The treasurer of fundraising initiative Relay for Life Clacton has been jailed after taking over £106,000 that had been raised for Cancer Research UK (CRUK).
Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday sentenced Ian Smith to three years and four months in prison for the offence.
Relay for Life Clacton, which is a volunteer-led organisation as opposed to a registered charity in itself, was gathering funds from the fundraising event to donate to CRUK.
The Essex Daily Gazette reported that in the 2016-17 financial year, Relay for Life Clacton raised £69,393, but £35,445 went missing. The following year, it raised £80,182 but £71,130 was redirected to Smith’s bank account.
Smith had pretended the missing funds had been a result of a banking error and forged documents so it appeared as if he had changed banks.
CRUK, which runs Relay for Life events across the country, said it was “shocked and disappointed” by Smith’s actions and had cancelled Relay for Life Clacton next year because of the incident.
It is currently exploring options with the Relay for Life Clacton committee, whose chair was Smith's wife, Jane Smith.
“Members of [the committee] are understandably shaken and upset by the events”, said a CRUK spokesperson.
CRUK: ‘Betrayed our trust and let down our supporters’
Trudy Stammer, head of supporter-led fundraising at CRUK, said: “We are shocked and disappointed by the actions of Ian Smith. We rely on the generosity and goodwill of the public in helping to raise money for our life-saving work. Mr Smith has betrayed our trust and let down both our supporters and colleagues.
“Relay For Life Clacton is a well-established and much-loved annual fundraising event which has been supported by the local community for over a decade, raising nearly £1m to help beat cancer sooner.
“The criminal actions of one individual must not be allowed to undermine the dedication, commitment and phenomenal support of organisers and supporters who have made an immense contribution to cancer research and have firmly cemented Relay For Life as a highlight of Essex’s fundraising events calendar.
“There are no plans to stage Relay For Life Clacton in 2023 but it is hoped that the event will make a successful return in future years.
“We’ve had messages from dedicated local volunteer fundraisers who have stated their determination to continue to help us achieve our mission, which is encouraging and deeply humbling.”
Related articles
