It appears that I have stumbled into a political arena that I have not experienced before, nor had anticipated - that is for some model flyers, the assumption that power flying/RC is the only real form of model flying.
It is true that I did not explain that my son flies small free-flights. The first flight of his first ever electric model (a tiny model of a powered-glider, just 8-inch span powered by a 30-second condenser) was lost on that day when it was picked up by a thermal. To a 7-year-old this is pure magic (but the material loss was more on the mind of his dad). Other rubber powered models suffered damaged landing gear etc. as is inevitable given the amount of flying we did, and that free-flights have to go through a precarious "trimming" stage.
But for this Oxenus has told us to "grow-up" and that "Old Warden does not need people like us". And bluesilk has told us to "improve building/flying skills or stay away".
All the other free-flighters that we met were extremely friendly and patient to explain to my son how their wonderful machines worked, and were captured by his enthusiasm for the sport (the timed tailplane-pop-up devices were his particular intrigue).
But as in any walk of life, it takes only one bully to shatter an experience.
At no time have I said that I have an opposition to purchasing insurance, but only that if it is Shuttleworth policy, that this should be made clear in their literature.
Neither was I aware that the Old Warden model flying days were really only for the seasoned and experienced modellers. Regardless of the one guy telling people they could not fly on the day, as relative newcomers to the sport, Oxenos and bluesilk have each made it quite clear we are not welcome at Old Warden.
For you two, and the author of the letters which are the subject of this thread, we will indeed stay away from future Old Warden's model flying days. However, I doubt you will be as successful in erasing my lads enthusiasm for small free-flights, even for your belief that it is kid's-stuff.