Isn’t the UK secular?

On Monday night we got back to the porch we sleep in, this time to discover a fire extinguisher blocking the door from the inside – it is a window door, so you can see straight through. It hadn’t occurred to me that the police might use the fire alarm on us – they are already using the burglar alarm – are they going to have to the porch a fire engine and fire-fighters with their hoses as well?

It got better on a rainy night last night (after 9.10pm). No sooner had we laid some cardboard, with the alarm from the medical centre across the road going off, than a worker from our building comes out – there was nothing obstructing his way, so he must have been quite disappointed.

Some 10 minutes later, two handymen come out (the alarm still blasting) only to go back in again almost immediately – leaving wet shoeprints all over the cardboard – which was followed a short time later by four handymen leaving the building.

Who in the police comes up with these things? Or is it brainstorming? Perhaps it is more sinister and the British police are well used to running such schemes against people the Government – or should I say the Establishment, the church being part of it – wants out of the way.

The Irish police sprang things on us not unsimilar, which would indicate to me that these are standard policing practices. You really wouldn’t expect less from Ireland, with its Catholic baggage, but it is an eye opener that it would happen in a secular UK, where most people don’t bother with religion at all. Does it not indicate how necessary is an organisation that brings together individuals and groups from across the globe who work for public policies based on secular principles rather than religious doctrine?

Monday afternoon Declan was quite busy dealing with The Big Issue head office. After taking a trip out there he then faxed Joe Perkins, an outreach worker. This is all in relation to the pitch we were given in February in Covent Garden and which is not only shared by Declan and me, but another vendor who Declan had to threaten with a complaint last Saturday – it gets complicated, I know.

Anyway, Perkins said he would be making a definitive ruling within 24 hours on who – if anyone – has precedence on this crowded pitch … no precedence would mean that whoever steps in first would get the pitch. For the record, this is Declan’s email to Perkins yesterday afternoon:

Subject: Covent Garden pitch

Dear Joe

I refer to my fax to you of 5 March with copy of pitch authorisation slip for my wife (badge no. 1170) and I for the Noël Coward Theatre (formerly Albery) in Covent Garden.

I can confirm that this morning I spoke with your vendor co-ordinator for Covent Garden, Mr Steve Farrell regarding the difficulties my wife and I experienced at our Albery Theatre pitch with vendor Steve Elliott (badge no. 1157) on Saturday last.

I understand that it is your definitive ruling that although the Albery Theatre remains a sharing pitch between three people, my wife, as well as myself, continues to have precedence on this pitch.

If I am in any way mistaken on this matter, please call me on 0779 2843167 at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely
Declan Heavey
Badge no. 1163