About us
"Our mission is to inform people of the climate impact of aviation and inspire people to travel by other means."
Flight Free UK was set up in 2018 by Anna Hughes, a behaviour change specialist and long-time advocate of flight-free travel. We challenge people to take a year off flying to reduce emissions and shift the norm away from aviation. Our short-term challenge is a great way to inspire long-term behaviour change, and we show that individual consumer choices can lead to industry and system change.
Prompted by the IPCC '12 year' report, and inspired by the Swedish flygfritt (flight free) movement, Flight Free UK launched its first 'flight free year' pledge in 2019. We collected over 6000 pledges from people promising to take a year off flying, before Covid came along and took the decision out of people's hands. You can read how Covid affected our campaign on our blog. Despite the travel difficulties brought about by the pandemic, we have continued to inspire people to travel without flying for the sake of the climate.
We know that individual action alone isn't enough when it comes to responding to the climate emergency, but our campaign is about more than lots of individuals changing their travel behaviour. Our collective action puts pressure on government and industry to make low-carbon travel more accessible for more people. More powerfully, we are heavily influenced by those around us, so as more people choose to stay on the ground, many more will follow.
At Flight Free UK we focus on just one of the measures that will lead to a reduction in aviation, and we are part of a network of campaigns working in other areas, including resisting airport expansion, demanding fair taxation, and exposing government and industry greenwash.
Our positive campaign empowers and inspires people to give flight-free travel a try, for the sake of the climate and for their own benefit as travellers.
What do people say about us?
"Flight Free UK made me change the way I travel, and I take every opportunity to pass on the message." ~ Jayne, Leeds
"Flight Free UK feels like being part of a community that really does understand and really does care." ~ Sian, Bristol
The team
Amy Morgan
Social Media
Amy is a BA Geography graduate based in Rotherham near Sheffield. After studying the climate crisis at university she felt compelled to make personal changes. Now, as a Flight Free UK intern, she hopes to use her knowledge and experience to support others in making sustainable choices too.
Anna Hughes
Director
Anna has worked in the sustainable transport sector since 2008, mainly focussing on increasing cycling levels with children and families. A lifelong environmentalist, she made the decision to stop flying more than ten years ago and hopes the #FlightFree2023 campaign will inspire others to do the same.
Evie Vouillemin
Podcast
Having previously been a producer on the Up&Coming podcast, Evie now brings her skills and experience to hosting and producing the Flight Free Podcast. Evie also works for the Energy Savings Trust, and her passion for low-carbon transport shines through.
Gemma Pike
Graphics and Design
Gemma has always been passionate about the environment and reducing her carbon footprint. She has in the past volunteered with the Eastern Region Green Party and is active at her workplace trying to embed sustainability. Gemma is passionate about the Flight Free UK campaign and helps us spread the word by developing our infographics.
Lou Millington
Podcast
Based in Liverpool and working in the arts industry, Lou is passionate about storytelling, and how this can be used to raise awareness of environmental issues. Her acting and presenting skills are put to great use on our podcast team.
Mark Taylor
Admin
After completing a Masters in environmental Science in 2020 and being closely involved with the UK Green party, Mark has become increasingly aware of the problems that we and future generations face. He has become determined to effectively communicate and help resolve these issues by changing his diet, running repair cafes and working for Flight Free UK.
Sunita Soundur
Social Media
Engaged with many environmental and social justice issues, Sunita frequently writes about sustainable living and is committed to developing conversations on climate change and responsible consumerism. Her excellent communication skills and creativity are put to good use as she heads up the social media team.
Board of directors
We are governed by a Board of Directors that meets regularly to ensure we fulfil our charitable duties and adhere to Charity Commission guidelines.
Maggie Robertson
Born in England, brought up in Scotland and Wales, Maggie now lives in Bristol. She has a teenage son and is married to a polar scientist, which has made her deeply concerned about climate change. She has a Master’s degree in geography and is a former university manager with experience in strategic planning, resource allocation and risk management. She spent her honeymoon cycling in the Dordogne, and her dream flight-free trip would be to explore the Danube Delta by boat.
Lenny Sayers
Classical musician Lenny heads up the sustainability department at his orchestra, encouraging the musicians to travel by coach and train to gigs in Europe rather than fly. His interest in low-carbon living sees him towing his bass clarinet in his bicycle trailer every day to work.
James Frecknall
Teacher, Green Party councillor and one-time TV star James lives in Hertfordshire with his family. A keen cyclist and challenge-seeker, he has previously cycled through every English county using Sustrans trails, and he also holds the Guinness world record for the biggest blanket fort. His dream flight-free trip would be to the far north of Norway to see the Northern Lights.
Advisory Group
Our advisory group is made up of industry experts and campaigners: Jamie Andrews, Co-founder, Loco2; Daniel Elkan, Founder, SnowCarbon; Natalie Fee, Founder, City to Sea; Cait Hewitt, Deputy Director, AEF; Tim Johnson, Director, AEF; Maja Rosén, Founder, We Stay on the Ground; Max Wakefield, Director of Campaigns, Possible;