A charity strengthened security at its headquarters to protect employees following alleged “threatening behaviour” by the founder of a company that raises money for homeless military veterans.
The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), which helps businesses collect funds for good causes, had delayed transferring donations to We R Blighty after concerns about the organisation arose during a vetting process.
During a phonecall about the dispute, the firm’s director Ben Mills responded in such an “aggressive” way that CAF management worried he might try to enter their building to confront staff, according to an internal email.
We R Blighty – which is a community interest company (CIC), not a registered charity – claims that CAF’s account is “inaccurate”, saying it was entitled to the money and Mills attempted to “engage constructively”.
Separately, police forces and local councils have been raising concerns about the conduct of We R Blighty for over a year, and charity leaders shared concerns about such groups “piggybacking” on the Poppy Appeal in the run-up to Remembrance Day.
Mills and his partner Danielle Vidler, a fellow director, were fined in June after pleading guilty to collecting cash in public places without licences on multiple occasions.
This week, a long-running investigation by the Fundraising Regulator concluded that We R Blighty fundraisers acted in an “aggressive and unprofessional way towards both potential donors and public officials”.
It also found that the CIC falsely suggested it was linked to a “well-known national veterans’ charity”, which risked “misleading the public”. In all, the watchdog identified nine breaches of its code of practice by the group.
We R Blighty said its leaders “acknowledge” the regulator’s findings, which “relate to historical activity” between October 2023 and June 2024.
It complained that the Fundraising Regulator had not presented it “with verifiable evidence of aggressive behaviour by our representatives”, but the company had nevertheless “implemented enhanced training and supervision” in line with the watchdog’s recommendations. It has also introduced a complaints process.
Why CAF implemented extra security measures
CAF alerted its staff to We R Blighty’s record in an intranet post and an internal email, seen by The i Paper, following Mills’s conviction at the City of London Magistrates’ Court this summer.
The message detailed an incident in 2023 when one branch of a major supermarket chain agreed to collect funds for We R Blighty. CAF was then due to oversee the handover of about £1,500.
However, the foundation’s verification team “quickly identified an issue”, which led to “several red flags” being raised about We R Blighty, according to the email.
CAF was concerned about “limited transparency around how funds were used, and unclear criteria for identifying those in need of support”, it said.
We R Blighty fundraisers collected cash at stands on high streets to help buy boats for use as accommodation for homeless military veterans (Screenshots: Facebook video)We R Blighty denies that CAF’s concerns were well-founded. The company says it provided appropriate documents for due-diligence checks, adding that its fundraising “aims to be ethical and transparent”.
We R Blighty’s website says it aims to “support and rehabilitate serving and ex-military veterans who are struggling with homelessness, education, and employment”. It provides aid “for those struggling with PTSD and other service-induced mental health issues”.
When CAF asked for extra documentation, “the director of We R Blighty responded with aggressive and threatening behaviour”, the email claimed. “This caused understandable concern among colleagues and led to internal safety measures being implemented at our Kings Hill office.”
Both organisations are located in Kent.
As a result, CAF recommended to the supermarket that the money should not be transferred, believing this “protected public funds”.
The email said that following this incident, “even if the organisation had met our due diligence requirements later, the way staff were treated would have led to the same outcome. The wellbeing and safety of our staff is non-negotiable”.
The retailer “immediately banned We R Blighty from future fundraising activity across their sites”, the email added. The supermarket also limited all future fundraising to registered charities, excluding CICs.
The i Paper revealed last year that We R Blighty had been barred from in-store collections by Morrisons, but it is understood that the dispute with CAF involved a separate chain.
A spokesperson for We R Blighty said that CAF’s “characterisation of these interactions is inaccurate”.
They claimed that Mills “offered to attend CAF’s office in person to help resolve the situation face-to-face, an offer made in good faith and with full cooperation. This demonstrates a clear willingness to engage constructively, not hostility.”
The group remains frustrated at not receiving the £1,500, as “members of the public who donated in good faith believed their contributions were going directly to We R Blighty”.
CAF did not wish to comment on this specific case, saying the email was not intended for public consumption.
Members of We R Blighty were seen fundraising on a pavement outside Wimbledon while tennis fans headed to the tournament in July (Photos: Getty / The i Paper)However, a spokesperson for the charity said: “Individuals and businesses work with CAF to donate safely and effectively to charitable causes. Our verification processes make sure donations will be used as they are intended and provide reassurance to our clients.
“On the rare occasion that an organisation does not pass our verification checks, we will work with donors to support a different organisation so that donated funds are always used charitably.”
Public urged to take care with street donations
Online posts indicate that We R Blighty has been active on British streets in recent weeks, despite authorities believing they still lack any official permission.
We R Blighty argues that its fundraisers now concentrate on selling magazines, saying this does not require licences if they are not also taking donations.
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Cobseo, which lobbies for military-focused charities and helps them cooperate, is worried that disreputable CICs may reduce public confidence in fundraising.
The organisation’s chair, Lieutenant General Sir Nicholas Pope, believes such groups are “piggybacking on public awareness of the Armed Forces community, particularly at this time of year when the Poppy Appeal is in people’s minds”.
He recommends that people should check whether military-themed organisations are members of Cobseo – showing they have passed due diligence checks – before donating to them.
“There are 1,700 charities that support the Armed Forces community and do great stuff, and we mustn’t forget that,” said Pope. “But take a pause and check before you hand over money. Just think: does this pass a basic sniff test?”
We R Blighty remains under investigation by Kent Police over “reports of financial irregularities”, with inquiries having lasted over a year. The CIC has denied any wrongdoing.
Its website states that its fundraisers receive 50 per cent of every donation they receive or sale they make. Marketing and management costs come out of the remaining sum, with the rest going towards “supporting the veteran community”.
In July, the Metropolitan Police called on the Government to introduce tougher laws on fundraising, allowing authorities to impose bigger fines for illegal street collections as a stronger deterrent.
@robhastings.bsky.social
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