The Bluefriars trustees welcome the guidelines on Public Benefit set out by by the Charity Commission. Like other charities, we reclaim tax on gifts we receive through Gift Aid. In effect, donors to our funds are choosing to make a charitable gift which includes tax which would otherwise go to HM Treasury. As a quid pro quo, we have to ensure that our activities are of public benefit. This term is not clearly defined, but the trustees are confident that they are following the spirit of the rule.
Supporters who give to the charity sometimes suggest to the trustees how they wish their donations to the used. Whilst, legally, the trustees are not bound by such wishes, they always bear them in mind. Recently, several donors have indicated that their gifts should be used outside Monkton. Juniors in other rowing clubs, as well as the fledgeling scheme for supplying rowing machines to Youth Offenders Institutions have all benefited from such gifts. Along with financial support, we try to give time so that skills can be passed on.
We firmly believe that grants we are able to make to support rowing at Monkton have equal long-term benefit to society. Our dual aims of encouraging rowing both at Monkton and for other students and student boat clubs sit well together.