Tamsin Omond
Encyclopedia
Tamsin Omond is an author
, environmental activist and journalist
. She has campaigned for the government of the United Kingdom
to take action to avoid man-made climate change
.
In 2009, she was included in the Sunday Times list of "Top 30 Power Players Under-30".
, Omond graduated from Trinity College
, Cambridge
, and also has an MA
degree in Ecology
and Social Justice
from the Open University
. She is the grand-daughter of Sir Thomas Lees
, a baronet
.
In 2009, she published her first book : "Rush - The Making of a Climate Activist". Omond has written articles about Christianity, climate change and human rights. She has been published in the Church Times
, The Ecologist
, The Guardian
, The Evening Standard and The Mail on Sunday
.
Omond originally campaigned as a member of the activist group Plane Stupid
, although she has stated that she is no longer active with the group. Omond is a founding member of the activist group Climate Rush
. She has organised a number of high profile protests including scaling the roof of the House of Commons to protest against aviation
, for which she was arrested and bailed on the condition that she did not enter Parliament. In October 2008, she breached this condition by organizing a 500 person "rush" on the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. This led to her being re-arrested and threatened with imprisonment due to her breach of bail. Instead she was then bailed with a strengthening of her bail conditions to ban her from going within one kilometre of Parliament. This bail condition has now been lifted and Omond is now free to enter Parliament.
Omond has also organised protests against the Expansion of London Heathrow Airport
. In May 2008, she said that she would be prepared to be imprisoned for life
for her cause..
Omond claims that her activism has been inspired by the Suffragettes, who had campaigned using direct action
for Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom
at the beginning of the 20th Century. An independent film has been made about Omond's connection to the campaigning techniques of the women's suffrage
movement.
Omond was included the Daily Mail's list of people to watch in 2010. She was placed in the Sunday Times's Top 30 Power Players Under-30. Omond was also placed in 56th place in the Independent on Sunday's 2009 "Pink List", a list of the 101 most influential gay men and women in Britain. In 2011, Omond was placed in 3rd place in the Daily Mail's 50 "most powerful posh people in Britain under 30".
. She received 123 votes (0.2% of total votes cast).
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, environmental activist and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. She has campaigned for the government of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to take action to avoid man-made climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
.
In 2009, she was included in the Sunday Times list of "Top 30 Power Players Under-30".
Early life and education
Having completed her secondary education at Westminster SchoolWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, Omond graduated from Trinity College
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, and also has an MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in Ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
and Social Justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
from the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
. She is the grand-daughter of Sir Thomas Lees
Lees Baronets
There have been three Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Lees, all in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom.The Lees Baronetcy, of Blackrock in the County of Dublin, was created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom on 30 June 1804 for the soldier and politician John Lees.The Lees...
, a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
.
In 2009, she published her first book : "Rush - The Making of a Climate Activist". Omond has written articles about Christianity, climate change and human rights. She has been published in the Church Times
Church Times
The Church Times is an independent Anglican weekly newspaper. It is published in the United Kingdom on Fridays.The Church Times was founded in 1863 to campaign for Anglo-Catholic principles and has always been independent of the Church of England hierarchy. It was a family concern The Church Times...
, The Ecologist
The Ecologist
The Ecologist is a British environmental publication founded in 1970 by Edward Goldsmith. It addresses a wide range of environmental subjects and promotes an ecological systems thinking approach through its news stories, investigations and opinion articles. The Ecologist encourages its readers to...
, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, The Evening Standard and The Mail on Sunday
The Mail on Sunday
The Mail on Sunday is a British conservative newspaper, currently published in a tabloid format. First published in 1982 by Lord Rothermere, it became Britain's biggest-selling Sunday newspaper following the closing of The News of the World in July 2011...
.
Omond originally campaigned as a member of the activist group Plane Stupid
Plane Stupid
Plane Stupid is a UK-focused group of environmental protesters who state their aim as wanting to see an end to airport expansion for what it sees as "unnecessary and unsustainable" flights. The organisation has no formal hierarchy, leader, or media figurehead. It is a loose association of...
, although she has stated that she is no longer active with the group. Omond is a founding member of the activist group Climate Rush
Climate Rush
Climate Rush is a UK organisation that campaigns on various environmental issues related to climate change. Their website states that, "We are a diverse group of women and men who are determined to raise awareness of the biggest threat facing humanity today - that of Climate Change". The...
. She has organised a number of high profile protests including scaling the roof of the House of Commons to protest against aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
, for which she was arrested and bailed on the condition that she did not enter Parliament. In October 2008, she breached this condition by organizing a 500 person "rush" on the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. This led to her being re-arrested and threatened with imprisonment due to her breach of bail. Instead she was then bailed with a strengthening of her bail conditions to ban her from going within one kilometre of Parliament. This bail condition has now been lifted and Omond is now free to enter Parliament.
Omond has also organised protests against the Expansion of London Heathrow Airport
Expansion of London Heathrow Airport
The expansion of London Heathrow Airport involved the proposal by BAA Limited to build a third runway and a sixth terminal at Heathrow. The plan was supported by businesses, the aviation industry, the British Chambers of Commerce, the Confederation of British Industry, the Trades Union Congress and...
. In May 2008, she said that she would be prepared to be imprisoned for life
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
for her cause..
Omond claims that her activism has been inspired by the Suffragettes, who had campaigned using direct action
Direct action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
for Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom
Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom
Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom as a national movement began in 1872. Women were not prohibited from voting in the United Kingdom until the 1832 Reform Act and the 1835 Municipal Corporations Act...
at the beginning of the 20th Century. An independent film has been made about Omond's connection to the campaigning techniques of the women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
movement.
Omond was included the Daily Mail's list of people to watch in 2010. She was placed in the Sunday Times's Top 30 Power Players Under-30. Omond was also placed in 56th place in the Independent on Sunday's 2009 "Pink List", a list of the 101 most influential gay men and women in Britain. In 2011, Omond was placed in 3rd place in the Daily Mail's 50 "most powerful posh people in Britain under 30".
2010 general election
Omond stood in the 2010 General election in the newly created Hampstead and Kilburn constituency. She has created a new independent party, The Commons. They plan to engage young people in voting and promote sustainability in the local area. It was also praised by commentator Giles CorenGiles Coren
Giles Coren is a British food critic, television presenter and novelist. He is known for expressing controversial opinions, and for his television appearances with the comedian Sue Perkins.-Personal:...
. She received 123 votes (0.2% of total votes cast).