AN ANDOVER charity is under investigation over alleged connections with 'extreme right-wing organisations'.
The Saint George Educational Trust is being investigated by the Charity Commission over reports of misconduct and/or mismanagement in the administration.
The trust, which has a registered address of 'Andover House, George Yard', claims it has charitable purposes that include the advancement of the Catholic religion.
However, the trust is now being investigated after concerns were identified in relation to activities carried out by the charity that do not appear to further its religious purposes.
This includes material it had posted online and political activity or campaigning.
READ MORE: Andover friends to climb Kilimanjaro to raise money for charity
A bank account holding the charity’s funds has now been frozen by the commission so that no one can access or move them without prior consent.
The commission also said it has significant concerns that the Andover charity has associations with an extreme right-wing organisation and how this furthers its religious purposes, something that the commission has previously investigated.
The Saint George Trust has been the subject of three previous statutory inquiries – two of which opened in 1997 and 1999.
The second inquiry was opened to consider the charity’s association with an extreme right-wing organisation.
On July 25, this year, the charity became part of the Commission’s Statutory Class Inquiry, having failed to submit financial information to the commission for two or more years over the last five years.
The charity ceased to be part of the Class Inquiry with the opening of the new inquiry, however, its accounting information for the financial years ending March 31, 2020 and 2021, remains outstanding, which will be considered as part of the new inquiry.
The commission will examine the administration by the trustees and their relationships with external organisations and individuals; the financial controls and management; the conduct of the trustees; and whether or not the trustees have complied with and fulfilled their duties and responsibilities.
SEE ALSO: Church's roof on fire in Weyhill as crews discover electrical fault
The commission added that it may extend the scope of the inquiry if additional regulatory issues emerge later during the investigations.
The commission has also ordered the trustees to review and remove content from the charity’s website and social media pages that does not further the charity’s purposes, and directed them not to allow such material in future.
The Advertiser went to Andover House in George Yard for more information on the charity. But it has been revealed that 225 Andover House is just a mailbox at this address and the charity's headquarters is located elsewhere at an unknown location.
The people running the mailbox service said it is confidential and cannot be revealed.
The Saint George Educational Trust has been contacted via email for a comment.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel