Freelance reporter specialising in politics, business and social affairs on both sides of the pond. Past: @Newsweek/ @Independent. DM for Signal 🗞📰

Kate Plummer’s Journalist Portfolio

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Commission opens inquiry into charity that transferred £850,000 to trustee's account

Commission opens inquiry into charity that transferred £850,000 to trustee's account

Civil Society News — The Charity Commission has opened an inquiry and frozen the bank account of a religious poverty relief charity after it found that £850,000 of charitable funds have been transferred to a trustee's bank account. The regulator has opened an inquiry into the Devon Charitable Trust, following concerns about its finances.

Youth charity Fixers to close due to insufficient funds

Youth charity Fixers to close due to insufficient funds

Civil Society News — Youth charity, Fixers has announced that it will close because it has "been unable to raise the funds required" to continue. On a blog posted on Fixer's website, Ralph Bernard, chairman of Public Service Broadcasting Trust (Fixers) said that the charity will formally close at the end of August 2019 due to insufficient funds.

Civil Society News

Civil Society News

Youth charity Fixers to close due to insufficient funds

Youth charity Fixers to close due to insufficient funds

Civil Society News — Youth charity, Fixers has announced that it will close because it has "been unable to raise the funds required" to continue. On a blog posted on Fixer's website, Ralph Bernard, chairman of Public Service Broadcasting Trust (Fixers) said that the charity will formally close at the end of August 2019 due to insufficient funds.

RSPB installs solar panels to provide 80 per cent of its nature reserves' energy

RSPB installs solar panels to provide 80 per cent of its nature reserves' energy

Civil Society News — RSPB's nature reserves will get 80 per cent of their energy requirements through the installation of new solar panels. The nature conservation charity has installed 700 solar panels at seven nature reserves which will account for 80 per cent of their energy and 10 per cent of the total energy RSPB uses each year.

Volunteering organised by employers lags behind other types, says NCVO report

Volunteering organised by employers lags behind other types, says NCVO report

Civil Society News — Volunteering organised by employers is lagging behind volunteering organised by individuals, according to a new report by NCVO. The umbrella body has found that 39 per cent of people who volunteer through Employer-Supported Volunteering (ESV) are satisfied with their experiences, compared to 56 per cent of those who organise their own volunteering.

Charity Commission launches new hotline for whistleblowers

Charity Commission launches new hotline for whistleblowers

Civil Society News — The Charity Commission has launched an advice line for charity whistleblowers to help people report concerns to the regulator. In a blog posted on the Commission's website, chief executive Helen Stephenson said that the regulator would be improving its support for potential whistleblowers through an advice line which will offer confidential advice about how to go about whistleblowing.

Charities urged to drop 'outdated' requirements for employees to have degrees

Charities urged to drop 'outdated' requirements for employees to have degrees

Civil Society News — A new campaign is calling on charities to stop excluding people who don't have a university degree from applying for jobs. #NonGraduatesWelcome is being run by David Burgess, director at Apollo Fundraising, because requiring a degree-level education can be a barrier to diversity.

UK-wide bottle deposit scheme could raise over £1bn for charities

UK-wide bottle deposit scheme could raise over £1bn for charities

Civil Society News — Over £1bn could be raised for charity if a deposit return scheme for cans and bottles was introduced in the UK, according to the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE). The countryside charity is calling on the government to introduced a deposit return scheme, with the option for people to donate their deposit to charity instead of getting it back.

Charity Commission trials new call centre opening hours

Charity Commission trials new call centre opening hours

Civil Society News — The Charity Commission is trialling new contact centre opening hours, to "enhance our customer service and better accommodate customer needs", it has said.

Who's Moving: Coeliac UK, Tenovus Cancer Care and more

Who's Moving: Coeliac UK, Tenovus Cancer Care and more

Civil Society News — Tenovus Cancer Care has appointed Judi Rhys as its new chief executive. She joins the charity following her role as chief executive at Cancer Research Wales. She has also held this position at the British Liver Trust and Arthritis Care, and has held senior roles at the MS Society and Diabetes UK.

Transatlantic coalition of impact experts urge 'responsible approach'

Transatlantic coalition of impact experts urge 'responsible approach'

Civil Society News — A transatlantic coaltion of impact measurement organisations, including the UK think tank NPC, have urged the sector to think responsibly about impact measurement. In a report, Impacting Responsibly , published this week, they outline areas in which charities should improve their impact.

Comic Relief chief executive steps down

Comic Relief chief executive steps down

Civil Society News — Comic Relief's chief executive officer has announced her resignation with her intention to start a new social enterprise, it has been revealed. Liz Warner will leave her post at the end of 2019, following three years as chief executive of the charity.

Allchurches Trust anounces £1m of funding for church-based social projects

Allchurches Trust anounces £1m of funding for church-based social projects

Civil Society News — A total of £1m of funding is to be allocated to Christian organisations by grant-maker, Allchurches Trust. Grants of up to £25,000 will be awarded to churches running "innovative, impactful projects" and "major social initiatives". The trust hopes that the grants will encourage religion among youth and improve church infrastructure.

Charity worker dismissed after tweeting about attacking Nigel Farage with acid

Charity worker dismissed after tweeting about attacking Nigel Farage with acid

Civil Society News — A charity worker has been dismissed after posting a tweet advocating an acid attack on Nigel Farage, leader of the Brexit Party. Ruth Townsley, head of measurement and policy at Happy City, a Bristol-based wellbeing charity, was dismissed from the charity after tweeting about attacking Nigel Farage with acid, after he was doused with milkshake while campaigning in Newcastle in Monday, by Paul Crowther.

Jamie Oliver Food Foundation is set to close

Jamie Oliver Food Foundation is set to close

Civil Society News — Trustees plan to shut down the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation (JOFF), the television chef has launched a new anti-obesity project through a "a commercial business with a social purpose". According to its most up-to-date set of annual accounts, covering the year to 31 December 2017, the foundation, which was set up by the celebrity chef, had been scaling back its activity because it had fulfilled its mission.

YMCA Scotland rebrands to unite local branches

YMCA Scotland rebrands to unite local branches

Civil Society News — Kerry Reilly, chief executive of YMCA Scotland, said: "This often made them look like small local charities when they are, in fact, part of a national and international movement."

'Profoundly disturbing' levels of stress reported by charity workers, warns Unite

'Profoundly disturbing' levels of stress reported by charity workers, warns Unite

Civil Society News — Some 80 per cent of charity workers experience workplace stress, a survey of Unite members has found. According to a survey by the union, Unite, 80 per cent of workers reported stress in the last 12 months. Some 42 per cent of workers said that their job was not good for their mental health.

Who's Moving: Frontline Aids, City Bridge Trust and more

Who's Moving: Frontline Aids, City Bridge Trust and more

Civil Society News — Who's Moving: Frontline Aids, City Bridge Trust and more

Acevo plans to drop its AGM

Acevo plans to drop its AGM

Civil Society News — Acevo plans to ditch its annual general meeting (AGM) and intends to replace it with a digital event to enable its members to hold its leadership to account. In a blog published today, Vicky Browning, chief executive of the umbrella body, said that it planned to stop running annual general meetings because there are better ways of delivering its functions of engagement, accountablity and procedure.

RNIB sells its Bristol office to Guide Dogs and relocates

RNIB sells its Bristol office to Guide Dogs and relocates

Civil Society News — RNIB has sold its Bristol offices to Guide Dogs and will shortly move to rented space in the city. Some 13 staff are based at the regional office, which supports blind people in Bristol is to move from its premises on Stillhouse Lane, Bedminster to an office in Arnos Vale in Bristol.

Lloyds Bank Foundation releases film to celebrate 'unsung heroes'

Lloyds Bank Foundation releases film to celebrate 'unsung heroes'

Civil Society News — A film about small charities has been released by the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales to celebrate "unsung heroes" in the sector. The film, entitled "what happens then?" highlights the foundation's partnership with small charities, aims to show the work of small charities in creating a social impact, and argues that they have a big impact.

Dance charity rebrands as Impelo following independence from local government

Dance charity rebrands as Impelo following independence from local government

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