Corrupt Raystede trustees are trying to change the law retroactively to get themselves out of trouble for years of unlawful conduct!

As you will be aware if you have been following this campaign, the trustees of Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare have been running the charity unlawfully by acting in contravention of its governing documents which state:

Articles of Association, Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare
1. Objects:
1.1 The objects of the charity are
(1) To prevent and relieve cruelty to animals and to protect them from unnecessary suffering and to promote and encourage a knowledge and love of animals and of their proper care and treatment.

Animal products are not necessary for human nutrition, and are in fact detrimental to human health.  Therefore the suffering caused to farmed animals is unnecessary suffering and Raystede is causing unnecessary suffering instead of preventing it by selling animal products in their cafe.

For years since their founder died and the charity opened their cafe, Raystede’s management have ignored everyone’s legitimate complaints on this issue.  And to protect themselves from these accusations, made public by the campaign and exposed in the press, the trustees have proposed a special resolution to change those governing documents  so that they will be in keeping with how they run the charity now.  It reads:

“That, in view of the consent in principle received from the Charity Commission, the following new Objects clause be adopted as the new Objects of the Company, in substitution for and to the exclusion of, the Company’s Objects …”

The Objects of the Company are for the benefit of the public:
1.1 to advance education in animal welfare and its best practice through the promotion of the same to the general public; and
1.2 to provide humane treatment and care to animals and to ensure that they do not suffer by:
1.2.2 arranging appropriate sanctuary are re-homing facilities for animals in need; and/or
1.2.3 the provision of veterinary care and by the provision, maintenance and management of homes of rest, boarding establishments and hospitals for animals and/or by the provision of suitable work under the supervision of the charity, or by arranging for their painless destruction.

They are trying to narrow Raystede’s raison d’être; change the law retroactively so that they won’t be held accountable for breaking it.

What kind of a world is it when wrong-doers can just change the rules to suit themselves?

But there might still be time to stop them if we all work together.  Look at the wording of the first sentence of their resolution – they have only received ‘consent in principle’ from the Charity Commission.  So we need everyone who supports this campaign to complain to the Charity Commission NOW!  Ask the Charity Commission to make the trustees run Raystede by the principles on which it was founded.

Here’s how:

Your complaint will be about

Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare,

Registered Charity Number 237696

After clicking this link to the Charity Commission, scroll to the bottom of the first page and click NEXT.

Select:   Serious non-compliance in a charity that damages or has the potential to damage its reputation and/or the reputation of charities generally 

or  Serious harm to beneficiaries and, in particular, vulnerable beneficiaries 

Download and read the following pdfs so that you can upload them as evidence in your complaint, and/or any other evidence you think appropriate:

Charity Commission Complaint re Raystede September 2019 pdf

Miss Raymonde-Hawkins Raystede pdf

media reporting affecting charity reputation pdf

Chairman of Trustees sheep breeding plans pdf

You can find Raystede company documents here if you need them.

We need as many people as possible to make these complaints.  Please please please make a complaint to the Charity Commission – if Raystede gets permission for this change we will no longer be able to accuse them of acting in contravention of their governing documents.  Their attempt to change the words of their Company Objects is proof of the effect we have had and that they know we are right.  We cannot let them get away with this!  Raystede cannot be run by farmers!

If you want to contact me you can do so through the Make Raystede Vegan website

Thank you thank you thank you for your continued support.