As many of you will be aware, Cuadrilla are constructing, at Preston New Road, near Blackpool, what is generally accepted to be the largest capacity fracking pad anywhere on earth. The site leaves local people in no doubt as to the impact and scale of this industry. This site is destined to be one of many, if we all let it happen.

The local residents of the Fylde will shortly be living in what Cuadrilla CEO Francis Egan has predicted to be "the largest gas field in the whole of Western Europe".

We need help raising funds for public meetings to satisfy the rapidly growing demand for honest information on fracking. Money raised will be used to pay for leaflets, venues and local advertising. This will ensure everybody has the opportunity to know the facts and organise to protect themselves from this highly contentious and "community dividing" industry.

Chartered Engineer Mike Hill, B.Sc. (Hons) C.Eng. MIET will be giving a talk and then fielding all questions from the public in an extensive Question and Answer session. Mike is a process automation specialist with many years of experience in oil and gas. He is also a UK Expert Member of the Technical Working Group of the Hydrocarbon-BREF under the Joint Research Council of the EU Commission. His numerous articles on fracking as an author and co-author have been published in The Lancet, The Guardian and The Medact Report. He was also a contributor to the Royal Society/ Royal Academy of Engineering Shale Gas Report.