The Institute of Fundraising has published a letter from its chief executive, responding to former leader Stephen Lee's call for the IoF to suspend Oxfam, the British Red Cross, NSPCC and Macmillan Cancer Support.
At the IoF’s Annual General Meeting, held during its Fundraising Convention in London earlier in the week, Lee spoke from the floor to call for the IoF’s board to revoke the memberships of the British Red Cross, Macmillan, NSPCC and Oxfam GB, as well as two agencies NTT and Listen Ltd, for breaches to the Code of Fundraising Practice and, by extension, the IoF’s own Articles of Association.
Professor Lee, the former director of the Institute of Fundraising, said that the board had reason to investigate and possibly remove the membership of the charities after they had been found guilty by the FRSB of breaching the Code of Fundraising Practice in the last 12 months.
In his letter Peter Lewis, chief executive of the Institute of Fundraising, said that Lee’s decision to publicly air his grievances – both at the AGM itself and “an online column” – was frustrating and unhelpful.
“The last year has been incredibly tough for the whole fundraising community and the thousands of fundraisers we support around the UK. This meant that this year’s Fundraising Convention has been a tremendous opportunity for them to come together, discuss and debate the external challenges and opportunities and share their insights and thoughts on best practice.
“I am therefore personally frustrated and saddened that as an Honorary Fellow and former director of the Institute you chose the floor of our Annual General Meeting and an online column as the first forum to air your concerns about this matter, rather than contact me or a member of my team directly”.
Lewis also wrote that, “due to the concern and upset your comments have caused members”, he was forced to publish the letter “in the public domain to provide both reassurance and an accurate account of our approach to maintain and championing fundraising standards”.
At the AGM, Lee accused Lewis of not “understanding your own Articles of Association”, an allegation Lewis refuted. Lewis outlined at the time that the IoF board did not wish to “duplicate” the investigatory work of the FRSB, a role that has now passed to the Fundraising Regulator.
Lewis builds on that argument in his letter, a full copy of which can be viewed here.
Related articles
