Mr. Vincent Shalom from the Shalom Family Campaign for Social Justice (Re-Crest Nicholson PLC) made peaceful picket bearing a banner which simply reads, “Google Search Houseboat Eviction Ethical Corporations PLEASE HELP US!”.

Husband to Marie Louise and ‘Papa’ to their five daughters, Hannah, Naomi, Rachel, Rebekah and Jessica, Mr. Shalom conducted similar picket-actions at various locations through the City of London, at the addresses of known close associates* of Crest Nicholson Plc.

In October 2003 Crest Nicholson Plc wiped-out this Family’s only Home of 14 years. There has been no compensation or offer of compensation whatsoever, despite the company causing an ‘accident’ to the Family Home, an accident which they do not dispute.

John Callcutt former CEO of Crest Plc was solely responsible for enforcing health and safety in the Crest Group, including Penarth Marina, but this is something that he clearly failed to do by permitting the Family’s only Home, a Houseboat, to become grounded at the marina in Cardiff Bay, South Wales. Mrs Shalom was eight months pregnant at the time and the children were asleep in bed! The Shaloms readily accuse him of mendacious conduct throughout the matter, which in itself has besmirched the good name of the Family in their own locality.

Rather strangely, the night-time grounding and toppling accident was not recorded with the Health and Safety Executive, or the Environment Department of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, the ‘Enforcing Authority’ for Health and Safety at the Penarth Marina at the time.

Subsequent to this ‘accident’, the MV Picton sprang a leak, a fact that is evidenced between three professional survey reports conducted by a qualified, Yacht Brokers Designers & Surveyors Association (Y.B.D.S.A*.) professional surveyor. The couple properly tried to do everything to go about fixing this leak, as indicated by their insurers and the survey report, but believe that they were wilfully obstructed by Crest Nicholson at the highest level and in particular by Crest Nicholson’s Operations Director Mr. Simon Haigh and Marina Manager Mr. Gareth Stephens. Both individuals, although accredited with the Association of Marina Industries *(AMI Washington USA), Certified Marina Manager (CMM) status, would not provide the Shaloms with the necessary ‘permissions’ to lift the vessel clear of the water, in order for them to fix the leak.

In direct consequence the Family’s houseboat insurance expired which forced the couple into a ‘breach of contract’ situation, even though this was clearly not of their own making. Nevertheless, Crest Nicholson Marinas Limited, a subsidiary of Crest at the time but still under the direction of John Callcutt CEO, insisted that this was reasonable grounds for refusing to accept further mooring fees, and told the Family to quit the marina. Returning the couples’ mooring fees on no less than three occasions, the company ‘charged’ the Family with trespass and ‘won’ a Court action, with costs awarded, brought before the Cardiff Courts.

This is all history now; their once perfectly safe and satisfactory Family Home has gone. The Family cannot help but wonder whether this is British injustice at its worst. Seized on April 21st 2004, in the middle of the night, along with all their Family’s personal possessions, some of which have ‘disappeared’, courtesy of the High Court Sheriff, their Home has been utterly destroyed.

However, the Family believe that the Europe Summit on Corporate Social Responsibility was an ideal opportunity to raise awareness of the Campaign for Social Justice from Crest Nicholson Plc. It was a frank effort to seek help from the corporate business community. Mr. & Mrs. Shalom insist that this line of enquiry is something which they can not stop until they feel ‘enabled’ to get on with their lives. Their only goal is Social Justice through the medium of Corporate Social Responsibility.

Ethical Corporation is a magazine which explores and advocates Corporate Social Responsibility and the Europe Summit Event was earmarked to be packed with top Chief Executive Officers, Company Board Members, Corporate Responsibility Directors, Heads of Corporate Responsibility and Corporate Responsibility Managers.

Besides a very generous supply of warm beverages, Mr. Shalom was invited to lunch at the conference, put together by First Conferences Limited*, Global providers of market-leading business news, intelligence and events, and appreciated the welcome by both conference organisers and attending visitors. Many delegates at the conference also expressed that they were most sympathetic to the Shalom Family's present crisis with Crest Nicholson, and appear to understand, and accept, their ‘Campaign Aim’, for a ‘fair’ and ‘just’ solution.

The Shalom Family are calling upon Crest Chairman, Mr. John Matthews (also Chair of Regus PLC) and Stephen Stone Crest CEO, to consider the case for 'social justice' in the matter, based on the record and individual merit.

References:-

*Ethical Corporation  http://www.ethicalcorp.com/
*Crest Nicholson Associates  http://www.mvpicton.co.uk/the_players.htm
* Yacht Brokers Designers & Surveyors Association YBDSA  http://www.ybdsa.co.uk/
*Association of Marina Industries AMI Washington USA  http://www.marinaassociation.org/aboutus.cfm
* First Conferences Limited  http://www.firstconf.com/

NOTES:-

HBOS, Halifax Bank of Scotland are major shareholders with Crest Nicholson Plc.

John Callcutt, is presently CEO of English Partnerships, based at Corporate Headquarters, Buckingham Palace Road, Westminster. The Family have already appealed for help from Mrs. Margaret Ford Chair and the Board of Directors  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/05/339829.html

Mr. Shalom’s umbrella was courteously supplied by Legal & General Group PLC, at their AGM at One London Wall at  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/05/340963.html .The company is also a listed shareholders with Crest Nicholson PLC.

The Shalom Family have openly invited Associated Marina Industries Washington USA  http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/133830/index.php to investigate two of their listed Certified Marina Managers for ‘dishonest dealings’, Mr. Gareth Stephens, who now works with British Waterways as Boat Handling Manager for London and Mr. Simon Haigh, Managing Director Quay Marinas Bristol.

The Shaloms have never received a reply to their letter of appeal to Marcel Ospel Chair of UBS Bank, Merchant Bankers to Crest Nicholson PLC.

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