Daughter and son-in-law issue withering statement
Hannah Ingram-Moore, and her husband, Colin, have slammed the charities’ watchdog after it disqualified them from being charity trustees.
It comes amid a continuing investigation into the foundation set up in Captain Sir Tom Moore’s name.
The Captain Tom Moore Foundation was launched in May 2020 after the war veteran’s fundraising efforts, which raised £38.9m for NHS charities during the Covid pandemic.
But the Charity Commission opened a case into the organisation shortly after his death in 2021 and launched an inquiry in June 2022 to investigate concerns about its management and its independence from his family.
In a statement issued on this week, the Ingram-Moore family said the inquiry had not concluded, but that they had been served with an order of disqualification as trustees.
They said they "fundamentally disagree" with the decision, and questioned the commission's motives.
The husband and wife said they had been "served an order of disqualification as trustees by the Charity Commission", and would appear on the register of removed persons if they did not appeal by 25 June.
"The disqualification has been imposed without the conclusion of the statutory inquiry into The Captain Tom Foundation," they said.
"The commission's failure to conclude the inquiry prolongs our deep distress and hinders our ability to move on with our lives, extending the pain and impact on our family and our father/grandfathers' legacy.
"It has been a harrowing and debilitating ordeal that has gone on for over two years.
"We are increasingly concerned that the Charity Commission's process may have evolved into a relentless pursuit, and question whether it is a tactic by the Commission to make our lives more difficult, by suspending us in constant fear and mental anguish.
"The orders of disqualification do not state that Hannah Ingram-Moore or Colin Ingram-Moore have misappropriated or received unauthorised payments from the charity's funds, including public donations."
They reiterated that the couple had "never accessed or made any payments from the charity's bank account" and independent trustees had maintained control since the charity was set up.
"We fundamentally disagree with the conclusions reached by the Charity Commission. Despite our vehement objections to the Disqualification Order, we have made the extremely difficult decision not to pursue an appeal.
"The profound emotional upheaval and financial burden make such a course of action untenable."
The couple were ordered to take down a £200,000 sauna and spa at their home after losing an appeal against Central Bedfordshire Council.
The Ingram-Moores were given permission by the council to erect a “Captain Tom Foundation Building” in the garden where he raised nearly £39m for NHS charities.
It was believed it would be a community space to store thousands of cards and gifts sent by admirers but the finished building included a sauna and spa.
The Charity Commission inquiry remains ongoing, and all findings will be published when it concludes.
