Watchdogs have launched a formal investigation into concerns that the family of the NHS fundraising captain Sir Tom Moore has personally benefited from a charity set up in his name.
The charity has launched a series of discussions with the foundation amid concerns about the way it is run earlier this year, but is now escalating into a full investigation as new evidence of a potentially serious breach emerges.
The investigation will address concerns that a private company controlled by Captain Tom’s daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, and her husband Colin, has potentially benefited from Captain Tom’s trademark without objection from the foundation.
He will also investigate allegations of mismanagement in the foundation’s administration and whether it has complied with the charity law, as well as its handling of potential conflicts of interest with companies related to the Ingram-Moore family.
The commission revealed that it intervened last year to prevent Hanna Ingram-Moore, a trustee of the charity, from being appointed its chief executive on a six-figure salary.
Helen Stevenson, chief executive of the charity, said: “The late Captain Sir Tom Moore inspired the nation with his courage, perseverance and concern for others. It is vital that public trust in charity is protected and that people continue to feel confident in supporting good causes.
“We do not take any decision to start an investigation lightly, but in this case our worries have intensified. We believe it is in the public interest to examine them through a formal investigation, which gives us access to the full range of our protective and law enforcement powers. “
The Ingram-Moores family were trustees of the foundation when it was established in June 2020. Hannah resigned as trustee in March 2021, but her husband Colin remains trustee. They are directors of the private company Club Nook Ltd, which has a trademark called “Captain Tom”. In response to a statement from the Charity Commission, the couple said the company marked the name in April 2020 – before the Captain Tom Foundation was established.
The foundation was created after the stunning feat of Captain Sir Tom Moore to raise £ 38 million for the NHS Charities Together cause. The 99-year-old World War II veteran had planned to raise £ 1,000 by touring his garden 100 times, but that developed after capturing the nation’s imagination and becoming a global phenomenon.
The Foundation was established as a charitable organization for grants, raising funds for good causes in the field of public health and well-being. The funds raised by Captain Sir Tom and donated to NHS Charities Together before the foundation was established are not part of the inquiry.
The commission said it had acquitted the foundation of allegations earlier this year of consulting fees and payments to companies owned by Ingram-Moores in setting up the foundation, saying it was a “reasonable cost recovery” that had been managed. with due regard to potential conflicts. of interests.
It says it intervened to prevent the foundation from appointing Hannah Ingram-Moore as its chief executive with a salary of £ 100,000 a year in July 2021, as this was “neither reasonable nor justified “. He also questioned an earlier attempt to hire her for a £ 60,000 role, three days a week.
In August 2021, a month after the commission blocked her appointment, Hannah Ingram-Moore became the foundation’s chief executive with a nine-month contract worth £ 85,000 a year. Following the expiration of this contract, a new CEO Jack Gilbert, an experienced manager of the charity sector, was appointed.
Sign up for First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am BST
Hannah Ingram-Moore describes herself on her website as “something more than a daughter” of Captain Tom, but also “a successful business woman, mother and leader in every field,” as well as a public speaker.
The website reads: “Whatever she puts her hand in, Hannah is always looking to give back. Her father’s charitable spirit lives on through her as she continues his legacy through the Captain Tom Foundation and other causes to which she devotes her time to spreading hope and inspiration to all. “
Stephen Jones, chairman of the Captains Tom Foundation trustees, said he would work closely with the Commission in its investigation into the Captain Tom brand.
Charitable committee inspections are not evidence of wrongdoing, but are rare and are not undertaken unless the supervisor has evidence of serious concerns.
Gilbert, who took office on June 1st, said his appointment marks “the beginning of an important period of transformation” for the foundation. A series of age-related and aging charities will be announced in the coming months.
In a statement issued Wednesday night, Ingram-Moores said it “welcomes the press release issued today by the Charity Commission, which found no problems in the Captain Tom Foundation’s accounts, published in February 2022.
Add Comment