Still standing after everything

Hi everyone,

I’m really sorry not to have sent a secret email in the last week. I am trying hard to get some pieces across the line for ITV News, whilst putting together the content for the theatre tour, which starts on Saturday in Lyme Regis.

If you are anywhere near Lyme Regis or Lichfield this weekend, or know anyone who is, I would love to see you, or them.

More details before the end of the newsletter, but first I would like to draw your attention to a piece which went out on ITV News on Friday featuring the Patel family from Horspath in Oxfordshire.

Intimidation and harassment

We’ve heard many Subpostmasters talk about their experiences in their communities after they were suspended, sacked and prosecuted. Really nasty moments of aggression, cold-shouldering, whispering campaigns and assault. These moments are etched on the memory of those who experienced it and I suspect bring back awful memories.

I was once involved in a road rage incident when a car deliberately tried to knock me off my bike. I cycle through the same spot regularly and it almost always brings back a sensation of adrenalised fear. I wasn’t hurt, it was just threatening words from someone who looked very willing to carry out those threats (I had the temerity to cycle into the middle of the lane to avoid a drain cover).

The experience was horrible, but its reverberations, continue to affect me, even several years on. I cannot imagine for one moment what various Subpostmasters and Post Office workers went through, finding themselves under a cloud of criminal suspicion, ostracised, and sometimes actively targeted by people within their communities.

Many chose to get out, to leave the places they had made their homes. This meant they no longer had to deal with troublemakers and were not constantly reminded of their trauma. Some couldn’t leave. The Post Office had crippled their finances to such a degree, they were stuck, having to live with daily reminders of their experiences which triggered unwelcome, visceral emotions.

Some weighed up their options and for various reasons, chose to stay. All decisions were difficult to make.

Posters on the door and a cross on the lawn

The Patels chose to stay put. They lost their Post Office, but they owned their shop – Horspath Village Stores – and they wanted to make it work. It was not easy, and I am in awe of their fortitude and determination. I am also delighted they are still standing, still trading and as you can see from the photo above, still smiling.

We made a film about the Patels’ experience not just because they very kindly agreed to tell their story, but because they had documented the evidence of some of the abuse which came their way. I’ll leave you to watch and/or read our final report, which contains some disturbing imagery.

I am very grateful to Vipin, Jayshree and Varchas for opening up in the way they did and sharing sensitive photographs. I think it made for a powerful report.

Other news

I am delighted that Katie, daughter of former Subpostmaster Tony Downey, has managed to get her campaigning and support group for children of Subpostmasters affected by the Horizon scandal off the ground so effectively and quickly!

There are various reports about her wonderful initiative and I am sure we will hear more from Katie and her group’s ambitions soon.

Here’s another article about Katie’s group and other angles of the wider scandal which have been in the news recently:

Children of Post Office victims to hold Fujitsu boss to his word – Computer Weekly

Many victims of Post Office scandal risk missing out on payouts, MPs warn – The Guardian

People don’t care about Post Office scandal details, Lib Dems claim – Daily Telegraph

Former Bristol sub-postmistress went bankrupt from IT scandal – BBC

Current subpostmaster account shortfalls reveal extent of Post Office’s pre-2019 neglect – Computer Weekly

Former Sussex sub-postmaster cannot move on until compensation arrives – BBC

Post Office Scandal on tour

As regular readers will know I am just about to embark on a wee tour of theatres in various places around England. It is prefaced by a visit to the Oxford Literary Festival at midday this Friday where I will be doing a Q&A at the Sheldonian Theatre alongside Wendy Buffrey, Ian Henderson from Second Sight and Professor Richard Moorhead. You can get tickets for that here.

If you would like to spend a day by the seaside, do come to Lyme Regis on Saturday where I will be doing a matinée talk about the scandal with former Yetminster Postmaster Tracey Merritt (more about Tracey’s story here “Sub-postmistress ‘banned from seeing daughter by Post Office‘”).

Tickets are going okay for this one, but matinées (I’m told) are always a struggle, so if you know anyone who lives near Lyme Regis, please do let them know about this event! Box office here.

If you want to spend a lot of time at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis, the evening show is a Pink Floyd tribute act. One of the band members got in touch a while back to tell me he had been following the scandal for years and was delighted to see we’d be in the same location on Saturday so he could come and watch the talk.

It would be rude not to return the favour, so I’ll be spending my evening in Lyme Regis watching The Dark Side of Pink Floyd! Do join me. Tickets here.

On Sunday I am going to be driving up to the Lichfield Garrick where I’ll be joined on stage by Harjinder Butoy (“What the Post Office did to me: I was locked up. I lost everything“).

I think tickets are going fast for this one – it’s an evening show – but it would be great if we can sell it out with your help. Do forward this email to anyone you know who might be up for it. Box office here.

Wednesday

I’ve just been told one story I’ve been working on for a while is due to go out on ITV News on Wednesday evening. I’m really pleased with it and I think it will have some impact. Well – I hope it does. You never can tell.

Thanks to everyone who has been in touch over the past couple of weeks and again to all the new subscribers. It’s lovely to have you on board. Do see if you can come to one of the shows over the next few weeks as it would be great to meet you.

Yours

Nick

Post Office Scandal – The Inside Story

I am going on tour! Starting Saturday 23 March and continuing until 16 May, I’ll be visiting various theatres in towns around England in the counties of Cheshire, Shropshire, County Durham, Dorset, East Sussex, Devon, Cornwall, Essex, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, Hertfordshire, and Surrey, including a new date (3 May) in my home town of Walton on Thames.

At each venue I’ll be joined by a Subpostmaster (apart from Walton when Second Sight’s Ian Henderson will be in the chair). I’ve done a few of these talks before and the evenings absolutely whizz by with plenty of opportunity to ask questions and learn even more about the scandal.

All the dates and box office links are here. Please do have a look, see if there’s a venue near you, and if you fancy it, book a couple of tickets.

I’ll be around after each show in the foyer or bar and look forward to saying hello if you can come down.