Page 12 - Salamander 01-2020
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  THE SALAMANDER | JANUARY 2020
REPORT FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The Charitable Trust achieves Charitable Incorporated
Organisation Status
Graham Maltby
1.Charitable Incorporated Organisation
The Charitable Trust became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with effect from 1st October 2019. The transition from the old Charitable Trust to a CIO requires a new approach to the operation of the Charity albeit it has the same name, same objects and the same Trustees.
In practical terms it provides the Trustees with similar protections to that of Directors of a Limited Company. Whilst the Trust will be aligned with The Company all matters associated with the Trust operations and accountability will be the sole responsibility of the Board of Trustees. The Worshipful Company of Firefighters Court will retain the responsibility for the appointment of Trustees to the Board, based on a three-year term with an opportunity for re-election for a further two terms.
One of the important changes
amongst various new requirements is the establishment of a Constitution for the charity. The constitution is a Charity Commission “model” constitution for Charitable Incorporated Organisations, and is, in effect, a modernised form of the traditional “deeds of trust” which established many charities in the past, including ours and has been approved by the Charity Commission.
The Board of Trustees are indebted to Past Master, Jeremy Beech a long standing member of the Board who has led on this issue from the application being submitted to the Charities Commission for the Trustees and to Stone King Solicitors who have undertaken the majority of the Legal Work and consultation with the Charities Commission.
“In practical terms it provides the Trustees with similar protections to that of Directors of a Limited Company”
There is still a considerable amount of work to be completed before the process is complete and the next stage is to formally contact all Worshipful Company Members to review their giving and to transfer the payment arrangements to a more flexible and reliable arrangement via Go-Cardless. The review period for “Gift Aid” arrangements runs in parallel to the
new giving arrangements and this is being led by Bruce Hoad (Vice- Chair of the Trustees), Stephen Sanders (Assistant Clerk), Ian Parlane (Honorary Treasurer) and myself. We are hoping to conclude this matter in the first quarter of 2020, when we will be able to close the old banking arrangement and move permanently to the new one with Metro Bank. Please keep an eye out for the correspondence which will arrive through your letter box in February and can I ask you please to complete and respond promptly to the enclosed requests.
2. The Worshipful Company of Firefighters – Charitable Dinner
On the 5th November 2019 the Company held the Charitable Black-Tie Fundraising Dinner at a new venue, the Leonardo Royal Hotel London City. Hosted by Liveryman Peter Holland CBE, QFSM, FIFireE, sponsored by UL and supported by the Fire Protection Association (FPA). The event was attended by 185 from the Fire and Risk Industry, Charitable Trustees and members of the Company who enjoyed a three- course meal and entertainment. During the evening events
I was privileged to give a short presentation on the work of the Trust and present a cheque for £10,000 to Senior Divisional Officer Neil Fenwick, Essex Fire and Rescue Service to be utilised in progressing their next phase of the Firebreak Scheme.
The current figure estimated to be raised from the function is in excess of £25,000 which will allow the Charitable Trust to continue to consider grant applications for worthy causes in the five current
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