Safeguarding

Parish Safeguarding 

A safe environment for children and vulnerable adults is a top priority at St Mary’s. We adhere to Southwark Diocese Safeguarding Policies, Procedures and Guidelines as set out in A Safe Church. Should you have a concern about safeguarding, please immediately contact one of our Parish Safeguarding Officers, Kate Giles on 07956 675506 or Amanda Larkum on 07891 854027. Our churchwardens are Amanda Larkum on 07891 854027 and Sophie Longmoor 07803 245568

Diocesan Safeguarding Advisers

Diocesan Safeguarding Officer: Pamela Chisholm
safeguarding@southwark.anglican.org
0207 939 9441 (Mon to Fri 9am – 5pm)
020 3874 6743 (out of hours)

A Safe Church: https://southwark.anglican.org/safeguarding/diocesan-policies-and-procedures.

Further help may be sought from

Safe Spaces
Delivered by First Light, Safe Spaces is a free and independent support service, providing a confidential support service, providing a confidential, personal, and safe space for anyone who has been abused by someone in the church.
https://safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk
Safe Spaces Helpline 0300 303 1056 

Survivors Voices
A survivor-led organisation that runs peer support groups for victim-survivors of all kinds of abuse, including faith-based abuse. It has a newsletter and other special events for survivors of abuse experienced in churches and other faith-based communities.
https://survivorsvoices.org/support/

Interim Support Scheme 
The Archbishops’ Council has established an Interim Support Scheme to improve the Church’s response to current and non-current survivors of Church-related abuse. This Scheme is part of the Church’s recognition that harm has been caused by both that abuse itself, and the Church’s responses to survivors. This Scheme is not intended to provide compensation or restitution to survivors, nor is it a redress scheme. The Scheme is intended to give immediate help and support to survivors whose life circumstances are significantly affected by the abuse suffered, and the response to it. The Scheme is designed to address immediate and urgent needs that help in the short-term to put the survivor’s life back on track.
https://www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding/interim-support-scheme

Redress Scheme 
The National Redress Scheme (scheduled to launch in 2025) is for survivors and victims of Church-related abuse. As well as financial redress, eligible applicants will be offered therapeutic, spiritual, and emotional support, acknowledgment of wrongdoing on the part of the Church, apology, and support.
www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding/redress

The Hub of Hope
The Hub of Hope is the UK’s leading mental health support database. It is provided by national mental health charity, Chasing the Stigma, and brings local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support and services together in one place.
www.hubofhope.co.uk

NSPCC Child Protection Helpline: 0808 800 5000 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are worried about a child.

Child-line: 0800 1111 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are a child or young person and are worried about anything.

National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are experiencing domestic abuse.

Samaritans Helpline: 116 123 (open 24 hours). Phone if you feel you are struggling to cope and need someone to talk to.

Action on Elder Abuse Helpline: 080 8808 8141 ( free phone Monday to Friday 9- 5pm).

Statement about Andrew Wilson

On Monday 25 November, Andrew Wilson, who served as Director of Music at St Mary’s Beddington in the early 2000s appeared at Croydon Crown Court charged with 11 counts of non-recent sexual abuse of children. Mr Wilson pleaded ‘guilty’ to all of these offences. Mr Wilson was already serving time in prison for similar offences and – at a hearing on Friday 24 January 2025 – he was sentenced to a further twelve years in prison.
We would like to pay tribute to Mr Wilson’s victims and their loved ones for having the courage to tell their stories. We are deeply sorry for their suffering and are engaging to offer support to all those affected by this matter.
In 2019, Mr Wilson was jailed for 12 years at Lewes Crown Court for non-recent sexual abuse and indecent images of children. His convictions related to offences committed whilst in his role as Director of Music and organist at both St Margaret’s Warnham 1980s (Diocese of Chichester) and St Mary’s Beddington (Diocese of Southwark). At the time of imprisonment, Mr Wilson was registered as a sex offender for life and handed a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).