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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Joshua's Wish children's holiday charity wound up | Joshua's Wish children's holiday charity wound up |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The charity Joshua's Wish has been wound up, leaving over 60 young people thousands of pounds out of pocket. | The charity Joshua's Wish has been wound up, leaving over 60 young people thousands of pounds out of pocket. |
| They have had letters telling them that a trip to Australia which was due to leave in two weeks has been cancelled. | They have had letters telling them that a trip to Australia which was due to leave in two weeks has been cancelled. |
| Each had raised £3,000 for the charity, which was founded in Wales and formerly known as The Joshua Foundation. | Each had raised £3,000 for the charity, which was founded in Wales and formerly known as The Joshua Foundation. |
| In a tweet, the organisation's founder Sarah Cornelius-Price said: "I am unable to comment on the closure of Joshua's Wish." | |
| A BBC Wales investigation earlier this year found it owed up to £400,000 to HM Revenue and Customs. | |
| When the charity was founded it offered trips, holidays and experiences for sick young people. | When the charity was founded it offered trips, holidays and experiences for sick young people. |
| The BBC reported in January that that the HMRC debt had been on The Joshua Foundation's accounts since about 2003/04. | The BBC reported in January that that the HMRC debt had been on The Joshua Foundation's accounts since about 2003/04. |
| Mrs Cornelius-Price said in January that the debt was from mistakenly claimed gift aid. | |
| A former winner of the Welsh Woman of the Year award, Mrs Cornelius-Price also said in January that the charity's subsequent gift aid claims were being retained by HMRC towards offsetting the debt. | |
| 'Major fundraising activity' | 'Major fundraising activity' |
| She said at the time that she hoped soon to settle the outstanding debt. | She said at the time that she hoped soon to settle the outstanding debt. |
| Graham Down, a director of Burton Sweet Corporate Recovery in Bristol, confirmed that Joshua's Wish has ceased operating because of its liabilities. | Graham Down, a director of Burton Sweet Corporate Recovery in Bristol, confirmed that Joshua's Wish has ceased operating because of its liabilities. |
| He was appointed as an insolvency practitioner on Tuesday night by Mrs Cornelius-Smith. | He was appointed as an insolvency practitioner on Tuesday night by Mrs Cornelius-Smith. |
| Mr Down said the level of the charity's liabilities had yet to be established. | Mr Down said the level of the charity's liabilities had yet to be established. |
| He said: "We are aware of a major fundraising activity kicking off in Australia at the end of June. We are trying to establish the position but it is unlikely that it will go ahead." | He said: "We are aware of a major fundraising activity kicking off in Australia at the end of June. We are trying to establish the position but it is unlikely that it will go ahead." |
| Mr Down will meet the charity's trustees in Cardiff on Wednesday night. | Mr Down will meet the charity's trustees in Cardiff on Wednesday night. |
| The trustees can then make a court application for the charity to be wound up, and Mr Down would then become the liquidator. | The trustees can then make a court application for the charity to be wound up, and Mr Down would then become the liquidator. |
| Graham Brill, from Merthyr Tydfil, said his 18-year-old daughter had been due to go to Australia with Joshua's Wish. | Graham Brill, from Merthyr Tydfil, said his 18-year-old daughter had been due to go to Australia with Joshua's Wish. |
| He said she had been going to medical school in September to work in the oncology department at a hospital in Melbourne. | He said she had been going to medical school in September to work in the oncology department at a hospital in Melbourne. |
| He said the family had lost about £4,000. His daughter had to raise £3,000 for the trip and another £1,000 or so for visas, uniforms and other extras. | He said the family had lost about £4,000. His daughter had to raise £3,000 for the trip and another £1,000 or so for visas, uniforms and other extras. |
| He said: "My daughter worked really hard to raise that money. It leaves a nasty taste in the mouth and I fear it will affect other charities - people will think twice about helping." | He said: "My daughter worked really hard to raise that money. It leaves a nasty taste in the mouth and I fear it will affect other charities - people will think twice about helping." |
| 'Vile untrue tweets' | |
| The Charity Commission said: "The commission has been informed that the trustees of Joshua's Wish have decided to wind up the charity and we understand that insolvency practitioners have been appointed. | The Charity Commission said: "The commission has been informed that the trustees of Joshua's Wish have decided to wind up the charity and we understand that insolvency practitioners have been appointed. |
| "We are acutely aware that some of the charity's supporters are concerned about the charity winding up and we understand their complaint and disappointment. | "We are acutely aware that some of the charity's supporters are concerned about the charity winding up and we understand their complaint and disappointment. |
| "We are advising that they contact the appointed insolvency practitioners." | "We are advising that they contact the appointed insolvency practitioners." |
| In her tweet on Wednesday, Mrs Cornelius-Price said: "I can say that my family and I are very upset and vile untrue tweets don't help! | |
| "The insolvency people are the only ones who can help." |