MAJOR Fabian Sean Lucien Faversham-Pullen retired from the armed forces after 25 years’ service.
So states a prospectus prepared by Camp Valour CIC, the organisation behind the ambitious project to convert the semi-derelict Palmerston Fort Hubberstone in Milford Haven into accommodation for former services personnel.
DATES CONFUSION EXPLAINED
As local Cllr Mike Stoddart points out on his Old Grumpy Blog: ‘A more worthy cause it is difficult to imagine.’
However, he also raises an issue in respect of the text of the brochure produced by Camp Valour.
Directly quoting from the booklet produced by Camp Valour CIC, Cllr Stoddart repeats the following words: “The Director, Fabian Faversham-Pullen, served in the armed forces for a period of 25 years, serving in various conflicts around the world.
“Upon leaving the military with the rank of Major, Fabian completed a law degree at Liverpool University.
“Along with his business partner he THEN (Mike Stoddart’s emphasis) helped to form a charity and became a trustee of D-DAY REVISITED, the charity’s aim was to assist Veterans of the Normandy campaign to return to the battlefields to take part in the annual commemorations.”
According to the Community Interest Company’s registry entry at Companies’ House, Major Faversham-Pullen was born in August 1974.
The same date of birth appears on the Charity Commission website for D-Day revisited, of which Major Faversham-Pullen is also a trustee.
The problem with those dates is that if it was AFTER leaving the military at Liverpool University and THEN founding D-Day Revisited in 2008-2009, the twenty-five years of service claimed are chronologically impossible.
The earliest date the Major could have entered the forces was after August 1990. For twenty-five years’ service to accrue, the date he ceased service would have been in 2015.
As Cllr Stoddart notes, an error in expression could be an innocent explanation for any confusion.
In order to clarify the situation, we approached Camp Valour CIC to resolve the point.
Nicola Wilcox, Chief Operations Officer for the Company told us: “Fabian’s 25-year service was earned during time served in both the regulars and reserves. If you would like to investigate further any serviceman or woman can be employed or study whilst being a member of the reserves unless they are on deployment.”
The original brochure produced by the CIC does not make clear that the Major’s 25-years’ service included a period as a reservist. The clarification now obtained by The Herald seems to tally with a possible chronology that Major Faversham-Pullen left the regular forces in or around 2005, completed a law degree and THEN founded the charity D-Day Revisited.
A SERIES OF COINCIDENCES
Jac o’the North, whose blog often examines the housing issues affecting Wales, drew attention to an unusual coincidence in the address of Camp Valour CIC and a dissolved company called Baron Security (UK) Ltd.
The sole director of Baron Security (UK) Ltd is shown as Sean Keven Patrick Pullen.
Sean Keven Patrick Pullen’s date of birth is shown as August 1974 in the information filed at Companies’ House.
The address of Baron Security (UK) Ltd is the same as that for Camp Valour CIC.
We put the coincidence to Camp Valour CIC.
Nicola Wilcox told us: “Sean Pullen and Fabian Faversham-Pullen are twin brothers evidence of this can be provided. They have both been supporters of the RBL both in the UK and overseas. Sean did indeed own a security company; however, this company failed. After retiring from the RBL in January, he lives and manages a company in Gibraltar.
Sometime ago Fabian took over some of Sean’s duties whilst Sean pursued other interests. This includes Sean’s place as treasurer of the D-DayRevisited charity. The charity is due to close this year due to the ageing population of Veterans.
“Sean has no connection to Camp Valour and Fabian had no connection to Baron Security.”
Ms Wilcox also confirmed that Major Faversham-Pullen served in the forces using his mother’s maiden name.
The clarification that Sean Keven Patrick Pullen and Fabian Sean Lucien Faversham-Pullen are twin brothers with a forename in common, both former service personnel active in the Royal British Legion, and both connected to bodies using the same registered office addresses the issue of identity raised by Jac o’ the North.
After expressing concern that the CIC had been “subjected to a witch hunt that is making us question if Camp Valour has made a wise decision in choosing to restore Fort Hubberstone”, Nicola Wilcox also told The Herald: ‘Camp Valour C.I.C will be making an official complaint to Pembrokeshire County Council regarding the behaviour of Cllr Mike Stoddart, and his abuse of position in his seat of authority.
‘We are furthermore undertaking legal advice to ascertain what can be done about the lies and mistruths initiated by Royston Jones (Jack o the North) and Cllr Stoddart.’
CAMP VALOUR THANKS THE HERALD
Local councillors had raised concerns about the accommodation available to house servicemen in need and the pressure on local services that would come with such a large influx of people into one Council ward.
Mike Stoddart pointed out at the public meeting that the fact that the Fort was designed to accommodate 250 people in the nineteenth century, does not mean it meets the standards for accommodating that number in the twenty-first.
Cllr Rhys Sinnett enquired about the impact on local health and welfare services but was told medical care would be delivered by specialists ‘in-house’ at the Fort.
Nicola Wilcox said to us that the organisation was concerned about negative attitudes towards its project and could reconsider the scheme.
However, in spite of BBC reports, a spokesperson calling herself ‘Nicola’ and asking for her surname to be omitted from publication issued a statement to another newspaper confirming Camp Valour’s commitment and complaining “[W[e have been under constant attack from a local paper where they are putting two and two together and making nine.”
We do not know which local newspaper that could possibly be.
In an email to this writer, Camp Valour’s Chief Operations Officer, Nicola Wilcox, said: “I am happy that you have at least allowed Camp Valour the opportunity to respond to these ludicrous insinuations from various parties.”
We reassured Ms Wilcox that this article relates solely to ‘questions which you have answered and raised points which you have clarified.’
