Children in Need Chair Resigns Amid Controversy Over Grants to LGBT Youth Charity

The chairperson of the BBC’s Children in Need charity has stepped down following reports indicating her objection to grants provided to an LGBT youth charity, whose former leader was previously implicated in a child abuse scandal. Rosie Millard, identified as a writer and broadcaster, leveled an accusation of “institutional failure” against the charity in her resignation letter, which was shared with the Times. Millard expressed opposition to the allocation of £466,000 to LGBT Youth Scotland (LGBTYS), an organization dedicated to supporting young gay and transgender individuals. James Rennie, the charity’s former chief, was found guilty of child sex assaults in 2009. Children in Need’s grants commenced seven months subsequent to this conviction, at which point the charity had implemented new management. BBC News has not had access to Millard’s resignation letter. A spokesperson for Children in Need stated: “Nothing is more important to us than the safety of all children and young people. “When allegations were made in relation to LGBT Youth Scotland their grant was immediately suspended with the full support of the board and a review began. In order to do this thoroughly and fairly the review took three months and culminated in the decision to withdraw funding.” Rennie, who served as chief executive of LGBTYS from 2003 to 2008 and also previously advised the SNP, was incarcerated in 2009 following his identification as a member of a paedophile ring. He received a life sentence for sexually assaulting a three-month-old child and for conspiring to gain access to children for abuse. He was mandated to serve a minimum of 13 years, which was subsequently reduced to eight years upon appeal. It was determined that Rennie’s offenses bore no connection to or influence on the charity, and they were brought to light solely through a police investigation. LGBTYS promptly severed its association with him and has declared that they “condemn any actions which harm children and young people”. Children in Need halted grants to the charity in May 2024, a move that Millard states occurred after she brought his case to their attention. Funding was subsequently withdrawn approximately three months later, following a review. Nevertheless, Millard, a former arts correspondent for BBC News, criticized Children in Need, citing what she described as insufficient due diligence. She alleged that chief executive Simon Antrobus did not respond “with the necessary level of seriousness” and showed hesitation in taking action. She claimed that he ultimately ceased funding for the charity solely due to concerns about adverse publicity. BBC News has reached out to Millard for her comments. Antrobus, who has served as chief executive of Children in Need since 2016 and previously occupied senior roles at Parkinson’s UK and Scope, has refrained from public comment. Separately, another individual, who contributed to school guidance developed by LGBT Youth Scotland, was found guilty this year of disseminating indecent images of children, including those of newborn infants. Andrew Easton was a young person who utilized LGBT Youth Scotland’s services in the 2000s and subsequently contributed to a 2010 guide for young people on coming out. However, he was never employed by the charity. He entered a guilty plea in September to ­charges of communicating online with an individual he believed to be a child, downloading indecent images of children, and distributing indecent images of children. He received a community order, was mandated to perform 200 hours of unpaid work, placed on the sex offenders register for three years, and instructed to participate in a sex offenders program. In 2022, two men reported being groomed at LGBTYS during the period when Rennie was chief executive. In response, LGBTYS suspended a staff member and self-referred to the police. A spokesperson for Children in Need stated: “The Children in Need board of trustees are supportive of the actions taken by the CEO and senior leadership team and stand by the decisions made. “Rosie at all times retained the board’s support. In the wake of her resignation, in order to ensure any lessons learnt are captured, the trustees have instigated a review of ways of working between the board and executive in which Rosie has kindly agreed to participate.” Mhairi Crawford, the chief executive of LGBTYS, commented that Millard’s resignation letter “demonstrates the ideologically driven nature of her attacks on our organisation”. Crawford stated: “We are pleased to see confirmation that Children in Need’s investigations into the work of LGBT Youth Scotland found nothing to report.“Time and time again, those with anti-inclusivity motives point to historic allegations in attempts to destroy our reputation. Allegations that have been investigated and cleared by Police Scotland, and proven to have had no link to our work.” Speaking to BBC News on Thursday, Crawford further expressed that she was “really gutted” by the loss of funding from Children in Need. She remarked: “We worked with them [Children in Need] for the best part of 15 years, and it’s really sad to see a funder choosing to take that line,” adding, “I understand why they’ve done it, and I respect it, but it’s really sad that it happened, and really disappointing how it reached the press and how it communicated publicly.” Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, commended Millard on Wednesday for her “significant impact on countless children”. Children in Need generated over £39 million during its annual broadcast on Friday.