Watchdog appoints interim managers for troubled charity linked to Carrie Johnson
The Aspinall Foundation is facing an investigation by the Charity Commission after it raised 'serious concerns' about the charity's 'governance and financial management'.
Founded in 1984, it runs breeding sanctuaries for endangered animals as well as operating the Howletts and Port Lympne animal parks in Kent, which were set up by gambling club host and animal enthusiast John Aspinall.
Carrie Johnson was appointed head of communications for the foundation in 2021.
The same year, it emerged that the charity paid more than £150,000 to the wife of the chairman of the trustees for 'interior design services'.
The Charity Commission's interim managers – appointed in May this year – will also review whether any trustees or their family members have received any benefit from the charity.
A spokesperson for the regulator said: 'Our inquiry into The Aspinall Foundation is ongoing.
'Towards the end of last year, fresh issues of concern were identified requiring us to embark on a further phase of investigation and our investigators are working hard to pursue these at pace.
'The Commission has now appointed interim managers to The Aspinall Foundation who will work alongside the existing trustees on specific areas in line with the charity's governing document.'
The foundation has been approached for comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Martin Lewis explains how to claim car finance mis-selling compensation as FCA predicts payouts worth up to £950
Financial expert Martin Lewis has advised on the next steps for drivers who were mis-sold car loans, after a financial regulator said the industry could pay out up to £18bn in compensation. The Financial Conduct Authority is launching a compensation consultation which will determine how much is paid out to millions of people who paid more interest than they knew about. A Supreme Court ruling on Friday (1 August) found that lenders are not liable for hidden commission payments in car finance schemes, a decision which means most of the claims will not go ahead, but only the most serious claims will be eligible for compensation. But many cases in a separate strand of the car finance mis-selling case, which was not part of the Supreme Court ruling, are still likely to receive payouts, Mr Lewis explained. Am I eligible for the compensation scheme? Mr Lewis explains that there are 'two strands' of the car finance mis-selling case. Discretionary Commission Arrangements (DCAs), which Mr Lewis says will be the main form of compensation to come out of the consultation, were not involved in the Supreme Court case, he said. 'The one most people have complained about wasn't involved in the Supreme Court decision, although it was on hold just in case anything in that decision caused a wobbler for DCAs,' Mr Lewis added. DCAs were banned in January 2021, so anyone with a personal contract purchase (PCP) or Hire Purchase (HP) deals before then, is likely to have unknowingly agreed to one. 'It is when you went to a car broker or dealer and it increased the amount of interest that you were charged to increase the amount of commission without telling you,' Mr Lewis explained. Those who had PCP or HP deals are 'likely to get compensation under this scheme'. But Mr Lewis notes that those who had 0 per cent interest, or whose commission was very small, are unlikely to receive compensation. But he says that for most people, the compensation will be in the hundreds of pounds. The other strand of the mis-selling case is the one element of the Supreme Court case which was upheld by the court - with the other two being dismissed. This refers to commissions which were 'manifestly unfair', Mr Lewis explained, adding that it is harder to define because it was done on a case-by-case basis. Factors in the payout may even include how vulnerable you are - and whether it is therefore seen as more unfair for the commission to have been so high. As this is done case-by-case and it is not a blanket issue like the DCA cases, it is unclear how the compensation scheme will work for these, Mr Lewis said. What should I do next? For those that are unsure whether they are eligible, Mr Lewis advises putting in a complaint to see whether you had a DCA. 'If you're one of those people who have already had a letter saying that your car finance firm, after you complained, won't deal with it until December this year, that will almost certainly be delayed until next year,' he said. The FCA is advising consumers who believe they may have paid too much should complain now, and advise against using Claims Management Firms (CMC) or law firms, which could cost up to 30 per cent of any compensation fees received. Lenders will have to contact customers, and either automatically pay out consumers or consumers will have to opt into a scheme for compensation, meaning receiving compensation will be 'very simple to do', Mr Lewis explained. Therefore, CMCs and law firms could take 30 per cent of the compensation without doing any work. Mr Lewis' money advice website MoneySavingExpert offers a free tool which will do a template complaint for you for DCAs. How much could I be compensated? The FCA estimates that most individuals making claims will receive 'less than £950 in compensation per agreement'. The final cost of a compensation scheme will depend on the final design which it takes, the FCA added in its statement earlier today. The first payments are forecast to be made in 2026. For DCA cases, the maximum you could receive is all of the commission you paid, Mr Lewis said. It is more likely you will be paid the higher interest rate you were charged minus the standard interest rate. A simple interest - meaning the interest is calculated on the original amount of the loan - of roughly 3 per cent per year will be added on top of the payout, Mr Lewis added. 'The very high likelihood is that many people who had a discretionary commission arrangement where they were charged more interest than they should have been will get back a chunk of that in the hundreds of pounds at some point in 2026,' he said. But the expert warned that the industry could 'fight this hard', before he urged industry members to accept the 'fair compromise'.
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Police watchdog probing death of man in custody
The police watchdog has launched an investigation into the death of a man who was found unresponsive in police custody. Ellis Rocks was detained by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers at the Britannia Hotel in Almond Brook Road, Standish, Wigan, at about 8.35pm on Thursday, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said. Information indicates the 26-year-old was handcuffed and searched by officers at the scene before being transferred to custody, the watchdog added. Mr Rocks remained in custody overnight and an ambulance was called by detention officers at about 2.30am on Friday after he was seen to be unresponsive and lying on the floor of a cell. After paramedics arrived, he was taken to hospital but he suffered a cardiac arrest en route and resuscitation was commenced. Mr Rocks died in hospital at 7.20am on Sunday. After a mandatory referral from GMP, IOPC investigators were deployed in the early hours of Friday and an independent investigation was declared at 10.18am on Sunday. The watchdog has reviewed CCTV from the custody suite and body-worn video footage from officers involved in the arrest, it said. It has also been in touch with the force about receiving initial accounts from the officers. An IOPC spokesperson said: 'This was a tragic incident in which Mr Rocks has sadly died and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. 'GMP referred this matter to us, and as he was in the custody of police at the time he became unwell, it is important there is a thorough and independent investigation. We will examine all relevant matters including the interaction officers had with Mr Rocks during his detention and what happened after he arrived at the custody suite. 'We have made contact with his family to explain our role and will update them as our inquiries progress.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Ruben Amorim makes exciting claim about Man United's transfer plans
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has dropped an extremely positive message regarding the club's transfer ambitions. United's summer transfer window so far Heading into the ongoing summer transfer window, bolstering the attacking department was United's top priority, following a goal-shy 2024/25 season. United have partially achieved this through the acquisitions of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford respectively. They were two of the league's most dangerous attackers last term, notching a combined 35 top-flight goals. The Red Devils also announced the arrivals of youngsters Diego Leon and Enzo Kana-Biyik. Leon's move to Old Trafford was however negotiated and agreed in January. The Paraguayan has been integrated into the first team while Kana-Biyik was sent out on loan to INEOS-owned FC Lausanne Sport in Switzerland. At the moment, United's focus appears to be on securing the services of a top-class striker, with RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko believed to be the leading name on their list. But, Amorim also recently expressed a desire to sign a goalkeeper amidst uncertainty over the long-term suitability of Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir. Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano also relayed that United are likely to recruit a midfielder. United's financial troubles have been well-documented and the sentiment has consistenly been that the club needs to sell before they can dip into the market but Amorim has insisted that money to spend on players is available. Amorim on United's transfer activity The Portuguese coach told The Telegraph, 'I think if we were in a different moment, I would be more concerned about that [rival clubs spending more than United].' 'I'm really happy with the players that we bring in. They proved themselves in the Premier League, so I'm not concerned about the physical aspect. All the players that we want to bring to Manchester, any coach would want them.' 'I can guarantee you, if you bring any manager here, they will say: 'Bryan, thank you. Matheus Cunha, thank you.' And then you have the potential of these kids that are really important for us.' Many may feel that United are smiles away from challenging for football's most prestigious trophies like the Premier League and Champions League. However, Amorim does not share this opinion. He noted, 'I have no doubts because there are some things that you cannot buy and this club has that – the pedigree, the history, the fans.' 'We have that. I think that is clear. Then the money. We have money. We have money without the Champions League. So we can. We'll have money and more money in the future. And we are doing everything.' 'You talk with Omar and all these guys, they are making all the strategy to have more money in the future. So that will not be a problem. And then I think it's clearly the culture. If we have a different culture, with all the pedigree, the money, all these things, we can return to our place. And that is clear.' Featured image George Wood via Getty Images online polls Follow us on Bluesky: @
