Letter on behalf of the trustees of the Methodist Church in Tower Hamlets
Last Thursday Declan received a letter from Superintendent Minister Peter Powers on behalf of the trustees of the Methodist Church in Tower Hamlets regarding the harassment and intimidation Declan is being subjected to in the Whitechapel Mission – some of which I report in this blog almost all the time. This is the letter (my favourite bit is at the end, where he says he is simply saddened by Declan’s “cynicism”):
Dear Mr Heavey
Thank you for your letters of 24th & 28th April and many enclosures. Although you have not actually asked for response to me I have noted the contents of your letters.
I have spoken to Mr. Tony Miller, Director of the Whitechapel Mission and he has assured me that every care possible is taken of all those who work or volunteer at the Mission as well as those who visit the Whitechapel Mission. This is as I would expect.
It is indeed unfortunate that you feel you have been subject to “harassment and intimidation” whilst using the Whitechapel Mission’s services, although I note that your difficulties seem to be with one particular other person who also uses the Mission’s services rather than with any staff or volunteers. Obviously we cannot control the actions of everyone who comes to use the Whitechapel Mission and any incidents of assault should be reported to the police, which it seems you have already done. I cannot comment on the actions or response of the police in this matter that is for them.
The work of the Whitechapel Mission is part of the Methodist Church help offered to the some of those in most need in society. We see it as part of our Christian faith to help those in need if we can. The services provided by the Whitechapel Mission are open to anyone who comes, both those who are homeless, such as yourself, and those who are vulnerably housed in insecure or temporary accommodation. I see that in addition to the showers and breakfast offered you also use the postal address service provided by the Mission.
I note that you run a blog on the internet called ‘Network of those Abused by Church’ (http://network-of-those-abused-by-church.blogspot.com/). What I find interesting is the fact that you appear to run an organisation that calls for the separation of church and state and for public policies that are based on secular principles, not religious doctrine. You seek the “scientific, rational examination of religion to protect future generations from the ignorance so often fostered by religion hiding behind doctrinal smoke screens”. Clearly you have some issues with the Church and yet it is the Christian Church, not the secular state that seems to be offering you support and help. In fact, it is many of the secular institutions that you appear to have problems with and continue to cause difficulties for you. Can I point out that the Whitechapel Mission raises all its own funds for the work it does and receives no state funding whatsoever. It simply saddens me that your cynicism can’t actually see beyond the smoke screen you appear to have made for yourself.
Yours sincerely,
Rev. Peter Powers
On behalf of the trustees of the Methodist Church in Tower Hamlets
Cc. Mr. Tony Miller, Whitechapel Mission
Rev. R. Graham Carter, President of the Methodist Conference
Rev Powers should perhaps be informed that the director of the Whitechapel Mission, who he refers to as “Mr” Tony Miller, is, er, a minister – how do I know that? I looked him up on the internet. There are other things he also gets wrong, like the showers and the breakfast he says we use in the Whitechapel Mission.
Take showers. Declan has never showered in the mission because men shower communally. There is one shower in the women’s washroom, which I would be using if it wasn’t for the fact that there has been no hot water since 22 April (a first), at least not from 6.00am to 6.35am.
Take breakfast. After narrowly escaping being assaulted for the second time on 16 April – he brought it on himself for not talking to the homeless that visit the premises, was the view taken by the kitchen worker who intervened – he left the table with our bags to a chorus of derisive shouts and laughter from homeless about the canteen. Since that most pleasant experience, we don’t sit at a table anymore. We wash (bringing our bags with us to our respective washrooms); have a coffee standing up; and by 6.50am we are out – breakfast doesn’t kick off until 8.00am, seven days a week.
Anyway, on Thursday and Friday Declan wrote to the head of the Methodist Church in the UK, Rev Graham Carter on the subject of all the harassment and intimidation in the Whitechapel Mission, which is on-going. This is the second letter, sent by registered post (Carter's letter to Declan of 20 April can be seen here):
Dear Rev Carter
Re: Harassment and intimidation in the Whitechapel Mission
I refer further to the enclosed copy of your letter to me of 20 April and re-enclose copy of letter to me of 8 May from Superintendent Minister Peter Powers on behalf of the trustees of the Methodist Church in Tower Hamlets regarding the above.
I also re-enclose copy of my letter and enclosures of 5 May to Chief Superintendent Jerry Savill of Bethnal Green Police Station requesting in pursuance of section 8(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, a copy of the statement that was written on my behalf by Detective Constable Alexander Head in Bethnal Green Police Station on 27 April in respect of the unprovoked assault on me in the Whitechapel Mission on 17 February.
I reconfirm that on 16 April I narrowly escaped being assaulted for the second time in the Whitechapel Mission. On this occasion, as first stated in my letter to you of 17 April, the kitchen worker who intervened took the view that it was my fault for not talking to the homeless that visit the premises. (That this was the view taken, would be evident from CCTV footage.)
Although I was informed by the manager of the Whitechapel Mission on 17 February that I enter the premises at my own risk, I remain adamant that this ought not to be the case. Again, I understand that if a visitor is invited onto the institution’s premises then a common duty of care will be owed by the institution to the visitor. This is to ensure that the visitor will be reasonably safe in the premises for the purposes for which he has been invited or permitted.
On 9 May, I met with DC Head in Bethnal Green Police Station for a crime report update in respect of the assault on me on 17 February. As stated in my letter to you of 10 May, DC Head advised that he had spoken with the Director of the Whitechapel Mission, Minister Tony Miller, who confirmed to him that he was aware of what took place and the name of the suspect, but not that the canteen worker who intervened will be a corroborating witness, nor that there is CCTV footage of the assault.
Yesterday morning, DC Head left a voice message for me (see transcript attached) stating that he has spoken again with Minister Miller, who confirmed to him that there are no corroborating witnesses, but not that there is CCTV footage of the assault.
As first stated in my letter to you of 5 May, Minister Miller advised me on 1 May that in a matter of days I would be in receipt of a letter from the management of the Whitechapel Mission in response to the questions raised herein. I can confirm that I am in receipt of no such letter to date.
Yours sincerely
Declan Heavey
And this, the transcript attached:
Voice message of 10 May (11.03am) from DC Alexander Head of Bethnal Green Police Station
_______________________________________________________________
Good morning, Declan. It’s Alex speaking from Bethnal Green Police Station. Just to let you know – I’ve spoken to Sue and Tony. They have stated to me they have spoken to all their staff members. None of them can remember an incident involving yourself taking place. Whether that is the case – whether they just do not want to come forward and speak to police, that probably sounds like the more reason behind itself. So I’ve updated the crime in regards to that. Obviously we now have no corroborating evidence, unless yourself can get any further regarding writing your letters, and such like. What I’m going to do is – the crime is completely updated with what has taken place and our meetings and everything else. What I will do is, just for the time being – is close the crime, but it can be re-opened if anything else comes to light and we can have corroborating evidence to try and take this to court. Thank you very much. If you want to give me a call back, that’s fine – or if you want to come in, it’s not a problem either. Thank you very much. Bye bye.
Finally, these are the highlights of the week: a cleaner leaves the building by the porch a few minutes after we arrive, blowing the porch alarm on her way out (Wednesday, alarm blows 8.15pm – 8.30pm); a guy with a friend wakes us up to ask if Declan’s sleeping bag is his – only leaving after I tell him twice quite aggressively, “Do you mind? I am sleeping” (Thursday at 10.30am); an ill-mannered homeless mutters that he and his friends are going to have us sorted out after Declan wouldn’t give him some of his shaving cream (this morning at 6.10am in the Whitechapel Mission washroom).
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