Charity clarity call
Inverclyde Council is seeking clarity and reassurance from Oxfam over the use of donations in the wake of the recent revelations in Haiti.
Inverclyde Council Leader, Councillor Stephen McCabe, said: “It is important that public confidence and trust is maintained in charities. That is why the council has sought clarity and reassurance from Oxfam in light of these very troubling revelations.
“The council, alongside many other public sector organisations, has been a supporter of appeals particularly through the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) of which Oxfam is one of the partners.
“Given the hugely troubling nature of the recent revelations, it is only right that the council contacts Oxfam to seek clarity and reassurance.”
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) brings 13 leading UK aid charities together in times of crisis. They launch appeals to raise money to help those impacted by disaster.
In recent years Inverclyde Council has supported the humanitarian appeals for Malawi, Yemen and Myanmar.
The council has written to Oxfam Chief Executive, Mark Goldring, seeking assurances about the use of publicly funded support from the council.
And councillor McCabe urged members of the community to continue their support of the good work charities do.
He said: “From within our communities and right across the country, we extend a hand to help those in need. For some it can be through volunteering to support the good work of charities on the ground. For others it is providing financial support through donations. It was reported last week, for example, that Scots gave over £800 million to charity in the past year.
“Public trust is a precious commodity. If donations or volunteering were to be affected by these recent revelations, then that would be a further tragedy in itself.
“There can be no doubt that some of the work being done in our country and across the globe has been life changing and life saving for many people. Long may that continue. The sector needs to work hard to fully, openly and transparently repair any damage to public trust by providing the clarity and reassurance required. This will ensure that the people in need continue to get the support they need at the time they need it.”