date

Description

31 July 2023 

FoBP committee discussed charity status and agreed to explore

11 August 2023

Call out to members and public for help and support in exploring charity status

email campaign(3k circulation)

Socials: (3.5k reach )

17 Oct 2023

FOBP committee receive report on response from call out for people to help with exploring charity status. Two volunteer members step forward to offer skills and knowledge. Work begins on initial research.

 23 Jan 2024

Initial research completed and presented to FoBP committee.

Committee discusses  options for change of legal status which include:

·      Stay as we are – an unincorporated association or become a:

·      Charity

·      Charitable Incorporated Organisation

·      Community Interest Company

·      Limited company

Action: establish a research group to explore which route is best for FoBP.

 Jan -March 2024

Research undertaken, including discussions with:

·      Friends of Regent’s Park

·      Broomfield House Trust

·      Firs Farm Charity via Trustee

·      Ruth Winston Centre

23 April 2024

feedback from research given to FoBP committee covering`:

·      Our current strengths and weaknesses and the need for change

·      The options for change

·      The results of research

·      The recommendations of the research group

Agreed: that FoBP should adopt CIO status as the best option for FoBP

Action: engage a professional advisor 

Action: Andrew Polycarpou to develop  an action plan for the project 

30 May 2024 

Update to FoBP members explaining reasoning for adopting CIO status

webpage created for public information

23 July 2024 

progress report to FoBP committee:

·      The procurement of an adviser had begun and 3 options had been explored

·      Two of those options were suitable

·      Agreed: that the executive and a small working group take the project forward and identify the best value option for the FoBP charity adviser

·      Having identified the best option, to commission an adviser to take us to the application stage. 

October 2024

• CIO working group established
• Work carried out to prepare content for the commission
• Information circulated to committee about content of the submission
• Adviser guided the process of changing from an unincorporated association to Charity status
• Draft CIO objects agreed and how those objects will be met
• Application made to charities commission 20 Oct 2024

10 November 2024 

approval of submission by Charity Commission and FoBP registered as a CIO under the Foundation model. 

Nov 24 – Jan 25 

after feedback from some members, working group explore opportunities for changing constitution to an ‘Association’ model. 

Jan 24 2025

Open meeting to brief public on progress to date on becoming and charity and to engage attendees on identifying what we do well and where we might focus attention in next developments

Jan 25 - April 25

• Complete revised constitution
• Consult members about CIO Association consitution
• Extraordinary general Meeting of unincorporated association to wind up and transfer assets to charity
• Close accounts at end of financial year
• Renew memberships as CIO members
• Open new financial year as charity

April 25

• Submit  revised constitution to Charity Commission
• 21st April Charity Commission approval of 'Association' constitution
• FOBP CIO constitution in place as CIO (Association)
• new financial year opened April 1st as a charity
• FoBP as an unincorporated association wound up