Thread 2. To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?

[AWanderingFool]

Thread Two for The Salt Path and Raynor Winn/Sally Walker/Sally Winn discussions.

Thread One is here: www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5368194-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Wow, the PSPA's response is, as @Bruisername said, pretty damning.

That they've felt the need to state they've received the money the Walkers raised for the charity is so sad.

There must be some very upset people connected to the charity, I really feel for them.

As I said in a previous post, it sounds like it’s easy but speaking up against someone who is perceived as doing good and has a profile is incredibly difficult if no one wants to listen. It’s possible people have tried for years. Good con artists are really adept at having an answer to everything.

This. I loved the book when it came out, fully believing it. Feeling we have all been duped is just nasty.
Unethical scammers, get them in front of maitlis!

They are obviously a couple of greedy grifters.
The book left me a little perplexed and they were quite unpleasant to folk along the way, not paying for camping etc.

She claimed she was trapped in a chicken shop for days?! Walter Mitty eat your heart out. What a self-dramatising, pathological wanker.

Or not dreaded it at all, enjoyed how they'd suckered everyone in, and got themselves geared up to lie their way out of it again no doubt. My ex-boss who swindled his business partner out of a fortune acted like he'd done no wrong and went on to set up more similar businesses. People who do these things don't tell themselves they're in the wrong. They're utterly convinced they can please themselves at other people's expense and won't shoulder any blame. They just don't have the mindset you're assuming, which presupposes basic morality.

She claimed this was what happened to her daughter. But it doesn't ring true as if you fell through a roof there would be obvious damage and passers-by would not just ignore you hammering on the window and calling for help, as described. Also the article contains nothing about how the situation did eventually get resolved.

Totally agree - especially if the person in question is vulnerable in some way (e.g. has an illness or disability).

This makes me think of Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix (about Belle Gibson, who claimed she had a brain tumour and created a blog and recipe book off the back of that), which other posters here have mentioned. It’s very worth watching. An Australian journalist started investigating the claims she was making and found it difficult to support his claims to begin with because people were - understandably - wary of questioning her, both because of her supposed vulnerability and because of her profile. BG made a lot of money from the blog and recipe book, and hasn’t paid any of it back, as far as we know.

I’m just comparing TSP to the BG case to make the point that it’s difficult - sometimes impossible - to verify the claims and account of people who are vulnerable or suffering and who also have a high profile.

To be clear, the 'trapped in a chicken shop' was a piece of creative writing by her daughter. Not RW. You need to read the piece.

I just interpreted this as a long drawn-out metaphor for feeling out of place and like you don’t belong. It doesn’t really add up, but it’s a nice story 😂 I remember reading all sorts of personal accounts in lockdown, and found most of it moving or profound, so I’m sure I would’ve appreciated the symbolism of it, even if it’s just a tall story.

The fact he's called MOTH should have raised eyebrows.😃

He's of my generation and in 1960 parents gave their children 'sensible ' names like Brian, Steven, Peter, Trevor or Tim.

Moth, indeed.

Gigspanner band were supposed to be touring Saltlines featuring Raynor starting this week - I've just c+p this from their facebook:

Recent press coverage concerning Raynor Winn is highly misleading. As a result, Raynor is taking legal advice and will not be making any further comment at this time.
She is deeply sorry to let down those who were planning to attend the Saltlines tour, but while this process is ongoing, she will be unable to take part. We appreciate your understanding and support during this time.
It is very important to the Gigspanner Big Band that their performances go ahead as planned, and they instead intend to present their recently released, highly acclaimed, album Turnstone.
We are currently in discussions with all of the venues on the upcoming tour to move forward with this plan, and we will keep you updated. It is highly time consuming, and your patience while we go through this process is requested and valued.
If you have booked a ticket at one of these venues, the Theatre in question will contact you with further information as plans are confirmed.
Thank you.
Gigspanner Big Band.

Also a frozen chicken could easily smash a window…

I don’t think it was a piece of creative writing, as it says this: ‘She finally wrote her way into being the main character in her own life story’. That sounds to me like a metaphor for saying the daughter decided to take charge of her life and live it on her own terms. I could be wrong though.

www.penguin.co.uk/discover/articles/raynor-winn-lockdown-hope

I've been to see the Saltlines show at a previous tour. The Gigspanner big band are brilliant, Raynor's contribution not so much, I put up with her to see them really. So if I'd booked to see them this time I'd actually prefer to just get their new album presented instead.

Blending 'reality' with fiction is fictional writing.

I totally agree with this!

Ah ok. Bit odd the whole moving from veganism to vegetarianism after eating chicken shop cheese - clearly a fantasy

I find it sad that her actions have inconvenienced and hurt so many people (in order of seriousness: the family business, the friend who lent her the money, the charity they raised money for, this band, the people still owed money from her, the campsites she stole from). Her actions have real consequences.

I'm interested to read the Gigspanner are saying the coverage is 'highly misleading'

Yes - it could mean they think it’s a load of rubbish and they support her version of events.

PSPA's response is damning but clear. Well done them on achieving that level of clarity amid such murky waters.

I expect they just want to clean their hands of the whole issue and focus on the tour..it's an understandable position to take

But the Walkers were given an opportunity to rebut the points made in an article before it was published. That also meant they had an opportunity to seek an inunction if they felt the article was defamatory.

The PSPA position on this is pretty damning.

I can understand why musicians who aren't legal or medical experts are taking a more tentative approach to cutting ties.

Maybe they already had suspicions.

But of course, they are only just processing the news.