflet printed and they're being distributed far and wide to spur on those who are good at putting pen to paper. For the technically minded, there's plenty of back up material, including points to make and sample letters, on the campaign website.

Tuesday 28 January
This week will be busy preparing for the Plegdon Barn champagne reception and fundraising evening but hopefully we'll find time to finish putting up most of the posters before then - especially since some fellow campaigners from the Stop Stan campaign will be coming out to help.

Sunday 26 January
Overwhelmingly successful afternoon with over 600 posters coated in plastic ready to dazzle the senior politicians who'll be visiting the area on 13th and 14th February to see the beauty of the area threatened by airport expansion.

Gill plus daughter Heather, my sister Caroline, friend Jane and all my own children beavered away all afternoon with the laminating machine working overtime in the process!

Next step: get them out into the community adorning lampposts, bollards, trees anything that stays still long enough!

Friday 24 January
Made more calls then produced batches of publicity flyers for our Community Conference on 9 February, this time to tempt councillors from the various local authorities with an interest in what we're doing to fight expansion.

Dropped off the flyers for the councillors' pigeon holes at each of the council offices - the best way of making sure they get to the right people as fast as possible.

Finished the afternoon with a quick trip to collect masses of laminating pouches and posters for outdoor display.

We're having a laminating party on Sunday and I�ve agreed to provide lunch for those who turn up to help.

Thursday 23 January
Really busy all day with phonecalls to dozens of local parish clerks to see if they�d consider buying campaign banners for local display and to check out their deadlines for local newsletters.

Great as the local papers are, and they really do us proud, there are still lots of people who only read the national newspapers or who don�t read any at all, so really local magazines are a great way of filling some of the gaps in between.

Tuesday 21 January
Photocall for the Herts and Essex Observer this morning with Andy, Cecile and Jackie designed to help us promote the campaign to put up posters.

We braved the elements (and there were plenty of them) and Tilty village now looks the absolute picture of opposition to extra runways. Can't wait to see what the pictures look like.

Back to the campaign office for a quick visit in the afternoon, picking up and replying to emails along the way.

Thinking hard about ways to improve membership numbers and also about how we can best respond to the requests from local schools for balanced information about the threat of expansion, made some calls to push this along.

The campaign is gearing up as we move closer to the restarted government consultation

Monday 20 January
Met up with the organisers of another auction planned for 1st February this morning - a champagne reception designed to tempt those with money to bid for some very classy lots which have been donated - including tickets for the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield and the use of a Rolls for a day.

Agreed to hand deliver numerous final invitations for this to make sure we get the best possible turn out.

Back home to prepare 50 laminated posters for tomorrow's photograph with the local paper and make numerous calls to site for one of the campaign banners in the nearby village of Henham.

Saturday 18 January
The campaign is gearing up as we move closer to the restarted government consultation and we're already planning for the politicians visits which start in mid February.

Little wonder then that I spent most of Saturday chasing round for laminating pouches to make sure that our protest posters will last in the face of storms galore predicted for the coming days.

By the evening I was ready for a bit of R and R - but no chance! Went to the Auction of Promises held in aid of the campaign by the people of Little Easton which raised a staggering �5.000 instead of the �2.000 predicted by the organisers.

Over 120 people attended the event which offered a range of auction lots to suit all pockets - but the best one in my opinion was the chap who offered himself as a handyman for the day - sold to the highest bidder at �85! Even his wife bid for his services in an effort to get more done at home!

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