Many people want to support charities which do not go against their pro-life values. This updated guide has been prepared to help you in deciding which charities you would like to support.
The Traffic Light Guide includes only the stated or known stance and activities of the charities listed. The following ranking system is used to score the charities:
-
Terence Higgins Trust
Red
“We’re the UK’s leading HIV and sexual health charity. We support people living with HIV and amplify their voices, and help the people using our services to achieve good sexual health.
“We believe that every young person in Britain should receive high quality, LGBT-inclusive and age appropriate RSE.” https://www.tht.org.uk/our-work/our-campaigns/relationships-and-sex-education-rse
“We also distribute free condoms when we visit schools, colleges, universities and local community centres.” https://www.tht.org.uk/our-services/services-your-area/free-condoms -
The Big C Appeal
a.k.a. Big C
Green
In a letter dated 19/12/2019, the Chief Executive of this charity stated: “I can categorically confirm that we would not offer grants or support researchers who use human embryo experimentation and please take this letter as a statement of fact.”
-
The Humane Research Trust
Green
The Humane Research Trust is a registered charity encouraging and supporting new medical research which does not include the use of animals, with the objectives of advancing the diagnosis and treatment of disease in humans. It “supports research involving donated human tissue” which it “believes fulfils the best ethical and scientific justification for investigations into human conditions”.
In a letter dated 19/02/2019, the charity stated: “For the record, up to date, we have not received any grant application which would involve the use of human embryos.” -
The Lewy Body Society
Amber
In a letter dated 8/4/ 2019, this charity stated: “Our position on assisted dying is that it is a very personal thing and we would never use any donation to campaign for it, neither do we work with organisations whose objective it is to campaign for assisted dying.
“None of the projects we are sponsoring or have sponsored have used human embryos. We do not support other organisations with any research activity. Research into dementia usually uses donations from brain banks in their research.” [#AMRC#] -
The Silver Line Helpline
a.k.a. Silver Line
Green
In a letter dated 23/4/2019 this charity stated: “With regards to assisted dying, we do not have an official policy on this matter. We support people from 55 years old upwards who feel lonely and isolated through our free 24-hour helpline and telephone friendship service.
“Whilst we do not have an official policy on assisted dying, nor do we have any campaigns regarding this issue, we cannot guarantee that we don’t support someone who may be involved in the issue. We are a non-judgemental and confidential service, however with an issue as big and as personal as assisted dying, we would never promote of discuss this with any of our callers as it would not be appropriate for us to do so.” -
The Toybox Charity
a.k.a. Toybox
Red
This charity works with street children in countries around the world and state on its website: “We draw our motivation, our inspiration, from Jesus as recorded in the Bible.”
In a letter dated 18/12/2018, this charity stated: “…Toybox believes that women and children have the right to make their own informed decisions concerning their pregnancy of the use of contraception. … While Toybox does not run any direct health or reproductive health services, we do help street children to access government health care services which may include reproductive health one.” -
The Urology Foundation
Amber
In a letter dated 24/5/19, the charity stated: “The Urology foundation is a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities and we subscribe to their policies on animal experimentation and tissue experimentation in research.”
The letter then lists the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Research Purposes) Regulations 2001 on what conditions have to be met to carry out research using human embryos.
The letter concludes: “As with all the scientific research we fund, stem cell research will be funded on merit and scientific excellence after rigorous peer review and in line with the current legal and regulatory framework. Should we fund such research, we would expect our TUF- funded researchers to conduct stem-cell research according to high ethical standards. We recognise the complexity of ongoing legal, ethical, social and scientific developments in relation to human embryonic stem cells and we will continue to monitor and develop our policies in this area.” -
The Vision Foundation
Green
“In 1921 The Greater London Fund for the Blind was set up to support and give a voice to blind and partially sighted people across London. Today we’re called The Vision Foundation and we’re still transforming lives.”
In a letter dated 30/5/19, the charity said: “I can confirm that the Greater London Fund for the Blind (GLFB) is not involved in any way in the issues you cite in your letter: abortion, human embryo experimentation or assisted dying. I can also confirm that monies raised by the GLFB do not go towards abortion services, research using human embryos or campaigns to promote assisted dying.” -
The William Little Foundation
a.k.a. Little Foundation
Green
In a letter dated 17/4/2019, the Chief Executive of this charity stated: “I can confirm that The Little Foundation does not fund any work that involves experimentation on human embryos, nor do we intend to in the future. Indeed, our recent work is notably non-invasive, currently involving the use of MRI scanners which are increasingly used in the early stages of pregnancy to help identify brain defects in the developing baby and which have led to significant improvements in medical diagnosis.”
-
Tommy’s
Red
This organisation funds research into pregnancy loss from miscarriage, still birth and premature birth.
“This is their approach to parents who are told that their unborn baby has an anomaly: “The decision to end a pregnancy is a highly personal one. Whatever you choose for the health of your baby and/or your own health and safety is entirely up to you. In all cases, it is a tremendously difficult decision for parents to make and is often accompanied by significant sadness and grief.”
https://www.tommys.org/unknown/termination-medical-reasons-and-togetherforchange
Tommy’s does not appear to offer support to help couples consider the choice of keeping their baby. In a letter dated 15 May 2019, Tommy’s states that it offers “general counselling”. One organisation which they “may suggest” to parents is ARC (Antenatal Results and Choices) (See entry in this guide.) ARC defends the current law on abortion.
In a letter dated 2/1/2019 Tommy’s stated: “we do not currently fund research using human embryos.” [#AMRC#] -
Tourette’s Action
Amber
In a letter dated 1/5/2019, this charity stated: “…we do not have a policy on human embryo experimentation. This is not an issue that has arisen so far and I would imagine won’t in the foreseeable future. The research we are currently supporting only involves research where children or adults are involved usually asking them questions or asking them to complete a survey. Sometimes they are asked to have a brain scan – but apart from that we have no links with research involving human embryo experimentation.” [#AMRC#]
-
Tree of Hope
Green
Tree of Hope is the crowdfunding charity that helps children and young people with a disability or illness by supporting their families to raise the money they need to pay for specialist care that is not freely available through the UK healthcare system. In a letter dated 18/6/19, the charity stated: “We DO NOT fund abortion services, research using human embryos, or campaigns to promote assisted dying. As we do not engage in these, we do not have any policies about them.”
-
Trussell Trust
Amber
Donations to this charity are used “to support the network of over 420 food banks across the UK”. In a letter received in 2019, this charity stated: “We do not have a policy specifically on reproductive health services. Some of our food banks may have links to organisations in the local area who work with women’s health services. However, we do not hold this information centrally.”
-
Tuberous Sclerosis Association (TAS)
Amber
In a letter dated 21/12/2018 this charity stated: “We are committed to delivering high-quality research and champion the impact that research can have on improving the lives of people living with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC). As a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), we support the view of the AMRC that the ethical issues surrounding human embryo experimentation must be considered when looking to fund research of this kind.” [#AMRC#]
-
Unicef
Red
Included in Unicef’s three policy actions for Africa is:
“Secure and ensure the right to protection from violence, exploitation, child marriage and abuse; and remove barriers preventing women and girls from participating fully in community, workplace, and political life with enhanced access to reproductive health services.”
https://www.unicef.org.uk/press-releases/dividend-disaster-unicefs-new-report-population-growth-africa/