AIBU to think Kids Company was actually just an arrangement that mainly funded the lifestyles of a group of Camilla B's pals?

[LuluJakey1]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3267799/Scadal-hit-charity-Kids-Company-facing-new-questions-giving-hundreds-thousands-pounds-tax-free-employees.html

Chauffeur paid £40,000 + and his two children at private schools paid for by KC. His sister CB's seamstress full-time and the lawyer -both roles paid for by KC

I just do not know how CB could honestly justify any of this behaviour and not see it is wrong.

[dementedma]

Yeah, there have been a lot of threads about this and I fear more cans of worms to be opened...

[WipsGlitter]

Is she appearing at a select committee? With Alan Yentob? I predict a car crash.

[Cloppysow]

Was the seamstress on drugs?

[evilcherub]

Yes. It looks like a big tax dodge. She and her "employees" probably thought nobody would ever investigate because "think of the children" etc.

[JoySzasz]

I have to laugh at how some MN posters were all over her previously.

All taken in with the colourful clothes, and her articulate way of speaking...

I honestly wonder why?

I'm glad I am a sage.

[Sallyhasleftthebuilding]

Isnt it a shame though? Will make people think twice to giving to a kids charity. They could have made a huge difference to a lot of kids.

[OTheHugeManatee]

I think if it encourages people to look closely at what a charity is actually doing rather than all the emotive stuff in their marketing then that's probably for the best.

[museumum]

It may have been but it was ALSO a series of really valuable centres run by very dedicated on the ground staff. It's them I feel for. All their hard work dragged through the mud and their reputation as youth workers badly damaged.

[Salmotrutta]

When all this first broke as news I'd never heard of the woman or the charity but it all made very interesting reading.

Someone did link to an old thread where MNers were praising her to the skies and saying how wonderful she was but hindsight is a marvellous thing isn't it?

[Salmotrutta]

And I agree museumum - there were probably a lot of genuinely caring people working for the chRity who had no idea what was going on with the money?

[scarlets]

"I think if it encourages people to look closely at what a charity is actually doing rather than all the emotive stuff in their marketing then that's probably for the best."

I agree with this. It's important for charities to be accountable.

[suzannecaravaggio]

it was ALSO a series of really valuable centres run by very dedicated on the ground staff

and therefore the perfect front for a tax dodge / fiddle

[cleaty]

What happened here was that the normal rules were suspended. If you get grants from Government you have to give lots of information and stats to them as a result. In Kids Company case they didn't, and Cameron himself over ruled the Civil Servants who wanted to stop the grants.

This is about normal rules not applying if you have the right connections.

[PaulAnkaTheDog]

When the stuff started coming out about KC I was shocked at how many people seemed to think the sun shined out her arse. Was listening to Any Questions one day and was gobsmacked at the quick responses by people to shoot down any attempt at questioning her behaviour. They were calling her a saint ffs! I mean, come on!

[QuiteLikely5]

Ok there is only talk of her helping her driver. That company did lots of great work for others. Lots and lots but nobody here is talking about it.

[PaulAnkaTheDog]

Quite Likely a lot of people who were 'helped' by the charity would beg to differ.

[cleaty]

A sign that a charity might have issues, is when it is not working with other charities. Charities in their field tend to know who is delivering, and who is not, and are often ken to work in partnership with those who do deliver.

[QuestioningStuff]

Quite I don't think anybody is denying that. But the money that went towards funding CB and her friends' lavish lifestyles could have and should have gone to helping even more under privileged children. That is what people, rightly, are so angry about. It's immoral and disgusting.

I have a few Facebook friends who have works for KC before and they are so determined to defend it. Including when the sexual abuse allegations were made. If I worked somewhere and allegations like that were made I'd never rant on Facebook that it was a set up and it NEVER could have happened because you never know? It's like a weird cult.

[wowfudge]

Yes, that's right Tough. Totally immoral and I think it demonstrates the charity thought it was above the law. I guess if you've been getting away with it for years, no questions asked, it becomes the norm. Absolutely stinks though and if those people who were senior managers and trustees claim not to have know, an appalling failure of governance. I'm looking forward to seeing what they have to say before the committee.

[RJnomaaaaaargh]

I think it's a lesson in media manipulation too.

I'm in Scotland. All I knew about kids company before this was what was in the press. And yes I thought they did amazing things. I thought she was personally a bit much but that perhaps it was that that gave the drive to get things happening.

Because all I saw was what the press wanted me to see - not blaming the pres btw just pointing out we are still naive and accepting even when we should know better really