# Charity Commission winds up military charity following inquiry

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/09/06/charity-commission-winds-military-charity-following-inquiry/
- Published: 2018-09-06T09:15:06+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**A military charity investigated by the Charity Commission for misconduct and ordered
to close has now been wound up.**

 

[1^(st) Knight Military Charity](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charity-inquiry1st-knight-military-charity/1st-knight-military-charity)
was investigated after undercover reporting for a BBC Scotland programme exposed
anti-Islamic comments made at the charity’s shop by a trustee and volunteer, as 
well as the sale of merchandise displaying anti-Islamic and derogatory comments 
and imagery.

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The Charity Commission’s inquiry found that there was misconduct in relation to 
offensive material available for sale at the charity’s premises and comments recorded
as part of the programme. It also found wider concerns about the charity’s management
and governance.

 

In regards to the shop, the Commission’s report highlighted that:

 

 * A second trustee present at the time of the undercover recording failed to intervene
   or challenge the comments made.
 * The offensive merchandise was ordered on more than one occasion, and the trustees
   did not seek to later return or dispose of the stock.
 * Further highly offensive and inappropriate t-shirts depicting Nazi symbolism 
   was advertised for sale on the charity’s online store.
 * While an unannounced visit to the charity’s premises later confirmed the relevant
   materials had been removed from sale, offensive and inappropriate merchandise
   was still displayed on the charity’s online store in February 2017.

 

The Commission issued an order under section 84B of the Charities Act 2011 for the
trustees to wind up and dissolve the charity, both in the public interest and because
it was unlikely that the charity could continue to operate beyond the end of the
inquiry. As a result, the charity was dissolved and removed from the Register of
Charities on 23 March 2018 with its remaining funds transferred to another charity,
identified by the Commission, with similar objectives to the charity.

 

The full report of the inquiry is available on [GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charity-inquiry1st-knight-military-charity).

 

Michelle Russell, Director of Investigations, Monitoring and Enforcement at the 
Charity Commission said:

 

> “The public rightly expect charities to demonstrate the highest standards of integrity
> and conduct. What we saw in this case fell short of that: not only was this charity
> mismanaged, we also saw evidence of behaviours and attitudes that have no place
> in charity. The organisation has now wound up, and I am pleased that we have ensured
> its assets are redistributed by another charity.”

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