Charities and The McCann Fund - Discussion Thread

[Autumn]

Gerry's latest fund-raising venture, this time on the back of the Macmillan Charity, is worrying to say the least. Many people, inlcluding those organising charitable events, are unware that the McCann Fund is a Private Company and, as such, operates under a different set of guidelines than those that apply to charities. As it seems likely that the McCanns will be participating in future charitable events with the intention of boosting the funds of their private company, perhaps we should consider ways of raising public awareness about the fund?

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Madeleine's Fund incorporated

Date of incorporation of 'Madeleine's Fund: Leaving No Stone Unturned Limited' with Companies House as a private, limited by guarantee, no share capital company.

It is thought the original idea was to set the fund up as a charity but this was rejected, according to The Times, when it became clear that a charity cannot be operated for the sole benefit of one person. The Charity Commission later denied this.

One of the things that distinguishes a limited company from a charity is that it does not have all the rules and regulations which govern the conduct of the fundraising and which controls the proportion of the charities funds that are spent on overheads, expenses and wages etc.

It was also reported at the time that the Charity Commission was extremely disturbed at the way the Fund was being advertised as it gave people the impression that they were donating to a charity - not a private limited company.

The reality is, however unpalatable, that Madeleine's Fund is a private limited company and can therefore spend the money donated in any way it so chooses. The memorandum of association is so wide that practically any expenditure could be approved by the board of directors

[vaguely1]

Will this include all private fund raising ventures (sick children needing medical care abroad) or is this purely in relation to the McCanns. I worry about the impact that this type of 'awareness' raising may have on other families desperate to raise money who fall outside of the charity remit but take part in these events.

ty

[Autumn]

I think it would be a good idea to forward information relating specifically to the McCann Fund, either in leaflet or booklet form, to charities and eventually the wider general public.

[vaguely1]

I think you'll find that a lot of charities now have a green charter and would prefer it if you would used electronic media. They're not so keen on people wasting paper nowadays.

You can save on postage too Autumn.

[Autumn]

Thanks for your advice, Vaguely. Probably leaflets are the way forward.

FAQS [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] (as at 04 February 2009)http://www.mccannfiles.com/id58.html 1. What are the objects of Madeleine's Fund? Madeleine's fund is a non-charitable not-for-profit company, which has been established to help find Madeleine McCann, to support her family, and to bring her abductors to justice. Any surplus funds will be used to help families and missing children in the United Kingdom, Portugal and elsewhere in similar circumstances. The full objects of the Fund are: To secure the safe return to her family of Madeleine McCann who was abducted in Praia da Luz, Portugal on Thursday 3rd May 2007; To procure that Madeleine's abduction is thoroughly investigated and that her abductors, as well as those who played or play any part in assisting them, are identified and brought to justice; To provide support, including financial assistance, to Madeleine’s family. If the above objects are fulfilled then the objects of the Foundation shall be to pursue such purposes in similar cases arising in the United Kingdom, Portugal or elsewhere. 2. Is Madeleine's Fund a registered charity? No, Madeleine's Fund is registered as a company limited by guarantee. Its company registration number is 6248215. 3. What are the registered details of the Madeleine's Fund? Madeleine's Fund: Leaving No Stone Unturned Limited is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, CRN 6248215. Registered office: 2-6 Cannon Street, London EC4M 6YH. 4. Why is Madeleine's Fund not registered as a charity? In England & Wales, registered charities are required to demonstrate public benefit. Because Madeleine's Fund is currently focussed on searching for one child, Madeleine McCann, it cannot register as a charity. However, it may be able to register as a charity in the future. At the point the Fund starts to focus on abductions generally, public benefit may be demonstrable and the Fund may be able to register as a charity. 5. Can you claim Gift Aid on my donation to Madeleine's Fund? No, Gift Aid is only available to registered charities. 6. Can I claim tax relief on my donation to Madeleine's Fund? No. In the UK, tax relief is only available for charitable donations. Because Madeleine's Fund is not a registered charity, tax relief is not applicable to donations made to the Fund. 7. I have a charity account with Charities Aid Foundation from which I make regular donations with my vouchers. Can I use this to donate to Madeleine's Fund? No. These accounts are used to obtain tax relief for charitable donations. As Madeleine's Fund is not a registered charity, it is inadmissible for this. 8. If Madeleine's Fund isn't a charity who is regulating it? The Fund is subject to Company Law applicable in England and Wales and will be filing required returns with both Companies House and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. Internally, in so far as is relevant and taking into account differences in structure, the Fund is aspiring to follow best practice policies and processes used by charities. The directors have reviewed its operation against "Good Governance: A Code for the Voluntary and Community Sector". This sets out best practice requirements for charities. The Fund also has: a Financial Procedures Manual job descriptions for directors, chair and treasurer clearly laid out policies and processes for: payments expense claims risk management whistle blowing registering conflicts of interest 9. Who are the directors of Madeleine's Fund? There are seven directors of the Fund. They are: Peter Hubner; a retired consultant; Brian Kennedy, a retired head teacher; John McCann, a medical representative; Edward Smethurst – A Commercial lawyer; Doug Skehan, clinical director in cardiology at Glenfield Hospital; Jon Corner – Director of a media company; Michael Linnett, a retired accountant 10. Are the directors paid? The directors are not paid as directors of the company. However, they may, if family members, be beneficiaries of the Fund and they may, as is the case with some registered charities, be paid for providing services to the Fund. The Fund has established conflict of interest policies to deal with these situations. Currently, as at the end of August 2007, none of the directors are being paid for providing services to the Fund. 11. I've heard the directors are members of Madeleine's family. Is this true? Two of the directors, Brian Kennedy and John McCann, are members of Madeleine's family. The other five directors are independent appointments. They were appointed to ensure the Board of Directors had independence and the range of skills required to manage the Fund. 12. But surely family members shouldn't be directors because the Fund is set up to support the family? It is true that family members, including those on the Board, can benefit from the Fund. However, the Fund has a conflict of interest policy to manage this situation. Those directors who are members of Madeleine's family cannot vote in discussions relating to payments to family members. They also cannot sign cheques payable to themselves or other members of the family. The only exception to this was some small initial payments to family members made before the independent directors had signed the bank mandate. 13. I've heard that Kate and Gerry McCann might benefit from the Fund. Is this true? Yes – the fund has provided support to Kate and Gerry. One of the reasons the fund was established was to support Madeleine's family and such financial assistance is one of its specific objectives. This assistance to Kate and Gerry was a subsistence allowance, provided whilst they were on unpaid leave from work and enabled them to push forward the campaign to find Madeleine. The directors approve all payments to Kate and Gerry, with family members not having a vote. Financial support given to Kate and Gerry since Gerry returned to work is negligible. 14. What is the money being spent on? The Fund is supporting the McCann family during their search for Madeleine and in ensuring a high profile of Madeleine's abduction is maintained. Money spent to date has been on : - supporting the private investigation to find Madeleine; - ongoing public awareness raising ; - establishing and updating the website ; - family expenses; and, - professional fee, including concerning international law on child abduction and the costs of setting up the Fund The directors continue to review the future strategy of the Fund to ensure effective use of the funds 15. Who are the professional advisors to the Fund? The Fund's lawyers are Bates Wells Braithwaite, 2-6 Cannon Street, London, EC4M 6YH. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Auditors are Haysmacintyre, Fairfax House, 15 Fulwood Place, London,WC1V 6AY. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Bankers are National Westminster Bank plc., 3rd Floor, Cavell House, 2A Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0NN [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Sorry print is so tiny - anyone know how to make it larger?

[vaguely1]

Excellent, well don't forget to invest in recycled [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]


re making the writing bigger, if anyone wants to read it they can just ctrl + and it enlarged the text on the screen.

Not ideal, but it might help.

[justagrannynow 1]

Am I incorrect in thinking that the only Fund directors now are Kate and Gerry McCann? If so, how does point 12 function?


12. But surely family members shouldn't be directors
because the Fund is set up to support the family?
It
is true that family members, including those on the Board, can benefit
from the Fund. However, the Fund has a conflict of interest policy to
manage this situation. Those directors who are members of Madeleine's
family cannot vote in discussions relating to payments to family
members. They also cannot sign cheques payable to themselves or other
members of the family. The only exception to this was some small initial
payments to family members made before the independent directors had
signed the bank mandate.

[Autumn]

Thanks Jill [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] anyone else having problems copying and pasting from mccannfiles?

[justagrannynow 1]

I am having problems doing C&P from anywhere but assumed it was due to the problems with our site which Jill mentioned some time ago.

Please don't go in the engine room Jill !!!! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

[Jill Havern]

I am having problems doing C&P from anywhere but assumed it was due to the problems with our site which Jill mentioned some time ago.

Please don't go in the engine room Jill !!!! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I also have problems with mccannfiles but...I think the 'quote' button thingy is working properly again now [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

[justagrannynow 1]

Just found this on MM. Anybody know anything about it ?

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[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] deborah
Today at 2:28 pmI actually dont give 2 hoots what it
says on Gerrys company website- I am talking about Macmillans site
saying that people are welcome to ride for a charity of their choice and
findmadeleine is NOT a charity - and he has still not bothered to
acknowledge Macmillan out of decency or courtesy - I will tell you what I
was going to do - I was going to do a sponsored walk - presuming Gerry
would have altered his "mistake " by the time I came back from Spain
this morning- he has had the time to do so and has chosen not to and
chosen not to give a small per cent of his sponsor money to Macmillan -
which would have been great, so now I will do that sponsored walk - from
Barcelona to Luz - I will give 90 per cent to Macmillan and 10 per cent
to findmadeleine - I will give out Findmadeleine posters along the
route-- Oh and Gerry - if you want to join me feel free



Last edited by deborah on Thu 20
May 2010, 2:34 pm; edited 2 times in total

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Walk from Barcelona to Luz !!!! Is there a Luz around Barcelona or is she talking about PDL, Algarve ?

[kary]

I THINK she's talking about Luz, Algarve - it will take longer than abseiling down a huge building thus providing more time to raise funds


ETA @ 18:28

I decided whilst in Spain and speaking to people that I will do the walk
- it is for a much longer period of time and should raise more money -.....

[ufercoffy]

She's very rude to a lot of people on that forum.

[littlepixie]

I think deborah is stringing genuine posters along on that forum.

[Autumn]

I think deborah is stringing genuine posters along on that forum.

Apparantly she wants to distribute findmadeleine posters along the route [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

[kary]

I think deborah is stringing genuine posters along on that forum.

Apparantly she wants to distribute findmadeleine posters along the route [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I wonder if she knows how long the route is?? I hope she's got good walking boots.

[ufercoffy]

I think deborah is stringing genuine posters along on that forum.

Apparantly she wants to distribute findmadeleine posters along the route [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I wonder if she knows how long the route is?? I hope she's got good walking boots.

I think someone should tell her it's only a few hundred yards and stilettos will be fine.

[justagrannynow 1]

Is our deborah planning to do this during the summer ? Never mind the walking boots, she is going to need Factor 200+ !!!

There was a time when the activities of Ms Butler angered me, but now it is all becoming laughable.

[ufercoffy]

Didn't she say she was going to make placards? Whatever became of those? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Why did she bother setting up the MF if she now feels able to do a sponsored walk and hand out find madeleine leaflets? Isn't that a little contradictory to how she used to feel? I don't understand what her game is since she chatted to Clarrie and...erm, Jo.

If she now believes Madeleine is findable then she should be seen to be working for the McCanns instead of posting in a missing Madeleine forum saying she's going to make placards to ruin Gerry's cycle race, because she sends out very mixed messages and I don't believe anything she says anymore. She comes across as desperate to regain credibility, but its too late for that because she's already shown what a nutjob she is.

[kary]

Didn't she say she was going to make placards? Whatever became of those? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Why did she bother setting up the MF if she now feels able to do a sponsored walk and hand out find madeleine leaflets? Isn't that a little contradictory to how she used to feel? I don't understand what her game is since she chatted to Clarrie and...erm, Jo.

If she now believes Madeleine is findable then she should be seen to be working for the McCanns instead of posting in a missing Madeleine forum saying she's going to make placards to ruin Gerry's cycle race, because she sends out very mixed messages and I don't believe anything she says anymore. She comes across as desperate to regain credibility, but its too late for that because she's already shown what a nutjob she is.

Did she set up MF??

Possibly she is working for the McCanns??

[Autumn]

Didn't she say she was going to make placards? Whatever became of those? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Why did she bother setting up the MF if she now feels able to do a sponsored walk and hand out find madeleine leaflets? Isn't that a little contradictory to how she used to feel? I don't understand what her game is since she chatted to Clarrie and...erm, Jo.

If she now believes Madeleine is findable then she should be seen to be working for the McCanns instead of posting in a missing Madeleine forum saying she's going to make placards to ruin Gerry's cycle race, because she sends out very mixed messages and I don't believe anything she says anymore. She comes across as desperate to regain credibility, but its too late for that because she's already shown what a nutjob she is.

Did she set up MF??

Possibly she is working for the McCanns??

I believe Butler has been working for the McCanns for some time now and members of MM have good reason to be very wary of her. She states quite clearly on the MM forum that she intends to participate in a walk during which she will distribute findmadeleine leaflets and donate some of her dontations to the McCann Fund - what more proof do the members of MM need as to where here allegiance lies?

[baconbutty]

You only have to take a look at her posts on the cycling thread to see that these are not the products of a rational mind. She leaps in with one half-baked, grandiose scheme, then a totally different one, and another -- none of which have been thought through to any degree. The word 'impulsiveness' hardly begins to cover it.

I'm now waiting for the 'How many of you would put yourselves on the line like I have?' post.

It is strange though that since her rift with Tony Bennett she is now constantly making these small concessions towards the McCann camp. She must realise how that looks to other members, and yet she doesn't seem to care.

What puzzles me is this. How is someone with such an unstable, incoherent mindset able to run their own, presumably successful, business?

[justagrannynow 1]

We have an update from deborah [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]


Posted on MM

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[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] deborah
Today at 5:00 pmthanks - as it happens I am going to
Macmillan offices Thursday to collect sponsor forms and t shirts for
sponsored walk

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No mention of collecting the Find Madeleine posters.

[littlepixie]

Was she always like this? I think she works for the McCanns too. I've spoken to people who have met her and they say she is/was really nice. She didnt come across as nice on the MM when I was there.

Maybe the threat from Carter Ruck sent her doo-lally or maybe the trade off was that she tries to entrap people.

Who knows.

[ufercoffy]

She's also updated her forum:

"I will be doing a sponsored walk from Barcelona along a coastal route to Praia da Luz - along the way I shall be reminding people of Madeleine McCann and also raising money for MacMillan Cancer charity , I shall also be donating 10 per cent of the money to Findmadeleine , If anyone wishes to join me - including Kate and Gerry they would be most welcome to do so . I will announce the date and already have a teacher in a Spanish school that will be joining me for a short distance in the region where she lives"


"If you dont mind I will decide the date that I will do the walk when I have arranged for my daughter to care for my son and also bring him too for 2 weeks to join me as he want to walk a little way with me - its not for your convenience that I am arranging this and I dont want publicity thanks - cant stand it - so thanks for your mocking sponsorship support but if you truly feel like you do then dont bother - I shall have plenty of people to sponsor me that will do so kindly
eta this post aimed at pfa2 bonnybraes j4"

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And she seems to be having her right to reply to the PFA crew too:

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"If you think it will make riveting viewing and provide me with one then yes although I am hardly going round the world am I ? It is around 1000 miles"

1000 miles??? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] You go Debbie! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

[Autumn]

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The Barcelona - Praia Da Luz Sponsored Walk Update [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I think about 1000 miles , I plan to do 30 miles a day starting 6am , so its got to take 5 weeks I reckon - posted by Debbie Butler


Deborah - have you ever walked 30 miles in a day?? Walking 30 miles a day in Spain/Portugal from 21st June onwards is a very serious challenge. For someone who proclaims to live in Spain, you should know. I presume she's going to be carrying a 30-40lb backpack. And she "thinks" it's about 1,000 miles??? She doesn't know precisely?? In UK, in a flattish city environment, you can estimate 3 miles per hour. In the UK countryside, that estimate can go out of the window - because it depends on the terrain - posted by Carmen


[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] deborah Today at 10:18 am

I can fit this walk in if I do it at the date in June - I havent done a walk before but had practice at weekend from boxley to Charing while son at football tournament so had all day and it was ok , also swimming in mornings - dont know what use that willl be !!--






[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] What planet does Butler live on? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

[justagrannynow 1]

She is going to do a detour to one of the islands to walk round that too !!!!!

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[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] deborah
Today at 10:18 I can fit this walk in if I do it at
the date in June - I havent done a walk before but had practice at
weekend from boxley to Charing while son at football tournament so had
all day and it was ok , also swimming in mornings - dont know what use
that willl be !!-- I am going to walk near coast where possible to get
any breeze there may be , I am taking bare minimum - just light
rucksack with cream and underwear etc , will have to sleep somewhere and
will play it by ear as I wont know exactly where I will end up each day
so will look for small hotel etc to keep my costs down . Going to
Macmillan today and they are providing t shirts and sponsor forms etc .
I am looking forward to doing it , and will be nice if I can meet with
Mumbles who has said they will walk their Island with me

[Autumn]

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] Morning Justagran

I recently took part in a sponsored 40 mile walk (an annual event in my area) and can tell you that next day I was unable to stand up, let alone walk much!!!!
Even those used to walking needed to recover afterwards. True to form, clearly Debbie has given this idea little or no thought and just says the first thing that pops into her head, probably to gain attention. Nice to see at least one MM member querying her increasingly bizarre schemes [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

[littlepixie]

Is Debbie taking the p*ss - went for a walk while her son was at a football tournament [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

eta She's already got £70 of donations!!

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[justagrannynow 1]

Chaos Raptors say they are supporting her. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

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Ms Butler walks Spain in Aid of MacMillan Fund

Wednesday, 26 May 2010 08:27
Dark Therapy


What was initially greeted with some
scepticism has now been shown to be quite a worthwhile endeavour.

Ms Debbie Butler, former chair
person of the Madeleine Foundation has declared that she is to undertake
a sponsored walk starting in Spain and ending in Portugal. All proceeds
to be donated to MacMillan
Cancer Research and it has also been stated that a percentage of
the total donations will be given to the Find Madeleine Fund.

There is already a strong interest from the various sides of the community
willing to sponsor Ms Butler and we are also fully supporting her in
this as the charity she has chosen to support does fantastic work for
people suffering from cancer.

Ms Butler has said that more details on
how to sponsor her will be made available this coming Thursday, 27th May 2010.

Official
Sponsorship site for Ms Butler