Captain Tom Foundation stops taking donations amid ongoing investigation
The Captain Tom Foundation has stopped taking donations amid a probe into its finances by a charity watchdog.
It comes after planning chiefs ordered an unauthorised building to be demolished at the Bedfordshire home of Captain Tom's daughter, after plans for a building containing a spa pool were rejected.
The watchdog opened a probe into the charity launched in memory of Captain Sir Tom Moore - after identifying fresh "concerns" about his family's involvement.
On Tuesday, the foundation put out a statement saying it would not seek donations, and was closing all payment channels, while the Charity Commission carried out an inquiry.
It said: "At this moment in time, the sole focus of the Captain Tom Foundation is to ensure that it co-operates fully with the ongoing statutory inquiry by the Charity Commission.
"As a result, the Captain Tom Foundation is not presently actively seeking any funding from donors. Accordingly, we have also taken the decision to close all payment channels while the statutory inquiry remains open.
"Once the findings of the statutory inquiry have been communicated, the Captain Tom Foundation will be in a better position to make a decision in relation to its future, but for now, our main priority is to assist the Charity Commission with its inquiry."
Hannah Ingram-Moore and her husband Colin applied for permission in 2021 to build a Captain Tom Foundation Building in the grounds of their home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire.
They said the L-shaped building would be used partly “in connection with The Captain Tom Foundation and its charitable objectives”.
Planners gave permission but a subsequent retrospective application in 2022, for a larger C-shaped building containing a spa pool, was refused by the planning authority.
In supporting documents, it was described as “a new building for use by the occupiers” of the home of Mr and Mrs Ingram-Moore.
In a design and access and heritage statement, it was referred to as The Captain Tom Building.
Sir Tom raised £38.9 million for the NHS, including Gift Aid, by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday at the height of the first national Covid-19 lockdown in April 2020.
He was knighted by the late Queen and died in February 2021.
A spokesperson for Central Bedfordshire Council, the planning authority for the area, said on Tuesday that it received a planning application in August 2021 for the erection of a detached single storey building by the occupiers of the home of the Ingram-Moores and the Captain Tom Foundation. It said this was approved.
In 2022, planners subsequently received a retrospective planning application for a “part retrospective erection of detached single-storey building (revised proposals)”, which was refused, the spokesperson said.
The council spokesperson said: “An enforcement notice requiring the demolition of the now-unauthorised building was issued and this is now subject to an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.”
Efforts have been made to approach Hannah Ingram-Moore for comment.
The foundation previously said, in a statement to a national newspaper: “At no time were the Captain Tom Foundation’s independent trustees aware of planning permissions made by Mr and Mrs Ingram-Moore purporting to be in the foundation’s name.
“Had they been aware of any applications, the independent trustees would not have authorised them.”
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know