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General => The Stay Safe Board => Topic started by: Kiltpin on Wednesday 06 May 20 13:42 BST (UK)
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Has anyone had any dealings with an organisation called "The Cinnamon Trust?
Since the lockdown started a couple claiming to represent this Trust drive into our village and visit our neighbours (inside their home). Roughly 3 times a week, so far.
I went to the next village to deal with our prescriptions and on my return they had parked across my drive, blocking the access. There is visitor parking about 50 yards away, but obviously that was 50 yards too many for them.
As they were leaving, I asked them not to block my access again and their answer was that it was my fault for not having my car parked there when they arrived.
When I asked them what they thought they were doing by breaking the lockdown and bringing contagion into the village, they said that they were "licensed" by this Trust to "go anywhere in the country".
I am in two minds - should I report them to the police or not? I am not a "jobsworth" and I do believe in live and let live, but I also believe in the rule of law.
Regards
Chas
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Have you contacted the Trust to express your concerns and mention the attitude of their employees/volunteers?
https://cinnamon.org.uk/. There is a Facebook page too.
I am sure that if the callers are genuinely from the trust there will be records.
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Have you contacted the Trust to express your concerns and mention the attitude of their employees/volunteers?
https://cinnamon.org.uk/ (https://cinnamon.org.uk/). There is a Facebook page too.
I am sure that if the callers are genuinely from the trust there will be records.
Just received a reply to my message on their contact page. Was told that these people were obeying the Government guidelines. I replied that I was not a liar and did they want to see the video?
Ball is in their court now.
Regards
Chas
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Chas, Have you spoken to your neighbour about this? He/she may be able to tell you if they are happy for these people to come into the house.
If for example they are offering care and/or support to a vulnerable person, they are allowed to go in, though I would be unhappy myself about allowing somebody in the house if they also visited other people to help them out.
From their website -
"Cinnamon Trust is the only specialist national charity which seeks to relieve the anxieties, problems, and sometimes injustices, faced by elderly and terminally ill people and their pets, thereby saving a great deal of human sadness and animal suffering. The Trust was founded in 1985 by Mrs Averil Jarvis whose determination and dedication has ensured that the manifest need is fully addressed."
But as for parking across your drive, preventing you access - the mind boggles at their reply!
Regards Margaret
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I think lawfully you have to have egress from your driveway and not ingress i.e. you have a right to get out but not a right to get in.
Somebody will confirm.
Pheno
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Quick Google, not verified -
"Obstruction of driveways. Under highway law, it is illegal to park a vehicle so that it obstructs other people wanting to use a road or path. ... If you witness a parked car obstructing your driveway please contact the Police using their non-emergency telephone number 101."
Regards Margaret
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"If someone is blocking your driveway, or their wheel is over the dropped kerb, they are committing a parking offence.
There are two types of dropped kerbs: those for pedestrians, especially those with buggies or in wheelchairs, and those for drivers to access driveways.
Vehicles parked across dropped kerbs can be ticketed, even if they're not fully blocking it.
But parking very close to a dropped kerb or directly opposite it isn't illegal, even if it restricts access."
The above is from The Sun (sorry, therefore can't vouch for its accuracy).
I would have thought that if it wasn't absolutely required to park as close to the house as possible (ie in the case of transporting patients etc or gaining very swift access in an emergency - ie ambulances/first aid responders) then it would be courteous for someone blocking a driveway to at least apologise.
Does your drive have a dropped kerb, because of course if it does then the info above may apply.
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Point- do your neighbours have a dog,at or any other pet they may not be able to look, after themselves.?
I contacted it when a dog walking companion needed hospitalisation, his lovely natured dog was sadly incontinent, so few people were willing to house it, even temporarily.
Eventually our friend went to live with family so the problem was solved.
But as far as I know it is a trust for people with animals .
Viktoria.
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Contact the police, discuss your concerns with them and let them deal with the matter as they see fit. By doing this, if there is a problem, you may save your neighbour a great deal of grief. If they are genuine then there is nothing lost. Even the callers should appreciate your concern for your neighbour.
The matter of obstruction of your drive is really secondary, unless you want to get out in your vehicle.
You are not being a "jobsworth", as you put it. It's no good thinking later …….. if only.
:)
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Llywd, Chas wanted to get in to the property.
"I went to the next village to deal with our prescriptions and on my return they had parked across my drive, blocking the access."
So not really secondary.
Regards Margaret
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If the problem is parking then I can't see the police being very interested. If the problem is one of concern over the callers being genuine visitors and not rip off merchants, then I think the police would have a greater interest.
:)
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Contact the police, discuss your concerns with them and let them deal with the matter as they see fit. By doing this, if there is a problem, you may save your neighbour a great deal of grief. If they are genuine then there is nothing lost. Even the callers should appreciate your concern for your neighbour.
I think that is good advice Llwyd - a phone call in the morning.
Regards
Chas
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My daughter has registered as a volunteer with the Cinnamon Trust. My understanding is they help the dogs of owners who are unable to walk their dogs themselves and also foster dogs for owners who are in hospital or whatever. She has shown me the official permission given for her to be out more often than once a day (not sure about 'anywhere in the country'). But I'm pretty sure she's not expecting to actually enter a property, she's been trying to stay very safe, working from home & going for a daily run or walk alone. She & I assumed she would collect the dog in a distanced way, walk it, then return it. I could be wrong but I was under the impression the charity's focus is on the dog not the owner. ??? Have you seen them walking a dog? Surely if that is their reason for being there, they would go daily ??? Sounds a bit iffy.
Pat
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Sounds iffy to me too, Pat - my neighbours do not own a dog.
Regards
Chas
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Sounds iffy to me too, Pat - my neighbours do not own a dog.
Regards
Chas
:o :o :o
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What is the bet the “ visitors” do not come back?
They are very hardfaced to claim they are from The Cinnamon Trust if the people they are visiting do not own a dog, but there is another possibility
that your neighbours are contemplating becoming foster carers for The Cinnamon Trust.
They will have to be vetted most rigorously,hence the many visits, however
it is really worth finding out via The Police,your neighbour ,if aware of the
inconvenience could at least give you some explanation.
Only a few weeks ago my neighbour was conned ,by a visitor .I called the Police as the visitor broke social distancing rules and was asking for money having got a large sum from her a week or two before.
She did not tell me that nor her daughter ,but other neighbours did.
I phone her every morning to check she is O.K and was a bit miffed I was not informed as I am a doddery old lady too!
I think she was embarrassed.
Let us know what transpires .
Viktoria.
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An update -
Called the police on their non-emergency line, first thing this morning. They were very interested and got me to forward my emails with the Cinnamon Trust to them. They called me back after about 15 minutes and said that they were sending a couple of non-uniformed officers to interview my neighbours. A very young looking couple (one male, one female) arrived soon after and talked with neighbours on their doorstep. How long for, I do not know - I did not see them leave.
Hopefully, the police will tell me what the outcome is, but I fear that they will not.
Regards
Chas
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Sounds iffy to me too, Pat - my neighbours do not own a dog.
The Cinnamon Trust is for owners of pets not only dogs.
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I think you are probably right.
The Police did not speak to me or the neighbour on the other side of the old lady, his CCTV cameras got clear pictures but the Police did not speak to anyone other than the old lady.
She has short term memory loss and would not really give a clear account of what happened etc.
I hope it all works out , and think the response of those purporting to be from The Cinnamon was disgraceful - re their parking.
Do let us know what transpires .
Cheerio.Viktoria.
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Point- do your neighbours have a dog,at or any other pet they may not be able to look, after themselves.?
I contacted it when a dog walking companion needed hospitalisation, his lovely natured dog was sadly incontinent, so few people were willing to house it, even temporarily.
Eventually our friend went to live with family so the problem was solved.
But as far as I know it is a trust for people with animals .
Viktoria.
I did suggest it might be about other animals than dogs.
Viktoria.
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Hopefully, the police will tell me what the outcome is, but I fear that they will not.
Regards
Chas
Well done. The police will/should have created an incident, with a reference number which you should have asked for or been given without asking.
Anyway, if you haven't heard from the police in a few days give them a bell an ask for the result.
:)