So…. where to start?

Wednesday 27th August  and the full meeting of the Salcombe Town Council to which many members of the public, including friends and family of Miss Jennings turned  up to show their support.  The elderly residents who call Woodcot  home were there too - none spoke, but the toll on them,  clear to see. They feel powerless in the face of the Age Uk machine. 

The irony was not lost on those gathered together for the meeting under the sparkling chandeliers of Cliff House’s assembly room, that they were only able to hold the meeting in such beautiful surroundings were it not for the generosity of Miss Jennings grandfather, Mr Macilwraith.

Cliff House like Woodcot was given away in an act of stupendous generosity that is inconceivable today. That such a gift, prized so highly and held in such esteem by a whole community, can be so callously disregarded for profit speaks volumes about  the priorities of Age Uk. 

Not so the people of Salcombe who turned out in force to honour Miss Jennings and her family’s legacy. Paul Farmer, Age UK CEO take note. 

After a minute's silence in memory of a member of Cliff House Trust who recently sadly died tending those very gardens, the meeting commenced.

The public forum -  open to Salcombe residents to speak - was taken up with a recap of the Woodcot campaign to date:

So far the press coverage has included:- Sunday Telegraph, Daily Mail, Daily Express, Devon Live, Western Morning News, Kingsbridge and Salcombe Gazette - see this weeks headline pictured above -  next week the BBC coverage is expected to be broadcast, more media enquiries come in daily.  Repeated requests from the campaign organiser to meet up with Age Uk have been met with silence despite Age Uk discussing the possibility of a meeting back in July. 

With so much negative  publicity, Age Uk might be expected to communicate with the Salcombe public who clearly do not want Woodcot to be sold. The arrogance of their position is astonishing. The petition is now  at 2500 signatures and the press interest is not dying down - yet nothing has come from the Age Uk press office except the same old rehashed press release saying that 'nothing has changed and that they have nothing to announce until 2026’.  They are ignoring two thousand five hundred people who have signed up to this petition,  not to mention those who are showing up in person  to register their disgust at Age Uk’s attitude. 

Despite correspondence going to Alisdair Stewart the Director of National Services of Age Uk   from, Salcombe Town Council, Caroline Voaden MP, SHDC and DCC Councillors, The South Hams Society and the Charity Commission, Age Uk are still not engaging. What are the Age Uk Trustees thinking?

Concerns are growing that they, the Age Uk lawyers, trustees  and executives,  are  trying to overturn the covenant  that Miss Jennings put on Woodcot  to stop the very thing it that is happening now. To stop it  being used a residential home  and instead sold for millions of pounds to boost Age Uk coffers. Did you know that Age UK employs 110 Chief Executives? ( more of that in another update) Little wonder they need to sell off assets if they have such high staff costs. 

It begs the question: is that what Age Uk funds should be used for? To pay lawyers to overturn the wishes of their donors?  If so, why would anyone leave money to charity? 

During the public forum, people stood up to address the councillors. The grandson of Mr MacIlwraith’s secretary stood up and in a voice quivering with emotion spoke movingly of his grandmother who worked for the family 90 years before. Peter Breach Acting Chair of the South Hams Society, the respected local charity which punches way above its weight in working with local authorities to maintain the  beautiful South Hams as a protected National landscape - warned the councillors  - that  the protected status that Woodcot enjoys is no longer an adequate guarantee; he cited Bristol Zoo as an example where entire woodland's of protected trees have been  cut down in favour of development -  by the Green Party of all things.

Woodcot occupies are large  swathe of Salcombe's last precious undeveloped  estuary frontage, the last green space close to Salcombe town centre which is becoming an increasingly urban environment  - it is far too important to be lost by  bunch of executives who live elsewhere and care only for the bottom line on the Age UK balance sheet.

Caroline Voaden the South Hams MP currently has a private members bill  going  through parliament - to protect green spaces - here is  one under threat in her own back yard. Age Uk selling Woodcot would be a massive loss of green space to the people of Salcombe. 

What really came across loud and clear in that lovely room, basking in the glow of  the late summer sunshine -  french doors flung  open wide to the terrace overlooking the estuary -  was that the people  of Salcombe care about honouring Miss Jennings legacy. That's why they came out. In force. In number. 

They are grateful for what Miss Jennings gave to Salcombe even if Age Uk aren’t; They don't like seeing her legacy trashed by a huge organisation who refuse to engage with them. They want Age Uk to listen. They want Woodcot to stay as Miss Jennings intended - as a residential home for elderly people. They want Woodcot for Salcombe. They came out of loyalty, love and respect for something that is bigger and more important than money. 

Real charity -  the giving of something  out of generosity of spirit, with no expectation of reward. 

Age Uk should hang  their head in shame. 

https://www.southhamssociety.org/

https://www.salcombetowncouncil.gov.uk/

https://www.carolinevoaden.com/post/south-devon-mp-seeks-to-boost-public-access-to-green-spaces