DadOf4

Loz Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > DadOf4 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > > The problem with The Dulwich Estate is what they > DO as a "charity" > > Why? Because they don't help the people you see > as 'fit and proper' targets for your largesse? > > What are you asking for here? That Dulwich Estate > be forced to stop funding things you disapprove > of? That charitable status be removed from a > school charity organisation? I don't know - I'm not really "calling" for anything. Its just I was quite shocked by the fact that an organisation that *seems* to have digressed so far from its original aims should be doing so under the guise of a charity (and the tax benefits that follow) - I was keen to see if others thought the same. The charity commission say "To be a charity in England or Wales, your organisation must be set up with purposes which are exclusively charitable for the public benefit." IMO - raising rents on social facilities like sports fields and redistributing that money to a set of (already wealthy) schools is not really meeting that test. Yes, theres nothing wrong with giving some kids a better education (as ive said before, I've got no objection to private education) and I dont want to get into a tit-for-tat about the best places for charity money to go (we all have our own views & priorities on that ) but it just doesnt sit right with me

good point Grabot. Then add another 130k to the ?9M that is being "redistributed" . I'd love to hear somebody from Dulwich estate give their side. It could well be that theres more to this than meets to eye

Personally, it doesn't surprise (or upset ) me to see somebody in the org earning ?130k. Its an organisation with ?9M turnover that will need running & management. Same applies to many charities. I've no problem with the CEO of, say, Cancer Research UK earning good money if he/she can help the charity raise/give more money. The problem with The Dulwich Estate is what they DO as a "charity"

OK, first I accept that this isn?t strictly an EAST Dulwich subject ? but this seems the best place to discuss this. At some point in the 17th Century, Edward Alleyn created a charitable foundation and bequeathed to it his estate and other property. The original benefices were ?12 poor scholars, six poor brothers and six poor sisters?. Roll forward a few hundred years and that organisation has now become the registered charity ?The Dulwich estate?. This charity owns the freehold of 1500 acres of prime South-East London and has a gross income (2013) of ?9.4M [3] I?m a big believer in sport. I?m a big believer in making sport accessible to as many people (especially Children) as possible. The Dulwich Estate is the landlord of many local sports clubs & facilities. Its my understanding that their approach to the velodrome a few years ago nearly caused it to close [1], I understand that the rents charged to many local sports facilities are hefty to say the least[2]. So, if you live in this area and your kid wants to play football, cricket or rugby, its likely that a % of the money you have to pay is going indirectly to The Dulwich Estate. I also know that local state schools have to pay rent to use sports fields owned by the estate (indirectly via the clubs that have the leases) But they?re a charity right ? ? they?ll take that income and redistribute it to the poor scholors and brothers? Wrong The Dulwich Estate gives 85% (yes eighty-five percent) of its generated income to 3 organisations: Dulwich College, Alleynians School and James Allens Girls school. All good schools I?m sure, all schools with fees of about ?15k per year, educating a privileged elite (yes, I know there are many ?normal people? round here who scrimp and save to get their kids into these schools ? but even they are a lucky few in the grand scheme of things) Last year it gave over ?2M to Dulwich College [3]. That?s a school where Roman Abramovich sends his kid, that has a county standard cricket pitch. Now, I?m sure that they?ll say the money is partly used to create bursaries for kids to attend these fine institutions who wouldn?t go otherwise. It also gives relatively small amounts of money to a couple of state schools, the alms-houses in Dulwich and the chapel (near the park). But 85% goes to the 3 private schools I?ve got no moral objection to private education and I?d be very happy for my kids to attend those schools - but what really bothers me is this: a) How on earth can this organisation claim to be a charity? - what is ?in the public good? about giving money to organisations that provide education to a very small & select privileged few? b) Specifically, this organisation IMO is taking money from sports clubs and giving it to these elite organisations. My kids go to a number of clubs in the area and I know the great works that many of them are doing (usually by volunteers) to make sport as accessible as possible to kids in Southwark. I know one club that provides free membership to kids who otherwise wouldn?t be able to play their sport ? that same club made a loss last year. But they still have to keep shelling out to Dulwich estate. I?d be interested to hear what others think of this. [1] http://www.urban75.org/london/velodrome1.html [2] https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdsc.mycourts.co.uk%2Fnews_downloads%2F4062_Presidents_Report_2012.doc&ei=yOwfVJyoCsif7gaYyYDACw&usg=AFQjCNHrEgACLzmNipoFgNiatFSMGu-j-A&sig2=WW7WWfLnDePQD9gJPLhmSQ [3] http://www.dulwichestate.co.uk/accounts/the-dulwich-estate