Mottistone Gardeners sacked without warning !

kircubbin2000

Sometimes the volunteers lack common sense. I was reduced to tears by one who refused letting me drive round to see how busy the car park was as I couldn't walk very far. She insisted I should park in a field some distance away. It turned out there were plenty of spaces in the car park.

Oh yes, managing volunteers is a skilled snd sometimes difficult job, because they do act independently and wrongly at times.

This is why good management is essential and why it is a paid post, that carries with it responsibility for outcomes.

It is reasonable to expect people to carry out the job that they are laid to do.

paid

Lathyrus3

I don’t know that they didn’t log the whole process. I did say suspect and indeed, as pointed out, suspect is not proof.

I do wonder why, following the adverse publicity, they haven’t simply produced proof that, for instance, there have been meetings set up to discuss issues, invitations issued and relevant training provided.

None of this would have impinged upon confidentiality since outcomes need not have been made public, only that the Trust had fulfilled its obligations.

This would have stopped the dispute in its tracks and exonerated the Trust in at least some regards.

I suspect they will let it ride Lathyrus, organisations don’t usually release that type of information, unless there is a court hearing or similar. It’s hugely important for the volunteers involved, but for the Trust, they probably see it as a small blip?

Having seen how badly the NT has treated a friend who is actually employed by them it doesn't surprise me at all that they treat volunteers even worse

Madgrsn77, because just blindly believing allegations isn't great particularly when people have preconceived ideas about a person or organisations.

Lathyrus3

No indeed, but it takes time. Especially if the organisation is obstructive.

In the meantime the National Trust could make public it’s dealings. Nobody is obstructing them.

Honestly * worried we’ll* you have a poor opinion of volunteers because you and your husband were treated badly by one. Can’t you see that rudeness by a volunteer is another facet of bad management, in that their attitude had not been addressed by the person whose job it was to manage volunteers.

After your complaint (or any previous ones) there should be a process, detailed and specific, to set in motion. That is part of the role of the manager.

If the process is not followed, that is bad management. The National Trust has utterly failed to carry out any due process or to abide by its own stated values.

I really don’t understand why anybody would defend such poor practice.

I'm not defending how this was handled, again you are making that up. I'm saying we don't know the whole story, judgements are being made on inadequate information which is dangerous and unfair.

I leave you to continue worriedwell

I tend to leave threads when posters start descending to personal remarks.

judgements are being made on inadequate information which is dangerous and unfair.
Certainly unfair!

I agree theworriedwell

theworriedwell

Madgrsn77, because just blindly believing allegations isn't great particularly when people have preconceived ideas about a person or organisations.

Ok. So I agree that blindly believing accusations isn't great. But neither is completely ignoring clear evidence of poor management within what is publically available information.

And yes, pre conceived ideas about an organisation , a person or a group of people certainly can be created from someone's experience of the organisation, person or a group of people with a particular title! This thread has clearly highlighted that.

Lathyrus3

I leave you to continue worriedwell

I tend to leave threads when posters start descending to personal remarks.

Personal like saying you're making something up when you're making something up? If you think I defended this management team up about this issue do show me because I never intended to do that. Others have definitely criticised them.

Madgran we will have to disagree, I won't judge on preconceived ideas. I had a bad experience with NT volunteers but I don't think that means these volunteers were the same, it's possible but just that.

theworriedwell

Madgran we will have to disagree, I won't judge on preconceived ideas. I had a bad experience with NT volunteers but I don't think that means these volunteers were the same, it's possible but just that.

Yes we will have to agree to disagree. I will just say that absolutely nothing I have said is based on pre conceived ideas.

If you thought things couldn’t get worse with the NT I’m afraid you are wrong.

I read today that Sizergh Castle in the Lake District sanitary products are now available in the Men’s Toilets for the use of transmen. I thought a law had been passed to say we had to use the appropriate loo to our biological sex.

Heyho, I think we are living in an alternative universe. 😳

I noticed NT adverts in the press this week asking us to leave them a legacy in our wills. Presumably people are reconsidering whether they are a cause they want to support in life or death.

Sizergh Castle in the Lake District has bins and pads for prostate cancer sufferers.

NotSpaghetti

Sizergh Castle in the Lake District has bins and pads for prostate cancer sufferers.

I wonder how they make the decision which conditions to support with free equipment?

Are there free pads in the female toilets for both menstrual flow and stress incontinence?

Is it a Board decision or individual to each property. What is the cost?

These are questions that supporters should be able to ask about decisions made.

However I have tried to ask questions about policy decisions in other areas of Trust management and have received nothing except the “We refuse to discuss this” answer.

I don't know Lathyrus3 but read that the items and bins are put there by a charity.
I suppose it might even be a local one?

Well in that case, I totally support the NT agreeing to that provision.🙂

An interesting question Lathyrus about what’s available for actual women in the womens loos rather than what’s available for men, transmen and ( presumably) transwomen who insist they have periods.Yes, you heard right, there have been calls from trans activists for period products in loos for transwomen.

I don't suppose you can make other charities give things to you though can you,*Oreo*.

No, but a charity has to be mindful of who they decide to support within their remit and whether this leads to discriminatory practices. Some proposed gifts might be contrary to the ethos and aims of the charity.

That’s why decisions should be open to discussion.

Perhaps I mean scrutiny and questioning, rather than discussion.

Absolutely Lathyrus

Yes, I see that - but was really answering the question about what’s available for actual women in the womens loos which was what Oreo asked.

I suppose if someone were to gift (say) a ramp would you say "no thank you because I don't have a handrail?
(I can see this is an odd example but hope you get the idea l!)

Gifts can be a bit if a mindfield, whether you’re an organisation or an individual 😬