A second charity has decided to “politely decline” 10,000 originally raised for Eleanor Williams, who was convicted this week of perverting the course of justice by lying about being raped and trafficked.
Women’s Community Matters (WCM) in Barrow in Furness, Williams’ home town, was one of two charities that were to split 20,000 crowdfunded for Williams if she did not use it to bring her alleged abusers to justice.
Williams’ grandmother, the Cumbria county councillor Anne Burns, is a trustee of WCM. WCM offered extensive help and support to Williams when she claimed to have been sexually exploited, with her case worker called to give evidence for the prosecution at her trial.
On Friday, Rhona Teale, the chair of trustees, said: “Women’s Community Matters board of trustees met this morning to consider the offer of a donation from [the] fundraising campaign. The board unanimously concluded they would like to politely decline.”
Burns did not respond to a request for comment.
On Thursday, the former Greater Manchester police detective Maggie Oliver said it would be “unethical” for her charity, the Maggie Oliver Foundation, to accept any of the money.
Oliver rose to prominence as a whistleblower on sexual exploitation in Rochdale and her charity now supports other victims. She shared Williams’ story in 2020 and offered to help her find a lawyer.
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