Safety On The Hills

The outrageous management of the Mountain Bothy's Association continues apace

Yes, following our run in with the jobsworths at this once friendly and lovely organisation we have noted that the MBA in their wisdom have decided to close some emergency shelters in the mountains in order to comply with their interpretation of Covid 19 regulations/rules/guidance/laws.

Insanity

Yes, what a crazy decision by those who are tasked with not only maintaining shelters in the hills but maintaining those shelters for, amongst other reasons, emergency use, yes you read right, EMERGENCY USE.

Now, if I were hobbling/crawling with a damaged ankle to my nearest bothy and found upon arrival it was locked and boarded up I'd be pretty damned upset. Covid 19 it seems has seen almost all with even the slightest amount of authority over others and over 'stuff' loose their fucking minds.

A bothy is an emergency shelter first and foremost. It should NEVER EVER be locked for emergency use by those in need, whether or not those in need should be there or not (that's another discussion).

MBA in Court

After writing to the MBA requesting, as a minimum, an apology for them leaking details of our communications and involvement with the landowner RWE, on numerous occasions and warning that if they did not respond I would initiate a small claim in Cardiff Courts, and after waiting and getting no response, they left me no option. Court it was.

I want to know the how's and why's of sharing details of my communication with them and RWE with members of the public who then went on to abuse Wales Outdoors on Facebook.

But, they are in Scotland and so any case will need to be raised in the Scottish Judicial system and I think that is why I have had no response. The MBA realise I will not go down that route for an apology.

Suffice to say that is a cynical route to have taken and one that displays the leadership of the MBA to be duplicitous. I say this as they have a complaints procedure and I have complained and they have failed to respond, which is 100% contrary to their espoused protocols.

There is no recourse to justice in this. The MBA are silent and I will not proceed in a court in Scotland.

End of story.

Well, It Was...

Until The Secretary responded after I had one more try, by asking for the official complaints procedure to be instigated. He agreed and so this is what I wrote...

Andrew Lamb

tel: 07830381930
email info@walesoutdoors.co.uk

I have been trying for some time to gain a response from any person at the MBA and so in part my complaint is one of being ignored. 

However, the focus of the complaint has to be that in the process of the MBA discussing my use of the great outdoors with me the MBA reported me to a private landowner AND made that information 'public', or at least made it available to some who then shared it with their 'friends' and who then attacked my business on social media. 

You'll find all you need to know is this blog post - http://walesoutdoors.co.uk/walks/mba-and-rwe-and-trolls/

The person of interest here is Milly B-ka who seems like a dangerous ally for the MBA, herself ignoring Natural Resources Wales requests whilst with a beer in hand. This because she stated on Facebook that MBA had reported me to RWE before I posted anything about that. The thing then is that, as RWE have stated clearly to me that they did not share the information, that someone at the MBA has shared details of a discussion between the MBA and two privately owned business. 

At the least not a good look. 

I would like an apology from the MBA who approached me in a less than satisfactory manner, reported me to a private landowner, shared that information with members of the public and then ignored many emails and requests for engagement resulting in me having no option but to threaten court action. 

I was a supporter of the MBE, directing my database of supporters and members to support the work of the charity. I have made use of bothies for over thirty years. I have visited most. As a one time advocate of the charity I believe I deserve a considered and honest response.  

Join Us!