IT is a vital role representing abuse survivors that the Rev Beth Yeandle feels privileged to take on.

She is to become associate priest at Crofton parish, where she has already been ministering as a curate for the past three years. This parish role will allow her to continue in her other role, as part of a group helping to implement the recommendations of the Makin Report.

Beth is one of four people representing survivors on the Task and Finish group, which was established to oversee the Church of England’s response to the recommendations of the review into the abuse by John Smyth. 

She was appointed to the Task and Finish group earlier this year, and it has had its first meeting in May. General Synod has already accepted the overall report, so the group will agree which of the recommendations to accept and then ensure that they are implemented, reporting back to the Church’s National Safeguarding Steering Group. The target for completion of the work and reporting to General Synod is July 2026. Of the 12 people making up this group, Beth is the only parish priest.

Beth will also be licensed by the Archdeacon of the Meon, the Ven Kathryn Percival, on Sunday (June 8) to her new role at Crofton parish, serving the churches of Holy Rood and St Edmund’s Church in Stubbington.

“I felt called to ordained ministry for 20 years, but my previous experiences as an abuse survivor made me feel as though I didn’t want to be ordained in the Church of England,” she said. “I fought the call for a number of years, but in the end, I did feel called to be a part of the cultural reform that the Church needs in the area of safeguarding.

“My husband Martin and I do feel that our calling is to this area. He is a GP in Bridgemary, and we’ve been part of the congregation here for many years. I started running the CYFA group and was children and families worker, so my heart is very much for this parish. And I’ve learnt a lot about parish ministry in my three years as curate – the Rev Richard England has been amazing as a training incumbent.

Throughout my curacy I have been getting increasingly involved in safeguarding matters, firstly with Salisbury Diocese and then at a national level. I was a part of the response group after the Jay and Wilkinson reviews. I’m also involved with the reference group looking to reform the Seal of the Confessional.

“On the Task and Finish group, the survivor representatives are bringing their experiences into the conversations. It’s not always easy, as many survivors understandably don’t want anything to do with the Church. Engaging with the church can be re-traumatising, but it is essential that we hear the voices of those who have been abused and allow them to help us to shape our policies in this area going forward.

“It really matters that the culture changes, so that the next generation doesn’t suffer this kind of abuse and that we can all see that things are getting better.”