THE REUNION – BBC Radio 4, Sunday 4th September at 11.15am

[Ravenwood]

THE REUNION – BBC Radio 4, Sunday 4th September at 11.15am (repeated on Friday 9th September at 9am)



Lindsay Hill, UCSW Committee member, will be taking part in the Radio 4 programme called The Reunion where 5 contributors will be talking about their memories of hunting at the end of the 1990’s and the events that took place at that time. Also taking part will be Robin Hanbury-Tenison who was Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance at that time, Darren Hughes a hunting campaign stalwart, John Rolls of the RSPCA and John Cooper from LACS. The programme will be presented by Sue MacGregor. It will also be available online through the BBC's Listen Again service for a week after transmission.



Do listen if you can!



UCSW

PO Box 129, Banbury, Oxon, OX17 2HX

Tel/Fax: 01295 712719

www.ucsw.org

Just thought you might all be interested - I was emailed this so thought I would share

 

[EAST KENT]

With the RSPCA and LACS involved it will get a big miss from me thanks. Why spend a Sunday morning getting all riled up?

 

[rosie fronfelen]

With the RSPCA and LACS involved it will get a big miss from me thanks. Why spend a Sunday morning getting all riled up?

Should be interesting i reckon.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Look I listen to the Archers, and I always listen to the program after, because you always hear about someone elses view and I must admit I'm disappointed so far.

 

[EAST KENT]

Well..actually..I did end up listening to it..in the bath ,radio on and there we were!
The ONLY things that riled me were ,of course, calling hounds "dogs" ..that always makes my teeth itch..AND that Hanbury chap trying to throw a red herring. The Countryside marches about bloody Post Offices and bus services??? God how pathetic,makes us all look like rustic idiots.
I thought we were all more grown up than to try that old chestnut!

 

[rosie fronfelen]

Well..actually..I did end up listening to it..in the bath ,radio on and there we were!
The ONLY things that riled me were ,of course, calling hounds "dogs" ..that always makes my teeth itch..AND that Hanbury chap trying to throw a red herring. The Countryside marches about bloody Post Offices and bus services??? God how pathetic,makes us all look like rustic idiots.
I thought we were all more grown up than to try that old chestnut!

It was disappointing actually, i fell asleep half way through,thatsays how good it was and i agree with you EK.

 

[Ravenwood]

I missed it! We had unexpected and very lovely sunshine this morning! Too good not to get out and make the most of it, so I was busy with horses and dogs And good job I did because I've been asked to hunt a neighbour's new horse

But judging from the replies above - not sure I'll bother to listen now!

 

[rosie fronfelen]

I missed it! We had unexpected and very lovely sunshine this morning! Too good not to get out and make the most of it, so I was busy with horses and dogs And good job I did because I've been asked to hunt a neighbour's new horse

But judging from the replies above - not sure I'll bother to listen now!

its on again on thursday at 9 am,see what you think,it'll be raining by then,guaranteed, sorry i meant friday----

 

[EAST KENT]

Post Offices indeed..still fuming

 

[Echo Bravo]

Lets face it they lost the battle, and to drag up the old stuff showed you that and lets face it the hounds are still here, just have to have a lot of patience and show most people that it's not the Toffs that hunt but ordinary people like you and me.

 

[JanetGeorge]

.AND that Hanbury chap trying to throw a red herring. The Countryside marches about bloody Post Offices and bus services??? God how pathetic,makes us all look like rustic idiots.

I'm VERY surprised that Robin said that - will have to get round to listening to it! The rubbish about post offices and bus services was an INVENTION for the first Countryside Rally (Hyde Park - 1997) because at the time we started organising it, we didn't know for sure that there would BE an anti-hunting bill in the first round of PMBs! Of course there was - but if Mike Foster wasn't brain dead, there might NOT have been (which would have made us look silly! )

My response - whenever anyone said anything about it being about rural post offices was along the lines of: 'those of us who live in the countryside have already adapted to the loss of village post offices - we're sure not going to trek to London and jump up and down about them!' (And I got *******ed every time I said it!)

 

[polopony]

For anyone who missed it it's on http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007x9vc

 

[EAST KENT]

I'm VERY surprised that Robin said that - will have to get round to listening to it! The rubbish about post offices and bus services was an INVENTION for the first Countryside Rally (Hyde Park - 1997) because at the time we started organising it, we didn't know for sure that there would BE an anti-hunting bill in the first round of PMBs! Of course there was - but if Mike Foster wasn't brain dead, there might NOT have been (which would have made us look silly! )

My response - whenever anyone said anything about it being about rural post offices was along the lines of: 'those of us who live in the countryside have already adapted to the loss of village post offices - we're sure not going to trek to London and jump up and down about them!' (And I got *******ed every time I said it!)

Well he did..and made the whole lot of us look complete idiots. When did the rename to the CA happen?? In my opinion that is when it all went pear-shaped,again that Hanbury man said the name "gave a wrong image",and I think it was somewhere there he brought up the stupid Post Office rubbish.Personaly I want the old badge back thanks..you can stuff your poached egg on spinach,in fact I may well cancel my CA sub..they did`nt achieve a result did they?
You need to listen Janet ,maybe you can then confirm (or deny) if my facts are correct.Ye Gods,what a huge faux pas losing you was for them!

 

[JanetGeorge]

Well he did..and made the whole lot of us look complete idiots. When did the rename to the CA happen?? In my opinion that is when it all went pear-shaped,again that Hanbury man said the name "gave a wrong image",and I think it was somewhere there he brought up the stupid Post Office rubbish.Personaly I want the old badge back thanks..you can stuff your poached egg on spinach,in fact I may well cancel my CA sub..they did`nt achieve a result did they?
You need to listen Janet ,maybe you can then confirm (or deny) if my facts are correct.Ye Gods,what a huge faux pas losing you was for them!

I tried to listen and couldn't make it work!

The Countryside Alliance formally came into existence after the first big Countryside March (March 2008) - the first Countryside Rally and 1st Countryside March were organised by the BFSS (under Robin's leadership.) It happened partly because of the success of the C'side Rally and the C'side March, partly because some people high up in the BFSS and associated groups thought it was a good idea, and partly because the Countryside Movement (remember it - under the leadership of Sir David Steele) was a fairly big flop and a polite, face-saving way of closing it down was needed. So BFSS was merged with the Countryside Movement and the Countryside Business Group. Robin left at that point (not because of the merger - he had always only been committed to the job for 3 years) and the ghastly Edward Duke was appointed as Chief Exec. to replace him. (He didn't last long once he'd sacked me!)

The Board then took FOREVER to replace Duke - and ended up with wet-as-wet Richard Burge, who had environmental credentials - but NO campaigning skills! They really thought they could cuddle up to Labour on the back of general countryside issues - when what was really needed was to keep Labour SCARED (which it was after the Countryside Rally - and the first March!) But once the CA went 'fluffy', the Labour leadership - and senior Labour MPs - really believed that they could ban hunting without too much grief as long as they did a bit more for rural transport and rural post offices!!

 

[EAST KENT]

Fluffy is a good description..way too fluffy for me I`m afraid!

 

[lar]

I don't think Robin HT did say that though did he? I was only half listening to it in the car but I thought it was one of the anti hunt people who said that - I assume trying to show that half the people on the march/rally weren't there about hunting.

It's disappointing to hear that the anti hunt people are still just SO entrenched in their views - one of them quoted as saying "I don't accept the fox is a pest" There really is no reasoning with that is there?

 

[combat_claire]

in fact I may well cancel my CA sub..they did`nt achieve a result did they?

What is very easy to forget is that the battle to ban hunting with hounds started back in the Edwardian era, without the BFSS/Countryside Alliance lobbying the chances are that hunting would have been banned long before 2004 and without the exemptions that have made it possible to carry on in some format.

I admit I am an unashamed apologist for the CA, I serve on a County Committee and it is my view that it is very easy to stand on the sidelines and criticise what is done without having any realistic alternative strategies.

If you do cancel your subscription then please make sure you arrange suitable insurance for field sports activities that you partake in.

 

[EAST KENT]

No worries, I am well aware of the history of banning hunting,and what the BFSS did in the past is commendable.BUT tha CA cannot live on old glories,to be honest that dopes remark about it all being more about post offices and rural transport..sure he said something stupid like 75% of us marchers were protesting about that (!!!!) Well,THAT was the final nail in it`s coffin for me.
Been around for far too long for fluffy rubbish like that.

 

[rosie fronfelen]

its on again onfriday at 9am,BBC4.

 

[combat_claire]

No worries, I am well aware of the history of banning hunting,and what the BFSS did in the past is commendable.BUT tha CA cannot live on old glories,to be honest that dopes remark about it all being more about post offices and rural transport..sure he said something stupid like 75% of us marchers were protesting about that (!!!!) Well,THAT was the final nail in it`s coffin for me.
Been around for far too long for fluffy rubbish like that.

I don't think it is a bad thing for the Countryside Alliance to diversify its interests. The ban on hunting was the thin end of the wedge as far as rural communities were concerned and a strong body that is as willing to defend country sports as it is to promote farming and countryside education is what rural England needs. You may brand this as fluffy, but for me it is as important as the campaigns for country sports.

As with every lobbying organisation it is bums on seats that counts. The National Trust, RSPB et al are so powerful because they have the numbers. If you cancel your CA subscription in a fit of pique over one man's interpretation of what happened in 2002 then they are weaker by one member. It's your call.

As an aside; I didn't even hunt when I joined you lot on the Liberty & Livelihood March - I lived in a city and had little involvement with rural activities or the countryside; my Father has no involvement with country sports either then or now but he came too to march for the individual right to liberty.

 

[EAST KENT]

My argument does`nt concern why you went on marches,it does concern me that that Hanbury chap threw such a gross red herring,yes it is fluffy nonsense,and in my opinion and probably the 250,000 odd others who gave up their days would agree.As far as I could see we were all out and out hunting people who were out of their prefered environment that day to speak out for rural sports.I can hardly see why there was a "mexican wave" of glorious "holloas" if it was about post offices and bus services,they were great days in the company of like minded HUNTING folk.
IF the CA ever developes testicles ,as in Janet`s time,then possibly I may rejoin..but at the moment it is a big NO.

 

[EAST KENT]

Well..did any of you catch the prog this time? My OH did ..and confirmed the fact about the post offices......mind you ,how relable HE is I do question,as this pearl came out
"Did you know the LACS changed itself into the Countryside Alliance??"

 

[Judgemental]

For anyone who missed it it's on http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007x9vc

Well done Polopony, had you not posted the link I would have missed the programme.

So what's changed, we now have the Internet to communicate and this Forum in particular, where we can all exchange views and if necessary, organise another march.

Foster - he seems to have vanished. His bill was more vain glorious than expressing any concern for animal welfare.

Elliot Morley the prime mover behind the 2004 Act, is now in goal for fraud, doing the pigs at Ford Open Prison in Sussex.

Blair say he now regrets the act simply because he wants a title - that aint going to happen!

What a shower.

I have said it before and I say it again, get rid of Section 8 of the Act and that will go some way to dismantling the legislation. It is not feasible to repeal in one operation.

Of course I had forgotten the Parliament Act had had to be used to pass the legislation because the House of Lords quite rightly would not pass the then pernicious government's legislation.

 

[lar]

East Kent - I've just listened to the relevant part again. Sorry your OH DID mishear - it was very much an anti who threw in the line about most of the rally attendees being there for other issues not Robin double barrelled. So I DO hope that is not your reason for leaving the CA!!

 

[Judgemental]

East Kent - I've just listened to the relevant part again. Sorry your OH DID mishear - it was very much an anti who threw in the line about most of the rally attendees being there for other issues not Robin double barrelled. So I DO hope that is not your reason for leaving the CA!!

East Kent the link so you can listen again:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007x9vc

That's the change the Internet provides, we can acesss information very quickly.

Of course as I said Blair won't get a title. Why, because he used the Parliament Act to railroad the legislation through the House of Lords.

That procedure has only been used on seven occasions since 1911.

Hence their Lordships are not going to welcome somebody who used the Act against their wishes.

 

[EAST KENT]

Did indeed JM ..thankyou. Quite wrong of course..I blame the soap in my ears ..as was in the bath first time of listening.However I do still feel disinclined to fork out another £60.00 to the CA ,far too fluffy for me nowadays I fear.

 

[Judgemental]

Did indeed JM ..thankyou. Quite wrong of course..I blame the soap in my ears ..as was in the bath first time of listening.However I do still feel disinclined to fork out another £60.00 to the CA ,far too fluffy for me nowadays I fear.

East Kent, I feel you have hit the nail firmly on the head as to the current malaise so far as promoting our interests are concerned.

I have lost track of who is actually running the CA, have not head anything for ages, not a squeak!

It seems the players on this forum make a far greater and more voluble and valuable contribution and help to keep the cause alive?

 

[EAST KENT]

As one of my friends agrees,we just get the glossy mag with promotions in it that us "normal people"..grass roots hunting folk/pony club etc cannot even begin to afford. All on a different planet to the one most people are on.
I ,too, have no idea who does what nowadays and no longer care ..Oh! For the good old BFSS days.

 

[Judgemental]

As one of my friends agrees,we just get the glossy mag with promotions in it that us "normal people"..grass roots hunting folk/pony club etc cannot even begin to afford. All on a different planet to the one most people are on.
I ,too, have no idea who does what nowadays and no longer care ..Oh! For the good old BFSS days.

Quite, when a member of this forum ran the show - Janet George and what a good show it was too. One knew exactly what the BFSS stood for and they were heard by the rank and file. Or as you refer East Kent "normal people".

 

[combat_claire]

Out of interest have either of you taken the effort to serve on a County Committee and have your voice heard? Have you offered the benefit of your experience to the Alliance? Do you bother to attend the AGM, stand for election to the national committee or even fill in your voting papers?

It is so easy to sit back and criticise the work of an organisation be that a Hunt Supporters' committee, the mastership or a lobbying group but a hell of a lot harder to get up off your backside and actually attempt to change something.

The battlefield has changed since the days of the BFSS and the Countryside Alliance has adapted to meet those changes. You might think that post offices, rural planning or village broadband are not as important as hunting and field sports but the CA also has to be an all round rural organisation representing the concerns of the wider rural community as well as those who hunt, shoot and fish if it is to survive.

You may feel that the work of the Countryside Alliance Foundation is 'fluffy' but if we do not address the outdoor education of youngsters today then where will be the field sports participants of the future?

You may feel the 'game to eat' promotion is 'fluffy' but by taking game chefs and introducing those who do not shoot to the delicious and easy recipes that you can cook with game opens up a whole new world to those who have never experienced rural life.

You may also brand the 'Rural Retailer' awards as 'fluffy' but who else is going to promote and shout about the excellent businesses that can be found in the thriving modern rural economy.

If you are dead set on leaving the CA then nothing I will say will ever change your mind, but remember that every person who abandons the organisation leaves it weaker by one voice. As the RSPB & National Trust have already discovered it is numbers of members that give power when lobbying in high places.