Charity Trustees Slammed with Official Warning Over Shady Clothing Bank Scandal
The Charity Commission has blasted the trustees of Helping Our Future with an Official Warning after repeated failure to address serious concerns. The Wolverhampton-based charity, which claims to support children in the UK, Pakistan, and India, faces scrutiny over dodgy dealings with clothing recycling banks.
Clothing Bank Controversy Sparks Investigation
The regulator first launched an investigation back in December 2016 amid complaints that companies linked to Helping Our Future were removing other charities’ recycling banks without permission. They also failed to secure landowner consent before putting their own banks in place. Despite the red flags, the charity’s trustees did nothing to fix the issues.
Trustees in the Dark and Dodging Questions
- Trustees couldn’t explain how associated companies operated or how charity funds were calculated from collections
- No oversight or control found over money raised through recycling banks
- Frequent changes in contact personnel and cancellations of regulator meetings
- Trustees unaware of their roles, financial duties, and failed to file accounts on time
- Bank account closure with no replacement opened
- Attempts to change charitable aims without regulator approval and misleading info on charity website
Charity Commission Demands Action or Else
Despite repeated attempts to engage, trustees remained obstructive and inactive. The Commission invoked powers under Section 75A of the Charities Act 2011 to deliver a formal warning, demanding the trustees take immediate corrective steps.
“Good governance is not a bureaucratic detail – it underpins the delivery of a charity’s purposes to the high standards expected by the public,” said Helen Earner, Director of Regulatory Services at the Charity Commission.
“The trustees of Helping Our Future failed to show good governance or act after serious concerns were raised and have been obstructive in responses. We expect them to comply swiftly with our directives or face further action.”
The Charity Commission’s investigation into Helping Our Future is ongoing. Failure to comply with the Official Warning could lead to harsher penalties for the trustees.
