LONDON – A small non-profit organization in the city of Nottingham, England, was little known before a major financial frenzy brought it into the spotlight on social media.
The World Wide Robin Hood Society, based in Sherwood, Nottingham, is run by a middle-aged couple who are enthusiastic about their hometown and the fable of the deceptive English legend and his cheerful group, who robbed the rich to help the poor. give. .
On Thursday morning their Twitter account had only 350 followers, by Saturday it numbered 60,000.
Lisa Douglas, 51, who along with her husband is part of the organization and manages its social media accounts, has stopped the interview several times because it brought notifications on her phone. She was excited but overwhelmed by the worldwide attention.
“It was a little shocking … It was absolutely incredible,” she said from her home.
“We had so many people who made contact and said nice things,” she added. “We were on the right side of the whole Robin Hood debacle.”
The attention comes after a jumble of names during a stock market frenzy over video game retailer GameStop. The share price has risen in the stock trading app Robinhood, which has been bolstered by support from online traders and members of a Reddit messaging board.
The financial journey with the roller coaster has made headlines worldwide, as it has pitted small investors and online communities against traditional Wall Street short sellers.
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Like many others, Douglas says she does not understand the finances behind the GameStop saga, but that it proves the message of Robin Hood’s rebellious legend still resonated in 2021.
“A lot of people at the moment feel very resentful about what happened to the Robinhood app, and you’d like to root for the guy – and I think Robin Hood is the perfect example,” she said.
Many new followers of the Robin Hood Society – most from America, but also Australia and Canada – have promised to visit the English city of 300,000 people, Douglas said. While others shared family ties with Britain, offered to make donations or simply said hello, she added.
Douglas, who calls herself a “Nottingham girl”, said the association was started in 1998, co-founded by her husband who works in IT and a few other Robin Hood enthusiasts. They hope that the current attention will attract people to visit their city, which boasts famous forests and a medieval castle.
And does she have a message for the new fans of society?
“We just want to thank everyone … it was great to connect with people from all over the world,” she said.
“Huzzah.”
