How Low Can 'Someone' Go?

Very low, apparently.
I am involved in voluntary work for a very large organisation and, it would seem, that 'someone' has attempted to undermine my position and credibility with them.
To avoid any possible embarrassment to this organisation I have, this week, offered my resignation and, thankfully, it has not been accepted. I appreciate their vote of confidence.

I have no idea who was responsible for this 'action', and care even less. However, it is unfortunate that, whoever this 'someone' may be, they are clearly happy to question my integrity when, perhaps, in view of their actions, they should be questioning their own.

What Next? Pistols at Dawn?

Because of 'incidents' that have occurred this week I have decided that today, 27th January, 2010, I would set out a few details of SDNP's attempt to gag my exposure of their disgraceful behaviour. It is clear, both from what is detailed in this Post, and (possibly) other more recent events, that there really are no depths to which SDNP will not stoop in trying to intimidate and discredit me and salvage some degree of credibility for themselves. It perhaps should be noted that SDNP have acquired £1.2 million of funding from the provider referred to below in this Post and this may go some way towards explaining SDNP's 'lack of enthusiasm' for any exposure.

Firstly - an email that I sent to a prospective SDNP funding provider on 26th November,2009.

I am contacting you to express my, and others, ongoing concerns regarding the suitability of SDNP’s involvement in the control of this community facility.
SDNP representatives as potential, if not already existing, ‘trustees’, have shown themselves to be both devious and untrustworthy in the way that they operate and misrepresent themselves as a ‘community’ association.

Whilst I have no doubt that the Community Centre is a valuable local asset, the actions of SDNP and their associates raises serious doubts re their motives.

If required, documentary evidence and personal testimony from other residents can be provided to support my argument.

Secondly - Extracts from a letter sent to me by legal representatives of SDNP. I have ommitted some of the usual verbal diarrhoea normally associated with such documents but would like to reassure you, the reader, that this in no way detracts from its contents.

"We have been consulted by the St.David's Neighbourhood Partnership and the Exeter Community Centre Trust in connection with the contents of an email sent by you to (Funding Providers) on the 26th November 2009" (copied above in this Post).

"These statements are very serious allegations and are libellous. They have been issued to a third party and therefore are defamatory in nature and our clients are currently considering what further action to take in the matter."

"In the meantime, we must ask you to contact (Funding Provider) immediately and withdraw these statements and forward to us a copy of your letter. Our clients are also entitled to an unqualified apology."

"Finally, we must warn you that if any other statements or correspondence is issued by you to any third party which contains allegations similar to those set out in your email of the 26th November, our clients will have no alternative but to apply, without notice, for a Court Injunction to prevent any further publication and to ask the Court to award substantial damages".

You can draw your own conclusions as to the reasons why SDNP have chosen to take this course of action. If, as I recommended in the Mission Statement at the top of this Blog, you have read the previous posts starting at the bottom, you will perhaps understand why I have taken my course of action.
"Substantial damages"? What about the damages to recompense our community as a result of your clients actions? It would be an interesting exchange of opinions.

'Communities First'

Exeter Parks Watch and SDNP represented at Exeter City Council’s Communities First Day (2nd meeting) at St.James's Park (Exeter City Football Club HQ).
Leader of Council asks for update and progress report and congratulates community and Parks Department for their efforts (Mmm.. Interesting comment. At one stage the Communities First Day (2nd Meeting) seemed to be more like the ‘EPW/SDNP Roadshow’.

Christine Fraser invited me to attend this event. My understanding was that this event would provide an opportunity for me to participate in a various 'skill-building' workshops, which is why I attended, and also to 'compare notes/battle scars!' with other community groups.
I attended a workshop, run by Exeter Community Initiative, that offered specific information that I believed would be particularly beneficial to my own community.
I had missed the obvious fact, apparently, that my presence had been "expected to contribute to the promotion of EPW and SDNP". I received considerable criticism from CF for “failing to support EPW and SDNP”.
I can only aplogise to all concerned for my total stupidity in believing that my participation in this event was for the benefit my own immediate community, and not merely to promote and massage the egos of EPW and SDNP.