On 28 May 2025, the PCC of St Ebbe’s Church announced that it had commissioned Christian Safeguarding Services (CSS) to review past and present safeguarding culture and practice. The Review was initiated following the reported allegations of non-recent sexual abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour towards women and girls by David Fletcher; Fletcher became Rector in 1986 and retired in 1998, but remained part of the church until his death in 2022.  It will examine past and present safeguarding culture and practice, including allegations against David Fletcher made more recently within the church community.

Scope of the Review

The overall purpose of the Review is to examine safeguarding culture and practice at St Ebbe’s Church, both currently and historically. The Review aims to identify any lessons that can be learned and actions that can be taken to further enhance the church’s future practice. The Review will examine past and present safeguarding culture and practice, including allegations against David Fletcher made more recently within the church community, to establish whether they were addressed properly. “The main limitation in the scope is that this is a review of St Ebbe’s Church and focuses on areas in which we are active or for which we have responsibility. It is not a review of David Fletcher’s activity in other spheres, neither is it restricted to concerns about him”.

The Review will:

• Independently consider the safeguarding practice and culture, from the years of David Fletcher’s appointment as Rector in 1986 to the present, and earlier if required, to enhance best practice through continuous learning at St Ebbe’s.
• Independently provide an opportunity for anyone who has experienced harm through their involvement with St Ebbe’s Church or who has concerns about our safeguarding culture or practice, to raise their concerns and have their voices heard confidentially.
• The Review will consider the effectiveness of St Ebbe’s Staff and PCC responses when past concerns have been raised, the extent to which policies, procedures and best practice were followed, and the extent to which the safeguarding arrangements currently in place minimise the risk of recurrence of such concerns.
• Identify where our current policies, practices and safeguarding arrangements can be further improved.

Proposed activity

• Hear the experiences, perspectives and concerns of past and present staff members, trustees, churchwardens, parish safeguarding officers and congregation members.
• Consider feedback already received by churchwardens since the release of the Makin Report and more recently following the David Fletcher allegations.
• Review handling of past known concerns, particularly with respect to David Fletcher.
• Audit past and current documentation, including relevant records of concerns and complaints, policies, procedures, codes of conduct, risk registers and risk assessments.
• Focus upon the activities of St Ebbe’s Church (charity number 1227816). Any concerns about organisations with whom St Ebbe’s partners, but where St Ebbe’s has no direct responsibility or authority, will be drawn to the attention of those partner organisations to ensure that they can be addressed by the relevant legal entity.
• Report to the St Ebbe’s PCC on findings, providing clear and specific recommendations for improvements to safeguarding culture and practice.
• Publish a report which includes an executive summary and actionable recommendations.
• Any discovery of potentially criminal activity or safeguarding concerns will immediately be passed to the appropriate statutory services, and the Diocesan Safeguarding Team by CSS and St Ebbe’s. St Ebbe’s will also report to the Charity Commission where appropriate.

Comment

The Review is open for information until Sunday 6^th July 2025; the PCC will publish the report and recommendations in full when they become available. Sources of support include: Diocese of Oxford (links to Safe Spaces, a free and independent support service); and St Ebbe’s Pastoral Support.

See also St Ebbe’s commissions safeguarding review into David Fletcher abuse allegations by Julian Mann on Anglican Mainstream (28 May 2025).