VIEW issue 4 2012:VIEW issue 4 2012 29/04/2012 16:54 Page 17


VIEW, Issue four, 2012


Website: viewdigital.org


Page 17


Clockwise, from above: Michael McKibbin, Angila Chada and children at Lis- nagelvin Swimming Pool. Last year the McKibbin Fund provided £2,800 to the Foyle Down’s Syndrome Trust to support sporting activities for disabled chikdren in Derry


of tax relief that wealthy donors could receive in respect of large donations. This would substantially cut the amount that phi-


lanthropists can claim back if they donated more than £200,000, meaning it would cost them far more to give the same sums to charities, aid proj- ects, new hospitals, universities, arts bodies or other charitable causes.


Hand in pockets to help others A


Heather McGarrigle reports on what philanthropy looks like in Northern Ireland and what impact the cap on tax relief for charity donations could have on this important source of financial support


s part of an assault on so-called aggressive tax avoidance – billed as a ‘tycoon tax; – Chancellor George Osborne’s March Budget announced a limit on the amount


where to start. The CFNI guided the McKibbins in establishing their fund which now supports around four or five projects a year, helping children with ill- ness and special needs. During Philanthropy Week last November, Michael urged other people to follow in his foot- steps.


land’s community and voluntary sector insists that funding good causes isn’t just for the super rich – in fact, philanthropy is for everyone, including those who don’t enjoy the glare of publicity. The Community Foundation Northern Ireland (CFNI) is one of 57 community foundations across the UK. Founded in 1979 as the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust, it has spent 30 years working with a variety of individuals and organisations to guide them through their “journey” of giving. Although the mega millions of a tycoon such as Bill Gates would be welcomed by Northern Ire- land’s charities, the CFNI is adamant that the future of philanthropic giving in Northern Ireland lies with those simply prepared to set aside whatever they can, whenever they can.


mously, the organisation has a number of philan- thropists happy to discuss their experiences. Michael McKibbin is a retired businessman based


in Holywood who said his family have never been “fabulously wealthy”. However, inspired by a happy upbringing, he and


his brother and sister chose to set up the McKib- bin Family Fund in 2010 in memory of their par- ents. Unsurprisingly, without a team of wealth managers at their disposal, the siblings didn’t know


Although giving can be done entirely anony- But an organisation at the heart of Northern Ire-


there was no better time to be generous. “If you are in business, in a giving circle, or have spare in- come you feel would be of benefit to others, why not start your own philanthropic journey?”


‘I would hope my journey demonstrates


that philanthropy is not the preserve of the wealthy’


The Conservatives’ election manifesto seemed to support this idea of everyone playing their part, dominated as it was by the vision of a ‘Big Society’ held together by volunteering and shared social re- sponsibility.


The planned cap on tax relief for charitable do- nations, announced in this year’s Budget, has there- fore come as a shock to many and attracted widespread criticism. Angila Chada is a Belfast woman who began her philanthropic journey in September 2011. Angila was one of a large group of UK philan-


thropists, including the CFNI’s Sir George Bain and Gordon Roddick of The Roddick Foundation, who


With the economic crisis deepening, he argued,


signed a letter of protest published in the Sunday Telegraph on April. 15.


brake on philanthropy that may deter future donors”.


The letter describes the Budget proposal as “a


young persons and community charity, since its in- ception in 2002. She is now Executive Director, but said that she wanted to “give something back” in her personal life too.


Ms Chada has worked for Springboard, a local


hasn’t given out any grants yet, but the first dona- tions have gone in and we hope to begin distribut- ing funds in around five years,”she says. “I would hope my journey demonstrates that philanthropy is not the preserve of the wealthy.” Ms Chada added: “It’s about interweaving that ethos of making a difference, wherever you can, into your daily life. I believe it connects people to- gether in society.” Her donations are “nowhere near” the £50,000


tax relief cap level, but although she won’t person- ally be affected by it, Ms Chada believes that the cap would have “a detrimental effect on charitable giving”.


“The Raj Darshna Foundation is very small and it


The CFNI is also disturbed by the proposals. Helen McKeever, who is Fund Development Man- ager at the foundation, said the cap places charity supporters “in the same category as those who de- liberately avoid tax”. David Cameron recently defended the Chancel-


lor’s proposals, saying it was a way to ensure the wealthiest people couldn’t use charitable donations to avoid tax bills. Helen says: “People who give to charity ulti-


mately end up with less money. “Efforts need to be made to address deliberate


tax avoidance, but placing charitable giving in that category seems crazy.”


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