Trust excludes Christmas from ‘inclusivity’ calendar
CHRISTIAN holidays have been excluded from the National Trust’s inclusion calendar, triggering a backlash from members.
While Diwali, Eid and Ramadan feature in the heritage group’s “inclusivity and wellbeing” calendar, distributed to volunteers, Christmas and Easter go unmentioned.
The issue was raised by a volunteer amid angry scenes at its annual meeting, where the Trust was accused of rigging an election to get favoured candidates voted on to its council. Some fear it will allow the Trust, which criticised the Government’s Net Zero policy and investigated its houses’ links to the slave trade, to push “woke” policies.
Lord Sumption, a former Supreme Court justice who unsuccessfully stood for election to the council, said: “Its practical consequence is plain. It is to convert a system of election into a system of co-option by the trustees.
“It’s strange for a body which is designed… to hold the trustees to account to be in practice selected by the trustees themselves. It also seems strange for a body whose function is very largely advisory to be selected by those it is supposed to advise so that they get the kind of advice that they would like.”
Lord Sumption was among the candidates endorsed by Restore Trust, which believes the National Trust has become focused on campaigning instead of its principles of heritage and conservation.
Meanwhile, David Lamming, a Trust member from Suffolk, told the meeting the calendar issue had been raised with him by a concerned volunteer.
He said: “It doesn’t include the Christian
festivals of Christmas and Easter. Can we have an explanation please for those being omitted?”
His question prompted a loud round of applause from the audience, one of whom later said it was a sign that the heritage group had become “too woke”. John Orna-Ornstein, the Trust curation director, said: “I’m really clear there is no such internal discrimination.”
The Trust said: “This internal guidance is specifically designed to supplement the National Trust’s year-round programming that includes Christmas and Easter. It enables our teams to mark more religious and cultural festivals, to serve local communities and allow everyone to learn about and enjoy different cultures.
“We’re proud to host some wonderful celebrations for Eid, Diwali, Hanukkah, and other occasions.”
Several members heckled the executive team and stormed out towards the end of the meeting, incensed by the organisation’s “quick vote” policy.
The system means voters can check a single box to endorse candidates standing for election and policies endorsed by the Trust’s council.