Charitable status

Comments?

How does the PFAF Charity fit the Charity Commission ‘Descriptions of Charitable Purposes in the Charities Act 2006’, http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/spr/corcom1.asp ?

The PFAF Charity’s ‘Charitable Purposes’ is a subject we could all think about. When we have a new board of trustees, which we aim to achieve on 2 November, we will be re-thinking our Aims/Objects, our objectives and activities to meet those Aims/Objects, our governing documents, and whom and what (socially and ecologically) we are here to benefit, in what ways.

This is an invitation for those interested in taking PFAF forward to engage in discussion on this important subject.

The table, below, is a start. Please copy and amend that, and/or send your comments and contributions, to chris_e_marsh@hotmail.com

Our current Objects:

The Charity’s Objects are to advance the education of the public by the promotion of all aspects of ecologically sustainable vegan-organic horticulture and agriculture with an emphasis on tree, shrub and other perennial species; and the undertaking of research into such horticulture and agriculture, and dissemination of the results of such research.

[We may change ‘vegan-organic’ to ‘plant-organic’, a point we have had much useful discussion on recently.]

Purpose as defined by Charity Commission	Is this our purpose, given our current Objects?	If we were to change our Objects and our activities directed at meeting them, how, potentially, would we meet this purpose?
The prevention or relief of poverty		Enabling progress towards food security in Britain, including home and community growing. Enabling people to produce nutritious food for almost no money. Making information available about plant combinations suitable for small areas, building and improving degraded soils, and more nutritious food plants.
The advancement of education	ü
The advancement of religion
The advancement of health or the saving of lives	ü
The advancement of citizenship or community development		ü
The advancement of the arts, culture, heritage or science
The advancement of amateur sport
The advancement of human rights, conflict resolution or reconciliation or the promotion of religious or racial harmony or equality and diversity
The advancement of environmental protection or improvement	ü
The relief of those in need, by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage		ü
The advancement of animal welfare	ü
The promotion of the efficiency of the armed forces of the Crown or of the police, fire and rescue services or ambulance services
Other purposes currently recognised as charitable and any new charitable purposes which are similar to another charitable purpose.		ü