K&A Canal Trust distances itself from new President's forthright views

Has the new president been 'got at' ask K&A Canal Trust members?

New Kennet & Avon Canal Trust President, 

David Bruce: Picture by Bob Naylor©

Following a recent story on KAcanalTIMES about the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Chairman, David Bruce's  inaugural speech at the recent Trust AGM it seems that those who actually control the K&A Canal Trust have clearly felt a need to distance themselves from his views and they have recently posted on their website a 'sanitised' version of what they would really have liked him to have said — but he didn't.


See: K&A Canal Trust President slams Government's 'stupid' waterway charity plans

Inspirational

David Bruce's views clearly struck a chord with both the rank and file of the Trust and former senior members of the organisation who feel that what he said is an inspiration and a return to the spirit of the old K&A Canal Trust that fought so hard against the abandonment and deriliction of the K&A Canal.

In his speech at the Trust AGM in Devizes David Bruce called for members of the Trust to make their feelings known about what he described as 'stupid' government policy and to get it reversed. 

However, it would seem, that this level of activism is at odds with the current 'leadership' of the financially ailing and leadership bereft Trust who at their AGM tried to claim that a loss of £65,000 over the year ... and merely 'breaking even' with the operation of a trip boat that has no paid staff and is run entirely by volunteers is, in fact, a successful year.

Former Trust General 

Manager — now
Chairman: Mike Rodd

The Trust Chairman, Mike Rodd, who was the General Manger with a responsibility for fundraising until late last year when the Trust, after two years with him at the helm,  found itself unable to meet its wages bill terminated his post — and then co-opted him on to the board of Trustees and made him Chairman — answered his own question.., "What does the Trust do?" with "Actually at the moment it doesn't do much but sustain itself."  See:  Trust does little for canal admits K&A Canal Trust Chairman

The K&A Canal Trust website carries a report of David Bruce's speech that no one who was there would recognise as an accurate record of what he said …  but you can read it for yourself at: President's address