The Festival of Creation in Christ

As I write this at the beginning of August, which one of us has not been thinking about the impact of global warming and environmental sustainability? Our garden lawns are brown, almost grey, starved of water for so long. As we drive through Derbyshire, we see fields not just brown but bare of crops as a second round of planting is not yet possible.

In July, at its summer meeting in York, the General Synod of the Church of England passed a motion establishing the Festival of Creation in Christ, to be celebrated on the first Sunday of September. This development has ecumenical roots in the worldwide Church. The Catholic Church has for long time celebrated the Season of Creation from the beginning of September until the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi on 4th October, and many Anglican parishes have followed this lead.

At Derby Cathedral, in our ecumenical Lent Groups over the past few years we have read carefully two documents written by the late Pope Francis, namely Laudato Sí and Fratelli Tutti, both drawing the world’s attention to the inter-connectedness of the whole of creation and establishing an integral ecology that has helped us to see more clearly the impact of the current crisis in declining biodiversity, adverse weather conditions and the unjust impact of climate change on disadvantaged communities.

The new Festival which at Derby Cathedral we plan to celebrate on Sunday 6th September will give us the opportunity to offer thanks to God for his creation and for the redemption of the world, and it will help us reflect on how we might best act and take responsibility for the care of a broken creation. The papers presented to General Synod in July said this: “The title ‘Creation in Christ’ emphasizes that creation is understood through the person and work of Jesus Christ: created through him, sustained in him and destined for renewal in him.”

One way to respond is invite parishioners to read the helpful new publication, a teaching document from the Church of England ‘s bishops, Hope for All creation: A theological response to the environmental crisis. It’s accessible, easy to read and makes many links between what we might think and what we might do. It’s a small step to read such a document but do it together in small groups – then we can only imagine what might emerge in terms of collective action!

May we use our experience and our learning from these recent weeks to shape a church response to the huge challenge that our generation faces so that we can support our children and grandchildren in the generations to come. Why not celebrate the Festival of Creation in Christ this year as a first step?

The Very Revd Dr Peter Robinson
Dean of Derby

Bishop Jackie, the Acting Bishop of Derby, is delighted to announce that the Revd Sarah Watson has accepted her invitation to be the Acting Archdeacon of Derby City and South Derby.

Sarah will remain the Priest in Charge in the Benefices of Allestree St Edmund & Darley Abbey; Allestree St Nicholas; and Quarndon, Allestree.

She will legally be Assistant Archdeacon from Monday, 24 August 2026, and become Acting Archdeacon on Tuesday, 29 September 2026.

Sarah will be sharing her time between her parish and Archdeacon role.

Revd Sarah said "It is an honour to have accepted Bishop Jackie’s invitation to serve as Acting Archdeacon for Derby City and South Derbyshire.

Having lived in Derbyshire for nearly a quarter of a century and served in a variety of contexts and roles including as Area Dean for Derby City Deanery, I have greatly valued building relationships with clergy, parishes, schools, and community partners. I look forward to continuing those partnerships in this new role. I am looking forward to getting to know Mercia Deanery more closely and working alongside our churches and communities as we seek to make the gospel known and serve the people of Derby City and South Derbyshire.

 

I also want to express my gratitude to Archdeacon Matthew for all he has given to the Diocese of Derby and especially to the Archdeaconry. I am particularly thankful for his encouragement, wisdom and support during my tenure as Area Dean. I hold Matthew and his family in my prayers at this time of transition as they prepare for this new chapter of ministry and life".

Please pray for Sarah as she prepares to take on these new responsibilities.

His Majesty The King has approved the appointment of The Venerable Matthew Trick as the next Dean of Guernsey. Matthew currently serves as Archdeacon of Derby City and South Derbyshire and Residentiary Canon of Derby Cathedral. 

As Dean, Matthew will become the senior Anglican priest serving the Bailiwick of Guernsey, including Guernsey, Alderney, Herm and Sark. Alongside his responsibilities as Dean, he will also be licensed as Vicar of Sark, serving the Anglican community on the island and maintaining a regular pastoral and liturgical presence there.

His appointment comes at an important moment for the Deanery as churches continue to serve their communities while engaging with opportunities around mission, safeguarding, governance, children and young people, and the Church's contribution to public life. The Deanery of Guernsey is attached to the Diocese of Salisbury, with the Bishop of Salisbury holding pastoral responsibility and episcopal care for the island.

Matthew is already familiar with the Bailiwick, having served as a Locum Priest on Alderney in both 2023 and 2024 and regularly visited the islands. He and his family have developed a strong affection for the Bailiwick and look forward to becoming part of island life. 

His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor of Guernsey, Lieutenant General Sir Richard Cripwell KBE CB, said:

“I am looking forward to welcoming Matthew to the Bailiwick. Having previously spent time in Alderney he already knows what a special place the Bailiwick is and how important the role of the Church is within it.”

Commenting on the news of the appointment, the Right Reverend Karen Gorham, Acting Bishop of Salisbury, said:

“It is a joy to welcome Matthew and I look forward to working with him. In recent years we have cultivated an increasingly rich partnership between the Diocese of Salisbury and the Dean of Guernsey, as a valued member of our leadership team and Bishop’s Council. I will be delighted to licence Matthew at the end of September and am eager for him to share his gifts with us. We hold Matthew and his family in our prayers at this time.”

Matthew has served as Archdeacon of Derby City and South Derbyshire since 2022 and has extensive experience of supporting clergy and congregations, strengthening safeguarding culture, leading organisational change and helping churches develop sustainable patterns of mission and ministry. His ministry has spanned parish, cathedral, diocesan and national Church settings. 

Before moving to Derby, he served in parish and deanery roles in the dioceses of Winchester and Ely and in the Church in Wales. His ministry has included church growth and revitalisation, ecumenical leadership, youth and families work, community partnerships and the delivery of major community-focused projects. 

The Right Reverend Jackie Searle, Acting Bishop of Derby, said:

“I am delighted by Matthew’s appointment to be the next Dean of Guernsey: I am pleased for him, for the Guernsey Deanery and for the clergy and lay leaders of the area he will serve, and for the partners with whom he will work beyond the Church.

“I have worked with Matthew only for a short time, but he has been a valued colleague in ministry and an outstanding Archdeacon of Derby City and South Derbyshire. He will be deeply missed in the Diocese and by colleagues at Church House in Derby, but we know that he will bring the same dedication and commitment to this new role with faithfulness and grace. I pray that he and his family will know God’s richest blessing as they move into this new chapter together.”

Adding to Bishop Jackie's comments, The Very Reverend Dr Peter Robinson, Dean of Derby, said:

“On behalf of the Derby Cathedral community, I offer my congratulations to Matthew on his appointment as Dean of Guernsey. As a Residentiary Canon, Matthew has served people of the Cathedral with distinction over the past two years. Matthew's membership of Chapter has made a significant impact in helping the Cathedral serve the diocese of Derby effectively. As our growing younger lead Matthew has inspired our children's and young people's team and brought committed leadership that has enabled this work to grow in both depth and numbers.

 

 “We shall miss the whole family who have worshipped regularly with us during their time in Derby: their daughter has been one of our choristers and their son a member of our Sunday School. We send our prayers and good wishes not only to the family but also to the Guernsey Church as you welcome Matthew and begin a new chapter in your life together.”

 

Alongside his church responsibilities, Matthew brings significant governance and charity-sector experience. He is Vice-Chair and Treasurer of YMCA Derbyshire, where he has helped provide strategic leadership for an organisation working across housing, education and community services. He has been a strong advocate for partnership approaches to tackling housing need, child poverty and social inequality. 

Gillian Sewell, Chief Executive of YMCA Derbyshire, said:

"Matthew has been a passionate advocate for collaborative approaches to addressing the housing crisis for young people, child poverty and social inequality, recognising that meaningful change can only be achieved through partnership and shared leadership.

He combines practical leadership experience with a strong academic interest in public service, governance and the role of the Church in contemporary society. He is currently completing a Masters in Public Administration at the University of Birmingham and previously completed a Masters in Theology and Ministry at Durham University.

Speaking about his appointment, Matthew said:

"I am deeply honoured by the trust placed in me through this appointment and look forward to serving the people, churches and communities of the Bailiwick of Guernsey. My family and I already know and love the islands through our time on Alderney and visits across the Bailiwick. I am committed to serving the whole Bailiwick, listening well, building relationships and supporting the mission and ministry of the Church in every island community.

 

"The Church has a vital role to play in Making Jesus Known, nurturing hope, serving local communities and contributing to the common good. I look forward to working with churches, civic leaders, charities, schools and community partners to support the wellbeing and flourishing of the whole Bailiwick."

Matthew is married to Sarah, they have two children, Isabelle (11yrs) and Henry (7yrs). The family will move to the Bailiwick in late August ahead of him taking up the role in late September. 

‘Blessed are those whose strength is in you; whose hearts are set on pilgrimage’ Ps 84:5

Towards the end of May, just a few weeks after starting as Acting Bishop of Derby, I spent a week on pilgrimage. My heart had been set on walking the Camino do Santiago (‘The Way of St James’) for many years – and retirement offered the opportunity. I wanted to make space for reflection on the pilgrimage of life. I hoped to connect with God and my Christian heritage, seeking wisdom and spiritual insight. And I wanted to walk those ancient paths in the company of fellow pilgrims. It is a matter of God’s sense of humour that as I embarked on my travels, I found myself called into ministry in the Diocese of Derby. This is how life is as people of faith. We trust our ways to God and trust God’s timing too. In the end, it was the perfect time to reflect on being back in Derby, on God’s providence in the twists and turns of the journey of life.

It has now been three months since Archbishop Sarah asked me to step in as Acting Bishop of Derby, to cover for Bishop Libby while she is off sick, and we continue to hold her in our prayers. While this role is temporary, and indeed I am only working part-time, it has still been a season of blessing and activity. It was a pleasure to join the Women in Ministry day at St Alkmund’s in Derby in May, the first liturgical act in my ministry here in the Diocese, and to symbolically receive my mitre and crozier from those gathered.

I also had the privilege of ordaining five priests and three deacons, and licensing a priest from North India to serve in ministry in the Church of England in June. I enjoyed meeting with them individually before their ordinations, to hear the stories of their calling and how God in his faithfulness has drawn them to this point in their lives.
 
I have already written about confirming four people at St John the Baptist in Tideswell in May, but I have also confirmed a further five in a service at St George’s Ticknall in June.

It has also been a pleasure to welcome the Venerable Emma Sykes as Archdeacon of East Derbyshire. Emma brings much wisdom and experience to the role and to the team and it is very good to have her on board. Among all of these duties, I have been meeting with many of you in churches, parishes chaplaincies and communities, as well as diocesan colleagues at Church House.

It is perhaps no coincidence that my journey along the Camino coincided with this chapter of our diocesan life. On the sixth day, our last day of walking, our guide gave clear instructions – though we had walked at our own pace up until now, for the very last section of the day, the two miles into Santiago de Compostela, we would walk together. Our group had bonded, with deep conversations at times, and companionable silence at others. To arrive together, at our destination, was a moment of great joy, and tears – we had done it. We had come to the holy place. That evening many of us attended the Pilgrims’ Mass in the Cathedral – people of all nations and many languages, united in our worship and gratitude. A prayer at the end of the Mass was said in English: ‘As you kept them safe on their Camino way, may you keep them safe on their journey home; may they live the gospel of Jesus as their Camino of life continues.’

As we journey together in the diocese for this season, may we, as God’s pilgrim people, live the gospel of Jesus. With gratitude for our companionship and with prayers and blessings for the journey we share.

Bishop Jackie
The Rt Revd Jackie Searle Acting Bishop of Derby

How the community at St Francis, Mackworth, embraced change for good

Angeline Murray (pictured with Revd Andy Bond) has attended St Francis church in Derby since the 60's.  In this article, she reflects on the changes made that have brought great joy and light to Mackworth.

Over the years, the attendance dwindled; however, God gave a sign that the church needed to serve Mackworth in a new way.

In 2020, Revd Andy Bond took over as the church leader. He introduced a vision from the start: “a light on the hill of our estate”. This vision remains and forms the foundations of everything the church does within the community.

Our initial concerns that the "traditional" service would be lost were soon gone, with the 9 am service being held weekly – robed clergy, hymns, a sermon and communion.

A modern service is held at 10.45 am and 4 pm) with worship songs and live singing/band and monthly communion. The service attracts lots of new people, and the songs are made available online and on Spotify too!

Lots of services, but we are all one church.

My personal highlight is seeing so many people every week after there had been so few. I’ve made friends with so many lovely people. Everyone is welcomed, and I always leave church with a huge smile on my face.

There is a real sense of community.

The vision of serving our estate, growing community and worshipping God was quickly established by the new team and is taken seriously - we are reminded of this vision every week.

Our church has so much to offer now, including early morning Zoom prayer meetings, in-person meetings for Bible study, alpha, youth alpha, connect groups (highly recommend!), schools outreach, residential homes outreach, men's football, open doors coffee, chatty crafters, toddler group, and much more.

As we grew, we needed more space. Some difficult decisions were made – statues moved, pews replaced with comfortable (and stackable) chairs, altar rails removed.

I'm smiling right now just thinking about church and how it's changed!

St Francis has changed so much but in my opinion for the better

Revd Andy Bond, Church Leader, said "We are so aware that what God is doing in this season, stands on the worship, prayers and giving of those who went before us. We also pray St Francis will be serving our estate long after we are gone. It is said "every church left to its own devices gets older and smaller," every year we all get older & people leave, move or are "promoted to glory"; therefore we have to intentionally push down in age and out to the parish. This is not so we look good, but for the name and fame of the Lord Jesus in this and every generation.

Learn more about St Francis, Mackworth - www.stfmackworth.org

‘Blessed are those whose strength is in you; whose hearts are set on pilgrimage’ Ps 84:5

Towards the end of May, just a few weeks after starting as Acting Bishop of Derby, I spent a week on pilgrimage. My heart had been set on walking the Camino do Santiago (‘The Way of St James’) for many years – and retirement offered the opportunity. I wanted to make space for reflection on the pilgrimage of life. I hoped to connect with God and my Christian heritage, seeking wisdom and spiritual insight. And I wanted to walk those ancient paths in the company of fellow pilgrims. It is a matter of God’s sense of humour that as I embarked on my travels, I found myself called into ministry in the Diocese of Derby. This is how life is as people of faith. We trust our ways to God and trust God’s timing too. In the end, it was the perfect time to reflect on being back in Derby, on God’s providence in the twists and turns of the journey of life.

It has now been three months since Archbishop Sarah asked me to step in as Acting Bishop of Derby, to cover for Bishop Libby while she is off sick. While this role is temporary, and indeed I am only working part-time, it has still been a season of blessing and activity. It was a pleasure to join the Women in Ministry day at St Alkmund’s in Derby in May, the first liturgical act in my ministry here in the Diocese, and to symbolically receive my mitre and crozier from those gathered.

I also had the privilege of ordaining five priests and three deacons, and licensing a priest from North India to serve in ministry in the Church of England in June. I enjoyed meeting with them individually before their ordinations, to hear the stories of their calling and how God in his faithfulness has drawn them to this point in their lives.
 
I have already written about confirming four people at St John the Baptist in Tideswell in May, but I have also confirmed a further five in a service at St George’s Ticknall in June.

It has also been a pleasure to welcome the Venerable Emma Sykes as Archdeacon of East Derbyshire. Emma brings much wisdom and experience to the role and to the team and it is very good to have her on board. Among all of these duties, I have been meeting with many of you in churches, parishes chaplaincies and communities, as well as diocesan colleagues at Church House.

It is perhaps no coincidence that my journey along the Camino coincided with this chapter of our diocesan life. On the sixth day, our last day of walking, our guide gave clear instructions – though we had walked at our own pace up until now, for the very last section of the day, the two miles into Santiago de Compostela, we would walk together. Our group had bonded, with deep conversations at times, and companionable silence at others. To arrive together, at our destination, was a moment of great joy, and tears – we had done it. We had come to the holy place. That evening many of us attended the Pilgrims’ Mass in the Cathedral – people of all nations and many languages, united in our worship and gratitude. A prayer at the end of the Mass was said in English: ‘As you kept them safe on their Camino way, may you keep them safe on their journey home; may they live the gospel of Jesus as their Camino of life continues.’
As we journey together in the diocese for this season, may we, as God’s pilgrim people, live the gospel of Jesus. With gratitude for our companionship and with prayers and blessings for the journey we share.

Bishop Jackie
The Rt Revd Jackie Searle Acting Bishop of Derby

I have been reflecting recently on “transitions”.

This is not surprising as in the last few months I have encountered (and still encountering) a lot of changes.

These range from being a Parish Priest to becoming an Archdeacon, moving house from Birmingham to East Derbyshire and entering a stage of life where our young adult children are leaving home.

In his book “Transitions: Making sense of life changes”, William Booth points out that every transition has three stages, an ending, a neutral zone and a new beginning.

Often we overlook the ‘neutral zone’ we try and rush through it or ignore it, but it is in the transition in and out of these stages and the disorientation that we feel where the growth in understanding and ability to respond well comes.

Emma Inneson’s latest book “Middling” is all about this, learning to live within the tensions, especially in a polarised world and to not see the middle “as a place of accident, mediocrity or stagnation, but as a place of faithfulness, authenticity and hope.”

When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, it only took three days before the complex reality of their new situation started to dawn on them. They had escaped Pharoah’s oppression only to find the water they had to drink was bitter.

Moses cries out to the Lord, the Lord intervenes, the water becomes sweet and they are led to Elim, a place that has an abundance of water (Exodus 15:27). A month and a half later, the Israelites are grumbling again, this time they are hungry, yearning for the ‘fleshpots’ in Egypt where they ate their fill.

The Lord provides manna for them to gather each day. Challenge, hardship, grumbling, desperate cries, God intervenes, reminds them of the covenant he made with them, responds to their needs, and on the cycle goes.

Their disorientating middle goes on… for forty years. I would suggest being a follower of Christ is to be in a permanent state of transition, in a permanent middle place.

As a community of believers, the church, the ‘Ekklesia’ we are called out to proclaim the gospel, a gospel of hope and yet, it is not easy or comfortable.

It requires us to live in the now of a future hope that we do not yet see.

Anyone who has made that step to follow Christ into the unknown will know it is both compelling and joyful but also disorientating and bewildering. It’s a cross shaped place of tension.

To navigate it well, we need the one who knew all about cross shapes, whose life, death, resurrection and ascension gives us not just a pattern to follow, but a deep prayerful relationship that gives wisdom and courage when the challenges arise.

The Ven. Emma Sykes
Archdeacon of East Derbyshire

This weekend, the Diocese of Derby celebrated with two joy-filled ordination services at Derby Cathedral. 

On Saturday 20 June, Bishop Jackie ordained five candidates as priest.

Gael Browne to serve in the benefice of Sinfin Moor;

Lianne Green to serve in the benefice of Littleover and Blagreaves;and Findern;

Rebecca Landers to serve in the benefice of St John the Evangelist, Newbold with Dunston;

Justin Thacker to serve in the benefice of Chesterfield Holy Trinity and Christ Church;

Jim Wigglesworth to serve in the benefice of Duffield and Little Eaton.

Photos from the service are available here 

On Sunday 21 June, Bishop Jackie ordained three candidates as Deacon.

Mark Eyre will serve in Tideswell

Rachel Knight will serve in Ashbourne with Mapleton; St John's Ashbourne; Clifton; Norbury and Snelston

Anna Oldknow will serve in Repton, Foremark, Newton Solney; Willington

Raj Abraham was licensed to Derby St Peter and Christ Church with Holy Trinity, having been ordained and ministering in the church of North India he now begins his ministry as a priest in the Church of England.

Photos from the service are available here 

This marks a new stage in their ministry and in the life of the communities in which they serve. Please pray for them. 

The Church of England has apologised for its role in historical adoption practices, particularly in mother and baby homes. Mothers and adoptees who came into contact with these homes have described the profound and lasting impact of these experiences. Published alongside research into these homes, the apology recognises the impact on people affected and sets out the Church’s commitment to listening, learning and responding with honesty and compassion.

Please note: The contents of this page include references to historical adoption practices, including the separation of mothers and babies, stigma, and experiences of trauma and lasting emotional harm. Details of support services are included lower down this page.

Giving the apology on behalf of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, said:

“We are profoundly sorry for the pain, trauma and stigma experienced - and still carried - by many people because of historical adoption practices in homes affiliated to the Church of England. We have heard first-hand the accounts of mothers who were separated from their babies in circumstances where they had very few meaningful choices.  We know that many women and girls were at times made to carry out menial and manual work as a form of ‘correction’. We also recognise where prejudice - including on the grounds of race and disability - shaped and defined experiences and outcomes.”

 “We are listening to the voices of people affected. They have told us about the pain, shame and indignity experienced both then and now. Today, we say to each of you: the shame you were made to feel was wrong. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Rather, we are deeply ashamed that this happened to people in the care of Christian communities. All of this took place in a society that often valued secrecy and respectability over compassion and care. The Church of England was part of that society and helped to sustain those attitudes. While homes were encouraged to keep mothers and babies together, this often did not happen.  For many mothers, children, fathers and wider families affected by these practices, the impact has been lifelong. These practices are in the past and must never happen again. We will not condone or repeat them. Our commitment now is to listen, to lament and to learn – to acknowledge this history and respond with openness, reflection and learning, and to ensure that this leads to change.

 “We pay tribute to the people who have shared their stories and brought these personal and painful experiences to light. Their courage has helped to deepen our understanding of this history and the harm caused, and to ensure that first-hand accounts are heard. We want to acknowledge the important and often unseen work of organisations and charities who for many years have supported mothers, adoptees and families affected by adoption, and whose knowledge and care are invaluable. We pray for all people who carry these experiences, and for the grace to be a Church where everyone is treated with the love and dignity that comes from being made in God’s image.”

Listening and learning from lived experience

Listening to people directly affected has been an important part of this work.

We have heard first-hand accounts through the research project, as well as testimony shared via dioceses and other Church contexts. We have also carefully considered accounts shared publicly, including in media coverage, Parliamentary scrutiny, and by campaign and support organisations.

These testimonies have been deeply moving, speaking to the lasting impact carried by many. We are very grateful to all those who have shared their experiences, whether directly with this work or more widely.

Our research

• Research report - Historical Adoption Practices

Summary

The Church of England has carried out research into its involvement in mother and baby homes between 1949 and 1976. (The period 1949 to 1976 reflects the definition used by the Joint Committee on Human Rights, which examined adoption practices affecting unmarried mothers and their children during these years, which were bookended by landmark adoption legislation.)

The aim of the Church of England’s work was to better understand its role within a wider system shaped by the social attitudes and laws of the time, when unmarried mothers often faced stigma and had limited support.

The research draws mainly on archival records held at Lambeth Palace Library, including material from the Church of England’s Moral Welfare Council and its successor, the Board for Social Responsibility. It also includes documents such as meeting minutes, policy papers, annual reports from homes, and guidance issued to staff and chaplains.

These records were used to understand how homes were run, how decisions were made, and how they were connected to dioceses and wider Church structures.

It was not possible to produce a complete history. Records are incomplete, spread across many organisations, and in some cases have been lost or were never kept. Many records are held separately in local archives, and some no longer exist.

The research is based on evidence, but it can only tell part of the story because it relies on whatever information has survived and is still available. It is also limited because it reflects the perspectives of officials and people in administrative roles.

Improving access to records is important. We welcome the Government’s work to make it easier for people to find and access personal records, so individuals and families can learn more about their own histories. Dioceses should no longer hold adoption records and, where they do, we are encouraging dioceses to transfer them to relevant local archives as soon as possible.

Findings

The Church of England was a significant provider of mother and baby homes. We believe the number of mothers and babies connected to Church of England-affiliated homes is likely to be in the tens of thousands across the period. However, because of the nature of the records that still exist, it is not possible to give a precise figure with confidence.

We cannot give a precise number because we only have a sample of records, we can say with confidence:

• Around 185,000 children born to unmarried mothers were adopted across England and Wales during this period altogether, in all contexts.
• The Church of England was one of a number of providers of mother and baby homes within that wider system. 
• The Church of England was involved in a large number of homes (potentially over 200 over time), though not all operated simultaneously and the level of central oversight varied.

The homes operated under decentralised systems. Responsibility and decision-making were not held in one place.

Some homes were run directly by dioceses. Others were run by independent or semi-independent committees, with different levels of Church oversight.

At a national level, the Church’s Moral Welfare Council (later the Board for Social Responsibility) provided guidance, training and coordination. It advised dioceses and sought to influence government policy and practice.

The Church of England Moral Welfare Council’s guidance was clear that mothers and babies should be kept together where possible, and that any adoption should be with the mother’s consent. However, we are aware that this was not always followed in practice.

Standards and experience varied between homes. In some cases, attitudes were judgemental, and conditions were difficult. Limited resources, lack of alternative support, and wider social pressures often shaped what happened in practice.

Church bodies were aware that some homes did not meet acceptable standards and, following internal reviews in the late 1960s, they began to assess homes, identify those below standard, and consider whether some should improve, change their arrangements, or close if they could not meet acceptable levels of care.

They also knew that pressure on staff and services could affect the care and support offered.

These findings are based on the records that have been identified so far. Experiences varied widely, and this history cannot be reduced to a single account.

Conclusions

The research and personal testimonies show that there were examples of care and kindness in some homes and that many staff sought to provide what they believed was support in difficult circumstances.

However, many people have described experiences of harm and lasting trauma associated with their time in these settings.

Among the harms experienced by mothers and children, accounts describe people being categorised or treated differently because of physical disability or the colour of their skin, including being considered less likely to be adopted or placed into long-term institutional care. Some testimonies speak powerfully of the lasting impact of this – including experiences of exclusion and stigma both within care settings and wider society.

One clear gap in the records is the voices of people most affected. The experiences of mothers, their children and families are often missing or only partly recorded. During this work, we have listened to people who were affected, including through meetings and personal testimonies alongside the archival research and are continuing to do so.

Some accounts are included here. Each is personal. There are also shared themes of life in these homes. We are grateful to everyone who has shared their experiences.

Finding support

If you have been affected by this news or would like to speak to someone, a range of options are listed below. This includes specialist agencies and charities we have worked with, followed by details of how to contact the Church of England.

Government resources

The Adoption Contact Register

The Adoption Contact Register enables adopted adults and birth relatives to register their wish to make contact with one another. Where both parties have registered and consented, the service can help facilitate contact and reconnect family members separated by adoption.

Website: gov.uk/adoption-records/the-adoption-contact-register
Phone: 0300 123 1837

Specialist advice

National PAC-UK Advice Line

The National PAC-UK Advice Line provides independent, confidential advice and information for people affected by adoption, special guardianship and other forms of permanent care. The service is staffed by qualified and experienced PAC-UK counsellors and social workers with specialist expertise in these areas.

Website: family-action.org.uk/pac-uk
Email: advice@pac-uk.org
Phone: 0300 1800 090

FamilyConnect Advice Line

Delivered by Family Action's adoption support agency PAC-UK, FamilyConnect provides information, support and guidance on tracing and reconnecting with family members, the services available, and whether you may be eligible for funding.

Website: familyconnect.org.uk
Email: familyconnect@pac-uk.org
Phone: 0300 1800 205

Adoption UK

Practical suggestions, information and encouragement with signposting to specialist help

Website: adoptionuk.org/information-and-support-service
Information and support service: 0300 666 0006
Email: informationsupport@adoptionuk.org.uk

Contacting the Church of England

Within the Church of England, you can speak to your vicar or contact your diocese who will listen. Where helpful, they may suggest you contact specialist services, some of which are listed above.

You can find out your local parish details by visiting A Church Near You

Safe Spaces

Provides a confidential, personal and safe space for anyone who has been abused by someone in the Church
Website: safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk
Helpline: 0300 303 1056

Alternatively, you may wish to contact the diocesan safeguarding team at safeguarding@derby.anglican.org or the National Safeguarding Team at safeguarding@churchofengland.org.

Additional services 

Barnardo’s Adoption Support

Support for adoptees, birth families, and adoptive families
Website: barnardos.org.uk/adopt/link-adoption-support-service
Email: link.referralhub@barnardos.org.uk

Samaritans

24/7 emotional support for anyone in distress
Website: samaritans.org
Phone: 116 123

St Helen’s, Etwall, was awash with colour and vibrancy when they held their Well Dressing and Flower Festival weekend.

All the hard work of the community organisers, flower arrangers, clergy and volunteers paid off as the church was full of much fellowship and laughter.

It was st Helen’s first attempt at the Well dressing board, which, with a strong steer, turned out brilliantly with thanks to experienced dressers!

This was a true example of a community working together – for the community to embrace and enjoy!

Congratulations, St Helen’s, on your wonderful achievement and for bringing such colour and warmth to the church and local community.

>> More photos on the St Helen's Etwall Facebook site