BBC charity head steps down after controversial funding decisions surface
Long-time chair of BBC Children in Need leaves position due to disagreements over grant management. Internal conflict arose regarding financial support given to youth organization with troubling past
Rosie Millard has left her role as BBC Children in Need chair‚ pointing to problems with the charitys decision-making process. The well-known writer stepped down after a six-year stint due to what she calls an “institutional failure“ in handling grant-related issues
The dispute centers around £466‚000 in funding given to LGBT Youth Scotland: an organization supporting young people aged 13-25. The timing of these grants raised questions — they started shortly after the groups former head was found guilty of serious crimes against children. This year another connected person got convicted for sharing inappropriate content (including pictures of new-borns)
That they could write this about the reported rape of a child is astonishing
The grant-giving process faced strong criticism from Millard‚ who points out that funding was only put on-hold in May after she brought up past issues; the money was fully stopped three months later. She expressed disappointment with Simon Antrobus — the CEOʼs response which she thinks wasnt serious enough
Mhairi Crawford‚ who leads LGBT Youth Scotland‚ defended her group saying investigations found nothing wrong. The BBCʼs director-general Tim Davie thanked Millard for helping many children‚ while the charity stated they take young peoples safety very seriously and are doing a review of their work-methods
