Simon Birkett addresses rumours surrounding The Woodlander Initiative

Simon Birkett, founder of The Woodlander Initiative who purchased land near Llanfan Fawr to establish what he describes as the first of several family camps intended to revive traditional rural living has issued a statement in response to our article, the article written by Nation.Cymru and the article written by The Times covering the recent rumours that have painted the initiative as a soft target for far-right indoctrination:

Statement — Simon Birkett, The Woodlander Initiative

It would seem that there have been some very strange rumours circulating regarding a small parcel of land we own in Wales, which have led to several unpleasant news articles being published. The misinformation within these articles requires that I put the record straight.

Before I comment on the misinformation published, I would like to note that these cut and paste articles seem to have made little or no research effort regarding the authenticity of the claims made about our organisation. Most of the pertinent, accurate information is freely available on our website, but somehow this seems to have been overlooked. If this is an innocent oversight, it bespeaks a serious lack of professionalism in the report as concerned.

Claim 1. We are building a village.
I’m sorry to disappoint people, but our finances just won’t stretch that far. As wonderful an endeavour as this would be, it was never our intention. The land in Wales has been designated for permaculture and forestry. Beyond these two main activities, the land offers us the ability to hold occasional social events for members. We have held three weekend events, all of which passed peacefully, with friends and families enjoying the beautiful surroundings.

Claim 2. The village, which we are not building, and never had any intention of building, would be for whites only.
As we were never building a village, this is a moot point, but as to that, our membership criteria does not mention colour, nor are any of our policies ever been discriminatory. Whilst we are concerned that those with British heritage be able to keep, enjoy and prosper the land as the inheritance of their forebears, it is not a question of colour, it is a question of tradition, heritage and cultural roots. Only an unfair mind could deny this prerogative to the English, Welsh, Scots and Irish, as it is enjoyed by other native populations.

Claim 3. The woodlander initiative is an extreme organisation.
A woodlander initiative is not even a political organisation. This is plainly stated on our website. There is nothing extreme about wanting to preserve our woodlands and meadows from further wind turbines and solar farms. Nothing extreme about planting fruit trees or cleaning streams, all of which things we have undertaken. Our opposition to the trend of urban modernity may strike some as eccentric, but no informed person could construe our aims on or activities as extreme, dangerous or repugnant.

More than anything, we have sat around a campfire, laughed, talked, shared stories and helped one another where we can. If any of these things are extreme in our day, then it reflects poorly on the culture at large. Our mission statement is on our website, as is the membership criteria. It’s all fair, legal and open. Nothing we have done or said can be fairly accused of the least extremism. Only by exaggeration, tenuous association and bogus and homonyms is this term foisted upon us.

Claim four, links with far-right organisations.
This is a claim made about myself and TWI. I have never made a secret that four decades ago I joined the British National Party. I was 19 years old. Later on in my life, I joined the Conservative Party. I sat on the European Committee, ran the Conservative Business Club. I was even put forward as a councillor. Of the two political parties, I’m more ashamed of being in the latter.

The Woodlander Initiative is not affiliated to any political party and membership is not restricted based on anyone’s political ideology or membership of any political party. Though I myself have had a background in conservative or right-wing politics, other members have been communists, hippies, libertarians and practically all else. Indeed, political opinions and indeed political opinion among amongst members is varied but animated by shared sentiments of heritage, tradition, community and proprietorship.

Much has been said about a speech I gave at a Patriotic Alternative conference. It was a speech outlining the futility of politics in the current era and the promotion of peaceful parallel institutions. As for Patriotic Alternative as an organisation, as far as I’m aware, they are not a political party. They are an advocacy group for the English, Welsh, Scots and Northern Irish. They are a community group that spends time cleaning up local areas and trying to improve the lives of its members and the British people as a whole. Although the Woodlander Initiative is not affiliated to Patriotic Alternatives, I find it difficult to find fault with that.

Claim 5. Misinformation
This addresses the general tone and method of these articles. They brim with hate. They use every buzzword they hope will cause alarm. The terminology used racist, fascist, Nazi, far-right, all thrown at the group who wants to grow carrots and raise hens, hoping to enable people to take back a little control of their lives. These words they hope will cause fear and alarm, and in some cases they will succeed.

Gladly, many people are becoming aware that such slurs and vitriol are unsubstantiated, and moreover are actually untrue. This is easily proven by any who take the time to actually investigate our activities and publications, and more especially by those who have had personal dealings with us as friendly, wholesome neighbours.

I will close by saying that last year I saw hundreds of people arrested and many imprisoned for publishing misinformation and disinformation. Misinformation is false or inaccurate information that is spread or published with or without the intention to deceive. This can happen when someone shares or publishes information they believe to be true, but is not supported by the facts. Disinformation is when false and inaccurate information is spread or published intentionally. It’s only ever the public who are on the receiving end of reprimand and punishment for the sin of spreading untruths.

Perhaps it has always been this way, but it is a shameful double standard. I hope these journalists will better honour their vocation and future by taking a little time to look more closely into the facts and cleave more closely to the truth.

Simon Birkett
The Woodlander Initiative

Pic . Simon Birkett (The Woodlander) – YouTube