The community chest: Village has a £175,000 whip-round
By BILL MOULAND
IN the tranquil village of Burton Leonard, life seemed just
about as perfect as it could be.
Two tree-lined village greens, a post office and shop, a
couple of pubs and a primary school for 52 children. Across the
road, for those at the other end of the age scale, a nursing
home.
When the crisis hit the little community near Harrogate, North
Yorkshire, it was about as big a crisis as it has known.
In place of the Crown House Nursing Home, which owner Rosemary
Swann had been trying to sell for three years, there was to be a
drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre.
Despite protests, the council approved the building's change
of use. So the residents of Burton Leonard, who include a former
deputy chief constable, an ex-Bank of England official and other
comfortably-off professionals, decided on drastic action - to buy
Crown House for themselves.
In three days, families willing to take £500 shares in the
house had pledged £175,000 to buy it. And yesterday, three days
after that, they exchanged contracts on it.
The deal was struck after the firm which had been buying the
house on behalf of the American-based charity Narconon,
® which
stands for no narcotics, offered to pull out if the village
matched its offer.
'As a charity we are not in the business of frightening old
ladies or young mothers, although they have nothing to fear,'
said spokesman Kenneth Eckersley, who has accused 'liars and
manipulators' in the village of poisoning his plans.
As the village made plans for a celebration march tomorrow,
postmistress Gerlinde Godber, a leading light in the campaign,
said: 'We felt the safety of our children would be in danger if
this centre opened. Buying the house was the only way we could
stop village life from being threatened.
'We needed to act quickly and we did. It took from Sunday
morning to Tuesday evening to get the money we needed.
'People have sacrificed a great deal. From putting off buying
new cars and taking holidays, to breaking into life savings,
everyone has tried to do their bit.'
One of them was former deputy chief constable of South Wales,
David Mellor, who has shelved plans to replace his
four-wheel-drive lsuzu Trooper and renovate his garden.
He and his wife Bridget have two daughters, Bobby, nine and
Rachel, eight. Mrs Mellor said: 'We moved here because it's the
best place to bring children up. They can walk to the shops on
their own, to school, Brownies and cubs, all without danger. With
this centre across the road from the school, we didn't feel they
could do that.'
Denis Muldoon, the former Bank of England official who is now
chairman of the village's own property company, Burton Leonard
Management Ltd, said the house would be resold to a more suitable
buyer.
'We are all so relieved. People objected to the prospect of
having former drug addicts in the village and reacted with a
positive demonstration.' Despite bowing out, Mr Eckersley said:
'There has been talk about drug addicts running screaming and
barefoot through the village. We've even been accused of
belonging to the Church of Scientology.
®
It's just not true.
'We are not a halfway house and nobody on alcohol or drugs is
allowed in any of our premises. We are a teaching establishment,
there to educate people who have previously been on drugs and
alcohol. These people are not dangerous.'
The name "Narconon"® is trademarked to the Scientology
organization through one of their many front groups. The name
"Scientology"® is also trademarked to the "Church"
of Scientology. Neither this web page, nor this web site, nor any of the
individuals mentioned herein assisting to educate the public about the
dangers of the Narconon scam are members of or representitives of the
Scientology organization.
If you or a loved one needs help -- real help -- there are
a number of rehabilitation programs you can contact. The real
Narcotics Anonymous organization
can get you in touch with real people who can help you.
Click [HERE] to visit Narcotics
Anonymous's web site. Narcotics Anonymous's telephone number is
1 (818) 773-9999.
Return to The NarCONon exposure's main Index page.
Forward: For a systematic, detailed, professional exposure of
Scientology's "Narconon" front group, visit the
Narconon Exposed web site.
to buy up property earmarked for ex-junkies - 1 March 97
Daily Mail, 1 March 1997
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