Charity for hospitals only gave 10pc to health service

A CHARITY that boasted of raising money for local hospitals donated just 10 per cent of funds to the NHS, its own accounts show. The Fundraising Regulator found the Hospitals Charity committed “serious breaches”, including false claims that “every donation goes towards your local hospital”. The charity, set up the year before the pandemic, urged donors to fundraise through skydiving and bake sales, telling the public: “Your donations mean more equipment, beds and PPE at a time when it is vital, saving countless lives in your area.” Analysis of the charity’s annual accounts shows that while it collected more than £223,000 from its formation in September 2019 to August last year, only £22,240 has been distributed to NHS services. The analysis, conducted by the Health Service Journal (HSJ), found almost £105,000 was spent on “the cost of generating funds” while £19,000 was spent on “charitable activities”, such as subscriptions, and depreciation of equipment. The Fundraising Regulator started an investigation after receiving 10 complaints about the charity. It found the charity had breached the code of practice in 11 ways, which included making misleading claims about where the donations would go. The Daily Telegraph approached the Hospitals Charity for comment. A Charity Commission spokesman told HSJ it was examining concerns “including in relation to trustees’ oversight of the charity’s fundraising. We have liaised with the Fundraising Regulator about these matters.”