While the public waits for the Charity Commission to publish its investigation into the Bullying Helpline (National), the latter seems to be proposing to maintain its website, and is selling off copies of Bully In Sight.
Unlike a conventional closing down sale, however, the price appears to have gone up. The book's RRP is £16.95, and you can get it on Amazon for that price including P&P. The National Bullying Helpline's website says the book is available from them for £30.00 including P&P, with cheques to be made payable to "The National Bullying Helpline".
Why would anyone want to pay so much more to buy it from the NBH? Perhaps its because the NBH's co-founder and former CEO is mentioned on the acknowledgement page? Yes, that's right. In case no-one ever notices, the Pratt's website goes to the trouble of letting us know that her name is on the page, even pointing out which page:
"Christine Pratt, founder of The National Bullying Helpline, assisted Tim with content for his book and often assisted Tim with Employment Law content for his website also. See Acknowledgements, page xi of Bully In Sight. Send your cheque made out to 'The National Bullying Helpline' etc etc.
This struck me as a bit odd, considering that the book was published in 1996, and Christine Pratt only started the job she got bullied out of - General Affairs and Personnel Administrator for Sanden - in 1998. She started HR& Diversity Management in 2002, and the National Bullying Helpline Ltd in 2006.
I have a copy of Bully In SIght, purchased in 2002 and signed by the late Tim Field, so I looked at the acknowledgements page to see for myself. As I would have expected, there is no mention of Christine Pratt on the acknowledgements page - (scan 1). Google Books has a copy from a more recent print run, believed to be 2005/6. Sure enough, her name does appear in the copy on Google Books.
2002 copy:
Now I am not suggesting for a moment that Christine Pratt has somehow edited the book and added her own name. Any comments expressing or implying as much will not be published. Some of the other acknowledgements changed too and there's every possibility that Tim Field added names of people who had helped him since the book was first published.
I'm left wondering how much of the content she assisted him with.
I have a copy of Bully In SIght, purchased in 2002 and signed by the late Tim Field, so I looked at the acknowledgements page to see for myself. As I would have expected, there is no mention of Christine Pratt on the acknowledgements page - (scan 1). Google Books has a copy from a more recent print run, believed to be 2005/6. Sure enough, her name does appear in the copy on Google Books.
2002 copy:
2005/6 Copy
Now I am not suggesting for a moment that Christine Pratt has somehow edited the book and added her own name. Any comments expressing or implying as much will not be published. Some of the other acknowledgements changed too and there's every possibility that Tim Field added names of people who had helped him since the book was first published.
I'm left wondering how much of the content she assisted him with.
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It sounds as though the charity will be wound up and then perhaps relaunched as a commercial venture. As for selling Tim Field's books, I wish this dreadful organisation would stop using Tim's name.
ReplyDeleteA note to Mrs Pratt..... the website, although very poor, belongs to the charity and any money you make out of it, and Tim's books, should be given to another charity once yours folds. It might be nice to give Tim's family a sizeable donation out of your own pocket too, for the use of his name all over your own commercial website.
As for the link to the employment tribunal case, a real eye-opener into Mrs Pratt's experience, managerial skills and potty mouth.
Just what is going on at the National Bullying Helpline which although it is supposed to have closed down is actively selling products?
ReplyDeleteOn the updated site 7/2/11 it claims "we are no longer a charity", but the illiterate website is littered with claims that it IS still is a charity.
Then on the "about us" page there is an artistic back lit portrait of "founders of the charity" Christine Pratt and her husband David.
But what I really want to know is this...... Why are the trustees of a charity which has been closed since January 5, 2011 still allowing trading through the website and whose bank account is benefiting? Is it the ex-charity or is it a private firm / individuals?