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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Aug 10

'To maintain a gambling license, an operator must pay a percentage of earnings into a pot. That money will then be distributed by commissioners...'

www.gamblinginsider.com/in-depth/305...

What is the face of the UK gambling charity sector post-GambleAware?

The announcement of the managed closure of GambleAware jarred a sector that seems to have expected the outcome but didn’t enjoy the sensation of its col

www.gamblinginsider.com

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Aug 10

Code of Fundraising Practice launched: www.farrer.co.uk/news-and-ins...

Code of Fundraising Practice launched

The Fundraising Regulator (FR) has issued a new Code of Fundraising Practice to take effect from 1 November 2025. It replaces the current version, which was last revised in 2019. The Code applies to f...

www.farrer.co.uk

John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Aug 10

'In a statement the Charity Commission said it had ben engaging with the charity in April 2025 after receiving an application from its trustees to change the charity's structure.' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Edmund Kell Unitarian Church probed over 'unaccounted-for' £290k

The Southampton charity's finances are being investigated by the Charity Commission.

www.bbc.co.uk

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Aug 10

"'All sides' to blame in Prince Harry charity row, watchdog finds" www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

'All sides' to blame in Prince Harry charity row, watchdog finds

The Charity Commission criticises “all parties” at Sentebale for allowing a “damaging” dispute to play out publicly.

www.bbc.co.uk

John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Jun 7

"Oxfam said its 'restructuring proposals' were to secure its financial future and 'not about a policy to replace in-house roles with non-unionised casual labour'." www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Oxfam workers protest over 'outsourcing' of jobs

Unite members gathered outside Oxfam offices because of the charity's redundancy plans.

www.bbc.co.uk

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Jun 7

“The government is determined to see the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club reach humanitarian causes in Ukraine." www.gistreel.com/uk-governmen...

UK government to sue Roman Abramovich over £2.5b frozen Chelsea sale proceeds

The UK government is set to launch legal action against Roman Abramovich over the £2.5 billion proceeds from the 2022 sale

www.gistreel.com

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Jun 7

"A previously leaked financial statement for 2023-24 indicated a £12 million deficit, and the former principal resigned last year after revealing a £30m budget shortfall and impending job losses." www.scottishfinancialnews.com/articles/dun...

Dundee University misses charity accounts deadline, regulator warns

Dundee University's charitable status is at risk of being withdrawn after it failed to submit its annual accounts to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) by the required deadline. As a ...

www.scottishfinancialnews.com

John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Jun 7

"The Commission refused to register IFTCC on the basis that its purposes "were not exclusively charitable nor for the public benefit". www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/05...

‘Gay conversion’ Christian group appeal for charity status rejected

Group linked to NI 'gay conversion' charity Core Issues Trust refused charitable status due to "political purpose" Read More »

www.secularism.org.uk

John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Jun 7

“No donor has influence on university governance, and it is mischievous and disingenuous to suggest otherwise." www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/5246...

EXCLUSIVE: £2m St Andrews University donor who nearly pulled funds over rector ‘genocide’ remarks revealed

The Courier can reveal the Wolfson Foundation was the donor “concerned” after Stella Maris accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

www.thecourier.co.uk

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Jun 7

"The fact that the report contains errors, and even a small number of irrational findings or observations, does not mean that the overall document is irrational." www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Kids Company: Part of Kids Company report 'unfair', says judge

In a judgement, Mr Justice Sheldon describes two paragraphs in the report as

www.bbc.co.uk

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Apr 13

'If [Campbell] succeeds, the implications for her former friend could be serious. Knowingly providing misleading information to the Charity Commission is a criminal offence that carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.' on.ft.com/44mUTBF

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Apr 13

'Those of us involved in international solidarity need to look past the current retrenchment to search for new ideas and sources of resources. One of the most promising new ideas is to improve the amount and the quality of diaspora philanthropy.' ssir.org/articles/ent...

Diaspora Philanthropy 3.0 (SSIR)

How and why funders must move beyond traditional giving

ssir.org

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Apr 13

“The thing about mutuality is it’s not based on volunteerism. It’s mutual, so it’s people helping each other to do something. The hastiness that happened over lockdown meant it might have slipped much more into a charitable model." www.bigissue.com/news/activis... #mutualaid

Five years on, what happened to the pandemic's mutual aid groups?

From flood defence to reselling Amazon packages as a way of funding food banks, the nation's mutual aid groups are transforming.

www.bigissue.com

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Apr 13

'While the charity was successful, it was a kind of pet project for Harry, relying on the annual Sentebale polo cup and surviving the Covid pandemic largely through a pro bono performance by the pop star James Blunt, a friend of the previous chair.' www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Prince Harry charity row: why did he resign and what is dispute about?

Duke of Sussex and other trustees have quit Sentebale, while the charity’s chair accuses them of trying to oust her

www.theguardian.com

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Apr 13

'Signs of political activity targeting nonprofits emerged last November, when the European Commission sent a stark message to over 30 NGOs: They could no longer use funds from the LIFE programme, an EU green cash pot, for advocacy.' www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article...

Beset on all sides, European NGOs risk running out of money

A conservative campaign against public funding for NGOs has piled on the pressure to an already beleaguered sector.

www.theparliamentmagazine.eu

John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Apr 13

'The Human Rights Commission also criticises the disproportionate nature of the penalties, with fines of up to €3,000 and prison sentences of up to two years [which homeless people cannot pay]'. www.luxtimes.lu/luxembourg/h...

Human rights body criticises Luxembourg begging law

Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CCDH) questions purpose of draft legislation to criminalise so-called ‘aggressive’ begging

www.luxtimes.lu

John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Apr 13

'The barrister later said there was a 'real possibility' the Charity Commission was “predetermined” to criticise Kids Company.' www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/k... #Kidscompany

Kids Company report has ‘chilling impact’ on charity sector, High Court told

A two-day hearing is taking place over the Charity Commission’s February 2022 report into the collapsed children’s charity.

www.standard.co.uk

John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Mar 10

'As a museum, it’s very small and doesn’t really tell you a lot about the man himself. However, it does host a modestly interesting exhibition.' www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/a-v...

A visit to the William Morris Society’s museum

Some people have their homes turned into museums devoted to the person -- but not many get two of them, and such a person is William Morris.

www.ianvisits.co.uk

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Mar 9

'Such was Churchill’s fondness for his pet that he wrote a special bequest that a cat of the exact colour and markings [of his cat Jock] should always live at Chartwell. And that is why Jock VI has just arrived at the estate.' lady.co.uk/churchill-ch...

Churchill, Chartwell & Jock the cat | lady.co.uk

In continuous publication since 1885 and widely respected as England's longest running magazine for women.

lady.co.uk

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Mar 9

'The seven commissioners, who are not full-time, were [previously] responsible for making all casework, enquiries, compliance and registration decisions and orders through a committee.' www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/new-sch...

New scheme aims to ease regulator’s decision-making processes

www.civilsociety.co.uk

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Mar 9

'Eventually, hip hop’s own Dr Barnardo spots a sign held up by a single mother claiming to be 20 weeks pregnant. He lifts her out of the moshpit and into the VIP section and gifts her $30k. This is a good deed… right?' www.dazeddigital.com/music/articl...

Drake-A-Wish Foundation: The problem with celebrity philanthropy

Drake heeded the signs begging for charity at his Sydney show earlier this week – but is this itself a sign of something more sinister?

www.dazeddigital.com

John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Mar 9

'The chief executive was found to have acted as a de-facto trustee, and set himself a yearly unauthorised salary of £40,000.' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Regulator finds misconduct at Birmingham Sikh TV charity

The Charity Commission finds serious failings at The Sikh Channel Community Broadcasting Company.

www.bbc.co.uk

John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Mar 8

'The man with the golden arm, as he was dubbed, gave plasma 1, 173 times over 50 years until, to his chagrin, he was forced to stop aged 81.' on.ft.com/3QRMzC5 via @FT

James Harrison, blood donor, 1936-2025

The railway worker who found his mission and saved the lives of more than 2mn babies

on.ft.com

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · Feb 23

'The Charity Commission’s chief executive wrote to those members of the General Synod who are also charity trustees. This must mean most ... General Synod members, because membership of the General Synod comes with automatic membership of a parish’s PCC.' anglican.ink/2025/01/29/t...

Too little, too late: Charity Commission reminds General Synod of charity trustee’s safeguarding duties

A miracle! The Charity Commission has finally taken public action in response to the ongoing safeguarding fiasco at the Church of England and its Archbishops’ Council. Last week, the Charity Commissio...

anglican.ink