The Charity Commission has opened a compliance case into a Wiltshire-based emergency response charity after its supporters received anonymous emails making “unfounded” allegations.
REACT Disaster Response sends teams comprising military and emergency-service veterans to provide humanitarian assistance, both in the UK and abroad, including after the recent catastrophic floods on the Nepal-Tibet border.
A statement from the charity says that over the past six months, it has “become aware of three separate incidents involving anonymous communications, which we believe were intended to damage the charity”.
“These unfounded allegations have been reported to the Charity Commission and police, following legal advice,” its spokesperson said.
The commission confirmed it had opened a regulatory compliance case into REACT Disaster Response “in relation to potential concerns raised with us”, and said it was engaging with the charity’s trustees.
‘Malicious activity’
The Salisbury Journal reported on 16 October that it had approached REACT, whose main office is in Salisbury, after being contacted by people “describing themselves as concerned volunteers and staff at the organisation”.
It added that it had seen an internal message sent by REACT’s chief executive Toby Wicks to volunteers referring to “recent malicious email activity affecting REACT”.
That message said the commission as well as auditors and trustees had been informed and that, following legal advice, the matter had also been referred to police for consideration.
REACT told the Salisbury Journal it had contacted the police over the incidents “because we’re concerned about the pattern, distribution and potential impact on the organisation and its people”.
The charity’s statement to Civil Society says it is “taking all concerns seriously” and has established an additional confidential channel for anyone wishing to report concerns “as a precautionary measure”.
“We continue to cooperate fully with the Charity Commission and have nothing further to add at this stage,” REACT’s statement reads.
