[cma-l] charity status

[Office - ccr-fm]

Our experience exactly 





 confusing to say the least 


thanks Trev
thanks Julie



 I’m glad you didn’t write an e-mail as long as mine 
.
Looking at the ins and outs and complications I was about to reach for the
‘rope’ !

 

Regards

 

Nick

 

  _____  

From: trevor at felixstoweradio.co.uk [mailto:trevor at felixstoweradio.co.uk] 
Sent: 04 February 2011 22:52
To: Julie at rwsfm.co.uk; Office - ccr-fm
Cc: CMA-L
Subject: Re: [cma-l] charity status

 

Julie

For Suffolk and to make a small start I've registered Media Fish Suffolk
with HMRC, to gain charitable status, which allows us to accept under £5,000
pa without registering. It's early days but remember that your station may
spawn and support activities that can be regarded as charities - I'll not
provide an exhaustive list here.

A community station could have several legal entities. I prefer Community
Interest Company, by guarantee or shares and I started a Ning group,
http://cicassoc.ning.com that now has over 1,000 members - and influence
with the CIC Regulator and other agencies. Your station could also have a
trading arm as a private limited company, by guarantee or with shares, and
it could be a simple association with a constitution. Or it could be all of
these, and there are other options.

As a charity it may be possible to attract more funds - the CIC Regulator is
supporting claims for equality - we shall see. A registered charity does
require an additional commitment, and more administration - and so serious
consideration must be given.

I'll not enter the murky world of trust funds, legacies and gambling
(lotteries... perhaps).

As voluntary groups we face enormous challenges - and penalties if we get it
wrong. Don't be dismayed by the bureaucracy, don't believe that charitable
status is always worthwhile.

There's a useful guide for trustees at http://trusteelearning.org/

Keep going.

Trevor



----- Original Message -----

From: Julie at rwsfm.co.uk

Sent: 04/02/11 09:23 PM

To: Office - ccr-fm

Subject: Re: [cma-l] charity status

 

 
Guys 
 
We were a registered charity when we were hospital radio, I then spent  
9 months arguing the toss with the Charity Commission on how we were  
just branching out in to the community. The response from the CC was  
that not everything community radio does is of a "charitable nature"  
unlike hospital radio which releaves the sick. 
 
You are correct in saying that the CC have no category for radio, and  
as far as I am aware have no intention of changing that anytime soon. 
 
My advice, don't waste your time and energy unless the CMA are  
prepared to take it up with Charity Commission, however, I did bring  
this up with Jacqui last year. 
 
Julie MacLeod 
Station Manager 
 
 
Quoting Office - ccr-fm <office at ccr-fm.co.uk>: 
 
> Dear All 
> 
> 
> 
> Just a quick enquiry ....... Does anyone know how many Community Radio 
> Stations in our fraturnity/brotherhood are actually charities ??     I
know 
> that we looked into it 7 years ago but the process was a complete
nightmare. 
> Also, in 2004 I clearly remember that the Charities commision simply had
NO 
> category for radio ... it was almost as if they didn't understand it >?>? 
> I think the key to it and the crux of the matter was that we were 
> technically ''all over the place'' in what we were providing ... in 
> otherwords, providing a lot, but nothing specific ! 
> almost          ''a jack of all trades but master of none'' 
> 
> 
> 
> Have any of you guys had a similar experience ?                       I
seem 
> to recall that there is a station on the south coast as a charity ?? 
> plus         Regen (near to us) in South Manchester who do run Wythenshawe

> FM and ALL FM ...... outside of that, I'm a bit clueless to be honest ... 
> Any ideas ? 
> 
> 
> 
> What about Sheffield and of course the CMA ? 
> 
> 
> 
> Many thanks 
> 
> 
> 
> Regards 
> 
> 
> 
> Nick 
> 
> 
 
 
 
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Trevor Lockwood
Chairman Felixstowe Radio
Vice Chairman Suffolk Association Voluntary Organisations
Director Community Media Association
Trustee Media Fish Suffolk 

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