OOh, found this: But now must run - am off to a pub which is no good to me at all in my condition but maybe pizza afterwards
Eton hits top 100 charities index amid public benefit debate
David Brindle
Wednesday March 14, 2001
Eton College has burst into the top 100 charities index, prompting fresh debate about the appropriateness of independent schools having charitable status.
The exclusive Berkshire school is 72nd in the index run by Charity Finance magazine and Barclays bank. In the year to December 1999, it had income of £28.2m, including £23.4m from fees and grants.
The development comes as the voluntary sector is deliberating on the case for modernising charity law, including the argument that all charities - whether registered with the charity commission or not - should have to prove public benefit as the main determinant of their status.
Eton is an exempt charity, not registered with the commission. In a consultation paper, the charity law reform advisory group of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) proposes that all charities demonstrate public benefit in terms of issues such as access to facilities. An NCVO spokeswoman says: "We do need a tighter definition of what is for public benefit, but we would not want to pre-judge the consultation exercise."
Eton currently runs summer courses for pupils from state schools, including up to 50 from deprived Harlesden in north London, and offers what it calls "social service" activities in the local community. In 1995, a £3m national lottery grant was controversially awarded to build a community athletics centre on college land.
The top 100 charities index's highest new entrant, at 45, is Daughters of the Cross, a religious body involved in education, care and nursing. Most of its income, put at an average £36.6m, comes from fees and charges to local authorities.
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Other new entrants are: the United Bible Societies Trust (56), Trustees for Roman Catholic Purposes (65), the Imperial War Museum (75), the Lowry Centre Trust (82), the Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre Trust (86) and the Prince's Trust (87).
The index's top five charities remain unchanged, being - in order - the Wellcome Trust, the Nuffield Nursing Homes Trust, the National Trust, the Church Commissioners for England and the Salvation Army.
The charity commission meanwhile has formally recognised conservation of the environment as a charitable purpose in its own right, issuing new guidance for charities in the field. Previously, the purpose had been recognised only informally. John Stoker, chief charity commissioner, says: "This guidance brings clarity to the status of organisations set up to protect our built and natural environment, from castles to coastlines."
The change is the latest product of the commission's review of the register of charities. Earlier moves extended the definition of charitable purpose to embrace urban and rural regeneration, relief of unemployment and promotion of community capacity building.
The commission is now consulting on the extent to which museums and arts galleries can be charitable.