Difference between revisions of "Inspirations"
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In May 2025 the Commission opened a statutory class inquiry after an HMRC visit to a company in Hackney found 105 charities had cashed cheques there totalling £22 million (Dec 2021–Mar 2023). Inspirations was one of the first ten named, prioritised by number and value of cheques. The Commission issued an order stopping those charities issuing further cheques without prior consent. The inquiry is examining how funds were transferred, trustee oversight of cash obtained from cheques, whether cash was used for charitable purposes, and whether trustees decided the transactions were in the charity’s best interests.<ref>https://www.gov.uk/government/news/serious-concerns-over-use-of-22-million-triggers-investigation-by-charity-regulator</ref> | In May 2025 the Commission opened a statutory class inquiry after an HMRC visit to a company in Hackney found 105 charities had cashed cheques there totalling £22 million (Dec 2021–Mar 2023). Inspirations was one of the first ten named, prioritised by number and value of cheques. The Commission issued an order stopping those charities issuing further cheques without prior consent. The inquiry is examining how funds were transferred, trustee oversight of cash obtained from cheques, whether cash was used for charitable purposes, and whether trustees decided the transactions were in the charity’s best interests.<ref>https://www.gov.uk/government/news/serious-concerns-over-use-of-22-million-triggers-investigation-by-charity-regulator</ref> | ||
Revision as of 14:18, 10 September 2026
Inspirations is a UK unincorporated charitable trust (Charity Commission no. 1109974), registered 13 June 2005. It is based at 36 Moundfield Road, Stamford Hill, London N16. It makes grants and provides services for education, training, recreation and poverty relief. It was one of the first ten charities placed in the Charity Commission’s May 2025 statutory class inquiry into 105 charities that cashed cheques worth £22 million with a Hackney company between December 2021 and March 2023.[1]
Objects
The trust deed objects cover:
- education and training of children and young people (courses and recreation);
- relief of poverty;
- advancement of education;
- advancement of Christianity, Judaism, Islam or Hinduism, including by grants to bodies recognised as charitable in English law.
Trustees may apply income and capital by gift or loan to individuals within the objects. Register classifications: education/training; prevention or relief of poverty; other charitable purposes. Beneficiaries: children/young people; elderly. Methods: grants to individuals and organisations; services. Area of operation on the register: Hackney and Haringey only.[2]
Finances
| Year end | Income | Expenditure |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Nov 2020 | £1.67m | £1.74m |
| 30 Nov 2021 | £1.85m | £1.86m |
| 28 Feb 2023 | £2.88m | £2.87m |
| 29 Feb 2024 | £895k | £885k |
| 28 Feb 2025 | £0 | £0 |
Income is recorded as donations and legacies. Accounts and TAR for y/e 28 Feb 2023 were qualified and filed 441 days late. Accounts for y/e 29 Feb 2024 were overdue by 517 days as of the Commission record. Annual return for y/e 28 Feb 2025 was filed on time; accounts not required at £0 income. Not recognised by HMRC for Gift Aid. No land or property on the register.
Trustees
Commission register does not publish appointment or retirement dates for current trustees.
| Name | Status | Other current trusteeships (Commission) |
|---|---|---|
| Israel Eckstein | Current | Kolel Bys Shlome Arye Trust (1091867) |
| Avrohom Chayim Goldman | Current | Tatsil Trust (formerly Ephzel Trust) (275750) |
| Miriam Golda Chana Langberg | Listed as trustee in accounts to 30 Nov 2017; not on current register | — |
| Yoel Fischer | Listed as trustee in accounts to 30 Nov 2017; not on current register | — |
Related charities of current trustees
Kolel Bys Shlome Arye Trust (1091867) — unincorporated trust, registered 2 May 2002 (removed 2010 as “does not operate”; re-registered 6 Dec 2011). Objects: relief of poverty; relief of the aged and infirm; advancement of Orthodox Jewish religious education and religion. Area of benefit: national and overseas. Activities: college for advanced rabbinical studies. Income y/e 31 May 2024: £881,897. Other trustees: Pinchas Goldstein; Samuel Benjamin Krausz; Zeesy Krausz. Address historically 43 St Kilda’s Road, London N16.
Tatsil Trust (formerly Ephzel Trust) (275750) — declaration of trust 10 April 1978; registered 20 July 1978. Objects: advancement of Orthodox Jewish religion, education and learning, and relief of poverty. Income y/e 31 Mar 2025: £159,822. Other trustee: Trainda Goldman (also trustee of Yismach Moshe Community Group; Ezras Yisroel Trust; Hatzola Canvey Ltd). Address listed as 11 Fairholt Road, London N16 5EW.
Company / directors
Not a company. No Companies House number. No directors.
Alleged or apparent misdeed
In May 2025 the Commission opened a statutory class inquiry after an HMRC visit to a company in Hackney found 105 charities had cashed cheques there totalling £22 million (Dec 2021–Mar 2023). Inspirations was one of the first ten named, prioritised by number and value of cheques. The Commission issued an order stopping those charities issuing further cheques without prior consent. The inquiry is examining how funds were transferred, trustee oversight of cash obtained from cheques, whether cash was used for charitable purposes, and whether trustees decided the transactions were in the charity’s best interests.[3]
The class inquiry remained open as of 9 September 2026. Four other charities were then removed from it, with findings of misconduct and/or mismanagement over blank/open cheques, but with a finding that those four were carrying out charitable activities. Inspirations was not among the four removed.[4]
Other recorded issues: only two trustees on the current register; late filings; qualified 2023 accounts; income falling to £0 in 2024/25.
Relations to Jewish communal organisations, Israel lobby groups, and Israel / occupied territories
Inspirations sits in the Stamford Hill Haredi grant-making network. Its objects expressly allow advancement of Judaism by grants. Current trustees also sit on Orthodox Jewish education and poverty-relief trusts (Kolel Bys Shlome Arye Trust; Tatsil Trust). Trainda Goldman, co-trustee with Avrohom Chayim Goldman at Tatsil, is also on Hatzola Canvey Ltd and Ezras Yisroel Trust.
A US 501(c)(3), Friends of Kolel Bys Shlome Arye Inc. (EIN 83-1798872, Brooklyn, NY), raises funds for Orthodox Jewish religious study linked to the same kolel name. That is a US communal fundraising body, not an Israeli state body.
No public Commission, Companies House or press record was found tying Inspirations itself to:
- the Israeli government;
- named UK Israel-lobby organisations (e.g. BICOM, UJIA, Board of Deputies as an institutional partner);
- named organisations in Israel or the occupied territories as grantees.
The Commission register lists operations in Hackney and Haringey only. Grant-by-grant destination lists for Inspirations are not published on the live register summary. Absence of a public record is not proof that no such grants exist.
See also
- Serious concerns over use of £22 million triggers investigation by charity regulator
- Regulator opens next phase of investigation into 105 charities connected to company cashing cheques
- Regulator announces next charities to be investigated as part of inquiry connected to company cashing cheques
Notes
- ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/news/serious-concerns-over-use-of-22-million-triggers-investigation-by-charity-regulator
- ↑ https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/4014546/full-print
- ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/news/serious-concerns-over-use-of-22-million-triggers-investigation-by-charity-regulator
- ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/news/regulator-concludes-investigation-into-4-charities-as-class-inquiry-continues