MP raises alarm over charity cash

DEFENDING the donations . . . Norman Armstrong-Kersh

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Woolas slams £8,900 donation

AN £8,900 donation from local charity Life for a Life to a Nottingham-based organisation which works mainly in India has been slammed by MP Phil Woolas.

The Chadderton-based charity, spearheaded by Norman Armstrong-Kersh, last year received £357,709 in donations and legacies, according to its 2009 accounts.

It handed out £34,279 to charities and good causes, totalling 9.5 per cent of its income.

About a quarter of that — £8,900 — went to the Puri Foundation, a charitable organisation headed by Nat Puri, the owner of Greenfield Paper Mill (Robert Fletcher’s).

Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Mr Woolas spoke out after learning less than 10 per cent of Life for a Life’s total income was paid out to charities.

He said: “A staggering £187,000 (52 per cent) was spent on salaries, car allowances, stationery and postage. While £2,300 went to Dr Kershaw’s Hospice, the largest donation went to the Puri Foundation. In 2008, £9,150 went to the same foundation.”

Mr Armstrong-Kersh defended the donations, saying: “Puri has a very considerable place in India which deals with tropical diseases, of which malaria is one.

“As far as I’m concerned that’s a world health problem, and still remains the biggest killer.”

Mr Woolas added: “Former pensioners of Robert Fletcher’s paper mill will be horrified that Life for a Life funds are being sent to an organisation run by Nat Puri, who is responsible for a huge shortfall in pensions being paid to scores of Oldhamers who worked for Nat Puri at Fletcher’s. I would question the carried out a little bit of research they would have found that 84 per cent of the Puri Foundation’s grants made in 2009 went to India to fund a research institute where another member of the Puri family, Ashwari Puri, is the chief executive.

“The short-changed pensioners from Fletcher’s would also be astonished to read in the Puri Foundation accounts that Nat Puri has gift-aided £363,000 to his foundation over two years.

“At a 40 per cent tax rate, that is the equivalent of about £240,000 of British taxpayers’ money going into the Puri Foundation — the vast majority of which goes to India.

“While this is legal and gift aid to disasters abroad is very acceptable, I think Nat Puri’s actions in using UK taxpayers’ money and donations from Life for a Life to pay the salary of one of his relatives in India is morally indefensible.

“Nat Puri and his myriad of companies run from Nottingham have a duty to use his wealth to make up the shortfall in Robert Fletcher’s pensioners’ income before he uses the UK tax system to fund his and his family’s activities in India.”

Life for a Life’s 2009 accounts show the £2,300 given to Dr Kershaw’s was the biggest individual donation to one of 11 hospices, and a beneficiary — detailed only as D England and A Harris — received £3,000.

A total of £211,430, or 60 per cent of its income, went on staff and administration costs, which included motor expenses of £26,134, travelling costs of £10,438 and postage, printing and stationery at £45,883.

Mr Armstrong Kersh was unable to say which charity D England and A Harris represent, and said Life for a Life treasurer and chairman of the trustees, Frank Hudson, had all the answers, but was too ill to respond at the moment.

He said: “He will have all the answers, I’m absolutely certain of that, and we will respond when he is fit to do so. We are absolutely transparent in all that we do.”

A total of seven people work for the charity, none of whom earned more than £50,000.

Life for a Life plants trees in memorial forests in return for a minimum £495 donation, or £550 at the Dovestone Indian’s Head memorial forest, Greenfield.

The charity also offers memorial benches, for a minimum £495 donation, and picnic tables for £465.

Its headquarters are at Chadderton Court, Middleton Road, Chadderton.

It was founded in 1999, since when, says its website, it has donated 80 per cent of its income back into the community.