The Captain Tom Foundation has said it is now closed to donations after family members of the late fundraiser were accused this week of using the charity’s name to build a spa and pool complex.
It has published a statement dated this month on its website saying it is “not presently actively seeking any funding from donors” while a Charity Commission investigation into the organisation continues.
The Sun reported this week that Hannah Ingram-Moore and her husband Colin told planners they wanted an office for the charity at their £1.2m home, and then built a 50ft by 20ft pool house with changing rooms, toilets and showers.
They had applied in their own names for planning permission but used the charity’s name in the design and access and heritage statement, the paper reported.
Trustees at the Captain Tom Foundation told the Sun: “At no time were the Captain Tom Foundation’s independent trustees aware of planning permissions made by Mr and Mrs Ingram-Moore purporting to be in the foundation’s name.
“Had they been aware of any applications, the independent trustees would not have authorised them.”
Retrospective planning permission denied
Hannah Ingram-Moore has been told to knock down the unauthorised building. In November 2022, Central Bedfordshire Council had refused a retrospective planning permission for revised plans.
A council spokesperson said: “An enforcement notice requiring the demolition of the now-unauthorised building was issued and this is now subject to an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.”
The reasons listed on the council website state: “The proposed outbuilding, would result in unacceptable harm by virtue of size, design and siting within the curtilage of a listed building and would lead to an overdevelopment of the site comprising an unsympathetic and dominating structure that fails to represent the informal open character of the site and lacks the due subservience.
“It would represent an incongruous urbanising addition at odds with the character of the site and the surrounding area.”
Charity closed to donations
A statement on the charity’s website dated this month reads: “At this moment in time, the sole focus of the Captain Tom Foundation is to ensure that it cooperates fully with the on-going statutory inquiry by the Charity Commission.
“As a result, the Captain Tom Foundation is not presently actively seeking any funding from donors. Accordingly, we have also taken the decision to close all payment channels whilst the statutory inquiry remains open. Once the findings of the statutory inquiry have been communicated, the Captain Tom Foundation will be in a better position to make a decision in relation to its future, but for now, our main priority is to assist the Charity Commission with its enquiry.
In the meantime, on behalf of the trustees of the Captain Tom Foundation, we wish to extend a warm thank you to all our supporters who have enabled us to help charities that were close to Captain Sir Tom’s heart.”
Investigation
In June last year, the charity regulator opened a statutory inquiry into the Captain Tom Foundation, after identifying concerns about the charity’s management, including its independence from the family of the late Tom Moore and businesses connected to them.
The Commission said its inquiry into the Captain Tom Foundation remains ongoing, and that it does not comment or provide updates on ongoing inquiries.
The £38m raised by Tom Moore and donated to a separate charity, NHS Charities Together, prior to the formation of the foundation, is not part of the scope of this inquiry.
Civil Society has contacted Hannah Ingram-Moore and the charity for further comment.
Editor's note: This article was updated on 5 July to include further details.
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