While a case has been launched, it doesn’t mean any wrong doing has been found
The Captain Tom Foundation is being investigated over concerns raised about its accounts.
The foundation was set up in May 2020 following the extraordinary fundraising achievement of the late Captain Sir Tom Moore during the first lockdown.
Hannah Ingram-Moore, Sir Tom’s daughter, co-founded the foundation, which pledged to support four charities chosen by the late Captain and his family – The Royal British Legion, Mind, Helen & Douglas House, and Willen Hospice.
However publication of the foundation’s accounts on Friday revealed some concerns surrounding spending.
The accounts show more than £125,000 was spent on fundraising consultancy fees between May 2020 and May 2021, which is around one tenth of all money raised.
The Charity Commission, which is run by the government, has been working with the organisation since March last year after issues were raised about the foundation’s management.
Following the publication of the charity’s accounts, The Charity Commission has confirmed a case will look into the foundation’s regulatory compliance.
A spokesperson for the watchdog said: “We have been in ongoing contact with the trustees of the Captain Tom Foundation on its set-up and governance arrangements and as part of this work will now assess the charity’s recently submitted accounts.”
The commission did add that this does not mean any wrongdoing has been found.
What did the charity’s accounts show?
The year end accounts show the foundation received over £1m worth of donations and used it to make four grants of £40,000 to each charity, totalling £160,000.
Of the total £400,000 spent, £230,000 was spent on various administration and marketing costs.
The accounts show more than £125,000 was spent on fundraising consultancy fees between May 2020 and May 2021, which is around one tenth of all money raised.
A total £162,336 was used on management costs, meaning more money was spent on running the foundation than was donated to the charities.
Sir Tom’s daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore, who co-founded the foundation, also runs PR firm, Maytrix Group Limited and Club Nook Limited alongside her husband Colin.
According to the 2020-2021 audit, a total £54,039 was paid into Maytrix and Club Nook for assorted costs, including transport, website and third-party consultancy.
Out of these contributions, his daughter’s firm Maytrix received £27,205 in consultancy fees.
What did Captain Tom Moore do?
Sir Captain Tom Moore walked 100 laps of his garden in the hope of raising £1,000 by his 100th birthday on April 30.
By the time the campaign closed at the end of his birthday, he had raised an astonishing £32.79 million (worth almost £39 million with expected tax rebates) in aid of the health service’s charitable wing, NHS Charities Together.
On July 17 2020, he was personally knighted by the Queen at Windsor Castle. He died on February 2 2021 after testing positive for coronavirus.
The foundation was set up in the aftermath of Sir Tom’s own fundraising but is not affiliated with NHS Charities Together.
Related links:
- Captain Tom foundation has spent more than 10% of donations on consultants
- Man found guilty of sending ‘grossly offensive’ Captain Tom tweet
- Captain Tom memorial statue vandalised with IRA graffiti
