Pagan Safeguarding Symposium

We invite participant registration to attend a free one day event:

Pagan Safeguarding Symposium - in collaboration with the UK Pagan Federation, Pagan and Heathen Symposium, and Police Pagan Association.

This event will take place at Festival Hall, St Dunstan's House in Glastonbury on 12th September 2026, between 10am-6pm.

The day will include keynote presentations from Sarah Kerr, President of the UK Pagan Federation on the topics of Safeguarding, Leadership and Inclusion within Pagan Communities, and Charlotte Pardy from the Police Pagan Association, on the Safer Spaces Community Partnership Pledge initiative developed in collaboration with many key Pagan organisations and groups around the United Kingdom.

There will also be opportunities for other speakers to present, and a discussion panel for Pagan leaders, and support agency professionals and experts on these topics, in addition to breakout networking and community support and collaboration opportunities,. Light refreshments will be available at breaks throughout the day.

We invite registration to attend a free one day Pagan Safeguarding Symposium - in collaboration with the UK Pagan Federation, Pagan and Heathen Symposium, and the Police Pagan Association, with keynote talks.

Short talks by Pagan speakers from VAWG charities, probations, rehabilitation and Pr*son services, Q&A discussion panel for professionals and experts, breakout discovery sessions to develop best practice, networking, community and collaboration. Light refreshments will be available throughout the day.

Members of the Pagan community, Health, Social Care, Justice and VAWG Sector are welcome to attend, our speaker slots are now filled after extending the day to end at 6pm in order to accomodate additional contributions.

Disclaimer: Speakers and panellists at the Pagan Safeguarding Symposium contribute in a personal and professional capacity. Their views and opinions are their own and should not be taken as representing the position of any other supporting partner organisation.

This event has been funded by ESRC Impact Funding through SWDTP, for the public research dissemination launch of the SAVED PLACES framework -

Spiritual Abuse, Violence, Exclusion, Domination - Pagan Leadership, Active Community Engagement, Support

an intersectional model of influences, supports and intervention on Intimate Partner Violence and Spiritual Abuse among Pagans, developed over the course of PhD research by Bliss Qadesh, post graduate researcher at the Centre for Gender and Violence Research, Social Harm Crime and Violence Research Group, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol.

This venue is accessible to wheelchairs. Public Parking in the Abbey Car Park. Transport Links via Castle Cary Train Station and Taxi or First Bus 376, Berry's or National Express Coach Travel

10am - Arrival and Registration10:20am - Welcome by Bliss Qadesh, University of Bristol,H&S, Fire Exits, Quiet / Safe Space, Filming / Photos

10:30am Opening Grounding and Blessing of the Event with Danu Forest, Glastonbury Interfaith, Druid Elder

10:45am - Keynote Sarah Kerr, President, UK Pagan Federation - Safeguarding, Leadership, Inclusion and Support

11:05am Sarah Kerr Q&A

11:15am Online Short Talks -

11:15 Suzanne Fraser-Martin, Pr*son Chaplaincy,

11:25 Vishwam Heckert, Radical Self Care in Community

11:35 Yvonne Aburrow - Consent culture in initiatory Wicca

11:45 Q&A, Suzanne Fraser-Martin, Vishwam Heckert, Yvonne Aburrow

12:00 Refreshment and Comfort Break

12:20 Keynote William Bloom, Spiritual Companions Trust Young People, Bullying, Boundaries and Wellbeing

12:40 Q&A William Bloom

12;50pm Breakout Discussion - Self Care and Leadership

1:05 pm Breakout Harvest Sharing, Microphones, Mentimeter

1:20pm Lunch Break2pm Reconvene in Festival Hall

2:10 Keynote Charlotte Pardy, Police Pagan Association, Safer Spaces Pagan Community Partnership Pledge

2:20 Q&A Charlotte Pardy2:30

Panel Discussion - Andy Pardy, Police Pagan Association, Emma Shinn, PF Advocacy Officer, Sharon Smith, Druid, Safeguarding Trainer, Danu Forest, Interfaith Chaplaincy

2:45pm Panel Q&A3pm Debi Gregory, Pagan Disability and NeuroDiverse Inclusion

3:10 Q&A Debi

3:20pm Refreshment and Comfort Break

3:40 Breakout Discussion, Action Planning in Our Own Communities

4pm Lou Hart Co-Founder, Queer Pagan Camp, Artist, Writer

4:10pm Q&A Lou

4:15pm Victoria Cookson - Safeguarding in Wicca

4:25Q&A Victoria

4:30 Kristoffer Hughes - Safeguarding in Druidry

4:40 Q&A Kristoffer4:45 Panel Discussion - Kristoffer Hughes, Queer Druidry Lou Hart, Queer Pagan Camp, Debi Gregory, Neuro / Disability, Ruth Semple, Women’s Facilitator, Activist

5:25 Q&A Panel

5:40 Bliss Qadesh SAVED PLACES Model, Concluding AcknowledgementsClosing Reflection and Thanks

6pm End of Event