Campaigners battling to halt mining exploration in Kirkcudbrightshire have received an “Absolutely Fabulous” declaration of support.
The star of the famous TV series, Dame Joanna Lumley, has added her voice to the chorus of opposition to mines survey work.
Australian firm Walkabout Resources has been boring for precious and base metals at Blackcraig and other sites in hill country between Newton Stewart, Gatehouse and Dalry.
The work has sparked fierce opposition and Galloway Against Mining (GAM) has enlisted more than 1,200 people in its Facebook crusade.
Member Julie Izon-Williams hit on the idea of seeking celebrity backing for the campaign – and was thrilled when Joanna narrated Julie’s anti-mining fairy tale, Billy and the Evil Drill Monster.
A delighted Julie, 59, from Newton Stewart, told the News: “For the past week or so, I have been busy writing a short fairy tale explaining ’Galloway Against Mining’ to actors, authors and musicians.
“Joanna got back to me the day after I sent the story to her agent and I received this wonderful recording from her reading the story.
“It was really good of her to that – absolutely fabulous in fact.
“She’s already narrated a short film about a bauxite [aluminium ore] mine in India.
“So I knew she had an interest in campaigning on behalf of people threatened by mining activity.
“It was so kind of her to do the audio for my little book – it’s just a different way of getting the message across.
“Joanna is a very busy person and she has a new TV series.
“Yet she has taken the time out to read about our campaign and what is going on in Galloway.”
Julie, a former librarian and worker with the trade union Unison, added: “This is Scotland Year of Stories and I thought it would be nice to try and get some celebrities on board.
“The members of the group are thrilled and are so grateful to Joanna for helping to highlight the campaign.”
Dame Joanna has a home near Thornhill and is patron of the Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust in Dumfries.
Her reading of Julie’s tale is at https://soundcloud.com/merv-williams-448266892/billy-and-the-drill-monster
