NSPCC issue ‘unreserved apology’ after cutting ties with transgender model

A charity that cut ties with a transgender model just days after revealing her as the face of one of its campaigns has issued an apology.

The NSPCC ended its relationship with Munroe Bergdorf on Friday, two days after announcing she would be part of a three-month LGBTQ+ campaign.

Ms Bergdorf (pictured) had tweeted to say she was “proud to be announced as @childline’s first LGBT+ campaigner”, before the charity ended its association with her.

NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless said he has now given a “full, frank and unreserved apology” to the model, who has described the situation as “extremely stressful and unnecessary”.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mr Wanless said the decision to stop its association with her was nothing to do with her being transgender, but was due to “concern around the lack of process that our organisation used when deciding to work with Munroe”.

He added: “When appointing an ambassador we are required to consider whether the relationship supports our ability to safeguard children and be influential in safeguarding children.

“The board decided an ongoing relationship with Munroe was inappropriate because of her statements on the public record, which we felt would mean that she was in breach of our own risk assessments and undermine what we are here to do.

“These statements are specific to safeguarding and equality.”

The NSPCC declined to give further detail on the content of statements it was referring to.

He said the charity should not have cut ties with Ms Bergdorf in the way it did, acknowledging that they had not managed to speak directly to her before making the announcement on Friday.

The model tweeted: “I appreciate the formal apology @NSPCC. This situation has been extremely stressful and unnecessary. I just want to move on from the whole ordeal.”

Last year, Ms Bergdorf quit as an LGBT adviser to the Labour Party a week after taking up the post, blaming the “endless attacks” on her character in the press, saying she did not want to be a “distraction”.

She previously lost her job with cosmetics giant L’Oreal following allegations of anti-white racism.

Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2019, All Rights Reserved. Picture (c) Isabel Infantes / PA Wire.