Introduction
The Trustees of Rigpa Fellowship (Rigpa UK) wish to provide a public update on the progress that Rigpa UK has made in implementing the governance and safeguarding reforms recommended by Lewis Silkin LLP in their Independent Investigation Report, (Lewis Silkin Report) published in September 2018.
This report was commissioned by Rigpa UK and Rigpa US, on behalf of all Rigpa entities worldwide, to investigate and address allegations of abuse and misconduct contained in a whistleblowing letter, first received by Rigpa UK in July 2017, written by eight Rigpa students.
We have set out in the six sections below how Rigpa UK and also, more generally, how Rigpa as a community has responded to the recommendations of the Lewis Silkin Report:
1. Initial response to whistleblowing letter of 14 July 2017
2. Findings of the Lewis Silkin LLP Independent Investigation
3. Charity Commission Inquiry: Safeguarding and Governance Review and Reform
4. Safeguarding for the engagement of teachers, courses and events in the UK
5. Governance: Rigpa UK and other Rigpa entities worldwide
6. Our commitment to maintaining a safe environment for everyone