The chief executive of the UKâs largest horse charity will step down following allegations from former staff of a âtoxic cultureâ in the organisation.
More than 20 former staff members and volunteers told The Daily Telegraph they had raised concerns about the working environment at the British Horse Society, with some claiming they had witnessed staff reduced to tears and forced to take time off work for stress.
Lynn Petersen, who has headed up the charity for the last six years, announced her departure yesterday in an email to staff.
She said: âThe time has come for me to move on and forge a new path by retiring from the post of Chief Executive.
âI have loved being your CEO. Together we have moved forward in so many ways - membership, education, welfare, safety, access. Today we are a great organisationâŚstronger in every way.
She added: âWe have learned that change is a fundamental part of lifeâŚand so it is with the role of CEO. It is time for an exciting change for the Society.â
An investigation by the Telegraph found the charity had âoverspentâ hundreds of thousands of pounds on an IT project and made payments to staff who signed controversial non-disclosure agreements when they left the organisation.
A spokesperson for the Charity Commission said it is âcontinuing to assess informationâ to establish whether any regulatory action is required.
Natasha Eastwood, who was marketing and communications director at the charity until she left last April, claimed there was a âtoxic cultureâ at the charity.
A number of former employees said that no action was taken by the board of trustees when they tried to raise their concerns.
The Telegraph asked the charity why Ms Petersen was stepping down and if her departure was connected to the allegations previously reported.
In response, a spokesperson said:Â Â âLynn Petersen, Chief Executive of The British Horse Society (BHS) has announced her retirement, following a long and successful career of more than 40 years in both commerce and charity, six of which have been with the BHS."
Last year the charity commissioned an independent lawyer to investigate an allegation of bullying by Ms Petersen and chairman David Sheerin said that while âcertain issuesâ were identified the allegations of bullying âwere not warrantedâ.
Ms Petersen had been criticised by former staff for receiving a driving allowance from the charity in 2016 while she was banned from driving for speeding.
She also faced criticism for using the organisationâs funds to fly business class to China in 2017.
When the Telegraph put the allegations to the charity Mr Sheerin said there was âno significanceâ in the number of non-disclosure agreements agreed with former staff and that both sides had received legal advice.
He added that it had ânever been the case that the BHS has paid an individual a sum of money in order to âbuy their silenceââ and that these agreements are âoften in the interests of both partiesâ.
Mr Sheerin said the charity did receive complaints about treatment of staff and misuse of funds, including a whistleblowing letter from a manager which was investigated by PWC who concluded the concerns were âunfoundedâ.Â
Mr Sheerin, who also travelled business class with Ms Petersen on the same trip to China, said the tickets had been bought at a discounted rate and they were âwell under half the usual priceâ. He said the trip had been funded through an arm of the charity - BHS International - which is âself-financingâ.
He said Ms Petersen reported her driving ban to the HR director at the time and repaid the money she had received for her driving allowance.
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