A classical pianist whose partner faces deportation for staging the Dartford Crossing climate protest is hoping her music will help save the planet.

Holly Cullen-Davies is campaigning against a Home Office bid to deport German-born Marcus Decker, who is serving time for scaling the QEII Bridge with another campaigner last October.

The former Channing and Camden School for Girls pupil is also fundraising to appeal the Just Stop Oil protestor's two year and seven month sentence for causing a public nuisance, which the campaign group say is a "draconian" punishment for a peaceful demonstration.

Ham & High: German-born Marcus Decker is facing deportation after serving his two year and seven month sentence for causing a public nuisance during a climate protest.German-born Marcus Decker is facing deportation after serving his two year and seven month sentence for causing a public nuisance during a climate protest. (Image: Courtesy of Holly Cullen-Davies)

"When he asked if he was to spend time in prison would I manage, I imagined a few months, but not that it would be so long or that they would deport him," she says.

"He is serving his sentence in Suffolk, which makes it very difficult for me to visit. He is extraordinarily stoic, but if the sentence was bad enough, the deportation is an outrage."

Ham & High: Pianist Holly Cullen-Davies is campaigning for partner Marcus Decker who was jailed for staging the Dartford Crossing protest.Pianist Holly Cullen-Davies is campaigning for partner Marcus Decker who was jailed for staging the Dartford Crossing protest. (Image: Courtesy of Holly Cullen-Davies)

Cullen-Davies' own activism involves playing concerts in people's homes, then discussing the climate emergency, and encouraging listeners to donate to green charities. She met teacher and musican Marcus through a mutual desire to raise awareness of green issues through music.

"We started in the same place, doing peaceful actions, singing to move people. He gave up his dream of taking his music seriously because he could see what was happening to the world, and felt an urgency to use his skills to protest. I have two children, not his, which puts me in a slightly different camp from being able to be arrested, and spend time in prison. He is braver than me."

Ham & High: During their 37 hours on the bridge the pair unfurled a Just Stop Oil banner causing major traffic disruption on the crossing.During their 37 hours on the bridge the pair unfurled a Just Stop Oil banner causing major traffic disruption on the crossing. (Image: Just Stop Oil)

The Tottenham-based pianist, who grew up in Crouch End, says the experienced climber was spurred to protest amid concern over the deaths from extreme weather caused by the climate crisis.

"He wanted to drop a banner telling everyone about the government's inaction on the climate crisis. I wasn't worried about him at all, he wouldn't do anything that put him or anyone else in danger, and he's an adept climber. They had all the safety equipment, and did it at 3am then called the police straight away."

Cullen-Davies describes Concerts Dont' Cost the Earth as "a gentler form of activism".

"Anyone who wants to host a concert can invite their neighbours, it's a way of getting communities together in small intimate spaces for the type of evening you don't get in a concert hall. We encourage conversations around the climate crisis and what to do about it. The host chooses two environmental projects, we have an interesting debate, and at the end, the audience vote for where they want the proceeds of the evening to go."

Ham & High: Holly goes into people's homes and plays a concert of everything from Bach to Nina Simone before talking about the climate crisis.Holly goes into people's homes and plays a concert of everything from Bach to Nina Simone before talking about the climate crisis. (Image: Chris J Morley)

Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Stop Ecocide, a charity working to make it a crime to cause mass environmental destruction, have all benefited from the concerts. Cullen-Davis, who has played at the Wigmore and Royal Festival Halls, plays accessible programmes, "everything from Bach to Chick Corea and Nina Simone" and isn't fussy about the instrument as long as the piano is tuned.

"I've been pleasantly surprised at the effect it's having. Perhaps people don't know how to talk about the climate crisis and, rather than putting them on the spot, this enables people to think about what action they want to do. It sparks a good debate that seems to be empowering. We are not shying away from direct action groups like Extinction Rebellion, we open that up, as well as small projects and they come away enlightened."

Cullen-Davies believes that music is able to open people's hearts and minds to the issues.

She added: "You might wonder why we have a climate debate in the middle of a concert, but if you are going to work through those big issues and be empowered to act, you have to first feel emotion. Music has this extraordinary ability to move us - I feel I have an ability to move people with my playing - if we start by being moved, that enables people to think 'I am going to do something.'"