Spiritual guidance leaves troop without a home

7:00pm Wednesday 7th February 2001

A Barnet guide troop has been ordered to leave the church where it has met for seven years because of its leader's religious beliefs.

Christian Spiritualist Jenny Dodd, who works at the Metropolitan Police training centre in Hendon, has two weeks to find a new home for the 5th High Barnet Guides after being banned by Christ Church, in St Albans Road, Barnet.

Vicar Nigel Taylor said in a statement: "It is not acceptable for a group closely associated with Christ Church to be led by someone practising spiritualism.

"The Bible expressly forbids the consultation of the dead or mediums."

Just weeks ago the Times Group revealed guide groups across the borough were being forced to close due to dwindling numbers of volunteers. Mrs Dodd, 50, of Byng Road, Barnet, said: "This could kill guiding in Barnet."

If her group which has met at Christ Church for 78 years was forced to close, only the 6th High Barnet Guides would remain.

Mrs Dodd, a Christian Spiritualist for nine years, said: "We have got Jewish guides, Muslim guides, Christian guides and their religion is irrelevant, as is mine.

"To be told that I am not a fit person to run a guide unit after all these years is appalling it's devastating."

But the Rev Taylor said: "Whether or not the girls know of their leader's religious convictions, it is not acceptable for a group so closely identified with the church to use Church of England facilities while their leader participates in activities which [we] believe are wrong."

Editor's Choice