Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughter and son-in-law “repeatedly benefited” from the “mismanaged” charity set up in his name, making more than £1 million from their connection to the foundation, the Charity Commission has found.
The report, published on Thursday, was highly critical of the conduct and actions of the charity’s former trustee and CEO Hannah Ingram-Moore, the daughter of the World War II veteran, and her husband Colin Ingram-Moore, a former trustee.
The Charity Commission said that the couple’s “misconduct and/or mismanagement was not an isolated incident but a repeated pattern of behaviour.”
£1.4 Million Book Deal
In one example, the report highlighted the couple had signed a £1.5 million multi-book deal.However, the Charity Commission found that “to date the charity has not received any money from the first publishing agreement,” despite indications from Moore that he intended for his work to generate money for good causes.
The report referenced the prologue of Moore’s autobiography, “Tomorrow Will Be a Good Day,” which said “with the offer to write this memoir I have also been given the chance to raise even more money for the charitable foundation now established in my name.”
Spa Pool Block
Some of the other failings included Hannah Ingram-Moore being paid £18,000 to appear at an awards ceremony named after Moore. The Charity Commission disagreed she had undertaken the role in a private capacity, saying she had committed the foundation’s resources to the event without consulting the non-conflicted trustees.The Commission highlighted “disingenuous” statements from Hannah Ingram-Moore about not being offered a six-figure salary to become the charity’s CEO, despite setting out expectations for a £150,000 package when taking on the role.
The couple had also inappropriately used the foundation’s name in a planning application for a spa pool block on their land which implied it would be used by the charity. They did not inform or seek consent from the unconflicted trustees. The building was later demolished on order of the local authority.
A spokesperson for The Captain Tom Foundation said they are “pleased with the Charity Commission’s unequivocal findings regarding the Ingram-Moores’ misconduct.”
They joined the watchdog in asking the couple “to rectify matters by returning the funds due to the foundation so that they can be donated to well-deserving charities as intended by the late Captain Sir Tom Moore.”
‘Significant Personal Benefit’
David Holdsworth, CEO of the Charity Commission, said that the charity set up in Moore’s name had not lived up to his legacy.Holdsworth said: “The public—and the law—rightly expect those involved in charities to make an unambiguous distinction between their personal interests, and those of the charity and the beneficiaries they are there to serve.
“This did not happen in the case of The Captain Tom Foundation. We found repeated instances of a blurring of boundaries between private and charitable interests, with Mr. and Mrs. Ingram-Moore receiving significant personal benefit.”
‘Unfairly and Unjustly’ Treated
Responding to the report, the Ingram-Moores said they felt “unfairly and unjustly” treated, accusing the Charity Commission of “selective storytelling.”They said the inquiry had impacted the family’s mental and physical health, “unfairly tarnishing our name and affecting our ability to carry on Captain Sir Tom’s legacy.”
“A credible regulatory body would provide the full truth, rather than misrepresenting, and conflating facts and timelines that align with a predetermined agenda,” they said.
Holdsworth defended the work and decision of the Commission, telling the PA news agency, “We are relentless as a regulator and, yes, we will follow wrongdoing where we find it in the sector.”
“I think if you read the report, the public can draw their own conclusions about the total amount of private benefit the Ingram-Moores have achieved through their association with the charity,” he said.