Two young mothers today spoke of their humiliation after being kicked out of a British playgroup - for being British.
Emma Knightley, 25, and her daughter Imogen, 21 months, and her best friend, Kimberley Wildman, 27, and her daughter Olivia, 18 months, turned up at the Making Links sessions at the taxpayer-funded Priory Centre in St Neots, Cambridgeshire.
But they were gobsmacked when organisers had the front to turn them away after asking them 'what country are you from?'
Shop worker Emma, 25, said: "The first thing I was asked about was my nationality and when I said I was British I was told we had to leave.
"She said 'are you not aware this is for foreign people only?'
Despite the Making Links website being littered with bizarre Left-Wing, PC-speak, such as seeking "to operate in the spirit of the Commission for Racial Equality" and saying its ambition includes "bringing communities together and facilitating interaction between them" and developing "cross-cultural friendships" it has surely broken many of those ambitions by discriminating against people purely on their nationality.
The group's administrator, Roger Owen, said: "It is a group for ladies from other countries. It is not for British people."
The same group also refuses to let fathers turn up with their children.
Ironically, this incident comes at the time a Christian couple have appeared in court charged with homophobia after refusing to allow gay couples to stay at the PRIVATE Bed & Breakfast that they run in their OWN HOME.
Steven Preddy and his civil partner Martyn Hall went to police after being turned away from the guest house by Peter and Hazelmary Bull who didn't want to offer the opportunity for ANY non-married couples (whether homosexual or heterosexual) to have sex under their roof.
Playgroup ban for being British
Outraged ... Emma Knightley and Imogen
By NEIL MILLARD
19th January 2011
The Sun
FURIOUS mums told of their "humiliation" today after they were kicked out of a council-funded children's playgroup — because they were BRITISH.
But they were gobsmacked when organisers had the front to turn them away after asking them 'what country are you from?'
Not a 'typical' playgroup ... Making Links at the Priory Centre
MASONS / SWNS.com
The best friends were told only FOREIGN mums and children were welcome at the taxpayer-funded Priory Centre in St Neots, Cambs.
Shop worker Emma, 25, said: "The first thing I was asked about was my nationality and when I said I was British I was told we had to leave.
"She said 'are you not aware this is for foreign people only?'
"I said I knew it was trying to integrate people into the community but didn't realise that meant British people and their children were banned.
"I felt humiliated. It shouldn't matter what nationality you are we shouldn't be discriminated against.
"You wouldn't get away with a British-only mum and children's group."
She booked a place at the playgroup six weeks ago.
Trainee midwife Kimberley, 27, added the ban was "ridiculous".
She said: "Surely if this group is about making links in the community they should let all people in, regardless of race or nationality.
"It's a real shame. I want my children to play with children from other races and integrate in the community because that stops discrimination.
"I can't believe we were discriminated against because we are British."
Making Links gets a £1,000 annual grant from St Neots Town Council.
Bizarrely its website says it "seeks to operate in the spirit of the Commission for Racial Equality" and its ambition includes "bringing communities together and facilitating interaction between them" and developing "cross-cultural friendships".
Its administrator Roger Owen, 66, said that the group is not a "typical" playgroup and is funded entirely for women from other nationalities.
He said it wasn't racism and it only got its funding because it was created for mums from other countries.
He added: "We believe there are plenty of other alternatives for British mothers in the town.
"It is a group for ladies from other countries. It is not for British people.
"It started out as a church group but is now run by a local charity and we get money from writing to organisations such as housing associations, the local council and the lottery.
"It is quite hard work but obviously we get the money on the basis its a group for ladies from other nations.
"If lots of British people are allowed in it would change the nature of the group. This isn't racism, what we are doing is helping people from other countries - not being racist."
thesun.co.uk
Emma Knightley, 25, and her daughter Imogen, 21 months, and her best friend, Kimberley Wildman, 27, and her daughter Olivia, 18 months, turned up at the Making Links sessions at the taxpayer-funded Priory Centre in St Neots, Cambridgeshire.
But they were gobsmacked when organisers had the front to turn them away after asking them 'what country are you from?'
Shop worker Emma, 25, said: "The first thing I was asked about was my nationality and when I said I was British I was told we had to leave.
"She said 'are you not aware this is for foreign people only?'
Despite the Making Links website being littered with bizarre Left-Wing, PC-speak, such as seeking "to operate in the spirit of the Commission for Racial Equality" and saying its ambition includes "bringing communities together and facilitating interaction between them" and developing "cross-cultural friendships" it has surely broken many of those ambitions by discriminating against people purely on their nationality.
The group's administrator, Roger Owen, said: "It is a group for ladies from other countries. It is not for British people."
The same group also refuses to let fathers turn up with their children.
Ironically, this incident comes at the time a Christian couple have appeared in court charged with homophobia after refusing to allow gay couples to stay at the PRIVATE Bed & Breakfast that they run in their OWN HOME.
Steven Preddy and his civil partner Martyn Hall went to police after being turned away from the guest house by Peter and Hazelmary Bull who didn't want to offer the opportunity for ANY non-married couples (whether homosexual or heterosexual) to have sex under their roof.
Playgroup ban for being British
Outraged ... Emma Knightley and Imogen
By NEIL MILLARD
19th January 2011
The Sun
FURIOUS mums told of their "humiliation" today after they were kicked out of a council-funded children's playgroup — because they were BRITISH.
But they were gobsmacked when organisers had the front to turn them away after asking them 'what country are you from?'
Not a 'typical' playgroup ... Making Links at the Priory Centre
MASONS / SWNS.com
The best friends were told only FOREIGN mums and children were welcome at the taxpayer-funded Priory Centre in St Neots, Cambs.
Shop worker Emma, 25, said: "The first thing I was asked about was my nationality and when I said I was British I was told we had to leave.
"She said 'are you not aware this is for foreign people only?'
"I said I knew it was trying to integrate people into the community but didn't realise that meant British people and their children were banned.
"I felt humiliated. It shouldn't matter what nationality you are we shouldn't be discriminated against.
"You wouldn't get away with a British-only mum and children's group."
She booked a place at the playgroup six weeks ago.
Trainee midwife Kimberley, 27, added the ban was "ridiculous".
She said: "Surely if this group is about making links in the community they should let all people in, regardless of race or nationality.
"It's a real shame. I want my children to play with children from other races and integrate in the community because that stops discrimination.
"I can't believe we were discriminated against because we are British."
Making Links gets a £1,000 annual grant from St Neots Town Council.
Bizarrely its website says it "seeks to operate in the spirit of the Commission for Racial Equality" and its ambition includes "bringing communities together and facilitating interaction between them" and developing "cross-cultural friendships".
Its administrator Roger Owen, 66, said that the group is not a "typical" playgroup and is funded entirely for women from other nationalities.
He said it wasn't racism and it only got its funding because it was created for mums from other countries.
He added: "We believe there are plenty of other alternatives for British mothers in the town.
"It is a group for ladies from other countries. It is not for British people.
"It started out as a church group but is now run by a local charity and we get money from writing to organisations such as housing associations, the local council and the lottery.
"It is quite hard work but obviously we get the money on the basis its a group for ladies from other nations.
"If lots of British people are allowed in it would change the nature of the group. This isn't racism, what we are doing is helping people from other countries - not being racist."
thesun.co.uk
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