Articles, interviews and other coverage of our campaign
‘My wife killed herself over church-home trauma’
17th October, 2023
In 2006 Stephen Hindley’s wife Judith killed herself, close to where her baby son was buried. He believes the “Dickensian” treatment she received at a church-run home for unmarried mothers in the 1960s and the lifelong trauma of the death of her son there, led to her suicide.
“I’m going to tell you something – and when I tell you, you won’t want to see me anymore.”
Mr Hindley said he remembers his wife saying those words, telling him that she was sent to an unmarried mother’s home, as a teenager.
In 1963 and pregnant at the age of 17, her parents sent her to St Monica’s in Kendal. A Church of England home run by the Diocese of Carlisle, it was a place where teenage girls were sent to have their babies, away from view.
17th October, 2023 – St. Monica’s church home baby deaths: Tim Farron calls for police probe
A Cumbrian MP has called for a police investigation into baby deaths and allegations of abuse at a former church home for unmarried mothers.
Following a BBC investigation into St Monica’s in Kendal, Tim Farron, who represents Westmorland and Furness, said “justice needs to be done”.
The Church of England home, run by the Diocese of Carlisle, was a place teenage girls were sent to have their babies away from view.
It operated from 1918 until 1970.
9th August, 2023 – Jon Holmes, File on 4 : ‘Generation Shame’
In this powerful File on 4 broadcast, Jon Holmes, who was adopted as an infant, shares some of what he discovered about his origins and how his life, and that of his mother were impacted by cruel and coercive, state-sanctioned, historic forced adoption practices.
Jeremy Vines interviews Jon Holmes about his File on 4 piece, which was broadcast today.
26 July, 2023 – UK Government’s response
The letter says they have ‘carefully considered each recommendation from the Committee…’
In the JCHR Report, The Violation of Family Life: Adoption of Children of Unmarried Women 1949-1976, the Committee cites numerous examples of apologies for historic injustices, and in paragraph 125 the Committee says: “An apology by the Government and an official recognition that what happened to these mothers was dreadful and wrong, backed up by the other actions recommended in this Report, would go some way to mitigate the pain and suffering of those affected.“
In Paragraph 126, they say: “There are some things that only a government can do, and it falls on the Government to make this apology.”
What will it take for the Government to do the right thing?
July 2023
6 July, 2023 – letter to the Prime Minister
MAA has today sent a letter to the Prime Minister, asking him to reconsider the UK Government’s decision on issuing a public formal apology to everyone affected by forced and coerced adoption during the three decades that followed World War Two. Following a Formal Apology from both Scotland and Wales, earlier this year, we now seek a public formal apology from the UK Government, together with a raft of measures to support those affected – as recommended by the Joint Committee on Human Rights in their report titled “The Violation of Family Life“, issued after the Parliamentary Inquiry last year.
To help us persuade the Government that this is the right, and only course of action, we are asking you, our followers and supporters, to write to your own MP asking them to support our campaign.
We have composed a template letter (which you can download here).
A copy of the 6th July letter to the Prime Minister is available via this link (also in the template letter).
If you aren’t sure who your MP is, you can locate the appropriate person and email them your letter via either of the following sites:
TheyWorkForYou: Hansard and Official Reports for the UK Parliament, Scottish Parliament, and Northern Ireland Assembly
WriteToThem – Email your Councillor, MP, MSP, MS, MLA or London Assembly Member for free
Thank you for your support and perseverance. Please do let us know how your MP responds.
Here are recordings of a number of interviews conducted on 6th July, 2023.
BBC Radio London
Salma El-Wardany
speaks to Diana Defries
BBC Radio London
Salma El-Wardany
speaks to journalist
Duncan Kennedy
BBC Radio Berkshire
with Dr. Michael Lambert
and Diana Defries
BBC Today Programme
with Dr. Michael Lambert
and Jill Killington
April, 2023 – Wales issue a formal Apology
Today in the Guardian – UK government under pressure to formally apologise for forced adoption.
Campaigners call for the UK government to follow suit for England.
29th March, 2023
Somerset woman calls for changes after her forced adoption in the 1970s.
Read full article on Planet Radio
26 March, 2023
Guardian Letters: Long overdue, this validates the lifelong trauma experienced by birth parents and their removed children.
At last, an apology for forced adoptions.
22 March, 2023 – Scotland’s Formal Apology
which is followed by questions from SMPs.
Today, the outgoing First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, delivered a heartfelt Formal Apology to all those affected by historic forced adoption practices in Scotland.
Her statement emphasised that this Apology includes everyone affected by these practices, mothers, sons and daughters, fathers and wider family, whose lives have been impacted as a result of what they experienced.
Congratulations to all our Scottish colleagues who have campaigned tirelessly to achieve this result. Well done!
What will it take for Westminster to do the same?
Interview with Duncan Kennedy at: 13:00
Gill’s interview can be found at at 1:49:58
15 March, 2023
Green peer, Natalie Bennett, calls for an apology from the Government.
Click here to read the full article.
Mother’s Day March 2023
MAA Statement for Mother’s Day and why we need an Apology.
Update – Friday 3rd March, 2023
We have waited a long time for the government to respond to the JCHR report. Today, very quietly, the government has issued their response which is muted and pointedly does not include even the possibility of a formal apology. It is a resoundingly bitter disappointment which ignores evidence given by those affected, and by experts who provided extensive research to support the issues raised.
The Joint Committee for Human Rights has expressed their disappointment while noting that the government does acknowledge some of the many ways the mothers and their children were wronged and traumatised. Read their response here.
Those affected have endured many cruelties which under any other circumstances would be considered inhumane. Yet somehow this government is able to sidestep compassion and overlook all that has been shown to have been done to hundreds of thousands of women and their children.
Our initial response is in the form of a short MAA Statement to the UK Government expressing our views. There will be a lengthier response in due course.
This is far from over.
