(I have not proof read this wall of text yet, apologies in advance!)
I thought it might be interesting to start a thread to discuss the changes that have happened in the last 12 months or so around the way our top-level charity works. In their own words:
We’ve transformed the ATC General Purpose Fund (administered by RAFAC HQ) into a grant-making charity. We are independent of the Air Cadet Organisation [sic] and receive no funding from MoD or other government departments
This is from a powerpoint that can be found here from the recent 2024 RAFAC conference.
For starters, and this is an important distinction, that PowerPoint seems to both The RAF Air Cadets, RAFAC, and the Air Cadet Organisation, ACO. The only time the Air Training Corps is mentioned, is once when referring to the name of the charity before it was changed. The CCF are not mentioned at all. So for clarity for anyone readying:
The RAF Air Cadets, comprises both the ATC and the RAF sections of the CCF. This used to be called the Air Cadet Organisation. The ACO was rebranded to the RAFAC in 2017. This should be simple. Our community units are ATC Sqns. So it’s “1015 (Horsham) Sqn ATC” The ATC has not disappeared in this rebrand.
So that brings us back to the charity, previously named “The Air Training Corps General Purpose Fund”. This charity as registered has the charitable objectives:
SUCH CHARITABLE PURPOSES AS THE TRUSTEES THINK IT FOR THE BENEFIT OF PERSONNEL OF THE AIR TRAINING CORPS.
The majority of money appeared to come directly from subs paid by ATC cadet that made their way up though wings and regions. But now, we have changed name, and it would appear the charity is spending money across the RAFAC, benefiting both CCF cadets and ATC cadets. Now, I fundamentally do not have a problem with that. But I think it has got incredibly confusing. Their own policy leads with this:
The Air Cadet Charity is primarily a grant making charity supporting the RAF Air Cadet family according to its objects:
The objects of the CIO are to carry on such charitable purposes as the Charity Trustees from time to time think fit for the benefit of personnel of the Air Training Corps and Cadets; and without limiting the generality of the foregoing to provide support and activities for young people which develop their skills, capacities, and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible individuals. This policy provides an overarching framework for the Air Cadet Charity’s grants available to the Air Training Corps. Separate grant guidelines detailing the terms and conditions of specific grants will be available separately.
My bold.
So what is it? Is it a charity to support the whole RAFAC, or just the ATC? If the former, is it fair that only ATC cadets are paying into said charity? Is it fair that cadets are paying into it at all, or given this change, should they be fundraising without ‘donations’ from the people they are mainly trying to benefit? The things they say they are funding per that powerpoint are certainly general ‘RAFAC’ things, not ATC things:
I personally feel that if they want to really be a separate charity away from HQAC, as they are saying, then ATC cadets shouldn’t be paying subs to them. A charity that goes out and raises funds to enable grants is great. But not if it’s primarily being funded from members of the ATC. Or maybe I’m wrong and that isn’t their only income? But as a charity, it’s a bit suspect that they don’t even have a link to donate on their website…