In highlighting their call for social justice, in relation to their houseboat eviction, fundamental human rights of ‘respect for home, family and way of life’, are at the very centre of their campaign.

Marie Louise and Vincent Shalom, maintain that their Family, with five young daughters, and their converted houseboat home, “Picton”, have been treated most poorly, by Surrey - based, housing property developer, Crest Plc. Crest Nicholson eradicated the Shalom Family and their houseboat home from one of their erstwhile marina developments at Penarth Marina, in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, in October 2003. Their home of 14 years and their entire private and personal possessions have since been seized, including the Children’s 7 pet goldfish.

The full scale houseboat eviction and subsequent, 3 am night-time-seizure, came about only after a long running feud, concerning corporate responsibility. The marina company, Crest Nicholson Marinas Limited, an erstwhile wholly-owned subsidiary company of Crest Plc, had directly caused a night-time grounding accident to their home, and the houseboat subsequently developed an extraordinary leak. The Family claims that the company displayed an unacceptable disregard for their health and safety, particularly as Marie Shalom was eight months pregnant, and their four young daughters were sleeping at the time of the grounding accident, in Penarth marina, Cardiff Bay.

The Shaloms aver that the records will verify their claims, that they tried every practical and conceivable means to fix the leak, which included making such request to Crest Nicholson, for permission, to haul-out the vessel onto a purposely designed lift-out pad (an emergency facility) at Penarth marina. Records prove that the Shaloms were ready, willing and able to fix the leak. Such a facility was made freely available to the Royal National Lifeboat Institute, when Mr. Peter Nicholson, Vice Chair, (R.N.L.I.) was also a serving member of the Board of Directors of Crest Plc. The marina company failed to grant permission for the family to make such repairs with this facility, but no reason was ever offered for this evident inequity.

It is also apparent that subject to this accident, Mr John Callcutt, Chief Executive Officer, Crest Plc whose duties at the time, also included being solely responsible for the implementation of enforcing health and safety in the Crest Group, confirmed by way of letter to the Shalom family, that his organisation was “wrong” to have ever allowed them to settle and raise a family at the marina. Three of the Shaloms’ five daughters were ‘born-into’- houseboat living at Penarth marina. It (Penarth marina) had become their only home, where the family was invited, by Crest Nicholson, to enter for the first time, in January 1997.

Crest Nicholson Marinas Limited were ‘successful’ in their Cardiff - court action of ‘trespass’ against the family, in that they refused to accept the Shaloms’ fees, thereby forcing the situation of trespass to arise. Crest Nicholson maintain that the family were in breach of marina rules about insurance requirements, but it is very clear, that the family were able to attract insurance cover to their houseboat home, subject to the water ingress being fixed. The documented records prove that Crest Nicholson Marinas Limited actively thwarted all responsible and reasonable attempts by the family to fix the leak at site, and also chose to engage in a dialogue of contempt and general disrespect, despite many offers from the couple, to engage in a process of proactive and alternative dispute resolution (ADR). The Family have again invited John Matthews, Chairman of Crest Plc to meet with them.

A determined presence was maintained at the NEC main entrance, for most of the duration of the show. The ‘right to protest with dignity and respect’ was fully upheld and approved by all necessary parties, as campaign organisers liaised with West Midlands Police, NEC Group and NEC Group Security.

In the summer of 2004, the Family made direct approach to Bank of Scotland, Chief Office London, inviting them (as Crest Plc major shareholders, via HBOS) to take an extraordinary interest in this situation, as they believe this to be an extraordinary case. The Family have offered to make available the entire case history of their dealings with Crest Plc and Crest Nicholson Marinas Limited but neither Bank of Scotland nor HBOS have yet to respond to this offer.

The Shalom Family Campaign for Justice have also written to Mr. James Crosby CEO HBOS. It is hoped that he will provide them the opportunity to make full representations of matters to date. As major shareholders in Crest Plc, Bank of Scotland and HBOS will be invited to make clear, their respective policies, regarding Corporate Social Responsibility.

Footnotes

Crest Plc sold off Crest Nicholson Marinas Limited by July 2004, just a short while after this unique houseboat eviction. Andrew Yates, Simon Haigh and Paul Rye, former staff of the Crest Nicholson Group, launched a new face, Quay Marinas, to what essentially remains the same business, at the Schroders 2005 London International Boat Show, at EXCEL, London docklands in January.

Please refer to other links:

Crest Plc & Crest Nicholson Marinas Limited 'Charged' with Human Rights Abuse?  http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire/display/18902/index.php

Schroders: Crest Nicholson Protest Boat Show Ban on Five Girls  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/01/304204.html

UBS Bank Have a Word With Crest Plc
 https://www1.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/02/305232.html

t Plc & Crest Nicholson Marinas Limited 'Charged' with Human Rights Abuse?


James Crosby, Chief Executive Halifax Bank of Scotland may be contacted via e-mail  jamescrosby@hbosplc.com