WIREDGOV

Charity watchdog removes Future Vision Consortium from the charity register

The Charity Commission has removed Future Vision Consortium from the charity register after determining that the organisation was no longer operating.

Future Vision Consortium was set up to provide relief in poverty, sickness, distress to those in need, and to advance education, in the United Kingdom and Somalia.

The Commission previously engaged with the charity via a double-defaulter statutory class inquiry, after the charity failed to submit accounts twice in the past five years. In response to queries from the Commission, the charity submitted financial information for a company called Future Vision Care.

This company appeared closely linked to the charity, and had similar objectives. The Commission opened an inquiry to investigate further.

Despite the charity listing five trustees, the Commission was only able to speak to one, who confirmed it was not operating.

The inquiry found:

• the charity did not have any financial or administrative documents
• there was no bank account and no income or expenditure for the charity, and no donations or funds appeared ever to have been collected.
• the status of the company could not be determined, as the company’s director did not engage with the inquiry and no longer resides in the United Kingdom.

The Commission removed the charity from the register on 17 June 2019.

Amy Spiller, Head of Investigations Team at the Charity Commission, said:

Charitable status is a privilege, reflecting the high regard charity is held by the public, but it comes with responsibilities as well as benefits. Informing the Commission when things change at your charity, or when charitable status is no longer appropriate, is an essential part of this responsibility for trustees.

The trustees of Future Vision Consortium, should have recognised this responsibility by closing their charity as soon as they ceased to operate.