National Trust bans volunteer for pointing out spelling mistakes on website

The National Trust UK has banned a volunteer for pointing out the spelling mistakes on the organization's website. The Trust accused him of not being in line with values of the organization.

According to the Daily Mail, Andy Jones had been volunteering with the Trust for over a decade and carried out several roles, including gardening, answering membership queries, guiding visitors and disposing of waste.

The 71-year-old pensioner spotted several spelling mistakes on the charity's website and spent 400 hours noting them down in the form of a dossier, which he sent to the Trust’s director, Hilary McGrady.

The misspellings included words “toliets”, “permananat”, and artist Madox Brown as Maddox Brown.

Jones did not get any response nor to his dossier and neither to his follow up emails.

This infuriated the volunteer and he quit his role after sending a strongly worded email to his manager, which he now acknowledges was inappropriate.

In his email, Mr Jones wrote: “Still no reply, acknowledgement, let alone thanks from the Oirish [sic] Dame on over 400 hours spent on her crappy not fit for purpose webs***e.”

For context, the charity’s Director Hilary McGrady is from Northern Ireland.

His manager banned him from participating in any volunteering opportunities, expressing disappointment over the remarks.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Mr Jones agreed that his remarks were inappropriate but expressed strong disapproval of the charity’s current leadership.

He added that the organization needed to be revamped by young, enthusiastic leaders to meet the needs of the 21st century.