Richard,

Point taken and I agree! I spent 10 years there ‘discussing’ the future and giving time and money to the place

Now they have removed the ‘discussion’ option and just kicked us off site

thanks for the feedback

Anon / Richard,

To answer your question regarding whether this is the right thing to do.

The hangars were saved by a consortium of groups and some very hard working people that includes Anon.

Griffin Trust, North West Aviation Museum Group (NAHM), The Wirral Aviation Society (TWAS) Clwyd Aviation Group (CAG) and more were involved in the SHH campaign, but ultimatley the hangars were saved By The Public For The Public!

The board that were given control of the hangars came from a mixture of the groups and were allowed to raise minimal funding to keep the business running but the major investment was to come from HLF and EH, which is Public money.

So far any money recieved by Hooton has been Public money. The return on investment calculation for this money eventually is a site that will be open and used by the public in may ways.

This is the problem we face, there seems to be no rules or regulations that control this sort of site. The current groups have formed a ‘Closed Shop’ enviroment of which we and other willing people are not allowed in, this is not in keeping of the spririt, history and effort that went into saving the hangars in the first place.

That I think is why Anon is justified in this case.

They expect to recieve Public (Our) money, in return they lock us out?

Well I missed but if they made the future look good they did a good job, they have just forced 4 dedicated aviation guys off site with a great collection? See Trouble Up North thread for the truth!

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=114711

🙁

Anon can it get worse?

Anon,

I don’t know where to start current, past or future?

I spent years at Hooton as a volunteer along side you and the others, I came in a bit later but I was there for the handover and as a former board member I am fully aware of what the responsibility of the board should be.

I gave hundreds of voluntary hours, gave up work holiday days not to go away with the wife but to spend getting ready for open days, spending my own money on decorating, posters etc. Every Sunday for about 7 years, meetings, I ran the friends group, did the newsletter etc etc.. what for? Nothing!!

It shouldn’t surprise people to know that some of the current board are only there because we recruited them weird how things turn around?

I have offered money, time, equipment and help and the answer? Nothing!!

We had a public meeting last year and I asked the ‘board’ what they would like me to tell people when they asked “Whats going on at Hooton now” and do you know what they didn’t care? I / We attend 6 or 7 shows per year we must see and talk to hundreds of people, so now they know the truth…

Aviation is dead at the former RAF Hooton Park, remember RAF!! not a bus depot. WE saved those hangars together with the CAG, Griffin, ATC, NAHM, TWAS and we saved it for one reason, so that the hangars would eventually be a public visitor center based on the history of RAF Hooton Park. This was written in stone in the articles of association that stated as such.

Anon, everyone is different we all have different talents and sometimes we disagree its called ‘being human’ so we didn’t always see eye to eye with the powers that be but to kick off site the foremost privately owned aviation collection in the North West of England is just tragic. At the last count as a group we had over 14 cockpit sections, along with the engines and displays we could fill one of the hangars twice over.

Now I know that the hangars need repairing first and we need to make sure they don’t fall down which is right, but I think to get public money you need public support?

Now there is another point ‘Public Money’ the site was saved by the public for the public and has Been given public money, my money, your money but who is benefiting?

Not sure how coherent this waffle has been but as you can tell I am very angry base don my experience at Hooton and now I am very wary of joining any group or committee afraid that I will once again give up years of effort only to be kicked off site.

I don’t care what happens to Hooton now, the people there have disgraced the history of those who trained and served at that station, they have sucked the life out of the place, we once had a board of 15 and 285 members now what?

One last thought for all, where is the 610 Sqn memorial? RAF Hooton Park its home base? No in a park in Chester….:mad: