Mottistone Gardeners sacked without warning !

I read that the trust has removed an article embroidered with names because JK Rowlings name was added.

M0nica

This news came as no surprise. The National Trust now seems to feel it has a monopoly on how history amd the past = and the present should be presented to the country. No room for alternative opinions, never a shred of doubt that the NT is the one and only Truth and nothing but the Truth and those who deviate must be cast into the wilderness.

They have dumbed down their properties because we plebs cannot be expected to have any deep knowledge, understanding and interest in history. The NT so heavily brand their properties that, like M&S, it doesn't matter what the building is, the brand is identical everywhere and the building barely comes into it..

We have joined the HHA. Individual houses, still run by the owners and each of them individual, some nice, some boring, but always different and on each visit there is the excitement of not knowing quite what you are going to get when you get there..

As a long-term volunteer, there's just one answer to this:

Utter rubbish.

There were before and after photos in the weekend papers of a once beautiful, symmetrically hedged rose garden that the volunteers helped care for. The established roses were removed, replaced with a Sicilian theme of roses and cosmos, and it just looks unkempt.

These were volunteers who’d been given awards for their work, including for ‘going the extra mile’. Isn’t it a shame that the NT can’t tell them what they’ve done wrong?

We have a very active litter picking group, much needed here. We work closely with our council and they pay the insurance.

I think that it's a group of eight volunteers from Mottistone Manor Isle of Wight .
What a shame.
Nothing surprises me these days .

NanKate

Talking of pronouns. A respected schoolteacher who refused to call pupils by their pronouns has lost his job and I believe has been sent to prison! It is a total disgrace.

Whatever is wrong with just surnames - or "Hey, You at the back! Take your hands out of your pockets when I'm speaking to you!"

Thank you OldFrill

theworriedwell

NanKate

Talking of pronouns. A respected schoolteacher who refused to call pupils by their pronouns has lost his job and I believe has been sent to prison! It is a total disgrace.

Sent to prison? What was he charged with?

If it's Enoch Burke then he was repeatedly imprisoned for failing to comply with a restraint order. The case has become rather confused on social media.

Fact check: Teacher was sent to prison for refusing to comply with court order - PA Media share.google/GW0JWyCOIF4dBkq9j

Might have to cancel our NT membership, which would be such a pity as there are so many lovely gardens near to us.

Just wanted to add my voice of discontent over the direction the NT has taken.
Completely agree with Monica’s post 👏 and, on seeing the NT only give biased, negative slants on aspects of history, I did not renew my membership. I too joined HHA instead.

I vowed never to go to a NT property again after we were treated.very badly by a volunteer, probably racist as DH isn't white and the couples getting better treatment were all white. Good for the NT if they are going for a more professional standard

NanKate

Talking of pronouns. A respected schoolteacher who refused to call pupils by their pronouns has lost his job and I believe has been sent to prison! It is a total disgrace.

Sent to prison? What was he charged with?

Lathyrus3

lixy

Fair enough then - face book is not the place for that kind of debate, and volunteers should have known better.

I didn’t make it clear. The volunteer posted on Facebook after they had all been dismissed, not before.

He was speculating that this was the problem as the Trust has refused several times to tell the volunteers what their unacceptable behaviour was.

Thanks for the clarification.

Talking of pronouns. A respected schoolteacher who refused to call pupils by their pronouns has lost his job and I believe has been sent to prison! It is a total disgrace.

Oreo
Couldn’t remember where Mottisfont was, we went there some years ago and were disappointed by the famed rose garden, weedy and not many roses even though it was late

It will be even more weedy now won’t it!
People will stop volunteering if the NT carries
on like this. I don’t believe this is the first time this has happened. Some volunteers somewhere refused to display their pronouns!

Reading about it I suspect that some planned changes were queried by the volunteers ...resulting in unbelievably poor management of the team and management of potential change by the new "interim.manager"! Change may well be needed but to dobit effectively leaders need to bring the team with them! Oh dear!

merlotgran

Oreo

Is it Mottisfont or Mottistone?

It’s Mottistone on the Isle of Wight, Oreo.
Mottisfont is across the Solent in Hampshire.

Thanks.
Couldn’t remember where Mottisfont was, we went there some years ago and were disappointed by the famed rose garden, weedy and not many roses even though it was late June.
Cafe in the dingy chilly depths and stale scones.☹️

Thanks I will look them up. We had NT passes a long time ago but worth looking at other outfits.

Oreo

What does HHA stand for? Am guessing historic houses?

Historic Houses Association

Oreo

Is it Mottisfont or Mottistone?

It’s Mottistone on the Isle of Wight, Oreo.
Mottisfont is across the Solent in Hampshire.

What does HHA stand for? Am guessing historic houses?

I’m very much enjoying my HHA membership. Real homes and real people - both with all their individual quirks😃

This news came as no surprise. The National Trust now seems to feel it has a monopoly on how history amd the past = and the present should be presented to the country. No room for alternative opinions, never a shred of doubt that the NT is the one and only Truth and nothing but the Truth and those who deviate must be cast into the wilderness.

They have dumbed down their properties because we plebs cannot be expected to have any deep knowledge, understanding and interest in history. The NT so heavily brand their properties that, like M&S, it doesn't matter what the building is, the brand is identical everywhere and the building barely comes into it..

We have joined the HHA. Individual houses, still run by the owners and each of them individual, some nice, some boring, but always different and on each visit there is the excitement of not knowing quite what you are going to get when you get there..

It’s the NT’s loss then isn’t it? People give their own time and efforts to it.

Is it Mottisfont or Mottistone?