Is the Charity Commission finally going to grow a spine ? In the running for the top job, Dame Julia Unwin promises to “show her teeth”.  

We can only hope she is as good as her word…

The Charity Commission has so far sat on the fence while AGE UK play fast and loose with Woodcot.

That could all change if they appoint a Chair willing to overhaul the sector which has seen trust in charitable institutions plummet in recent years.

Let’s see if Dame Julia really has what it takes to restore trust in the Charity Commission itself. 

Despite being the independent registrar and regulator of over 170,000 charities with a combined income of £98.2 billion- the Charity Commission doesn’t feel sufficiently empowered enough or frankly  concerned enough to haul Age UK into line over Woodcot….. despite:- objections from the nearly 3,500 people on this petition; the support of a charity offering to take Woodcot over and the legitimate requests of democratically-elected politicians and councillors asking for proof  of Age UK’s claim that Woodcot is not viable.

None of this concerns the Charity Commission; instead they  take the easy way out and fall back on the line that Age UK are entitled to sell Woodcot.

Legally yes they are but morally? It’s doubtful. Charities are all about morality are they not? 

Are Age UK really going to ignore the optics of defending a legal challenge in which they trash the covenant which favours their own beneficiaries? Woodcot was entrusted to charity to be a safe pair of hands not to cash in for their own interests.. 

By taking such a weak stance with Age UK the Charity Commission are choosing to  ignore  the fact that under Paul Farmer’s  leadership Age UK are about to seriously harm the entire charity sector by driving a coach and horses through a legally binding covenant. A covenant designed to protect their own beneficiaries and applied to the title to prevent precisely  what is happening now - the sale of a gifted house, contrary to the wishes of the donor….

Apparently  this is not the concern of the Charity Commission … presumably they are too busy sitting back and counting the billions filling their coffers to actually see the danger on their  doorstep… greedy bosses on fat cat salaries running businesses which are little more than ponzi schemes… while the real charity workers - the volunteers manning the pumps…. get nothing at all… nice work if you can get it! 

Let’s see what Dame Julia Unwin does… let’s see if she has the teeth and more importantly the backbone to stand up to the country’s biggest charity and speak truth to power.

For if Paul Farmer  the CEO of Age UK continues on the path of selling Woodcot - he is seriously damaging public trust in donating to charity whilst  hammering the final nail in the coffin of legacy giving which is the main income stream for all charities.

Thankyou for reading. Please. Keep signing and keep sharing. 

#DameJuliaUnwinCharityCommission

#PaulFarmerAgeUK