A recent decision by Wimpey Homes Plc to send a press release out to all regional newspapers in England (including those in Cornwall) to advertise that it was supporting and promoting St George's Day this year by flying the flag of St George from all its sites, has left Wimpey with egg on its face !

In what was initially greeted as yet another attempt to force English patriotism and imperialism on Cornwall has surprisingly turned out to be a PR oversight and the company has written to Cornish campaigner Phillipa Mills apologising for any offence caused. In addition the housing developers, who are one of the largest housebuilders in the UK and have a number of sites in Cornwall, have promised to "withdraw the press release" and to issue another one containing an apologising."

An e-mail sent by Mills to the Customer Services Dept at Wimpey Head Office regarding the proposed St George's Day promotion was passed to Janine Davey for attention. Davey said that it was "certainly not the intention" of Wimpey Homes to cause offence. The letter sent by Mills and the response she received from Davey can be found below :

"FAO Mr P Johnson & Mr John Robinson

Dear Sirs,

With regard to the proposed promotion of St George on 23rd April 2008 by Wimpey Homes staff :

I do hope that you will not be promoting the English St George in Kernow (Cornwall) on this day for obvious reasons :

1 — Cornwall's Patron Saint is Saint Piran, NOT Saint George. If the English wish to observe their saint day privately, that is a matter of personal choice, but it is treated not as civic occasion in Cornwall, a Celtic Duchy ;

2 — It could possibly contravene the EU charter, ratified and accepted by the British Government in 2002, that the Cornish Language is acknowledged and promoted, and its Culture identity (Celtic and non-English) be acknowledged ;

3— You are contravening your own corporate guidelines.

"Wimpey are committed to responsible corporate behaviour"; simply by not showing respect for the Indigenous community in which you are building and making a profit from.

I would be grateful of a response on this issue.

Yours sincerely

Philippa Mills"

"Janine Davey Associate Sales & Marketing Director George Wimpey Exeter A Taylor Wimpey Company Suite 1 Second Floor Osprey House Osprey Road Exeter EX2 7WN

(T) 01392 440670 (F) 01392 440680

J anine.davey [at] ...

Dear Ms Mills

Your e-mail sent to our Customer Services Dept at Head Office regarding the proposed Saint George's Day promotion has been passed to me for attention.

I apologise if this has caused any offence, it was certainly not our intention.

The press release regarding the Saint George's Day promotion was sent out by our PR agency to all regional newspapers without consideration of any local issues such as the ones you have highlighted.

I have asked our PR company to withdraw the press release and to issue another one apologising for any offence we might have caused.

Yours sincerely

Janine Davey Associate Sales & Marketing Director"

(Article prepared for Celtic News by Rhisiart Tal-e-bot)

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

22/04/08