A statement from the Diocese of Leicester regarding retired clergy member the Revd John Woolmer and his Permission to Officiate (PTO):
“In 2022, during the compiling of Keith Makin’s review, Bishop Martyn took the decision to remove Revd John Woolmer’s PTO whilst a detailed piece of work was undertaken by the Diocesan Safeguarding Team. John cooperated with that work and his PTO was subsequently restored.
“Since then, John has exercised a very limited ministry of preaching and teaching in his local church and was supervised regularly by his local incumbent with his PTO reviewed on an annual basis.
“Following the publication of the Makin Review (7 November 2024) and in view of the process now being undertaken by the National Safeguarding Team, Bishop Martyn requested that John steps back from ministry whilst this work is conducted, which John has voluntarily agreed to do.
“His PTO will be reviewed again, once the National Safeguarding Team and the Diocesan Safeguarding Team have concluded their work.”