Tag: UK

America, New Zealand and Canada top list of world’s most generous nations

America has been named as the world’s most generous nation in the world, where its citizens give the most to charity, according to a new report.

The USA, New Zealand and Canada have the highest rate of charitable donations as a percentage gross domestic product (GDP), the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) found.

The UK had the fourth highest rate of charitable donations in a study of 24 nations and topped all other EU countries that were looked at.

CAF’s report took data from countries accounting for around 75 per cent of global GDP and 53 per cent of the world population.
Charitable giving by individuals as a percentage of GDP in America was recorded at 1.44%, in New Zealand at 0.79%, in Canada at .77% and in the UK – which came fourth globally – at 0.54%.

The report also analysed the impact of taxation and government spending and the amount given to charity and found there was “no significant correlation” except for employer social security charges, highlighting the complexity behind people’s decisions of when to give and how much.

Adam Pickering, international policy manager at CAF, said: “Across the 24 nations we studied, we found no significant link between government spending, income or corporation tax and the proportion of GDP donated by individuals.

“This suggests the relationship between the amount of taxes people pay and the amount they give to charity is not as clear cut as some may have thought.

“The factors which motivate people to give, and influence how much they give, are incredibly complex.”

Kids Company: Alan Yentob under fire from MPs for ‘catalogue of failure’ at charity

Former trustees of Kids Company have accused MPs behind a highly critical report of “naively” accepting criticisms made by people hostile to the charity.

Alan Yentob, the charity’s former chairman, will be accused of presiding over an “extraordinary catalogue of failure” and “financial mismanagement” that let down vulnerable children and ultimately led to the organisation’s collapse.
In a damming report, Parliament’s Public Administration Committee said Mr Yentob was “negligent” and “suspended (his) critical faculties”, by allowing Kids Company’s charismatic chief executive, Camila Batmanghelidjh, to spend millions of pounds with little or no oversight.

But in a robust statement, the former trustees of Kids Company including Mr Yentob accused MPs of having “naively accepted allegations made in the media and by a small number of individuals, some with vested interests in damaging Kids Company and its much-praised model of loving care and practical support” at the expense of the evidence of expert witnesses.

“It is a regrettable feature of British democracy that the committee can use the curtain of parliamentary privilege to produce what is an irresponsible report, immune from the defamation claims that would inevitably follow without this privilege,” they said.

Mr Yentob and the other trustees described the report as “inaccurate, unbalanced and irresponsible”.

The report also castigated politicians from the Prime Minister down for being “captivated” by Ms Batmanghelidjh and authorising multi-million pound grants to the charity “outside the usual decision-making process”.

This, it added, was done on the basis of “little more than their relationship with a charismatic leader, small-scale studies and anecdotes”.

The committee also concluded that Kids Company helped just a fraction of the children it claimed to be working with – in some cases counting a whole class of children as “clients” if they benefited from work with just one individual. It added that while Kids Company said it was working with 18,000 children, only 1,900 youngsters were passed onto Southwark Council when the organisation closed last August.

The charity, it said, misused funds to pay for luxury items for clients that “diverted” money from other projects.

Charities who allowed scandalous fundraising methods ‘incompetent or willfully blind’

Charity bosses who allowed scandalous fundraising methods to be used were either “incompetent or wilfully blind” and are on their last chance to “put their house in order”, a committee has warned.

In a damning assessment of the practices used by some of the biggest names to bring in cash, MPs said the “sorry episode” had damaged the reputations of charities across the board.

Trustees must now take proper control of the methods their organisation use or face statutory regulation, the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) said.

MPs heard that some charities, including Great Ormond Street Hospital and Macmillan Cancer Support, made it difficult or impossible for donors to block further communication from them or other charities.

Personal information ended up with scamming companies after being sold on by some charities while vulnerable and elderly people were seen as “fair targets” by some organisations, they were told.
The committee also heard an undercover investigation by the Daily Mail found telephone fundraising contractor GoGen ignored the telephone preference service that allows customers to opt out of receiving unsolicited calls.

It also had a script to allow fundraisers to continue to press for a donation even after discovering a vulnerable individual was confused or suffered from dementia.

MPs said they had “no doubt” that most UK charities did not engage in such practices but the behaviour of some had damaged the reputation of all and made it harder for them to raise money.

The report found fundraising is “increasingly competitive” and a large charity can spend more than £20 million a year on trying to bolster its coffers.
Fundraising practices were thrust into the spotlight last year after widespread public concern over the death of 92-year-old Olive Cooke, one of Britain’s oldest and longest-serving poppy sellers.

After the pensioner took her own life, her family described how she had been receiving repeated requests from charities for donations with up to 267 letters a month as well as regular phone calls.

During the PACAC’s investigation a number of charity bosses admitted there were flaws in their governance.

Oxfam chairwoman Karen Brown told MPs “our monitoring procedures were not adequate to the task” while RSPCA chairwoman Daphne Harris said she “did not know that this had happened” after allegations that the personal data of dementia sufferer Samuel Rae had been repeatedly bought and sold by charities and companies emerged.

Infographic: Sports fans are growing ambivalent to sponsorship, report finds

Fans are feeling ‘increasing wariness’ of brands’ involvement in sporting events, according to new research from Momentum Worldwide.

The brand experience agency surveyed 2,000 sports fans in the UK, US, Brazil, Spain and Japan.

A total of 83% of the group said they accepted the statement: ‘Sponsors never consider the fans’. Only 55% of respondents said they would consider trying out a brand or product as the result of their sponsorship.

Momentum reported that when interviewed, many fans said they feel like an afterthought when sponsorship deals are inked. Complaints included event timings being rearranged to suit audiences in other parts of the world, rare tickets ending up in ‘the wrong hands’, the commercial nature of naming rights and sponsors ‘calling too many of the shots’.
No objections

Despite these results, 88% of those surveyed said they believe sponsors have the ability to create new opportunities for their favourite sports and teams. Additionally, 86% said they would not object to seeing more sponsorship in sports.

The study’s results were positive for the experiential industry, with 82% of respondents saying that being at a live event most enhances their love of sport.

Mike Sundet, senior vice president, director of sports and entertainment at Momentum, said: “This research shows that while people are open to brands bringing real value to their sports experiences, unfortunately, they don’t currently believe sponsors think about the fans when planning their programs.

“Today’s connected fans are rightfully accustomed to being in control of their relationships—including relationships with brands—and right now they’re feeling let down at sports events.

He added: “The opportunity exists for brands to bridge this gap by celebrating the value of fans—putting them in control and at the heart of these experiences.

“Brands that make sports more accessible and aspirational, that make a positive impact on people’s health and wellbeing, and exploit the social effects of sports for the greater good of individuals and communities will earn lasting attention and positive connections with fans.”

Prince Harry’s Abu Dhabi polo match raises $1m for charity

GHANTOOT // Roars from the crowd greeted the UK’s Prince Harry as he took part in a polo match to raise funds for charity.

A crowd of 100 invited guests at the Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club included Formula One legend Sir Jackie Stewart and former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell who cheered from the sidelines of the fifth Sentebale Polo Cup.

The event managed to raise US$1 million (Dh3.7m) for Senteable, a charity founded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho that aims to raise money to provide health care and education to vulnerable children and those suffering with HIV/AIDS in the southern African country.

“I am very proud to be taking part in this match,” said Nacho Figueras who was captaining the St Regis team.

“But the main focus isn’t who wins or loses but the fact that we are going to raise money and awareness of the HIV/AIDs epidemic in Lesotho.

“Raising awareness is the most important thing and by having so many people here supporting us is fantastic.

“These kinds of events play an important role in raising awareness of this issue.”

Malcolm Borwick, representing the Sentebale Huntsman team, was in confident mood before the start of play.

“Although the games are going to be competitive that isn’t the main focus for this event,” he said

“Polo as a sport is growing in this region and in recent years the standard of play has really improved.

“Players from this region are right up there with the best in the world.”

The competition was launched in 2010 with Prince Harry’s Sentebale team winning last year’s event held in Greenwich, Connecticut.

“This event is extremely important to the charity, and allows us to continue to help and support some of the most vulnerable children in the world, through our work in Lesotho,” said Cathy Ferrier, chief executive of Sentebale.

“We managed to raise $1 million so that was fantastic for us.”

The money and awareness raised from the Sentebale Polo Cup will support Sentebale’s expansion plans in providing leading emotional and psychological support to many more children affected by HIV/AIDS.

Sentebale is also building the Mamohato Children’s Centre in Lesotho, a residential centre, expected to be completed next year.

The centre will allow Sentebale to provide support to many more vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS in Lesotho and will lead to further expansion into other affected southern African countries.