Madeleine's Fund timeline

Madeleine's Fund timeline

03 May 2007

At 10.00pm Madeleine is reported missing.

06 May 2007

First website set up

The official Madeleine McCann website is launched under the domain name [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] - This does not have a 'donate' button and is a simple awareness site.

The Infohost site says: 'On the 6th of May Infohost received a call from Philomena McCann, Madeleine's aunt, asking if they would set up a website to help find her neice. The website was setup that day as [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

11 May 2007

Lawyers fly in / 'No stone unturned' mentioned for first time

Portuguese newspapers report that this is the day lawyers flew into Portugal and met with the McCanns at the Ocean Club.

Extract:

English lawyers in Lagos

However, it is known to DN, that two British lawyers arrived Friday afternoon at The Ocean Club resort, and were staying there to advise the parents of Madeleine in this process. A situation that arises hours after the last presence of the parents with the PJ in Portimão, where they were interviewed for the second time, for long hours.

Although the PJ reiterate that the relatives and friends of Madeleine "do not fall under any suspicion," the presence of lawyers is nevertheless a curious fact, at a time when there is talk of a possible return to the United Kingdom by the couple. According to the PJ, there is no legal obligation to prevent the family and friends from leaving the country at this stage, since "nobody has been made an arguido".

Diário de Notícias (Portuguese language)

Gerry McCann reads a short prepared statement to the waiting press on the road outside their holiday apartment. He specifically emphasises that they will 'leave no stone unturned' in the search for Madeleine. He also mentions how grateful they are with the offers of support they have received both from home and around the world.

It would appear from this statement that the name of the company had already been decided and that this was a form of public preparation for the launch of Madeleine's Fund. Video link here.

12 May 2007

[Information previously contained here has been removed whilst the accuracy/source is checked]

13 May 2007

McCann lawyers arrival officially acknowledged

It emerges, for the first time officially, that London lawyers have flown to Portugal to assist the McCanns, and are setting up a special "fighting fund" to allow members of the public to make their own financial contribution to the search.

McCann family members in the UK confirm that 2 leading UK lawyers from the International Family Law Group (IFLG), specialising in divorce settlements where the affected parties are from different countries, have been hired.


The IFLG issue the following 'media release' on their website Link here:

13 May 2007

Embargo: None

Media Release

Last week, Gerry and Kate McCann instructed The International Family Law Group, London specialist lawyers in child abduction and international family law, together with Michael Nicholls QC of 1 Hare Court, to help them in the search for Madeleine. They have been visiting the family in Portugal.

Gerry and Kate are very grateful for all the support and generous offers of help that they are receiving. Details of how contributions can be made to help get Madeleine back to the safety of her own family will be made available in the next couple of days.

14 May 2007

McCanns lawyers approach the Charity Commission

"We were first approached for our advice about the possibility of a fund to assist the parents' search on Monday 14 May," explained a spokeswoman for the Commission. "We held discussions with the family's lawyers and in the end they decided not to pursue that route."

Gerry reveals help from two British lawyers at press conference

Kate and Gerry answer questions from the media for the first time, on the road outside their holiday apartment. Gerry says he is now being helped by two British lawyers from the Family Law Group on how best to use money pledged to help find Madeleine and give assistance in Portuguese legal processes.

He said: "We have felt a burden lifted from our shoulders. It is one less thing to think about. It has allowed us to concentrate more on our own physical and mental wellbeing. We do need to spend more time focusing on that and with our twins Sean and Amelie. We do wish to keep communicating with the media however as this is essential in the search for Maddy."

Public fund to aid Madeleine hunt BBC News

Last Updated: Monday, 14 May 2007, 00:56 GMT 01:56 UK

A "fighting fund" to which members of the public can donate to help in the search for missing Madeleine McCann is being set up by her family's lawyers.

The legal team, which has flown out to Portugal, will reveal details of the fund within the next few days.

The lawyers will help with liaison and will not interfere with the inquiry, Madeleine's uncle John McCann has said.

Rewards of £2.5m have been offered to anyone with information leading to the four-year-old's safe return.

Madeleine, from Rothley, Leicestershire, disappeared from an apartment in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz on 3 May.

A spokesman for the International Family Law Group, the legal company helping the McCanns, said: "Gerry and Kate are very grateful for all the support and generous offers of help that they are receiving.

"Details of how contributions can be made to help get Madeleine back to the safety of her own family will be made available in the next couple of days."

15 May 2007

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.

16 May 2007

Madeleine's Fund and new website launched

Madeleine's Fund is officially launched as a campaign to support her parents, find the missing youngster and bring her home.
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Much more information about the Fund can be seen on mccannfiles [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

A Chronological Record of Madeleine's Fund: Leaving No Stone Unturned Limited Company
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Well put together Get'em. I think a copy of this should be placed in the Library too and locked.

it came from mccannfiles, Stella.

The seventh of May 2007 was a Bank Holiday. So the lawyers and company house were even quicker than we thought?

Sorry if I'm being dim Tigger but is the date of the Bank Holiday relevant when the first time solicitors were mentioned in respect of setting up a company was 11th May, four days later?

Marian wrote:Sorry if I'm being dim Tigger but is the date of the Bank Holiday relevant when the first time solicitors were mentioned in respect of setting up a company was 11th May, four days later?

Yes, because otherwise the Fund would have been up and running at least a day earlier. It was quite a tour de force anyway, with a Bank Holiday in between, which usually snarls up communications for a few working days, it's nothing short of miraculous.

Quote from IFLG on 13/5/07 - "Last week, Gerry and Kate McCann instructed The International Family Law Group, London specialist lawyers in child abduction and international family law, together with Michael Nicholls QC of 1 Hare Court, to help them in the search for Madeleine. They have been visiting the family in Portugal."

13th May 2007 was a Sunday so when they talk about "last week" when exactly do they mean?

I would say the week leading up to the 13.
And that is pretty damn fast.................

If they had been so on top of their parenting duties they would not have needed a fund.

But why did they even need a fund? Do other parents of missing children ask for money? The police, and the locals who took time off work, were out looking for their daughter while they went jogging. Madeleine had only been gone a week or so when they wanted money, money, money.

Why did they want money?

happychick wrote:But why did they even need a fund? Do other parents of missing children ask for money? The police, and the locals who took time off work, were out looking for their daughter while they went jogging. Madeleine had only been gone a week or so when they wanted money, money, money.
Why did they want money?

Particularly since there was always a possibility (at least they wished to let the world know there was a possibility) that Maddie would be found very soon.
Brother John gave up his well paid job to run the Fund. Not a week's leave, a bit of compassionate, a sabbatical. He resigned.

What conclusion is one to draw ?
What logical inference may be seen from these circumstances ?
What does not stretch credulity ?
What accords with Occam's Razor ?

Almost only one thing.

They knew that Madeleine would not be found. Not ever. They knew that, Brother John knew that, and possibly several other people knew that.
Snr Amaral did not know that at the time, but he deduced it.

I have recently sent this email to the fund's campaign people

Hi there.

My FULL support in finding MADELEINE, but may I ask YOU to answer a couple of questions for me?

I have downloaded copies of MADELEINE'S Fund annual accounts from Companies House ref: 06248215 and I have FULL DISCLOSURE for 2007 - 08 (12 Pages).

It seems that the 2009 and 2010 accounts are MISSING Acrobat page numbers 11+12 (Actual Company Account page numbers are 9+10) for both years and I wondered

1: WHY are they available for 2008 and NOT for 2009 and 2010?

2: WHERE would I be able to obtain copies of Acrobat page numbers 11+12 (Actual Company Account page numbers 9+10) of these 2009 AND 2010 accounts.

IMPORTANTLY, it may appear to some that the NON DISCLOSURE of these very important and financially detailed pages are HIDING something being that they are freely available from Companies House for the MADELEINE'S fund initial 1st year accounts of 2007-2008? It could just be an ACCIDENTAL mistake or OVERSIGHT by the auditors, but I would be most grateful if YOU could advise me on how to obtain the BODY of INFORMATION that I am requesting?

PLEASE could YOU advise as to where I could aquire the MISSING pages of the MADELEINE'S Fund accounts published 2009 and 2010?

Many thanks and good luck with your SEARCH.

GOD BLESS x

Steve

I have not yet received a reply and I am really not hopeful of getting one!

I have all 3 copies of the accounts 2007-08, 08-09 and 2009-10 plus the incorporation documents which can be obtained from [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Another useful website that give's you the history and directorships of each individual Madeleine's Fund board member is [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

While investigating the Directors links I discovered that Brian Kennedy (Not to be confused with the Uncle of the same name) and MR Edward Gerald Smethurst are involved in this charity [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] which was set up in April 2008 as "THE BRIAN KENNEDY CHARITABLE SETTLEMENT (Old Name)" They are both on the Board of Directors for the Madeleine Fund. I have no idea if this trust is connect to the McCanns or the Fund, but found this an intersting connection.

Back to my original query and I am perplexed as to why the Funds accounts are missing these very detailed expenditure pages as they were included in the 1st set of accounts published in 2008 for the year 2007-08, the 1st year of the search for Madeleine?

Am I as the McCann's might say like one of the 'Cadavar' dogs.....Barking up the wrong tree? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Steve,

the answer is simple. the pages are not missing - they were not filed with Companies house.

As the Fund is only an ordinary ltd company it does not have to file an analysis of its expenditure. In 2008 it did, but that lead to nasty people saying that it appeared that only 13% of income was spent on searching for Madeleine. the analysis showed a lot of money going on legal and other fees and raised many issues.

The analysis pages would have been prepared for internal purposes, but clearly the Mccanns instructed the auditors not to file them as it is not legally necessary.

It is very good practice for companies that claim to be 'not for profit' to file full information despite not being required to. Kate said something in the book about the Fund being accountable and transparent whatever it cost !!!! I am not joking.

I do not think you will get an answer to your email.

The next accounts (year to March 2011) will have to be filed by the end of the year. we can look forward to the revalations therein.

On your other point - are you saying Brian Kennedy (millionaire) is on the Board of the Fund. He is not. That is Brian Kennedy (uncle). Mr Smethurst is a director of the Fund and also of the Brian Kennedy Charitable trust you mention.

My mistake, it is infact the uncle on the McCann's Board, but BK the millionaire has been quite generous in his financial support for the McCann's. I just wondered if there was a connection to the BK Trust.

Oh what a tangled web they weave?

So the bottom line is that the McCann's do not want us to see what the money is being spent on because they really have nothing to hide? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Oh the irony, no wonder they threw me off the FindMadeleine Facebook page when someone claimed that the PJ was 100% involved in the apparent abduction and that was why the "did very little", backed up by Kate's claims in her biography....sorry I meant Madeleine's book! I also refered her to the 1000's of pages of PJ evidence that were available online via a link.

That FB page is full of wellwishers suffering from "The Diana Grieving" syndrome and have absolutely no clue except what they choose to believe from the McCann's. It sickens me at the thought that 2 middle class professionals can get away with negligence. I'll say no more on that!

Here is a link to the astrological chart that I have used as my avatar [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] It has a very interesting conclusion. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

steevo1962

The McCanns' fund is not transparent and accountable despite what they say on their website. It is only tax transparent (i.e. the Inland Revenue is told all the facts that they need) not transparent to their "donors" (these being small children going on fun runs, emptying their piggy banks etc. As said before they only release the minimum information allowed for a Limited Company by UK law yet promise to run their accounts in accordance with the Institute Of Fundraising best practices (and do not).

The only (slight) connection I have seen to Mr Windows and the McCanns is the much publicised (and filmed) donation by Mr Windows to the "Save the Family" organization in Flint which is a stones-throw from Mr Cowleys now deceased Alphaig Investigations Company.


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No connection with the McCanns as far as I can see but the Brian Kennedy Trust (charity) only traded for year ended March 2009 (according to charity commission - no accounts for March 2010?) and although income was £676k expenditure only 88k leaving £588k surplus (where did that go or have charity commission forgot to add 2010 accounts?)

Copy of accounts here

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