Welcome

Welcome to the Association for Charities' parliamentary microsite.

The Association for Charities (AfC) is 'a national association for the support and protection of beneficiaries, trustees, volunteers and donors', in other words, the human resources of charities rather than their material assets. It is the country's first independent, grassroots, inter-charity organisation, representing the interests and rights under the law of charity people and their beneficiaries, particularly in relation to the regulator, the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

AfC was established in 1999 by a group of people who had suffered damage to charity work as a result of Commission interventions which we felt had not been conducted fairly or with due regard to the well-being of beneficiaries. We quickly realised that charity people in Britain and indeed their beneficiaries are in a very vulnerable position under the current law, the Charities Act 1993. The powers over charities it gives the Commission may be exercised 'of its own motion', ie., without obligation to account for or explain Commission decisions. These may be challenged only in the High Court - for which leave from the Commission is required - at charity or trustee personal expense.

AfC began calling for a review of this Act, which was never properly debated, in order to bring it into line with other branches of the law, in particular the Human Rights Act 1998, of which the right to a fair hearing is a central tenet. It was and is our view that the valuable and vital work charities do for the common good deserves proper recognition under the law and that charity people should be enabled to defend themselves, should the need arise, at other than personal expense; they should have recourse to a mediation service or independent tribunal as an alternative, or at least precursor, to the High Court.

Fortunately the government has responded to our and others' concerns. In 2001 a Cabinet Office team was appointed to carry out a root-and-branch review of charity law and regulation, in consultation with the public and three years later, in 2004 a new Charities Bill has appeared, first in draft form in May and following pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Parliamentary Committee, as a Bill proper in December. In January 2005 it will start on its passage through Parliament and hopefully become the Charities Act 2005.

AfC is pleased to note that, along with a number of much-needed provisions for improving and modernising the system of charity regulation, the new legislation includes the all-important expedient of a Charity Appeal Tribunal. Our immediate work is to help brief MPs and Peers about the Bill and in particular this element in it and ensure they fully appreciate its importance to the charity sector and to society. We will play our part in helping secure the Bill's smooth and speedy passage through Parliament, and a finished product that enshrines the twin aims of protecting and nurturing genuine charitable activity in this country, whilst preserving public confidence in charities.

In the longer-term, the Association aims to continue with our self-appointed task of representing the interests and rights of charities and their beneficiaries in the public domain. We have a strong core membership and a growing support-network throughout England and Wales, and indeed Scotland, where a new charities Bill has likewise just been unveiled. We will continue our effort to forge a positive and constructive relationship with the Charity Commission and its Independent Complaints Reviewer, and with other bodies and organisations keen to secure proper public procedures and the health and well-being of the charity sector. Resources permitting, we would like to be able to extend our pastoral services to charities. There is a need for a body set up specifically to help charities with legal and other problems at low or no cost, particularly the smaller ones which sometimes have difficulty staying afloat, yet their work may be very vital.

AfC is united by a passion for charity as it is traditionally understood, and for justice. We invite parliamentarians who share our concerns and our vision to become Friends of this Association, and to work with us to help preserve and nurture all that is finest in the charity world and in public life generally.

• Copyright 2008 Dod's Parliamentary Communications Ltd
• About ePolitix.com
• Stakeholders
• Contacts
• Terms & Conditions
• Blog guidelines