Following the closure of national charity Kids Company, which raised concerns about the way charitable organisations are run, Andrew & Co Solicitors is hosting a series of masterclasses at its office in Lincoln.

In a damning report by MPs, the “negligent” trustees of Kids Company, under the control of an “unaccountable and dominant” chief executive, were ultimately responsible for its collapse.

The masterclass sessions, will cover all aspects of running of a charity and the roles and responsibilities of a charity’s board, its chairman and executives.

Catriona Wheeler of Andrew & Co Solicitors will be leading the masterclasses. She said they will be a unique opportunity for people working with charities and the third sector to find out about best practice.

“The masterclasses will be limited to 10 people per session to ensure delegates receive individual support and advice that is relevant to the organisation they represent rather than a more general overview. The course has taken off so well that we have already filled our first masterclass in August and have now put on more dates in September.” explained Catriona.

“The collapse of Kids Company and the failure of the charity’s board of trustees to protect the long-term needs of its beneficiaries highlight the importance of good governance and it is vital that lessons are learnt from this very sad case. I would advise anyone involved in the setting up and management of a third-sector organisation to attend.”

Catriona, who has over 20 years’ experience working in the sector, was recently invited to join a Charity Law Association working group overseeing a change to the Charities Act 2011 which will enable charities and community interest groups to re-register as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

“The process of working on the draft regulations has been hugely interesting,” said Catriona. “I had the benefit of being able to apply my dual expertise in corporate law and charity law to give consideration to how the change will work in practice and identify potential problems and what tweaks were needed.

“I am looking forward to the regulations being implemented as I can see that they will be of benefit to a large proportion of my charity clients.”

The Building on the Success of your Charity masterclasses will take place at Andrew & Co Solicitors on Nettleham Road, Lincoln. Booking is essential as places are limited to 10 delegates. For more information on dates or to reserve a place contact Chris Brown on 01522 781486 or email chris.brown@andrew-solicitors.co.uk

Ends

Notes to Editors

About Andrew & Co Solicitors

Andrew & Co Solicitors is one of the longest established independent law firms in the East Midlands, having been set up in 1832.
It offers a comprehensive range of legal services to private individuals and businesses across a wide range of sectors including renewable energy, agriculture, personal injury, conveyancing, charity and not-for-profit, family and employment law.
Andrew & Co has 60 staff based at its offices in on Nettleham Road in Lincoln and London Road in Newark.

About CIOs

A CIO is a relatively new form of incorporated legal structure that is designed to meet the particular needs of a charity. It enables a charitable company or a community interest group to have a legal personality of its own and conduct business in its own name, rather than in the names of its trustees. To find out more please visit www.gov.uk

For more information, contact:
Kate Strawson
kate@shootingstar.co.uk
Shooting Star
weareshootingstar.co.uk
01522 528540
07733 230293
[Andrew35Masterclass]