Freegle - New home for ex Freecycle groups

squeaky

Hi, I was asked to explain "stuff" by a nearby group's owner. Here's what I
sent, and I hope it helps anyone else out...


After more than two years of talks with Deron Beale (the originator and boss of
The Freecycle Network [TFN]) four leading members of Freecycle in the UK
resigned because they were getting nowhere in trying to get some degree of self
autonomy here in the UK. DB's control is in fact getting ever tighter and the
micromanagement ever deeper. We are in fact subject to American laws and would
be tried in a court in Arizona if, for instance, someone sued us over an event
within our group's activities.
They have changed various rules and most of the "support" groups put in place
are now more like "regulatory" groups. Interim Mods now routinely move groups
onto MyFreecycle where there are no "owners" - only "lead mods". This goes
against a promise that moves to MyFreecycle would only ever be voluntary. New
groups are now opened ONLY on MyFreecycle. Again against the promise.

The moderators in the UK Mod Squad (UKMS) got together and a fair number of them
formed an Independent Association of Freecycle Moderators (IAFC Mods) and tried
to open talks with TFN. They emailed all UK group-owner addresses to let them
know about the IAFC and the polls to elect a committee.

TFN has *never* engaged at all with IAFC in any discussion.

TFN demanded control of the group that puts out the official Newsletter for
Freecycle in the UK. The owner refused. He later applied for the vacant UK
Director position and was told that he was not a "person of good standing". He
queried this. His own local group was then de-listed from TFN and he was told
that it would not be listed again until he stepped down as an owner. He was also
banned from UKMS and any other national groups that TFN had control over, such
as his area mod squad.

Subsequently three other owners were sent the "Dear John" letter which de-listed
their groups until they stepped down and they too were banned from all groups
under the control of TFN. This because they were vocal and active in the defence
of the UK Freecycle ideal and very much involved in notifying groups about what
was happening.(one of them was me).

Then the resigning UK Freecycle Director was sent an absolutely bog standard
"Dear John". Not even a personalised letter after all his time and hard work on
behalf of Freecycle in the UK.

Then the seven elected members of the IAFC Mods Committee wear "Dear John'ed".

Now other active members on the IAFC are being summarily dismissed. A total of
23 groups as of late last night and more today, I see, but I've lost count.

TFN have gagged UKMS by placing it on full moderation and have told the
owners/mods of UKMS that if they allow any discussion of IAFC or the dismissals
that they too will be dismissed.

IAFC are now attempting to set up a new network in the UK for those groups who
would like to carry on the basic idea and ethos of Freecycle - which is GREAT...
but without the tight American micromanagement and control that goes with it.

Right now it's proving to be very difficult to find and decide on a new name for
this network, and it looks (from here) like a right mess - but it *will* get
sorted out.

In the meantime the techy types among us (including me) have a network server
and all associated bits set up ready to go (when we have a name) along with a
full set of group documents and a basic home page that groups can quickly put in
place to remove all TFN trademarks and logos. Plus a "how to move home" page and
a "quick help" group on yahoo for mods who might need it.

Several groups have "jumped ship" already in fear of retribution and the news
has now hit the press.


That's the high points. The detail is gawd know how many thousand posts long!
:-)

misskool

The one I'm in have been renamed "recyclegiftingmidsussex", the mod sent a lovely email yesterday and I was a bit concerned but the principle is still the same, just a name change.

jtb2412

I just wanted to say a huge thank you from a long-standing freecycle member for keeping our interests at heart and working so hard behind the scenes to keep everything as it is. :beer:

I certainly want things kept as they were. My local group will have my (and my many freecycle friends !) support over the next few weeks. I'll be pointing them in this direction to have a good read. No news from my own group yet but no doubt it will be forthcoming soon.

I hope everything goes smoothly for you and you don't encounter too many problems ! Once again, THANK YOU !!!

princess_loki

hello,

i am still getting e-mails from NptonNorthCentralFreecycle and Npton N&C. everything still seems normal apart from getting the following e-mail several times:

is this from america??

Hello,

The moderator of the Northampton_East_Freecycle group has changed the group's name.
This means that both the group's email address and the group home page
location have changed.

The group email address:
[EMAIL="Northampton_East_Freegle@yahoogroups.com"]Northampton_East_Freegle@yahoogroups.com[/EMAIL]

The group home page location:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Northampton_East_Freegle

If you have links which point to this group or an address book entry
for the group, you should update them, as the old addresses will no
longer work.

Regards,

Yahoo! Groups Customer Care

squeaky

That's from Yahoo to tell you that your group has moved to join Freegle, which is the new name that break away groups are using here in the UK now.

So yes, your local moderating team have moved away from Freecycle and are now part of:-

http://www.freegle.org.uk


HTH :-)

princess_loki

squeaky wrote: »

That's from Yahoo to tell you that your group has moved to join Freegle, which is the new name that break away groups are using here in the UK now.

So yes, your local moderating team have moved away from Freecycle and are now part of:-

http://www.freegle.org.uk


HTH :-)

so that one is ok to respond to then??

just want to check as i want to support my local groups...

cheers,
loki

phil140701

Yes that one's perfectly safe and is an official communication from your group
Phil

frivolous_fay

I think freegle is just one of the flavours the groups are changing to.
My group has moved, not renamed, and I have had to rejoin.

Lakeuk

What would be useful it that those groups deciding to stop using the freecycle name, agree a name to use for UK groups breaking away. Having different names like those mentioned so far in this thread (also below) will just add confusion to protential new members. This will be good in promoting the groups using a uniformed name, I expect everyone got to know about freecycle through news stories on a nationl/local level


Freegle
Greencycle
recyclegifting
FreeShare

princess_loki

frivolous_fay wrote: »

I think freegle is just one of the flavours the groups are changing to.
My group has moved, not renamed, and I have had to rejoin.

i didn't even have to join again- it seems that once logged in i am already a member - just have to go to the new homepage - well done moderators of n'pton!!