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Power Struggle at Barnabas Aid Leads to Charges and Counter Charges
Founder ousted, new leaders seek outside accountability for monies spent, and an alleged toxic work environment, with gates locked at national headquarters.
By David W. Virtue, DD
www.virtueonline.org
Sept. 5, 2024
A power struggle within one of Britain's biggest Christian charities supporting persecuted believers around the world, saw its founder and leadership summarily stood down and a new leadership put in place without the united consent of the trustees.
A minority of British trustees have gone along with Nexcus an international panel originally set up solely to co-ordinate the work of the international network of Barnabas charities. However, the panel has no legal oversight of these charities, VOL was told.
The drama began when Barnabas Aid founder Patrick Sookhdeo, his wife Rosemary and two trustees, Caroline Kerslake and Dr. Prasad Phillips were suspended after complaints were made by whistleblowers. A power struggle for the organization began.
The board of Nexcus commissioned an independent investigation into the management of the charity and how donations were being spent. Sookhdeo was in the process of moving on and had announced his retirement, when the shake-up occurred.
An email sent from Nexcus, repeated by a 'new' international director Colin Bloom and also in a statement to the Premier Christianity Magazine, claimed an interim report of the investigation had "identified examples of serious and repeated contraventions of internal policies; policies that were established to ensure the proper distribution of charitable donations".
"It further appears that the founders, and others, are identified in the interim report as having failed to comply with those policies. Moreover, objectively the founders created a toxic work environment which resulted in staff feeling entirely unable to routinely voice concerns," it states.
The investigation is being carried out by the international law firm Crowell & Moring and its final report is due out in the autumn. The four suspended leaders have denied the allegations and Caroline Kerslake told Premier News that they are refusing to participate in the independent investigation because they disagree with the appointment of Crowell & Moring to lead it. (Crowell & Moring have declared their pro-gay bona fides with the filing of two amicus briefs in the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit in opposition to an Iowa law that bans school officials from discussing gender identity or sexual orientation with students [its "Don't Say Gay" provision]). The Sookhdeos hold to orthodox views on human sexuality which would appear to be in conflict with the professional work of this law firm.
However, a "Dear fellow supporters of Barnabas Aid," letter sent out by Barnabas Aid UK chairman Philip Richards, and obtained by VOL, said the investigation led by Colin Bloom had not been approved by the Board of Barnabas Aid. "Colin Bloom is employed by an American not for profit organization called Nexcus International which has seized control of the operations of Barnabas Aid and has been using the database without the consent of the Board of Barnabas Aid. We have reported all these matters to the Charity Commission."
Richards said he has been a BA supporter for three decades and joined the Board of Barnabas Aid in September 2023 and was elected Chairman by a majority of the Board in April 2024.
He apologized for the letter sent out by Bloom, and said it was not authorized by the Board of Barnabas Aid. Bloom had not been appointed by the Board of Barnabas Aid and therefore cannot speak on the board's behalf.
"I am sure that all of you were shocked that someone claiming to be a CEO should send out a letter concerning an interim report which has clearly not yet been finished nor yet considered by the Board. This was a premature and unwise step, which compromises further an already questionable process. The letter is also misleading, it names the founders and Dr. Prasad Phillips but does not name other senior individuals mentioned in the interim report. Nor does it refer to the responses made by the individuals named, who have raised important concerns about the process followed. The allegations Colin Bloom refers to have not yet been answered by the Founders or Dr Phillips who have represented to me full explanations of each."
Richards said allegations of bullying have been orchestrated by Noel Frost, an individual whom the Board he leads had to investigate for fraud and forgery for itself.
It has also since been explained to VOL that questions raised about distribution of charitable donations refer to monies given to Christian people in genuine need in line with the mission of the various funds from which the money was given; these were not given by Barnabas Aid but by other entities.
Andrew Carey, one of the minority of Barnabas Aid trustees, admitted in a statement to Premier that the organization was in "chaos" and "crisis" but insisted donations were being used to support Christians in need.
"We do have great staff, and we are partnering with some wonderful churches [GM5] and communities throughout the world in some of the places in the world where Christians are persecuted are really suffering," he said.
"So I'd like to assure supporters that though there are things we need to put right, our brilliant staff are making sure that the funds they've been entrusted with are being spent in the service of the suffering and persecuted Church."
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