The family of NHS fundraiser Captain Sir Tom Moore personally benefited from the charity established in his name through deals worth over £1 million, according to a damning report by the Charity Commission.
The inquiry concluded that Captain Tom’s daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, and her husband, Colin Ingram-Moore, were guilty of “serious and repeated” misconduct, mismanagement, and breaches of integrity.
The couple, who founded the Captain Tom Foundation in 2020 to support charitable causes, were found to have repeatedly mixed their personal interests with the charity’s operations, gaining significant financial benefits. Despite initially pledging not to be involved in the foundation, the report revealed that the Ingram-Moores exercised substantial control, aided by trustees who were often unaware of their actions.
One of the most criticized findings was a £1.5 million three-book deal signed in May 2020 by Hannah Ingram-Moore on behalf of her father. While promotional materials implied the proceeds would benefit the charity, the deal turned out to be almost entirely for the family’s financial gain. Despite a promise to donate proceeds to the charity, no donation was made, and when given the opportunity in November 2022, the Ingram-Moores declined.
Other findings in the report include:
- Hannah Ingram-Moore pushed to become the charity’s chief executive with a proposed salary of £150,000. The Charity Commission blocked this, and she was eventually hired at £85,000.
- She received £18,000 from Virgin Media in 2021 to judge a competition while serving as the charity’s CEO, a conflict of interest for which there was no evidence of her claim that it was done in a personal capacity.
- The Ingram-Moores misused the charity’s name for personal gain in a planning application to build a private spa pool at their home, which was later demolished.
David Holdsworth, the Charity Commission’s chief executive, stated that while Captain Tom had inspired a nation, the charity bearing his name fell far short of the standards expected. “The public rightly expects those in charities to clearly separate personal interests from the charity’s mission. This did not happen here,” he said.
The two-year inquiry also revealed that while the family had promised the charity would be independent, they secretly trademarked the “Captain Tom” name and set up a private company, Club Nook, and a family trust to manage his intellectual property and commercial interests. This created a dependency on Club Nook, with the charity needing its permission for activities such as selling branded merchandise.
In July 2024, Hannah and Colin Ingram-Moore were disqualified as trustees and barred from senior roles in any charity for 10 and eight years, respectively. They denied any misappropriation of funds, claiming they never accessed or made payments from the charity’s bank accounts.
Responding to the report, the Ingram-Moores accused the Charity Commission of “selective storytelling,” claiming the inquiry had misrepresented facts and timelines. They also said the investigation had severely impacted their mental and physical health, tarnished their reputation, and hindered their ability to uphold Captain Tom’s legacy.
The Captain Tom Foundation stopped accepting donations in 2023. Of the £1.5 million it received over two years, only £370,000 was distributed as grants. A spokesperson for the foundation welcomed the findings, urging the Ingram-Moores to return funds owed to the charity so they could be donated to worthy causes in line with Captain Tom’s vision.
Captain Tom, who raised £39 million for NHS charities by walking 100 laps of his garden during the pandemic, passed away in February 2021 at the age of 100.
