Civil Society News is bringing you a festive countdown in the run-up to Christmas. On the eighth day we look back at the ten most-read news stories from July to September.
From controversy over the 'ownership' of a viral fundraising campaign to Nick Hurd's surprise resignation, there was certainly noshortage of news this summer.
1. Macmillan: We did not hijack #icebucketchallenge
In the summer the #icebucketchallenge picked up where the #nomakeupselfie left off. Again the exact origins of this viral fundraising craze weren’t clear, but when a number of American celebrities supported the motor neurone disease charity ALS Association the challenge quickly became associated with that cause, and UK particpants were encouraged to give to the Motor Neurone Disease Association. As a result criticism was levelled at Macmillan Cancer Support, which had been encouraging its supporters to get involved.
Macmillan first noticed the craze taking place in New Zealand around a month before it took off in the UK. It said that the challenge was not being done for one charity in particular, but those taking part were choosing a cancer charity to donate to.
A spokeswoman told Civil Society News: “A few of our supporters spotted it and did it for Macmillan in the UK. We thought this was fantastic and tried to encourage more people to take on the challenge for us, spreading the word to all our supporters through our social media channels and support for us has grown from there.”
The Cancer Society, a cancer charity in New Zealand, thanked those who had so far donated through the “Ice Water Challenge” in a statement dated 8 July 2014. Macmillan went on to receive its first donation as a result of the challenge on 23 July.
By the end of August Macmillan had raised £3m from the challenge and the Motor Neurone Disease Association had raised £2m.
2. Brooks Newmark: charities should ‘stick to their knitting’ and keep out of politics
In his short spell as minister for civil society Brooks Newmark didn’t make many friends in the sector after telling charities to “stick to their knitting” and keep out of the “realms of politics” when responding to a question on campaigning following his first speech as minister.
Unsurprisingly there was a lot of reaction from the sector, which ranged from bemused to outraged to those that embraced the minister's call for more knitting. Civil Society News trawled Twitter and the comments on our own story - which, incidentally, broke the news to the world - and featured some of the best reactions in a storify.
Newmark later issued a clarification stating that he meant to say “party politics”.
3. HSBC to close bank account of Muslim charities working in Gaza
In July HSBC conducted a review of its customers and as a result sent letters to a number of Muslim organisations and individuals withdrawing banking facilities because those organisations “now fall outside our risk appetite”.
The Ummah Welfare Trust said that it believed that the decision was linked to the charity’s humanitarian work in Gaza.
Finsbury Park Mosque, which is a registered charity with an income of £120,000, and a think tank Cordoba Foundation, were sent similar letters.
In a statement HSBC said: "We do not discuss relationships we may or may not have with a customer, nor confirm whether an individual or business is, or has been a customer.
"Discrimination against customers on grounds of race or religion is immoral, unacceptable and illegal, and HSBC has comprehensive rules and policies in place to ensure race or religion are never factors in banking decisions."
Muslim Charities Forum’s chairman Hany El-Banna said that the closing of the UWT’s accounts was “of grave concern” and warned: “This overt clampdown in the charity sector cannot continue without casualties among the many organisations that work within it.” The umbrella body has now urged the government to do something about banks withdrawing banking facilities from registered charities.
4. Charity sector mourns the passing of Stephen Lloyd
Tributes poured in for charity lawyer Stephen Lloyd, who tragically died in a boating accident in Wales in August.
He was a leading figure in the voluntary sector and a keen advocate of social investment. He worked at Bates Wells Braithwaite for over 25 years and was known as the go-to person for charity law, including advising the government on the review of the Charities Act.
BWB later said it would launch an award that will support people and projects which have the potential to bring about positive social change in Stephen’s memory.
5. Telephone fundraisers 'told to lie' to boost donations, Channel 4 Dispatches investigation finds
Undercover reporters found evidence of potential breaches of sector regulations by telephone fundraising agencies as part of an investigation by the Channel 4 programme Dispatches. The programme, which was broadcast in August, featured NTT Fundraising in Bristol and London-based Pell & Bales.
NTT hit back against the Channel 4 investigation. Speaking to Civil Society News, director Natalie Bailey said that Dispatches only gave the organisation an opportunity to give a statement and did not offer to interview anyone.
She also stated that the quotes used didn’t come from anyone in a management position, and that “it really felt like the reporter had to deliberately set up junior members of staff to say things about aspects that they were not trained in, that could be used out of context”.
But Dispatches "utterly refuted" the "very serious allegation" that its uncover reporter ‘set up’ junior members of staff. It also claimed the programme was an "important piece of public service journalism".
6. Eleven characteristics of successful fundraisers revealed at IoF National Convention
Emotional intelligence and being able to read people and situations are among the top characteristics that make successful fundraisers, according to academic research revealed in July.
Beth Breeze, director of the Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent, presented early findings from her three-year project, The Formation of Fundraisers: the Role of Personal Skills in Asking for Money, at the Institute of Fundraising’s National Convention.
7. Data protection proposals 'potentially catastrophic' for fundraising
EU data protection proposals include a requirement for charities to secure an “opt-in” from donors to receive communications, and an “explicit consent” rule to use personal data, which would make it difficult for charities to send personalised mailings. Ben Ennis, director of the agency MediaLab, which hosted an event at the Institute of Fundraising's National Convention this year said the proposals could have a “huge impact” on charities’ ability to raise money.
The EU has announced plans for a comprehensive reform of data protection rules which will require individuals to give explicit consent before a company or charity can process their personal data. The rules could come into force as early as 2017.
Last month the IoF met with fundraising associations across Europe to discuss how to lobby against proposed EU data protection legislation that could damage fundraising. Earlier the IoF wrote to UK MEPs to raise concerns about the new European General Data Protection Regulation, which is due to come into force from 2017.
8. Donations pour in to Manchester Dogs’ Home following arson attack
In September the Manchester Dogs Home received £600,000 in donations overnight after a fire ripped through the animal sanctuary, killing a number of dogs.
A teenage boy has been arrested on suspicion of arson and the appeal ended up raising almost £1.5m.
9. Astarita demands minister apologise for 'outrageous slur' to fundraisers
Mark Astarita, the outgoing chair of the Institute of Fundraising, demanded an apology from local government minister Brandon Lewis over an “outrageous slur” against charity workers.
Lewis said in a statement the previous week that “aggressive fundraisers” risked turning high streets into “an unwelcome gauntlet of bolshie bucket-shakers and clipboard-waving connivers”.
In one of his last speeches as chair of the IoF, Astarita also warned that charities faced a “lynch mob” mentality in the media and Parliament over campaigning, salaries and fundraising tactics.
10. Nick Hurd quits and Brooks Newmark announced as next minister for civil society
Nick Hurd dramatically stepped down as minister for civil society on the eve of David Cameron’s reshuffle of senior roles in the summer.
Hurd tweeted the news of his departure at 7.30pm: “Am standing down having been given by DC the rare opportunity to do six years in a wonderful brief. Very proud of what we achieved.”
Then: “Thanks to so many friends and critics in our brilliant voluntary sector. You have often driven me nuts but my respect and love is undimmed.”
Many in the sector were sorry to see him go and Civil Society News kept track of reactions with in a live blog.
Brooks Newmark, Conservative MP for Braintree, was announced as Hurd’s successor the following afternoon. He said that he was “absolutely delighted to have been made minister for civil society working with our country’s great charities and voluntary sector”.
