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Original poster

Miriam Cates

282 replies

CassieMaddox · 01/07/2024 23:54

New report says she was trustee at a church while gay conversion therapy was happening. The kind of conversion therapy that involves exorcism of demons.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4ngprp5xdvo

As a director and trustee at the charity behind the church, external from September 2016 to September 2018, Mrs Cates, had safeguarding responsibilities for those who attended

Thought this might interest some posters on here. Not sure I would trust her with safeguarding after this, if indeed she retains her seat.

A close-up of former MP Miriam Cates

Miriam Cates: Tory candidate was trustee of church that ‘endorsed’ conversion therapy

A report finds St Thomas Philadelphia church in Sheffield had "supported" conversion therapy.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4ngprp5xdvo

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JanesLittleGirl · 04/07/2024 23:34

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

I can only assume that someone felt embarrassed.

Thecatisboss · 05/07/2024 06:08

Well Miriam is now out of a job! Marie Tidbull, Labour has won seat.

Danana · 05/07/2024 06:43

KeirSpoutsTwaddle · 03/07/2024 18:34

The culture of the church clearly is evangelical, traditional view of marriage. You can know that without knowing that prayer and counselling has crossed the line into conversion therapy.

Being a trustee in the CofE is, I think, called ‘being on the PCC’. It means being part of the decisions on what colour carpet and paint to get, whether you can afford to employ a cleaner/childrens worker/admin assistant. Whether the church building is being properly maintained, or the trees/graveyard is ok. It wouldn’t necessarily have anything about teaching- that’s a ministry decision. It would have chosen 20 years ago to be prepared to appoint a female vicar. It will have had to decide whether to marry divorced people. They will have to decide whether to approve the prayers of love and faith that have been made available recently.

They don’t know what course are run in home groups, what prayers are shared in prayer trios. And they will be told ‘there was a safeguarding incident which has been resolved/referred to the diocese.’

You don’t understand how churches work if you assume a trustee/PCc member will have the ins and outs of safeguarding investigations. You realise safeguarding referrals can be about domestic violence, sexual abuse etc. would you want that shared with everyone in church leadership? I’d hope not!

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No, she was a trustee of the church charity and apparently had safeguarding responsibilities. I’ve been on a church PCC and didn’t have any specific safeguarding responsibilities, but that is a different thing.

KeirSpoutsTwaddle · 05/07/2024 07:42

Danana · 05/07/2024 06:43

No, she was a trustee of the church charity and apparently had safeguarding responsibilities. I’ve been on a church PCC and didn’t have any specific safeguarding responsibilities, but that is a different thing.

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It’s the same.

All churches are charities. All PCC members are trustees. All PCC members do safeguarding training- though not to a high level.

Whether her role was different isn’t clear.

Miriam Cates
KeirSpoutsTwaddle · 05/07/2024 07:44

Though it looks like it’s an LEP- partnership with Baptist and CofE so possibly slightly different structure. Our LEPs run joint leadership systems- meeting both CofE and Baptist requirements simultaneously.

PCCmember · 05/07/2024 07:48

KeirSpoutsTwaddle · 05/07/2024 07:42

It’s the same.

All churches are charities. All PCC members are trustees. All PCC members do safeguarding training- though not to a high level.

Whether her role was different isn’t clear.

Show quote history

Yes that's correct (see username). We are all responsible for safeguarding and we all have some degree of training. However I would say that it can be difficult as the designated safeguarding officer lead is the person with overall responsibility, and quite rightly due to confidentiality we may not know all the details of any safeguarding concerns that there may be.

Danana · 05/07/2024 08:36

PCCmember · 05/07/2024 07:48

Yes that's correct (see username). We are all responsible for safeguarding and we all have some degree of training. However I would say that it can be difficult as the designated safeguarding officer lead is the person with overall responsibility, and quite rightly due to confidentiality we may not know all the details of any safeguarding concerns that there may be.

Show quote history

Yes, that’s generally true of PCC members (as I say, I’ve been one as well), but I find both the official and the media reporting very unclear about Cates’s actual role. It would make more sense if she was on the PCC, it’s just that having been to that church and having also read the report published by the diocese, that isn’t at all clear.

That’s not specifically a criticism of Cates and PCC would be a reasonable guess, but the way that particular church works is a bit unusual.

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