Our regular round-up of the top stories about charities in the mainstream media.
Memorial concert for David Bowie to be streamed live for charity
The ‘Music of David Bowie’ tribute concert, which will be held in New York on Friday, will be streamed live by Skype in exchange for £15 donations which will go to charity.
According to the BBC, all “net proceeds will be given to a variety of arts, music and education charities” from the event, which will be held at Radio City Music Hall on 1 April.
18 artists are currently confirmed to play at the tribute concert to honour Bowie, who died of cancer in January.
Daily Mail accuses League Against Cruel Sports of spending charitable donations on former chief executive’s legal bills
The League Against Cruel Sports trustee board allegedly agreed to cover all of its then chief executive’s legal bills using donations after he was involved in a pub brawl, according to the Daily Mail.
According to the Mail, records from a meeting of the board in December 2014 showed trustees “unanimously agreed” to use charitable funds to meet Joe Duckworth’s £12,000 legal fees after he was involved in a fight at a pub in Dorking in October of that year.
The Charity Commission said that the original information it received at the time did not suggest the accusation was true. However, “following further concerns that have been raised” it has now made contact with the charity and will meet with its trustees to ascertain if it is true.
Lionel Messi boot donation ‘offends Egypt’
Footballer Lionel Messi’s offer to donate a pair of boots to an Egyptian charity auction has been “misinterpreted in Egypt as a sign of disrespect,” according to the Independent Online.
Messi, who made the offer on Egyptian television, has been condemned by the Egyptian Football Association and by an Egyptian MP. According to the Independent, shoes can be used “as a symbol of disrespect or insult” in Egypt and other Arabic countries.
Azmy Megahed, an Egyptian FA representative, said: “I’m confused, if he intends to humiliate us, then I say he better put those shoes on his head and on the heads of the people supporting him. Give your shoes to your country, Argentina is full of poverty."
