Ealing going Viral!

The problem:

We've received yet more complaints with regard to the activities of the Ealing groups based at Bayham Rd and the Green Man Lane Community Centre. There have been reports that these groups: pursue an anti-prescribed medication policy (contrary to AA guidelines); that meetings have been open without consultation with neighbouring (and legitimate AA) groups (in breach of Tradition Four and with detrimental effects upon attendance at these latter groups); that these meetings supply non-conference approved literature some of which appears to be in breach of AAWS copyright (who have incidentally been notified of this); that these groups are affiliated with an outside organisation, which renders them ineligible to call themselves AA groups (under Tradition 3):

“Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A. membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation.”

Finally - that they are bringing AA into disrepute and acting contrary to the interests of AA unity (Tradition 1).

We have been asked to present some ideas that may be employed by the local groups to ensure that this situation is remedied.

The solution:

Firstly groups may ensure that they are not contaminated by this influence by employing cult-proofing techniques (see here). The advice contained here can be modified to suit local circumstances.

Secondly we would advise the local AA groups to call group consciences to decide on a plan of concerted action. This can result in the following decisions (implemented by South Middlesex Intergroup):

a) that the Bayham Road and Green Man Lane meetings be removed from the Local Where to Find;
b) that these groups are no longer eligible to participate in the service structure.(under Traditions 3 and 4 (amongst others)) ie. that any GSR representation at intergroup will no longer be recognised, that their members may no longer hold any intergroup positions, and moreover may not participate in those parts of the service structure that bring them into contact with newcomers eg. phone responders, twelve step calls, public information etc;

The above will have the effect of separating them from the formal service structure of AA and moreover protect the most vulnerable from their activities

It would be useful additionally if AA groups regularly announced these facts at their meetings to ensure this information is widely disseminated (especially to newcomers). ie. that the Bayham Rd and Green Man Lane meetings may no longer be regarded as legitimate AA meetings.

Thirdly members can express their concerns directly to the relevant Intergroup (in this instance South Middlesex - contacting them directly by email or by post), asking them what action they are taking to deal with the situation. Here is the link to their website:

http://www.aa-gb.org.uk/london/southmiddlesex/

Their postal address is: A.A Intergroup, South Middlesex, Jacob House, 3-5 Cynthia Street
London N1 9JF

Their email address is: s-middx-eclo@aa-email.org.uk
(We have already contacted them by email and will follow up on our enquiry and let you know the results).

Additionally (and if members wish to) they can copy their complaint to GSO York.

Here is their postal address: The General Service Office, The General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous (Great Britain) Limited, PO Box 1, 10 Toft Green, York, YO1 7NJ

Here is their email address: gso@alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

Although GSO is unable directly to take action it will be on the record that a complaint has been made and this will then be passed on to the relevant intergroup.

Fourthly action may be taken to have the Bayham Rd and Green Lane meetings themselves closed down. This can be achieved by contacting the relevant landlords of the premises that these groups use and request that their tenancies be terminated on the grounds indicated above. The most useful approach would be to present them with information (and evidence) relating to the the anti-prescribed medication policy that the groups have adopted.

The landlords for the Bayham Rd meetings are: ECIL - Ealing Centre for Independent Living, 1 Bayham Road, West Ealing, London W13 0TQ

Your enquiry should be addressed to: Wendy Starkie who is the chair of the ECIL management and governance committee and/or Sian Vasey who is the director of ECIL

Their phone number is: 0208 840 8573

Email contacts are by form submission. Click here

(Note: as far as we are aware this organisation is quite ignorant of the activities of their tenants and is otherwise of good repute, has charitable status, and receives funding from “Ealing Council and the Ealing Primary Care Trust. [They] also receive project funding from the Big Lottery Fund, in addition to funding from smaller trusts.”

The landlords of the Green Man Lane venue are: from the contact details it would appear to be Ealing Council (we will amend accordingly if we discover otherwise)

Postal address: Green Man Lane Community Centre, Green Man Lane, West Ealing WI3 OSN

Telephone contact: 0208 825 5086

Email contact: khansa@ealing.gov.uk

There are further measures that may be employed and we will indicate these if events should demonstrate that they are necessary.

If AA members act singly and collectively via their groups (and Intergroup) this problem can easily be resolved – the choice is yours!

Over to you

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)