Sting Stung - Star gave £20k to BNP fanatic

By Adrian Shaw | Monday, 19 July 2004 Source: The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

ROCK star Sting was stung for £20,000 for a charity project which turned out to be run by a BNP fanatic.

He was duped into supporting the scheme to plant woodland throughout the country as part of the celebrations for the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

Sting wasdue to open the trust's first wood last summer.But he had to cancel when the date was changed and he sent a message of congratulations and support.

However, he was horrified to learn charity boss Richard Barnbrook was a candidate for the BNP in the Greater London Authority elections and immediately severed all connections.

The art teacher kept his neo-Nazi ideals quiet when he persuaded Sting to donate the cash to the Jubilee Woods Trust.

And when his BNP links were discovered, Barnbrook, 43, was immediately sacked by the trust.

Other famous folk said to have been approached by Barnbrook included Time Team's Tony Robinson, Viscount Linley, Sir David Attenborough, David Bellamy and TV gardener Diarmuid Gavin.

There's no suggestion any of them knew Barnbrook was a British National Party member.

Barnbrook even approached Prince Charles's Duchy of Cornwall asking to be allowed to use their land.

A pal of Sting's said: 'He was devastated. He had taken time to research the project before concluding it was worthwhile and giving his support.

'We thought it had genuine merit. Now he wants nothing more to do with it.'

Trustee Simon Robinson said: 'The chairman called an emergency meeting when Barnbrook's BNP links were revealed.

'Barnbrook was asked for his resignation and when he refused to give it he was sacked.'

One prominent businessman who turned Barnbrook down when he discovered his BNP background said: 'I should imagine the great and the good who have backed him must feel let down and rather foolish.'