The Children’s Society has “respectfully rejected” a donation from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev Justin Welby.
The Archbishop, set to step down on 6th January, had included a donation to the charity in his final Christmas e-card as a gesture of support. A message from Archbishop Justin and his wife Caroline highlighted the charity’s work with children affected by “criminal and sexual exploitation, abuse,” and other challenges.
However, the charity said that accepting the donation would conflict with its mission to support survivors of child sexual abuse.
Mark Russell, the chief executive of The Children’s Society, said: “After careful consideration, we have respectfully decided not to accept the donation offered by the outgoing Archbishop of Canterbury.
“The Children’s Society is deeply committed to supporting the survivors of abuse. Our teams support victims of child sexual abuse, and this means that accepting this donation would not be consistent with the principles and values that underpin our work.”
The Archbishop’s resignation followed a review that found barrister John Smyth, linked to decades of abuse involving up to 130 boys in the UK and Africa, might have faced justice if reported to police in 2013, when the archbishop had heard about Smyth’s behaviour. Smyth, who died in 2018 while under investigation, was never prosecuted.
Russell added: “We were profoundly shocked by the findings of the Makin report, and our thoughts are with all survivors of abuse. We believe there is an urgent need for the Church of England to reset its approach to safeguarding and create safer spaces for young people, protected by real accountability and a culture of care.
“The Children’s Society’s life-changing work supports children facing abuse, exploitation, or mental health struggles. We remain deeply grateful for those who share our vision. Donations are crucial to changing children’s lives for the better, and we will continue to focus on delivering a society built for all children.”
A spokesperson for the Archbishop said: “Lambeth Palace respects the decision made by The Children’s Society.
“The Archbishop of Canterbury shares the principles and values of The Children’s Society and is committed to supporting the survivors of abuse and victims of child sexual abuse.
“He applauds The Children’s Society for their tireless work in this field.”