National Trust drops demand for staff to wear rainbow badges

THE National Trust has been forced into a humiliating climbdown over a policy to banish volunteers from meeting the public if they disobeyed orders to wear a gay pride rainbow flag.

Scores of volunteers at Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk had refused to wear the badges and lanyards bearing the motif, despite being told they would be limited to backroom chores.

The move, revealed after The Daily Telegraph published a leaked email written by Trust bosses, was part of the organisation’s Prejudice and Pride campaign intended to celebrate 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality.

Ella Akinlade, the manager at Felbrigg Hall, had emailed staff, telling those who refused to wear the gay pride colours: “We will ask you not to be on duty in a visitor-facing role.”

Many of the volunteers were enraged that the Trust had earlier decided to “out” Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer, the country squire and historian who had bequeathed his ancestral home to the nation.

Relatives and godchildren of Mr Ketton-Cremer had written to this paper saying the “intensely private” man would have felt betrayed by the Trust after it made a film narrated by Stephen Fry claiming the squire was gay.

After more than a week of being accused of being too politically correct, the National Trust yesterday issued a statement saying the wearing of the rainbow badges and lanyards was “optional and a personal decision”.

“We are aware that some volunteers had conflicting personal opinions about wearing the rainbow lanyards and badges. That was never our intention.

“We are therefore making it clear to volunteers that the wearing of the badge is optional and a personal decision.”

The volunteers, many of whom refused to work after being ordered to wear the flags, insisted they were not homophobic, but simply upset that the Trust had “outed” a man who chose not to be open about his sexuality.

Last night, Josie Gallagher, an 81-yearold volunteer who will next year complete 25 years service at Felbrigg Hall, welcomed the reversal of the rule.

“My husband Des and I saw the coverage in The Telegraph and felt Mr Ketton-Cremer had been betrayed by the National Trust.

“Hopefully Dame Helen Ghosh, the Trust’s director general, has come to her senses and realised the pressure she has put the volunteers and staff under.”

Earlier, Dame Helen said those who felt strongly about not wearing the rainbow colours “are free to step back from the volunteer role”.

However, more than 240 people contacted the Trust to say they were terminating their membership over the issue.