A children’s charity has accused a shop of inappropriately trading under its name for nearly 20 years.
Second Chance, which supports abused, impoverished, and learning-disabled children, stated that the shop ceased providing funds in 2006 while still using its name.
The charity allowed the store’s opening in Erith, East London, in 2005, but the agreement ended a year later, and no further funds were received, according to News Shopper.
An accountant recently revealed the shop continued using the charity’s branding for 18 years.
The Charity Commission confirmed that Second Chance has reported a serious incident concerning a shop trading under its name without permission.
Celebrity patrons, including Alexander Armstrong, support Second Chance, which funds trips for disadvantaged youth.
In April 2023, CEO Doug Hulme was alerted by an accountant working for one of Second Chance’s shops, questioning why the accounts were labelled ‘sole trader’ instead of a charity.
Hulme realised there was an issue since the charity no longer operated any stores.
‘We replied that we didn’t have any charity shops, so it wasn’t us,’ he said.
The accountant sent a photo of the shop, clearly displaying the charity’s logo and Charity Commission number.
Recognising the shop from 2005, Hulme asked the accountants to instruct their client to stop trading under the charity’s name immediately.
Despite this, the shop’s signs remained.
A spokesperson for Bexley Council’s Trading Standards department said, ‘Council officers attended the premises the same day and spoke to a relative of the former business owner.
‘The premises have been instructed to remove any signage with the name “Second Chance” and any charity number.
‘The council’s Trading Standards team and Metropolitan Police Service will continue to liaise with relevant bodies as investigations proceed.’
The Metropolitan Police confirmed a report had been made regarding the incident, with no arrests yet.