Charity Commission publishes revised Welsh language scheme
Howard Lake | 18 May 2010 | News
18 May 2010
PR 33/10
– Regulator reaffirms commitment to treat Welsh and English languages on an equal basis in Wales –
The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has today published its new Welsh language scheme, which sets out the Commission’s approach to providing services in Welsh. The Commission remains committed to treating the English and Welsh languages on an equal basis in its work with the 9,000 registered charities in Wales.
The Commission engages with charities, members of the public and other organisations in a variety of ways, including by email, telephone, via the internet and at public meetings. The Welsh language scheme details how the Commission provides the opportunity to communicate in Welsh in these and other situations. The scheme also sets out the Commission’s undertaking to publish Welsh language ./guidance and other core material.
Harry Iles, Head of the Charity Commission’s Wales office, said:
“The Charity Commission is fully committed to providing our Welsh speaking customers with the same high standard of service that we provide in English. We have a number of Welsh speakers in the Commission and are happy for people to contact us in English or in Welsh. By revising our Welsh language scheme we are demonstrating our continuing commitment to the Welsh language.”
Meirion Prys Jones, Chief Executive of the Welsh Language Board, said:
“The Charity Commission is a good example of an organisation that has set out to increase and improve the level of its bilingual provision in a systematic way since the approval of its first language scheme in 2006. In revising the scheme, the Commission has reinforced and extended its commitment to continuous improvement for the benefit of charities, trustees, volunteers and the public in Wales. We are pleased to formally approve the Charity Commission’s revised Welsh language scheme this year and look forward to seeing the Commission achieving its commitments over the next 3 years.”
As well as setting out how the Commission treats English and Welsh on an equal basis when working with charities, members of the public and other organisations in Wales, the scheme includes an undertaking to work closely with the National Assembly for Wales on Welsh Language Act matters. In addition, the Commission will consider fully the needs of Welsh language users in relation to any legislation on which the Commission might be consulted or might promote in the future.
The Commission will regularly monitor progress in implementing the scheme and will produce an annual report on this. The monitoring will include the use of opinion surveys on the Commission’s provision of Welsh language services. In three years the Commission will prepare a comprehensive evaluation of its performance in implementing the scheme.
End.
For further information on this story please contact Sarah Gibbs on 020 7674 2332
Notes to Editors
The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. See www.charitycommission.gov.uk for further information or call our contact centre on 0845 300 0218.
Our mission is: to ensure charities’ legal compliance, enhance charities’ accountability, encourage charities’ effectiveness and impact and to promote the public interest in charity.
The Charity Commission’s Welsh language scheme has been prepared in accordance with section 21(3) of the Welsh Language Act 1993.
The Charity Commission’s Wales office is on the 8th Floor, Clarence House, Clarence Place, Newport, South Wales, NP19 7AA
In January 2009 the Charity Commission published a report on the Welsh charitable sector, A snapshot of charities in Wales. The report includes a range of previously unpublished information on the activity of Welsh charities registered with the Commission, including the following key findings:
There are just over 9,000 registered charities in Wales;
They have a combined income of just under £1bn;
90% of them carry out their work solely in Wales.
This press release is also available in Welsh.
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.