Upon arrival at about 2.45 there were about four protesters
and rather more yellow coated BW staff, including a number of "heavies" around
a work boat and flat on the canal - engine running.
The eventual number of protesters was between 20 & 30
and the average age was probably well over 50 if we ignore the toddler.
The protest was mainly a quiet affair, but I was rather
concerned that the more vocal seemed to be more concerned about the license
increase than the loss of grant. I do not think we will gain much sympathy with
that tack.
Also some from Oxford seemed to be protesting about the
boatyard there. I am not sure potentially splitting the message will do much
good either, but although this may well have been highly appropriate for them
we must watch it in the future.
Unfortunately there were no local press, so one hopes the
Lawrence Hogg chap will try to sell his videos to the TV people.
I saw people form Waterways World, Canal Boat
and Motor Boat. All took still pictures and some talked to
protesters.
A chap with all the hallmarks of a civil servant and a
hidden delegate badge made a very fast "walk for it" early in the proceedings.
I think this was the DEFRA guy. 
Eugene talked to some people and the Boss (Edwards?)
[Probably Robin Evans. Ed.] came part way out and talked to a few
people. He then disappeared.
Rumour has it that the work boat was used to transport at
least some delegates out of the back door and to Wolverhampton. I can not
confirm this, but I can not think of another reason it was there.
BW are always telling us to report yobs (public order
issues) to the police so I want to know why and how they could afford to
provide their own security and alleged special transport - a bunch of
geriatrics are not going to start a riot unless grievously provoked -
especially when consideration should put protesters and BW on the same side -
just how well do you know your customers Eugene?
Unfortunately the "kind words" from the odd BW chap sounded
a bit hollow, so I think a few personal financial gestures from very senior
managers would not come amiss in public relations terms.
We need a far bigger turn out next time and enough people
with phones to cover the "back door" and hand out leaflets to the public.
Report by Tony
Brooks
www.TB-Training.co.uk
Pictures by Will
Wilkinson
The Editor comments
I suspect that the Oxfrod protesters weren't so much as
cashing in on our protest as making thier own quite separate one, which may
well have been arranged before ours.
And the Chairman of NABO responds
The 'protest' outside the BW annual meeting was a spur of
the moment idea by the NABO Chairman to show the association's support for BW
in the face of the DEFRA threat. Having access to several hundred members by
email, he was able to muster people who travelled considerable distances to
attend at such short notice and would like to extend his sincere thanks to
them. Inevitably those who had weekday jobs were at a disadvantage, hence the
dominance of retired folk.
As has already been said elsewhere, the presence of the
Oxford contingent was not in the original plan, but placards saying 'Save
our Boatyard' were not amiss as regards the overall message to the Defra
civil servants, who were left in no doubt about the strength of feeling both
inside and outside the meeting.
There was a local reporter present from the Birmingham Mail,
and approaches had been made to BBC Midlands Today and Central News. Even if no
cameras were there, the seeds were sown for further coverage should BW ever
substantiate any threat to the BCN remainder waterways.
NABO's Chairman, who used to work for BBCtv North, said,
"It's a shame, and the excuse that 3 in the afternoon was a bit late in the
day for filming doesn't wash with me, I used to be editing late news stories
while the programme was on air! However, we couldn't let the civil servants
escape without some 'grass roots' presence and let's hope this little event was
just the thin end of what is going to be a very big wedge" |
