Atticus Chess Club Row

[David Sedgwick]

http://www.englishchess.org.uk/Forum/vi ... f=31&t=474.

I won't comment on a dispute about which I know nothing, but I'll be interested to see whether the ECF Forum moderators (if any) allow the post to stand.

[Andrew Zigmond]

Having seen that thread (which is in the wrong section if nothing else) I was thinking the same thing. Interestingly the author is a relatively recently registered member of this forum so I wonder why he chose to post on the one that is clearly less used (unless of course it did find its way on to here and Carl and Jack pounced).

[Roger de Coverly]

I'm puzzled as to how Atticus get Lottery funding. I thought you had to be a sport.

Whilst reluctant to bring the subject up, it does remain the case that notwithstanding several versions of Codes of Conduct etc., English chess lacks a means outside the established legal system to be able to resolve disputes between clubs or between individuals and clubs.

[Carl Hibbard]

Having seen that thread (which is in the wrong section if nothing else) I was thinking the same thing. Interestingly the author is a relatively recently registered member of this forum so I wonder why he chose to post on the one that is clearly less used (unless of course it did find its way on to here and Carl and Jack pounced).

No, the fact there is a post over there at all is shocking

[Ray Sayers]

The admission that he has 'indeed walked off from many such clubs in both the UK and abroad' is interesting....

Edit: actually, I'm not that interested; I was just a bit bored this afternoon.

[JustinHorton]

Best thing I've read all day.

[David Pardoe]

Reading the commentary, it would appear that Josh has had a few run ins previously with other clubs..
Doesn't sound too clever, but we don't know the background..
My initial reaction is to suggest he tries another club that is a bit more sympathetic.....
Disputes with clubs and members over all manner of things do crop up on a not infrequent basis..
No, its not the ECFs business to get involved in a whole host of club domestic issues.
Most inter club disputes can be resolved by some amicable agreement, sometimes involving league disputes committees.
The joys of our social/cultural pastimes....

[Andrew Bak]

How many chess clubs get lottery funding?

[Ian Thompson]

I'm puzzled as to how Atticus get Lottery funding. I thought you had to be a sport.

The Merseyside Chess Association website has the statement below, so I wonder if the source and extent of the Atticus lottery funding is the same.

The MCA, respectively the MCA webmaster, took advantage of the project "Websites for Community Organisations", which was financially supported by the Big Lottery Fund and organized by 4ty-2 Computer and Internet Services. Within the framework of this project the new MCA website was launched and developed. As a gratitude the Big Lottery Logo is displayed on our website.

[Jon Mahony]

I know nothing about the dispute, but as was pointed out on the other place, Josh’s comment that he has simply walked away from many organisations in the UK and abroad, gave some indication of form…

[Joshua Gibbs]

Hi everyone I'm Joshua Gibbs. I'd like to reply to the following points.

"The admission that he has 'indeed walked off from many such clubs in both the UK and abroad' is interesting...."

I don't "admit" anything. I'm just stating that I as an individual chose to walk off. I did nothing to admit to.

"Reading the commentary, it would appear that Josh has had a few run ins previously with other clubs..
Doesn't sound too clever, but we don't know the background.."

No, reading what I wrote implies that I had a run-in with a member of one other chess club. If you mean I'm not too clever when you are right. If you mean my dispute with that individual was not too clever then I would say you are incorrect.

"Josh’s comment that he has simply walked away from many organisations in the UK and abroad, gave some indication of form… "

No. The fact that I have walked away from Private members' Clubs shows that I have moral fibre and will walk off if someone tells a joke I find offensive, or behaves in some other way I dislike. Many who know me consider my behaviour daft but I say "if I don't make a stand, who else will?" I do not do this just with clubs, I am the first to have a go at rowdy gangs on public transport or take a hiding off a group of doormen as opposed to letting bullying go on.

A Private Members' Club is allowed to do what it wants as it is ran by private members, and I have the right to walk off as a member of the general public. However I think the situation is different, or should be different when it comes to a public funded body and such bodies should be held to account by some entity (I don't know what this entity should be)

I know many at Atticus want to apply the club for charitable status, and I would like to point out that at the moment the committees actions towards me would not be befitting of a charity in my opinion.

Joshua Gibbs

[Roger de Coverly]

However I think the situation is different, or should be different when it comes to a public funded body and such bodies should be held to account by some entity

It was reasonably established that you have it wrong in claiming Atticus chess club to be a public funded body. Given that Chess isn't a sport as far as UK law is concerned, it isn't eligible for Lottery funding. It's believed that the Lottery logo refers to the point that the website was built using a Lottery funded template.

[Jon Mahony]

No. The fact that I have walked away from Private members' Clubs shows that I have moral fibre and will walk off if someone tells a joke I find offensive, or behaves in some other way I dislike...

It could prove you have moral fibre, however I think it is more likely you are oversensitive to anyone behaving outside, what you term acceptable. Such narrow thinking, does on the whole, tend to put peoples backs up.

take a hiding off a group of doormen as opposed to letting bullying go on...

[Joshua Gibbs]

Roger - I assumed the following image meant that Atticus were lottery funded. I don't think this was that great a leap of logic. Look at their site http://www.atticus.merseysidechess.org.uk/

I am led to believe that they, or some of their members are seeking charity status as it is, in the words of one of their members "profitable". I believe if they have charity status they should behave differently as they did towards me as a member of the general public.

Jon - the fact is that I did find it acceptable - they are a private members' club so I walked off. I accept the fact that they are able to do what they want as a private members club.

[Alan Walton]

Explanation: the Big Lottery Logo
Atticus Chess Club, respectively the Atticus webmaster, took advantage of the project "Websites for Community Organisations", which was financially supported by the Big Lottery Fund and organized by 4ty-2 Computer and Internet Services. Within the framework of this project the new Atticus Chess Club website was launched and developed. As a gratitude the Big Lottery Logo is displayed on our website.

This is the explanation of the logo; it was mainly around redesigning and updating the website itself, not the main type of Lottery funding (through Sport England) which will not come as chess isn't recognized as a sport