Editing Joanna Lumley (section)

==Activism==
Lumley is also known for her support for [[Gurkha]]s, the [[Tibetan independence movement|exiled Tibetan people and government]], the [[Khonds]] indigenous people of India and the Prospect Burma charity, which offers grants to Burmese students, for whom she broadcast a BBC Radio 4 charity appeal in 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prospectburma.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=2|title=Home – Prospect Burma|work=prospectburma.org|access-date=2 June 2009|archive-date=21 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821124749/http://www.prospectburma.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=2|url-status=dead}}</ref> Her father was a commanding officer of a troop of Gurkhas who fought in [[World War II]].<ref name="The Daily Telegraph">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/2988869/Joanna-Lumley-Ill-quit-Britain-if-there-is-no-justice-for-Gurkhas.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920115933/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/2988869/Joanna-Lumley-Ill-quit-Britain-if-there-is-no-justice-for-Gurkhas.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 September 2008|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|title=Joanna Lumley: I'll quit Britain if there is no justice for Gurkhas|date=19 September 2008|access-date=27 March 2010}}</ref>

===Gurkha Justice Campaign===
[[File:Guka Joanna Lumley 1.JPG|thumb|250px|right|Lumley with [[David Cameron]], [[Bob Russell (British politician)|Bob Russell]] and the Liberal Democrat leader, [[Nick Clegg]], celebrating the vote in favour of giving Gurkha veterans right of residence]]
{{Main|Gurkha Justice Campaign}}
In 2008, Lumley became the public face of the [[Gurkha Justice Campaign]], a campaign to provide all [[Nepalis|Nepalese origin]] [[Gurkha]] veterans who served in the [[British Army]] before 1997 the right to settle in Britain. Those serving following 1997 had already been granted permission, but the British Government had not extended the offer to all of the Gurkhas. On 20 November 2008, Lumley led a large all-party group including Gurkhas starting from [[Parliament Square]] to [[10 Downing Street]] with a petition signed by 250,000 people.<ref>[http://www.gurkhajustice.org.uk/about_us.html "About the Gurkha Justice Campaign: Campaign Organisers"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001173054/http://gurkhajustice.org.uk/about_us.html |date=1 October 2013 }} Gurkha Justice web site</ref>

On 24 April 2009, she stated that she was "ashamed" of the UK administration's decision to affix five criteria to the Gurkhas' right to settle in the UK. With the support of both Opposition parties and Labour rebel MPs on 29 April 2009, a Liberal Democrat motion that all Gurkhas be offered an equal right of residence was passed, allowing Gurkhas who served before 1997 residence in the UK and access to housing, social security and healthcare.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8014265.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=Fury over Gurkha settlement plan | date=24 April 2009 | access-date=27 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8019745.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=Lib Dems challenge Gurkha ruling | date=26 April 2009 | access-date=27 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8023882.stm|title=BBC 'Brown defeated over Gurkha rules'|access-date=29 April 2009 | date=29 April 2009 | publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Following the Government defeat, the [[Minister of State for Immigration|Minister for Immigration]] [[Phil Woolas]] stated that a further review would be completed by the middle of July.

On 5 May 2009, Lumley said that she had received private assurances of support from "a senior member of the [[British royal family|Royal Family]]",<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8034131.stm|title= No 10 denies Lumley 'Gurkha snub'|work= BBC News|date= 5 May 2009|access-date=23 May 2009}}</ref> and attended a meeting with [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[Gordon Brown]] at [[10 Downing Street]] the following day. Afterwards, she described the meeting as "extremely positive", and praised Mr Brown, saying, "I trust him. I rely on him. And I know that he has now taken this matter into his own hands and so today is a very good day."<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8036036.stm|title= Lumley 'trusts' Brown on Gurkhas|work= BBC News|date= 6 May 2009|access-date=23 May 2009}}</ref>

However, on the day following the meeting with Brown, five Gurkha veterans who had applied for residency in the United Kingdom received letters telling them that their appeals had been rejected – many saw this as a betrayal, despite the fact that for the letters to have been received the day after the meeting they might have been sent before it (and certainly following the 29 April Commons vote). Lumley confronted [[Phil Woolas]] at the BBC Westminster studios about the issue and, after her pursuing him around the studio, the pair held an impromptu press conference in which Woolas agreed to accept Gurkha Justice Campaign input in developing new guidelines by July while giving sympathetic treatment to Gurkhas not meeting the then current immigration guidelines before the development of new guidelines.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8037181.stm|title= Lumley in public clash on Gurkhas|work= BBC News|date= 7 May 2009|access-date=23 May 2009}}</ref>

Following a [[Home Affairs Select Committee|Commons Home Affairs Committee]] meeting in which talks were held between campaigners, the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] and the [[Home Office]] on 19 May,<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/5360033/Gurkhas-in-Britain-a-timeline-of-their-campaign-to-stay.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090526221658/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/5360033/Gurkhas-in-Britain-a-timeline-of-their-campaign-to-stay.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= 26 May 2009|title= Gurkhas in Britain: a timeline of their campaign to stay|work= The Daily Telegraph|date= 21 May 2009|access-date=23 May 2009 | location=London}}</ref> all Gurkha veterans who had served four years or more in the British Army before 1997 were given the right to settle in Britain.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8060607.stm|title= Gurkhas win right to settle in UK|work= BBC News|date= 21 May 2009|access-date=23 May 2009}}</ref>

Lumley's success in campaigning prompted calls for her to stand as a [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] at the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 UK general election]]. However, she has dismissed the suggestion.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/lindy-mcdowell/lindy-mcdowell-how-joanna--lumley--is-leading-the-charge-14312324.html|work= The Belfast Telegraph|first= Lindy|last= McDowell|title= How Joanna Lumley is leading the charge|date= 23 May 2009|access-date=23 May 2009}}</ref> During an appearance on ''[[Friday Night with Jonathan Ross]]'' on 29 May 2009, she reiterated that she had no desire to stand for election to the House of Commons.

In July 2009, Lumley went on a visit to Nepal. Upon her arrival at [[Tribhuvan International Airport]], she was greeted by crowds of Gurkha supporters. Lumley said in a statement, "I feel so humbled by the fact I'm going to meet so many ex-Gurkhas and their families, and see where they are and how they live."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8169319.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=Lumley mobbed by crowds in Nepal | date=26 July 2009 | access-date=27 March 2010}}</ref> While there, Lumley was hailed 'Daughter of Nepal' by the crowds of fans at the airport.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8169641.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=Lumley greeted as 'daughter of Nepal' | date=26 July 2009 | access-date=27 March 2010 | first=Joanna | last=Jolly}}</ref>

===Work for Survival International===
{{Main|Survival International}}
Lumley has long been a supporter of [[Survival International]] and the cause of indigenous rights, and narrated Survival's documentary, ''Mine: Story of a Sacred Mountain''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1433152/|title=Mine: Story of a Sacred Mountain|date=1 April 2009|via=IMDb}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/4604|title=London protesters vow to stop British mine and destruction of tribe in India|first=Survival|last=International}}</ref> The film tells the story of the remote [[Khonds|Dongria Kondha]] tribe in India and their battle to stop a vast [[bauxite]] mine from destroying their land and way of life. In defence of the Dongria, she has said, <blockquote>"It greatly disturbs me that a British company will be responsible for the destruction of these wonderful people. I urge the public to support the Dongria, who simply want to be allowed to live in peace. Unlike so many of India's rural poor, the Dongria actually live very well in the Niyamgiri hills, and it's a terrible irony that what [[Vedanta Resources|Vedanta]] is proposing to do in the name of 'development' will actually destroy this completely self-sufficient people."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/4403|title=Joanna Lumley narrates new film about remote tribe|first=Survival|last=International}}</ref></blockquote> Lumley also contributed her writing for the book ''We Are One: A Celebration of Tribal Peoples'', released in October 2009 with profits going in support of Survival.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.survivalinternational.org/weareone|title=We Are One|first=Survival|last=International}}</ref> A collection of photographs, statements from tribal people and essays from international authors, the book explores the richness of the cultures of [[indigenous peoples]] around the world and the risks to their existence. In her essay for the book, Lumley speaks of the Dongria way of life and the threats they face in the name of corporate interests, and calls for action to stop such decisions.<ref>{{cite book |title=We are One: A Celebration of Tribal Peoples |last=Eede |first=Joanna |publisher=Quadrille Publishing |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-84400-729-5}}</ref>

===Other patronage===
Since 1984 Lumley has been a Patron of [[Born Free Foundation]] founded in the same year by the stars of the popular wildlife film [[Born Free]], [[Bill Travers]] and [[Virginia McKenna]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bornfree.org.uk/ |title=International Animal Welfare Charity |publisher=Born Free |date= |accessdate=8 March 2022}}</ref> The Foundation (originally called Zoo Check), campaigns to 'keep wildlife in the wild'. She has fronted a number of the charity's campaigns, including the relocation of endangered giraffe in Kenya and, in 2020, narrating a short film entitled 'Protect Them, Protect Us', concerning the relentless exploitation and consumption of wildlife and the natural world, and its link with the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the death of Bill Travers in 1994, Lumley remains a close friend of McKenna and her eldest son, [[Will Travers]], who is the charity's Executive President.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bill Travers: "born free" star, Animal Conservationist |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=3 April 1994 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-04-03-mn-41574-story.html}}</ref>

In May 2016, Lumley became a Patron of [[Population Matters]], an organisation campaigning for the achievement of a sustainable global population size.<ref>{{cite web |title=Population Matters appoints Joanna Lumley as patron |publisher=Population Matters |url=http://www.populationmatters.org/population-matters-appoint-noted-actress-joanna-lumley-patron/ |access-date=12 May 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610220659/http://www.populationmatters.org/population-matters-appoint-noted-actress-joanna-lumley-patron/ |archive-date=10 June 2016 }}</ref>

Lumley has been a Patron of the UK charity [[Tree Aid]],<ref>[http://www.treeaid.org.uk/ Info] Tree Aid web site</ref> since 1993. The organisation aims to enable communities in Africa's drylands to fight poverty and become self-reliant, while improving the environment.

Lumley is also a Patron of the [[Pastoral and Environmental Network in the Horn of Africa|Pastoral and Environmental Network in the Horn of Africa (PENHA)]]. PENHA is an African inspired and led international nongovernmental organization (INGO) and research institute, founded in 1989 by a group of development practitioners concerned about the future of pastoralism in the [[Horn of Africa]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.penhanetwork.org/home/|title=Welcome to Penha – Penha|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120109001630/http://www.penhanetwork.org/home/|archive-date=9 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=About us – PENHA|url=https://www.penhanetwork.org/about-us/|access-date=21 January 2021|language=en-GB}}</ref>

Another charity which Lumley is a Patron of is ''[[Kids for Kids]]'', helping children in Darfur, Sudan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kidsforkids.org.uk/patron-sand-endorsements/|title=Patrons and Endorsements|date=22 May 2015|access-date=10 March 2021|archive-date=4 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304094536/https://www.kidsforkids.org.uk/patron-sand-endorsements/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Lumley is also a Patron of the Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peterpanmoatbrae.org/the-project/about-us/|title=The Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust|work=peterpanmoatbrae.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904174315/http://www.peterpanmoatbrae.org/the-project/about-us|archive-date=4 September 2012}}</ref> [[Moat Brae]] was the favourite place for author [[J. M. Barrie]] to play as a child and the house and gardens are said to have inspired Barrie to create [[Peter Pan]]. The trust is undertaking a £4 million fundraising project to renovate the Georgian house and gardens to operate as an educational and cultural centre for local schools and JM Barrie enthusiasts and scholars.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-14343219 |title=BDumfries Peter Pan house project launched |publisher=BBC News |date=2 August 2011 |access-date=21 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dgstandard.co.uk/dumfries-news/local-news-dumfries/2011/08/03/actress-supports-moat-brae-plans-51311-29164839/ |title=Actress supports Moat Brae plans – Dumfries and Galloway Standard |work=Dgstandard.co.uk |access-date=21 October 2012}}</ref>

Lumley is a Patron of the UK environmental charity Earth Restoration Service.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.earthrestorationservice.org/patrons-and-supporters|title=Supporters|website=Earth Restoration Service|language=en-US|access-date=9 December 2019}}</ref> which supports environmental restoration programmes in UK schools, particularly by [[Tree planting|planting trees]] and [[wildflower]] meadows. In 2008, she spoke on behalf of the charity in the [[House of Lords]] to argue for a strong and more widespread [[environmental movement]] across the world, and in 2009 she provided the voice over for a short [[Animation|animated film]] produced by the charity.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2009/jun/24/joanna-lumley-climate-change|title=Can Joanna Lumley make us listen when it comes to the environment {{!}} Leo Hickman|last=Hickman|first=Leo|date=24 June 2009|work=The Guardian|access-date=9 December 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

Lumley is Patron of the UK charity Trust in Children<ref>[http://www.trustinchildren.org/about/who-we-are/our-patrons/ Our patrons] Trust in Children web site</ref> which aims to help children from poor backgrounds to access education and opportunities for non-academic development.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithoutPartB.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=236625&SubsidiaryNumber=0|title=Charity overview|language=en|access-date=27 November 2018}}</ref>

Lumley has a long association and interest in [[Nepal]] and its people that grew out of her father's service as an officer in 6th Gurkha Rifles. She agreed to become a Vice Patron of [[The Gurkha Welfare Trust]] in 2009.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.gwt.org.uk/about-us/patrons/|title=Our Patrons {{!}} The Gurkha Welfare Trust {{!}} About Us|work=The Gurkha Welfare Trust|access-date=2 November 2018|language=en-GB}}</ref>

===London Garden Bridge===
{{Main|Garden Bridge}}
Lumley first lobbied for a garden bridge across London's [[River Thames]] in the late 1990s as a memorial to the late [[Princess Diana]]; this campaign was unsuccessful. In 2002 she presented detailed plans (produced by engineering group Arup) for the bridge to then [[Mayor of London]] [[Ken Livingstone]]; this bid was also rejected. In 2012 days after the re-election of [[Boris Johnson]] as Mayor of London Lumley sent an effusive congratulatory letter to him outlining her proposal for the bridge.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/may/24/joanna-lumley-role-boris-johnson-thames-garden-bridge-london-thomas-heatherwick|title=How Joanna Lumley charmed 'dear Boris' to back her garden bridge dream|last=Townsend|first=Mark|date=23 May 2015|work=The Guardian|location=London}}</ref> It was later revealed that she felt confident of a favourable response from Johnson as she had known him "since he was four years old".<ref name="Cockburn" /> [[Thomas Heatherwick]] was proposed by Lumley as the designer for the bridge; he is mentioned favourably in her 2004 [[autobiography]].<ref name="Cockburn" />

The Johnson-chaired [[Transport for London]] body initiated a competition for a new central London cross-river footbridge. Three firms were invited to submit proposals and Heatherwick Studios won the competition despite having never previously built a bridge on the proposed scale unlike the losing practices which had built very many. This outcome proved highly controversial.<ref name="Cockburn" /> Equally the subsequent funding arrangements for the bridge attracted criticism. These included: "Unorthodox" circumvention of official procedures for public money use by then [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] [[George Osborne]]. A £10,000 taxpayer-funded trip by Johnson, Heatherwick and Sir [[Edward Lister, Baron Udny-Lister|Edward Lister]] to [[Apple Computer]] in [[San Francisco]] seeking sponsorship for the bridge (the bid failed). Escalating cost estimates for the project topped out at around £200 million<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/13/why-is-londons-garden-bridge-worth-as-much-as-five-lancashire-museums-ask-joanna-lumley|title=Why is London's Garden Bridge worth as much as five Lancashire museums? Ask Joanna Lumley|last=Jack|first=Ian|date=13 February 2016|work=The Guardian|location=London}}</ref> leading to withdrawal of pledged private sponsorship.<ref name="Cockburn" />

This together with strong opposition from local residents created ever-greater scrutiny of the proposals. It became clear that the bridge would be closed at night, involve the felling of 30 mature trees and effectively privatise long-held public space in central London. Lumley also reversed her position on cycleway provision for the bridge.<ref name="Cockburn" />

Johnson continued to support the failing project until his very last day in office; attempting to shore up its funding with last minute manoeuvring to guarantee public money for the by then £70m shortfall.<ref name="Cockburn" />

Following the election of [[Sadiq Khan]] in 2016 Mayoral support for the project was withdrawn (finally in August 2017) in the face of lack of funds and persistent planning issues.

£46.4m of public money had been spent.<ref name="OCeallaigh">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ultratravel/the-next-big-thing/10120636/A-Garden-Bridge-across-the-Thames.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615011002/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ultratravel/the-next-big-thing/10120636/A-Garden-Bridge-across-the-Thames.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 June 2013|title=A 'Garden Bridge' across the Thames|last=O'Ceallaigh|first=John|date=14 June 2013|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=31 July 2013|location=London}}</ref> A Khan-commissioned report concluded that the "business case for the bridge was flimsy and that the procurement process in which Heatherwick Studio won the contract was “not open, fair or competitive”.<ref name="Cockburn-7672156">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/garden-bridge-review-scrap-london-thames-project-dame-hodges-review-loss-46-million-cancel-a7672156.html|title=Boris Johnson's Garden Bridge project should be scrapped at cost of £46m, damning independent review finds|last=Cockburn|first=Harry|date=7 April 2017|work=[[The Independent]]|access-date=5 August 2023|location=London}}</ref>

Lumley made little comment on the fiasco until in 2017, interviewed by ''The Times'' newspaper she stated that the cancellation was “absolutely shattering, devastating... The negativity troubles me in my heart. I hope we’re not turning into the sort of country that instantly says no before it considers saying yes. A nation that just pulls the shutters down. The silent majority still love the bridge, but of course they were not asked what they think."<ref name="Morrison">{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/lumley-fights-on-for-her-fabulous-bridge-5mt70xmqm|title=Lumley fights on for her fabulous bridge|last=Morrison|first=Jonathan|date=29 April 2017|work=[[The Times]]|access-date=5 August 2023|location=London}}</ref> Murdoch was on record as having supported both Johnson and the bridge project.

===Research fellowship===
In 1996, the Lumley Research Fellowship was established at [[Green College, Oxford|Green College]], [[University of Oxford]]. Sponsored by [[Friends Provident]] financial group, it was for a young researcher on "major environmental or wildlife issues, with particular reference to Africa". The candidates were interviewed by Lumley.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.onetel.net.uk/~eddienorris/Joanna/greencollegeoxford.htm|title=Joanna Lumley – Green College Oxford|access-date=28 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306185611/http://web.onetel.net.uk/~eddienorris/Joanna/greencollegeoxford.htm|archive-date=6 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>