U.K. hospital to return charity's money amid gala harassment allegations

[demmiblue]

Source: NBC News/Reuters

LONDON — A British children's hospital said it will return donations from a charity facing allegations that women were groped, propositioned and sexually harassed at a fundraising gala attended by hundreds of senior executives and lawmakers.

The men-only event at London's Dorchester Hotel featured some 100 female hostesses, including two undercover Financial Times reporters. The journalists described harassment, lewd comments and "repeated requests to join diners in bedrooms."

Thursday's event organized by the Presidents Club raised around £2 million ($2.8 million), according to the FT. It has raised more than £20 million ($28 million) over the past three decades.

The Great Ormond Street Hospital said it was shocked to learn of the behavior at the Presidents Club dinner and that it wouldn't knowingly accept donations raised this way.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/sexual-misconduct/u-k-hospital-return-charity-s-money-amid-gala-harassment-n840531?cid=par-twitter-feed_20180124

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Presidents Club: Scandal-hit charity dinner organiser quits post

A man who helped organise a men-only charity dinner, where hostesses were allegedly groped, has quit the Department for Education board, MPs have been told.
...
WPP, the world's biggest advertising agency, has said it is withdrawing its future support for the dinner after the allegations.
...
Part of the event included a charity auction, with one of the prizes was the chance to have tea with Bank of England governor Mark Carney.

However, a Bank of England spokesman said: "The Bank of England did not approve any prize for auction on the occasion described nor would it have for that organisation under its guidelines for charitable giving."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42801178

There's a lot of people and organisations rushing to say "we had no idea ...", though the idea was, of course, well enough known for the Financial Times, not your normal undercover operators, to send 2 journalists to be "hostesses". I think Mr. Carney will have to put out an explanation, though it is quite possible he just agreed to some friend who said "would you donate tea with you for a charity?".

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Presidents Club to close down after claims of harassment at hostess gala

A charity that counted billionaires, celebrities and politicians among its high-society patrons has been forced to close down after “deplorable” revelations about a men-only fundraising dinner where hired hostesses were allegedly groped and sexually harassed.

Guests rushed to distance themselves from the Presidents Club charity, while beneficiaries including Great Ormond Street children’s hospital vowed to hand back donations, as they reacted to reports of behaviour by wealthy guests at an annual dinner hosted by the comedian David Walliams.

Amid mounting anger at details of an event whose guest list featured luminaries of the British establishment such as the retail tycoon Sir Philip Green and the Dragons’ Den entrepreneur Peter Jones, the charity announced it would distribute its remaining funds and close down.

The education minister Nadhim Zahawi faced calls to resign for attending the lavish dinner without reporting any concerns, while Theresa May’s spokesperson said she was “uncomfortable” about allegations of what had taken place.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jan/24/great-ormond-street-return-presidents-club-donations-harassment-claims