BULLETIN AUGUST 2009

This is a bulletin which I send out regularly to around 10,000 clients, contacts, friends, friends of friends so forth, to keep them in touch with what's going on in the world of charities. So much new material coming along right now that these bulletins write themselves. All I have to do is to sit hunched over my trusty typewriter tapping away at it, unlit cigar clamped between my teeth, glass of Glenlivet at my elbow, faithful dog at my feet.

Daryl Martin

It being August I was tempted not to send one out this month. However there must be one or two out there valiantly doing their bit to save the world. This is especially for you.

WEBSITE:
Tony who does such amazing work keeping our IT running when all he has is bits of string, rubber bands and old Amstrad parts, has given us a brand new website. Check it out if you haven't looked at it lately. He will welcome your suggestions and comments, www.iel.org.uk (I think his main aim was to reduce the e-mail address by 16 letters)

COMPANIES HOUSE DEADLINES:
Two of our clients, despite regular chases, missed deadlines for sending in accounts. Their fines stand at £750 and rising. There really is no need for this. If you have a problem, let us know; we can put you to the top of the pile. Usually, late accounts are a sign of deeper problems. We can help with these too.

H1N1:
One of my daughters thinks she had it a couple of weeks ago, certainly the NHS logged it as such. It was quite light, more like piglet flu. Concern is understandable, particularly if you are high risk or pregnant, but we shouldn't panic as some near and dear to me are. Important questions: Have you put plans in place, both in the workplace and the home? Have you improved workplace hygiene? Frequent hand washing and using the gel dispensers can reduce risk by up to 40%. Do you have contingency plans if staff are sick? Business Link has sensible advice on their website: www.businesslink.gov.uk.

DUTY TO PROVIDE ACCOUNTS:
In a recent survey, 545 charities with income over £100,000 were asked for their annual accounts. Only 75 obliged. This is quite shocking. Yes, the survey did take place in Scotland, but I thought that's where all the brains are, so I imagine the ignorance elsewhere in the UK could be even greater. If you are asked for the accounts, you are legally required to send them within 28 days. If you sense you are going to be looked at, get in touch with us.

CHARITY SHOPS:
My bookshelves overflow and now, when I have read a book, I take it round to one of the local charity shops to recycle. But do take care. Someone put their walking stick down in a cancer care charity shop, and an enthusiastic volunteer promptly sold it for £2. Now, this happened in Scotland, which is a worry in itself, taken along with the previous item. I hope whoever lost the stick gift aided it.

GIFT AID:
Janice, our Gift Aid specialist, is short of work and wanted me to ask if anyone needs help with their claims to contact her. I hate touting for business but needs must. Whilst on Gift Aid, why aren't more charity shops gift aiding their donated goods? I took a hundred pounds worth of books into a local shop recently, at their prices; they just lost £28. Take a leaf out of Oxfam's book. They have it down to a fine art. Copy them.

DUTY OF CARE:
I ran a couple of warnings to trustees to take care when their staff and volunteers are using vehicles on charity business, make sure cars are roadworthy and insured etc. I don't want to keep flogging this one, but I noticed a good article on the subject in the Telegraph a couple of weeks ago, so it's a live issue. E-mail us if you want a copy. (DT 22/7/2009 Paul Bray)

GOVERNING DOCUMENTS:
We recently came across a couple of Memoranda and Articles that are seriously flawed. It's so easy to overlook something especially if a charity is growing. What works in a small charity may have serious implications if it gets a lot bigger. On a separate matter, if your charity works with children, you must put in a provision to enable you to remove a trustee who is disqualified. Contact Rachel for details on getting your governing document looked at.

PENSION REFORMS:
An interesting response to my mention of this in my last bulletin. David Flowers from Leeds sent me details of their Pension Schemes for Churches.The scheme was prepared for Vineyard Churches but will be appropriate across the board. To re-cap, from 2012 all employers must enrol all staff aged over 22 and earning more than £5,035 pa into a pension scheme. E-mail me if you want more information about this.

TRUSTEE TRAINING:
Please send us an e-mail if you want to be involved in a future training day. The training will take place locally or, if there is demand, local to you. It looks as though we might be able to organise one in Coventry. Let us know if this interests you. I have to make a number of trips to different parts of the UK this year and if I can fit in some training I will.

TRAINING INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS:
We have put October 14th aside to provide one day intensive training on independent examinations. It's also useful for charity treasurers and book-keepers who want to deepen their understanding of charity accounts. Email Kathy for a synopsis and costs etc. The course is filling but we can fit a few more in.

SHARED TRUSTEE POST:
Sandy Adirondack, who knows and understands more about charities that I ever will, wasn't impressed with my mention of a husband and wife sharing a trustee position. She could see all sorts of issues arising. So be warned, don't do it without a great thought and planning. One of her concerns is that it could be the thin end of a wedge; if husbands and wives can share, why not civil partners, it could end up like a job share. Better talk to us if you want to explore this so we can go into more detail.

DON'T SKIP THE WRITTEN APPLICATION:
We normally expect applications in writing for paid staff positions. Where volunteers are concerned we are often so glad that they have showed up we so often skip the written application. Don't; it's an excellent tool helping to document the selection process and bring out issues, quite apart from helping keep you from a charge of negligence if it goes wrong later.

AND FINALLY:

Some favourite quotations on courage:

Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow ( Alice Mackenzie Swaim)

Courage is contagious. When a brave man (or woman) takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened (Billy Graham)

We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world (Helen Keller)

To see what is right and not do it is want of courage (Confucius)

Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practise being brave (Mary Tyler Moore)

To face despair and not give in to it, that's courage. (Ted Koppel)

Have a good summer