TARA: I think we made a really fair point, you know? Maybe, that was what these standing stones were actually for, in the Neolithic? Kind of like giant blackboards? Televisions? Maybe they had messages inscribed on them daily, hourly, in chalk or ochre? All this modern social media: now I think, this thing in us is really ancient.

CWEN’s third action was staged on the island itself. The video, filmed by Ravi, shows Tara and Stella standing astride the chambered cairn, demanding the return of their saint:

We want Cwen, our island-healer, back. Our saint was taken away almost a century ago to Oxford University, where her sex was mis-assigned on account of a gendered reading of the healer’s personal accoutrements, a dagger, some metal divining rods, and a gospel book which was not even found on the body, but in a side chamber. We will reclaim her.

Submission 13a: CWEN media coverage

Sunday

Twitter: #CWEN: Schoolkids on roof of Defra minister Vane’s island house protest threat to ancient British woodland from government’s changes to greenfield regs

Monday

GreenWatch.co.uk: Schoolgirls yesterday staged a protest on the roof of Defra junior minister Sebastian Vane’s childhood home. The three schoolgirls tweeted photographs of the stunt and also released a statement protesting against the government’s proposed changes to the status of greenfield sites. The schoolgirls claim that the government intends to push through new legislation to free up many greenfield sites for planning, including the wood which backs on to Mr Vane’s own home and a nearby island. There was as yet no comment from Defra this morning. A spokeswoman for the prime minister’s office issued a statement deploring the illegal invasion of government ministers’ homes and calling Greenpeace and other environmental protest organisations irresponsible for encouraging copycat actions.

Tuesday

Greenpeace press website: . . . and while Greenpeace UK does not encourage schoolchildren to stage dangerous and illegal protests, we acknowledge that the larger issues raised by the islands’ school group, CWEN, are valid. Greenpeace will continue to work with governments and environmental groups to protect ancient woodland both here and abroad.

Wednesday

Guardian.co.uk/environment: The three schoolchildren involved in the illegal action last Sunday afternoon also appear to have leaked details of the government’s controversial proposed changes to planning regulation. All the members of the group CWEN, ‘Championing Women’s Engagement with Nature’, attend Ayrness High School in the remote North Sea archipelago.

Thursday

Ayrness High Governors’ Board: . . . and in the light of the actions of ‘CWEN’, we have asked Miss Thompson to stand down with immediate effect . . .

TARA: Their dismissal was its own patriarchal scandal. It shows how prejudiced many people are, especially towards eco-oriented change, you know? The employment tribunal will find in Mx Thompson’s favour, if the world is fair.

By the time the newspaper interview with Sebastian was published the following weekend, things were a little tense in the minister’s office.

It was Jen who woke Eva, by ringing on the house phone.