Watchdog opens investigation into two charities set up to help deliver aid to Syria
Investigations into charities set up to help people in Syria.
Charity Commission
The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, opened two separate statutory inquiries into charities set up to help deliver aid to Syria. The charities concerned are Aid Convoy (registered charity number 1149015) and Syria Aid (registered company number 8361099). Statutory inquiries are the Commission’s most serious type of engagement with charities.
Aid Convoy is a registered charity that describes itself as an international humanitarian organisation committed to assisting victims of disasters and wars and whose current appeal is for people affected by the conflict in Syria. The Commission’s inquiry into the charity is examining issues relating to the end use of charitable funds, and whether there has been any mismanagement or misconduct on behalf of the charity trustees.
Syria Aid is a company, whose objects include the provision of humanitarian aid to those affected by the crisis in Syria. Syria Aid is not currently registered as a charity with the Commission, but the regulator is satisfied that the organisation is charitable and should be registered, and that it has jurisdiction over the funds raised by the company.
The purpose of the regulator’s inquiry into Syria Aid is to ensure the charity is registered and has proper governance systems in place, in particular a sufficient number of trustees to operate, and proper financial management arrangements. The inquiry will also examine concerns about its application of its funds.
The Commission’s investigation into Aid Convoy began on 30 August; that into Syria Aid began on 20 December 2013. The Commission has not yet formed any conclusions in either case and will continue to consider what regulatory actions, if any, it might need to take.
It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded inquiries, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were. Reports of previous inquiries by the Commission are available on its website. In the meantime, the Commission is not able to comment further on the progress of an inquiry.
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PR 07/14
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Notes to Editors
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The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales.
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Our mission is to be the independent registrar and regulator of charities in England and Wales, acting in the public’s interest, to ensure that:
- charities know what they have to do
- the public know what charities do
- charities are held to account