All posts tagged: Charity

Women left unprotected by new charity powers, NSS says

Women left unprotected by new charity powers, NSS says

Published by Sam Flores

The National Secular Society has expressed concern that proposed new powers for the charity regulator will fail to adequately tackle misogyny and homophobia promoted by religious charities. The Government is consulting on extending the powers of the Charity Commission for England and Wales to challenge extremism in charities. The move follows rising concerns about charities promoting extremism and hate – an issue which the NSS has challenged for many years. But while the new powers may help to stop charities promoting hatred towards people based on race or religion or belief, they will not apply to hatred based on other characteristics – including sex and sexual orientation. The NSS has long highlighted how many religious charities promote hatred and discrimination against women and LGBT people. Last year, the NSS published a report investigating religious charities which promote misogyny. “The advancement of religion” is one of the recognised charitable purposes in law. The NSS argues this should be removed from the list of charitable purposes, because it assumes promoting religion is inherently beneficial and can enable …

‘People sell their best stuff on Vinted’ – how charity shops became a dumping ground for unsellable clothes

‘People sell their best stuff on Vinted’ – how charity shops became a dumping ground for unsellable clothes

Published by Sam Flores

The small stockroom of St Raphael’s Hospice charity shop in Cheam, south London, is rammed with donations. “On average, we get 30 to 50 bags a day,” says Caroline Worley, the commercial manager, “but it’s not unusual to receive over 100.” This might sound like a good problem to have, but the sheer volume of stuff is the shop’s biggest challenge. “Sometimes, there’s only [enough] floor space to tiptoe,” says 48-year-old store manager, Colin French. Rummaging through the donations, it’s clear that much is unsaleable: a smelly, soiled bathrobe, tatty trainers, heavily bobbled jumpers, old socks, an empty Swarovski jewellery case. “Absolutely typical,” says Worley. They’re also overwhelmed with deluges of low-quality fashion – a shift in donation habits that accelerated during Covid, because, says Worley, all that time at home enabled people to sell their best stuff on Vinted. The experience here echoes that of author Tansy Hoskins, whose latest book, Charity Shop World, paints a picture of a charity retail sector in crisis. She spent 16 months working in a London charity shop, …

Why Is A British Charity Telling Migrants Not To Be ‘Deceived’ By Underage Girls?

Why Is A British Charity Telling Migrants Not To Be ‘Deceived’ By Underage Girls?

Published by Jenni Sidey

Authored by James Dixon via Spiked, Three words in a video that did the rounds last month made my skin crawl: ‘Don’t be deceived.’ They might sound perfectly innocent at first pass, but in context, they are chilling. The footage in question comes from a recorded session apparently run by the Aberdeen-based Mamacita Foundation, a charity that works with asylum seekers. The subject in question is sexual consent – more specifically, the age of consent. In the footage, the seminar leader, herself an immigrant, asks the men present what age someone must be before they can approach them for ‘anything sexual, intimacy’. At one point, she even seems to admit surprise that the age of consent is 16 throughout the UK – she herself had believed up until that very moment, apparently, that it was 18. She establishes the correct answer there and then, while reading from her notes. Can we not admit that this is already quite a strange spectacle? Adult men are sitting in Britain, being taught the legal age at which they …

Emmerdale’s Emma Atkins gives verdict on Charity and Sadie’s future

Emmerdale’s Emma Atkins gives verdict on Charity and Sadie’s future

Published by Daniella Wilson

Emma Atkins has ruled out any further conflict between Charity Dingle and Sadie King in Emmerdale. Sadie returned with much fanfare last month – her entrance scene mirroring her original arrival in 2004. The schemer stepped out of a helicopter before swinging her coat over Charity’s arm, which two decades ago, sparked a vicious feud between the women. It seemed like the nastiness was about to continue between the women, though just days after the big return, Charity was whisked off to prison for the murder of Dr Caitlin Todd (Caroline Harker). But this is soapland, and it’s inevitable that Charity will be released eventually, and the pair will come face to face again. But could their rivalry be reignited? “I think going into prison knowing that Sadie’s back on the scene, Charity would be like, ‘What’s going on in the village while I’m in there?’ I need to get back out,” Atkins joked to Radio Times at last week’s Inside Soap Awards. Sadie King (Patsy Kensit) had an awkward reunion with Charity Dingle (Emma …

Charity sermon says men can hit wives ‘to show who’s in charge’

Charity sermon says men can hit wives ‘to show who’s in charge’

Published by Sam Flores

The National Secular Society has reported a religious charity to the regulator after uncovering videos which promote violence against women and condone the execution of gay people and accused ‘witches’. The NSS has referred Hackney Islamic Community Centre, a mosque in London, to the Charity Commission for England and Wales over three sermons which it warns could fuel misogyny, homophobia and ‘witchcraft abuse’. The videos were all published on the charity’s YouTube account in 2023. At the time of recording, the charity was known as Masjid Imam an-Nawawi. The commission’s previous responses to charities promoting violence against women or homophobia has been to provide the charity’s trustees “advice and guidance”. Hackney Islamic Community Centre is also known as Masjid Daar Al-Hadeeth. It has been a registered charity since 2006 but this April re-registered to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Its charitable objects (purposes) include “the advancement of religion”. Charities are subject to considerable tax exemptions. The law requires charities to serve a public benefit and they must not promote extremism. “Major sin” if woman “says …

As Leading Charity Says 'Autism Is Genetic', Experts And Autistic People React

As Leading Charity Says 'Autism Is Genetic', Experts And Autistic People React

Published by Sam Flores

For the first time, a UK charity supporting autistic people has stated definitively that “autism is genetic”. The National Autistic Society (NAS) said the declaration comes in response to “false claims about autism in the media and politics in the UK and the US, which are spreading harmful lies” and detracting from the issues autistic people face. The charity’s research team looked at 83 studies on the causes of autism, and concluded from the findings that “autism is genetic” and “most autistic people are autistic because of genes they got from their parents”, which is why it often runs in families. They added that it isn’t to say other factors don’t play a role, but these factors are “usually in combination with genes from parents”. “There isn’t a single ‘autism gene’,” the charity added. “Thousands of genes combine to make a person autistic. Scientists have identified many of these genes, but they think there are still many more to find.” <img src="https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/6aaa657217000082fb20190b.jpg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale" alt="The National Autistic Society (NAS) has said "autism is genetic" in response to misinformation about autism's …

Christian charity: Judaism contains “demonic cults”

Christian charity: Judaism contains “demonic cults”

Published by Sam Flores

The National Secular Society has reported a Christian charity to the regulator after its trustee promoted antisemitism, anti-Muslim hostility, and homophobia. Emmanuel Free Church of England, Morecambe is registered under the charitable purpose ‘the advancement of religion’, amongst other charitable purposes. Charities are legally required to act for the public benefit and are entitled to generous tax breaks. In a sermon at the church on August 2, charity trustee reverend Brett Murphy (pictured) claimed modern Judaism contains “demonic cults” which “practice black magic and teach vile and reprehensible blasphemies so disgusting I will not even repeat them aloud”. He says these “evil beliefs” should be “refuted along with every other false belief and false religion”. Murphy says Judaism is a “false antichrist religion”. He quotes US Christian nationalist pastor Doug Wilson: “when the Jews are bad, they’re very, very bad”. Wilson wants the US to become a Christian theocracy and seeks to repeal the nineteenth amendment to the US constitution, which enshrines women’s right to vote. Murphy adds “some Jews doing very evil things in …

Charity law is enabling religious homophobia

Charity law is enabling religious homophobia

Published by Sam Flores

Brandenburg Gate after the terrorist attack on the Berlin Pride on July 25, 2026. The horrific Islamist attack on Berlin’s Pride festival this weekend, which left one dead and 29 injured, is a brutal reminder that religious homophobia is still rampant. It’s easy to fall into complacency when it comes to civil rights – and gay rights are no exception. As Ronan McCrea highlights in his excellent 2025 book The End of the Gay Rights Revolution, the freedoms gay people have in liberal democracies – the right to marry, the right to equal treatment, and the right to simply live openly – are fragile. McCrea says: “The freedom gay people have won in recent decades is truly a miracle. But the miraculous nature of our triumph should bring home to us that triumph is not guaranteed to last.” Religion was always a key factor, perhaps the key factor, in the oppression and persecution of gay people worldwide. It still is. Over 70 countries criminalise gay sex and 90% of these are majority Muslim or Christian. …

Bruce Springsteen apologises to Bono for refusing song for charity ad

Bruce Springsteen apologises to Bono for refusing song for charity ad

Published by Daniella Wilson

Bruce Springsteen has admitted that he regrets turning down Bono’s request to use one of his songs in an advert for a charity fashion line. The legendary musician, 76, was presented with the Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award at the Tribeca Festival, with the U2 frontman handing out the honour. As he gave Springsteen the award, Bono, 66, reminded the New Jersey-born star that he had once refused to let him use his song “Girls in Their Summer Clothes” to soundtrack a Gap advert, promoting the (PRODUCT) RED campaign, which raised money to fight Aids and HIV. “I said, ‘Bruce, this song ‘Girls in Their Summer Clothes,’ this is like one of the great pop songs ever,” Bono recalled. “‘Would you think about using it for a commercial, for (RED) and the Gap?’ And you said, ‘No.’” Springsteen and Bono performing in 2009 (Getty Images) Springsteen described his refusal as “a big mistake”, adding: “I should have said yes.” “That was just a song that I love,” he continued. “Damn it, I still …

Jennifer Aniston’s poignant letter to Matthew Perry removed from charity auction of his personal belongings

Jennifer Aniston’s poignant letter to Matthew Perry removed from charity auction of his personal belongings

Published by Daniella Wilson

A heartfelt letter handwritten by Jennifer Aniston to her Friends co-star Matthew Perry has been withdrawn from a charity auction of the late actor’s personal belongings, The Independent has confirmed. The note, which appears to be written around the time the hit sitcom ended in 2004, was originally listed alongside items including a signed Friends script and Perry’s leather wallet before being quietly pulled from sale. Heritage Auctions told The Independent that the letter had been removed from the sale while declining to comment further. Aniston’s representatives did not respond to The Independent’s request for comment. In the letter, Aniston assured Perry that she’d always be there for him, in light of his addiction to drugs and alcohol that had clouded his years on Friends, and encouraged him to look positively into the future. Jennifer Aniston’s heartfelt letter to Matthew Perry, written around the time ‘Friends’ ended (Heritage Auctions) She wrote: “Matty! Oh my God….How am [I] going to live without your light in my life on a daily basis? I know that the light …