GOMCS brutally dismiss HETAS from Sweep Stuff Live!
At around 14:30 on Saturday 25th March, The Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps sent an email to all of their members. This informed the membership that HETAS were no longer welcome at the Sweep Stuff trade show on April 14th and 15th. The Guild decided not to go into detail as to why HETAS were cancelled at such short notice, nor did they elaborate on why they permitted HETAS to book a stand if they weren’t welcome.
The main reason for the animosity towards HETAS seems to stem from the well known solid fuel CPS offering a ‘direct entry’ into the organisation for chimney sweeps. This is a change from the previous arrangement where HETAS approved chimney sweeps also had to be a member of a chimney sweeping association. One of the arguments seems to be the lowering of standards that this route could create, given there will be no requirement for practical training.
The decision appears to have been backed up, judging by the email sent out by the Guild, by the Federation of British Chimney Sweeps. The Federation consists of chimney sweeping associations. Currently the members are: Association of Professional Independent Chimney Sweeps, The National Association of Chimney Sweeps, Institute of Chimney sweeps, The Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps and National Chimney Sweeping Safety Association Ltd. As well as this, industry NVQ provider Chimney Skills Training are a member.
Those in Glass Houses. .
Currently however it appears there’s no joint strategy by the members of the Federation, other than a common dislike of the HETAS apparent plan of action. At the present time, they don’t even seem to agree on a standard minimum level of training; one Federation member has an 8 day course, whereas another federation member has a single day course carried out on Zoom. With this being the case, the animus brought on by the the HETAS Direct Entry appears a tad hypocritical given the low standards apparent in some Federation associations currently. If there were a standard high level of training within the Federation, the argument against what HETAS are doing would be stronger.
Seemingly in part due to the massive disparity in training levels, they also can’t agree on what the end goal of their members is. Whether it is the cringeworthy ‘Master Chimney Sweep’ status offered by one association, which has connotations of immoral men buying orphans to climb chimneys, or whether it is simply HETAS chimney sweep approval which has traditionally been offered as the pinnacle of chimney sweeping – until recently of course. Most significant would be actual qualification via the NVQ in chimney sweeping. The chances of that being implemented by all Federation members though is quite slim given the inconsistency across the board in terms of competency. Consequently, the Federation argument seems to be ‘NOT HETAS’ but with no real alternative.
HETAS ‘getting ready to steamroller the associations’
Whispers in the industry suggest HETAS heard rumours of their dismissal from the show midweek. One inside source involved in HETAS training said ‘Bruce (Bruce Allen – HETAS CEO) is seething and is out for blood. In spite of what the associations think, HETAS were trying to keep the Fed on side as much as they felt they had to. Now there will be no stopping them. Bruce will want to steamroller the associations’.
There are suggestions that as a result of this, HETAS will release their own chimney sweep training program. Rumours of a HETAS sweep course started circulating 18 months ago. From the HETAS perspective now would be a perfect time to release it; HETAS are already the pantomime villain anyway. Moreover, HETAS will potentially look to put restrictions on HETAS training centres to prevent them from letting Federation member associations offering sweep training at these sites. HETAS training centres are already in a position where they are not permitted to offer courses from competing CPS’s. The final nail in the association coffins will be if HETAS remove the association membership route into HETAS sweep status.
Did the Fed jump the gun?
Hopefully the Federation have a plan in place. If they haven’t it seems to be a bad time to poke the bear. There certainly is an argument that the associations needed to do something to prevent HETAS from pushing the associations into obsolescence, which is in danger of happening. Currently though, it appears that the Federation are taking actions with no real strategy and no care for the consequences for their actions. Will this accelerate HETAS’s plans and push the associations into a corner?
On the flip side the incoming barrage from HETAS could finally unite the Federation, create standardised training and a joint goal for their members of formal qualification through the NVQ. Thus far though, the Federation has appeared to be a blunt instrument in the fight against the HETAS dominance. The Federation appear to currently only be united by their dislike of something, in this case HETAS. Akin in a sense to UKIP, a group united in their dislike of the EU but really nothing else. UKIP are no longer here but we are still deeply entrenched in the EU despite their apparent successes. This doesn’t bode well for the Fed if they don’t spark into action soon. A united group need not only have a common enemy, they need shared ambitions and goals.