Suicide in Gerrards Cross

A recent email: 

“Hi love your site - don’t suppose you can tell me who runs it? Does it originate in Beaconsfield? I don’t like the cult meetings. Never been to Ealing but I've experienced Harefield Friday. I've met that Richard. He scares the shit out of me. He came to Uxbridge and told everyone they were sick. Said he wanted to take me through the book and help me recover. I'm sober in AA 34 years. What does he think I did in 79! I want to go to Bayham Road Ealing but I don’t know what to expect. Never met Happy Dennis. So I got the message you do the steps in 6 weeks then you have recovered - people like me are sick. Some lady involved with the idiots at Harefield committed suicide - jumped in front of a train at Gerrards Cross. I was sat next to her on Friday. She was dead on Saturday. That was 2 years ago. They where turning up at her house taking her to AA. She didn’t want to go. Was a good friend of mine. Someone tried all that with me in 77. It didn’t work. The cult took over South Harrow. Everyone left and it closed down. They had a look at Pinner but we are too strong for them. Thanks for the site. I read it every few days. Will you e mail me back. I don’t care you can print my e mail online if you want. Too many groups using the AA programme. Too many different interpretations of it. Thanks again. Keep up the good work ….....”

Our response: 

“Hi …...,

Thanks for the mail. We're glad you find the site useful. As for us we prefer to remain anonymous – there are far too many 'personalities' floating around AA as it is! But the site was started off by a few members in …... and then expanded from there. We've even gone international with contributions coming in from the US and Australia amongst others! But we're not exclusive - as far as we're concerned anyone is a member of the aacultwatch team who understands what we're about and supports us. Obviously some people are more active than others but we depend solely on information supplied by AAs to keep us up to date with what is going on in different areas (and countries). As for Happy Dennis not all the Bayham Rd meetings apparently are run by him. There have been a number of defections and some of the meetings have reverted to standard AA ie. relatively sane. But if you really want to see a show apparently the Sunday Bayham Rd meeting is where they all “jump for joy” …. rather you than us!

We don't believe we've heard about the suicide you mentioned but that's precisely the thing we're trying to ensure doesn't happen in the future. Certainly we'd be interested in any details that you are able to supply about that.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Cheerio

The Fellas”

(our edits)

Our “Thug of the Month”: Richard E

Yep! Yet another addition to our pantheon of dishonour … introducing ….. Richard E …..who will be joining the likes of Harry K, Glynne M, Billy (the Kid) and numerous other 'unsung heroes' of the cult movement in Great Britain. The list goes on .. but not quite 'ad infinitum'.....

We quote:

“Hi chaps just a little report on the dangerous actions of Richard E. He is a member of AA and CA and is part of the fierce control sponsorship movement sweeping many AA and CA groups. A friend of mine visited an AA meeting in the South Harrow area recently and saw a female member crying outside and when he asked what was wrong she stated that Richard E had told her she is not a real alcoholic and is killing people in AA. This meeting has been taken over by Richard and his army of sponsees who are all ordered to introduce themselves as grateful recovered alcoholics. Richard hunts newcomers in AA and proceeds to tell them they will not recover in mainstream AA and demands they attend his CA home-group in Ormond Road Richmond hence the meeting is full of alcoholics who in my opinion are in the wrong fellowship. He also demands they ring him every day at a set time and write and review a gratitude list none of which I can find in the AA book. He was recently arrested and charged with assault for spitting in a female member's face in a Sunday night meeting in Barnes south-west London but fails to mention this when he speaks in meetings ….. only claims to be happy joyous and free at all times. Please keep my name off this as I don’t want conflict when I see him and his gang at meetings. Keep up the good work. God bless.”

And from another correspondent:

“Perhaps you have already heard of these meetings, nonetheless for your information...

South Harrow, London 8pm Thursday 13th September. The chair was by Harry K - "That's Harry K......., not Henry Kissinger!" he says. Alcoholics "Anonymous". Travelled in from Margate. From the top down he was wearing a black cowboy hat, black overcoat and what looked like blue slippers. Noticed lots of people in attendance never seen before - my view is they had probably also travelled some distance to this meeting. Relatively few locals in the meeting. Didn't count attendance - though guess at least 45.

Also Harefield, London Friday 7pm. Sponsorship and "Big Book Study" offered there. Smaller meeting.

Keep up the good work. I enjoy reading aacultwatch on a regular basis.

Best wishes”

When we checked with our first contact we received the following information:

“Sure. Richard E and Harry K are pals that’s why Harry will have been there. Harry K is actually a heroin addict who cleaned up in AA. He was introduced to CA one year back through Richard and his flock of sponsees so he is now attending CA meetings and has an awful habit of telling everyone else what to do. Also loves to quote his knowledge of the book ….... what page is what etc.. He has also been invited to speak at our CA UK area convention in Hayling Island this November. This has been heavily influenced by Richard. There is plenty of us who can see these people for what they are. We continue to carry the real message of love and tolerance to alcoholic or drug addict who still suffers. God bless fellas.”

Comment: By all accounts these two are just made for each other! Not a lot of people know this (well actually a lot of people know this) but although Harry is something of a self appointed 'authority' on the Big Book he's not so adept when it comes to other people's property. Indeed he seems to have come rather unstuck not that long ago when an employer sacked him for shop lifting from one of their stores! Still to err is human, to forgive divine .. and we're sure that Harry has forgiven himself already!

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Thanks to our various correspondents... keep up the good work!