Dear ASSAP Executive,

On 4th November, an email was published under whistleblowing, on the members' facebook group.

These emails dated 5th July 2024, had been sent from the Vice President of ASSAP, to some of the members of the Fellowship-the secret group that had been discovered within the board of trustees.

In them, he instructs various members of the Fellowship to undertake various tasks. Excerpt below:

‘‘And now, something even more revolutionary, which some may not agree with – psychological ju-jitsu! It is agreed that C** is devious and poisonous, and we must respond with equal cunning. We can probably never defeat her with traditional weapons like CC [Charity Commission] and Company House threats. Even if she resigns she would be a constant pain in our corporate backside for as long as she lives. She will be considerably more use on our side as a bitch Rottweiler …

I suggest that today if possible, B**(perhaps with help from Mrs ***) arranges to send C’s home address a large bouquet of flowers with plenty of red roses, to the value of £50. The card should read: “Far more things unite us than divide us. The Exec. hopes we can soon start working together amicably. We need your strengths.”

I shall deposit the cash in your bank account immediately we agree, Bill, together with any further delivery charges.

What will C‘s reaction be? What normal woman doesn’t like flowers? If she tramples on them in rage, it will tell us something significant about her. And furthermore, if she gets stroppy at the EGM, somebody can ask innocently: “is it true you received a large boquet of flowers from other Exec. members inviting mutual cooperation?

Perhaps next week we could then send a similar tribute to B** [S**, former ASSAP Treasuerer] this time with a simple Get Well Soon message. Again, I shall fund this.

To adopt this will require a lot of statesmanship from everyone, particularly N*** , who has suffered a lot. You deserve a bouquet too N, if you support this tactic! Perhaps you could copy this message to other colleagues mentioned in your last email”

The actions in the email were carried out by B and N, who are still trustees.

In addition to this, the writer of the email was this week co-opted onto the executive.

These emails contained misogynistic and abusive language, coercive and controlling behaviour, and detailed activities to undermine a democratically elected trustee, funding of activities designed to undermine a trustee, and treating for those who participated in the campaign against the target, then-secretary, C.

It also implied that this was not the first trustee who had been targeted in this way.

Rather than apologising for the actions and the words, The executive has defended the Vice President’s right to make the comments, and he has refused to apologise for his comments. Instead, executives have gone as far as to threaten taking legal action against C, for a breach of privacy in publishing the email, positioning themselves as the victims.

Following the whistleblowing, another executive, H, received a threatening message from B on the members; facebook group:

“Tell tale Tit, your tongue I’ll slit, and all the little birdies shall have a little bit.”

As a charity, ASSAP must demonstrate that its aims benefit the wider public.

We, the undersigned members, recent former-members and people with an interest in ASSAP, believe that ASSAP and its executive should be a safe place for women (and all members), and the revelation of the emails indicates a culture of misogyny, intimidation, coercive and controlling behaviour, and weaponised undermining of the officers elected by this membership.

We denounce the abuse of the former secretary which is exposed in these emails, and ask for the immediate resignation of those involved, for having breached the code of conduct and brought ASSAP into disrepute.

Namely the author of the email and the two current trustees who were involved in the plan, as well as the resignation of any other executive who had knowledge of these events contemporaneously or subsequently, and failed to take action.