Big Title
THE WHOLE STORY
This is the charity's story, of its birth, its rise and its eventual destruction.
This is the full exposure of a story surrounding a Tetbury based charity – its founding trustee directors – and the extraordinary events which unfolded bringing to an end, a programme helping young children gain an education in Africa.
This story has been waiting for the right time to be published.
We have now arrived at that right time.
The Whole Story is divided into 5 parts:
-
How It All Began
-
What Happened Next
-
Now We Had Opportunity To Scale Up
-
The Destruction Of Humanitarian Aid
-
The Final Analysis - to be published shortly
PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY
Launched Into The CHARITY COMMISSION
31Mar20
The former Trustees of jole rider are delighted to announce that a Parliamentary inquiry is taking place into the Charity Commission.
The inquiry - titled The Work of the Charity Commission - will be conducted by the Select Committee for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport - the DCMS.
We were invited, along with others, to submit evidence to the DCMS Parliamentary Select Committee, which oversees the Commission in all respects.
Our initial opening evidence has now been published along with other high profiled contributors on the Parliamentary website.
Use the link to read our submission under the reference: CHA0020.
Further and detailed evidence will be submitted when called for.
In case the evidence submitted to the DCMS Committee is later deleted by the DCMS, it is available to view here.
Note: For completness of reporting, the names redacted by the DCMS are:
for the Charity Commission - Janet Mernane
for the BBC - Jason Dean
The Charity Commission Chair, Baroness Stowell and the Charity Commission CEO, Helen Stephenson, will have to answer questions from MPs about the Commission's investigations and practices.
The Commission's strategy, track record and performance will also be examined by the MPs.
We welcome this Inquiry into the Charity Commission, given the catastrophic effect of the Commission's unchecked failings and errant practices - witnessed at first hand through our dealings with case officers, in particular Janet Mernane and the Commission's CEO, Helen Stephenson. These failings have affected not only jole rider - the Charity set up to help young Africans gain an education they so richly deserve and crave - but also a number of other splendid UK based charities, their Trustees and their beneficiaries.
We look forward to the Inquiry's findings later this year and justice being achieved by all those affected by the inadequate behaviour of a regulator which has, for so long, lost its way.
We, as former Trustees, did not consciously look for the challenge endured. We are however proud to spearhead this initiative for the exposure and overdue needed change in how charities are administered in the UK by a failing Charity Commission.
Authors: Helen King and David Swettenham
UPDATE
21Nov21
This inquiry has been stalled. During 2020 and in the first few months of 2021, the authors made repeated requests of the DCMS for information as to when the inquiry will commence. No answer was given or any indication provided as to a likely date. Accordingly, the authors have determined - 20mths on - that the inquiry has been shelved permanently. It is considered that the evidence submitted by the authors - supported by further evidence, in the form of volumes of documention, financial records, board minutes and audio recordings - was all far too damning for it to be made public. To have done so would have proved:
-
The assertions of the authors - regarding their own practices and behaviour - to be true
-
The total innocence of the Trustee Directors
-
The critical assertions made about the Charity Commission
-
The unjust treatment of the charity's Trustee Directors - and not least
-
The total inept and malicious practices of a government department
as is the Charity Commission
Authors: Helen King and David Swettenham
