The National Lottery Community Fund has confirmed it will provide funding for Mermaids after carrying out a review
Funding bosses have performed a confirmed they will provide a grant for a charity that supports transgender children.
Mermaids provides support and advice to transgender or non-gender-conforming children and their families.
The National Lottery Community Fund announced it would provide a grant of £500,000 over five years for Mermaids in December. However the decision was placed under review after more than 800 responses – both in support and against the decision – were received.
A 40-page review, published last week, summarises the concerns raised against Mermaids. The charity was accused of prematurely pushing for life-altering medical interventions, promoting questionable statistics in relation to the suicide risk of trans children, and adopting an approach that is contrary to scientific evidence. The charity denied all allegations.
The review concluded the National Lottery Community Fund did not find any grounds to withhold the grant.
The fund said: “Following public interest regarding the proposed grant to Mermaids UK, The National Lottery Community Fund undertook a review of a number of concerns expressed in relation to the charity. This review did not find any grounds to withhold funding from Mermaids UK. The grant has therefore been approved by the England Funding Committee.
“As part of our grant management process, we will work closely with Mermaids UK to ensure they are supported in their development.”
Susie Green, chief executive of Mermaids, said: “The review process was very transparent and open, the community fund talked us through the steps that would be taken and gave full disclosure of the issues that were raised, and the progress of the investigations into the allegations made. We were given full opportunity to respond and discuss, and expected timelines for the review process itself.
“Mermaids is now looking forward to delivering the project in partnership with the National Lottery Community Fund, and are delighted that the outcome is so positive for us and the children, young people and families we support.”
