The charity’s objects include propagating Christianity through various channels including seminars and conventions, counselling programmes for the distressed, bereaved and the vulnerable, education through bible studies, evangelical training and teaching, as well as the publication and distribution of educational print and media.

The London-based charity has an annual income of between £3.4m and £4.2m but has repeatedly failed to submit returns and financial information to the Commission on time and its accounts for 2014 and 2015 were qualified.

The Commission has been in active engagement with the trustees of the charity since September 2017 having been made aware of potentially significant losses to the charity. The regulator says it is concerned about the apparent failures within the administration and management of the charity which have resulted in an environment in which such losses could occur, and continued to occur over a prolonged period.

The charity operates through a network of approximately 40 separate branches, which are allowed a degree of autonomy from the main charity in respect of administration and financial matters. However, the Commission has identified concerns as to the adequacy of the trustees’ oversight and control over the individual branches. The Commission also has concerns about the trustees’ failure to promptly report serious incidents to the Commission and to the police.

The inquiry will examine the trustees’ approach to governance, management and administration and will look specifically at the extent of financial loss to the charity and the circumstances which led to the losses; whether adequate steps were or are being taken to recover such losses; safeguarding of charity funds and assets; and the adequacy of serious incident reporting.

It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were.

Report by Pat Sweet