Fraud is a threat to every organisation – and charities are no exception. Charities of all sizes and types need to build defences to protect income and assets and meet their duties. Trustees and managers should have the knowledge and skills to recognise the tell-tale signs of fraud. They also need to understand the complex consequences and quickly shape an effective response.
Hence a conference to bring together leading practitioners and senior figures from the charity and counter-fraud worlds, by the charity the Fraud Advisory Panel, and the regulator the Charity Commission. It’s titled, ‘tackling fraud in the charity sector: making your money count’. It’s on Friday, October 30, at the Royal College of Physicians in central London.
The organisers say that the focus will be on providing practical advice, tools and techniques to help charities of all sizes better understand and manage the risk of fraud. Delegates will hear from industry experts, and have the opportunity to update their knowledge of current fraud prevention best practice while networking with other like-minded professionals.
Speakers invited include former NHS counter-fraud head Jim Gee now of PKF Littlejohn; Dr Stephen Hill, Trustee Director, Fraud Advisory Panel; Jo Brookes, Income Protection Officer, Help for Heroes; Robert Browell, Fraud Adviser, Macmillan Cancer; Dave Carter, Head of Counter Fraud Management, British Council; and Michelle Russell, Director of Investigations, Monitoring and Enforcement at the Charity Commission. Rob Wilson, Minister for Civil Society, part of the Cabinet Office, will give a closing address.
The event is already being supported by ten charity sector umbrella bodies: Action with Communities in Rural England, Association of Church Accountants and Treasurers, Charity Finance Group, Charity Retail Association, Charities Internal Audit Network, Fundraising Standards Board, Institute of Business Ethics, Public Fundraising Regulatory Association, Small Charities Coalition and Wales Council for Voluntary Action.
