Patrick Sookhdeo, the founder of anti-persecution charity Barnabas Aid, has been suspended, along with 3 other key figures following allegations of financial mismanagement and toxic work culture.
Trustees of the organisation's international board have ordered an independent investigation, while the charity has admitted it has let supporters down through a situation which has been described by those within as ‘chaos’.
Barnabas Aid was set up to provide hope and aid for the persecuted Church across the world. With a turnover of over £20m a year, it’s one of the largest Christian charities in the UK. In May, it was the principal sponsor of the Big Church Festival which welcomes tens of thousands of visitors.
Due to the organisational structure of the charity, it has a UK board and an international board.
Earlier this year, questions were asked by trustees of the international board about the management of the charity along with use of charity funds following whistleblowing complaints.
A divide within the trustees on both boards arose and the four key figures suspended while an independent investigation was ordered and the Charity Commission alerted.
The investigation is being carried out by London law firm Crowell & Moring. It’s expected to report in the Autumn but has already produced some interim findings to the board.
In a statement to Premier, Barnabas Aid said: “Sadly, we have 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.
“In addition, we have also identified significant payments made to the founders (and to others close to them – including some Board Members/Trustees) which cannot be readily explained. Ample opportunity has been provided to the founders to explain those transactions but sadly they have refused to cooperate.
“We have let our supporters down, we have let the Lord down and we have let the suffering and persecuted Church down.”
The charity is now being led by Colin Bloom as CEO. Bloom is a former director the Conservative Christian Fellowship while also worked within government on faith engagement. His report ‘Does Government do God?’ commissioned by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities urged a greater partnership between politicians and churches.
Bloom was appointed by the global board which is said to be run by an organisation called Nexcus International. This group is responsible for the working of the regional offices across the world which include the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand.
However, adding to the confusion across the situation, the Chair of Barnabas Aid UK, in a letter to supporters has claimed that Bloom’s appointment has not been approved by the Barnabas Aid UK board of trustees.
Philip Richards said: “Colin Bloom has not been appointed by the Board of Barnabas Aid.
“The investigation to which he refers has not been approved by the Board of Barnabas Aid.
“Colin Bloom is employed by an American not for profit organisation 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.
Along with Patrick Sookhdeo, his wife Rosemarie and Barnabas Aid UK trustees Caroline Kerslake and Dr Prasad Phillips have all been suspended while the investigation is carried out.
Sookhdeo stepped down as leader of the charity in 2015 after he was found guilty of sexual assault and intimidating witnesses in which he was given a three-month community sentence.
However he later returned to the charity in different roles including adviser and most recently international director.
Premier understands the complaints being investigated have no links to Sookhdeo’s previous reason for stepping down.
The four, who have been described as ‘the founders’ deny the allegations made against them while supporters have described their treatment as a “hostile takeover” of the charity.
The founders have questioned whether the ongoing investigation into the charity is truly independent with the suggestion Crowell & Moring has previously been working with those who are now running the charity.
In a statement given to Premier, Caroline Kerslake explained why the group are choosing not to take part in the independent investigation.
“We are clear that any substantive complaints should be investigated. However, we do not accept that Crowell is the right firm to conduct that investigation,” she said. “In order to ensure that the investigation is independent, and can be seen to be so, we believe that another firm should conduct the investigation, at least so far as it relates to Barnabas Aid.
“It is for the boards of the other organisations involved to decide how complaints relating to them should be investigated.”
Patrick Sookhdeo was invited by Premier to comment but declined because of legal implications.
In a statement to Premier, a Charity Commission spokesperson said: “We are currently assessing concerns raised with us about how Barnabas Fund (also known as Barnabas Aid) operates to determine what, if any, regulatory action the Commission should take.”
Andrew Carey is a trustee of Barnabas Aid UK but is still working within the charity. Speaking about the future of the charity, he said: “What we've decided to do as a charity to try to live up to the high standards we've claimed in the past, but we haven't lived up to.
“There's importance in coming clean about the chaos with a new honesty and transparency.
“What we have is a crisis. But even through this period, I have to assure supporters that the brilliant work of the charity is proceeding. We do have great staff, and we are partnering with some wonderful churches and communities throughout the world in some of the places in the world where Christians are persecuted are really suffering.
“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.”
