Two new inquiries launched into charities linked to Northants care home
The inquiry into William Blake House has led to separate inquiries into a Northampton art gallery and an educational charity
By Sarah Ward
The charities regulator has today announced two new inquiries into two Northants charities following on from its investigations into a care home for adults with learning difficulties.
In March the Charity Commission removed the trustees from Towcester based charity William Blake House amid concerns over financial mismanagement and put in new management. The charity, which cares for adults with complex needs has been placed into administration and is at risk of going under, unless it can find a new organisation to take it over.
The financial problems first came to light when families whose loved ones are cared for by William Blake House, became aware the charity had an unpaid £1.6m tax bill and was involved in court order.
Today, the Charity Commission has made public that it has now opened two inquiries into two charities that have links to William Blake; the Shoosmith Gallery based at Delapre Abbey in Northampton and Steiner Friends, an educational charity based at the Country Centre in Duston.
Management Consultant Bushra Hamid, was a trustee of all three charities and had previously told NN Journal he was ‘really good at helping charities turn around’.
The inquiry into Shoosmith Gallery relates to a conflict of interest concerning an employee who was also a trustee and the inquiry into Steiner Friends concerns financial reporting.
The charity regulator said today about Shoosmiths:
“Two of the charity’s current trustees are also trustees of William Blake House Northants, which is subject to an ongoing statutory inquiry opened in February 2026. The shared trusteeship prompted the Commission to assess The Shoosmith Gallery. That assessment identified regulatory concerns which have led the Commission to open a separate inquiry.
“The Commission’s review of the gallery’s accounts has raised concerns that a trustee has received payment for their role. This was despite the charity’s governing document expressly prohibiting the employment of a trustee without the prior written consent of the Commission, which was neither sought nor given.
The Commission’s inquiry will seek to establish the basis on which the trustees considered employment of a trustee to be in the charity’s best interests.
The inquiry will examine the extent to which the trustees are complying or have complied with their legal duties in respect of the administration, governance and management of the charity, with particular regard to:
whether the trustees have complied with the charity’s governing document, including the prohibition on the employment of a trustee without the prior consent of the Commission.
the management of potential conflicts of interest and whether there has been any unauthorised private benefit to the trustees and/or connected parties.
whether the trustees have ensured the charity is operating in furtherance of its charitable objects.
It said the scope of the inquiry may be extended if additional regulatory issues emerge.
With regards to Steiner Friends it said:
“There is an established financial and personal relationship between the two charities.
“The charity’s trustees are also trustees of William Blake House Northants. The Commission is seeking to establish how potential conflicts of interest arising are managed and whether the charity’s funds have been properly applied in furtherance of its charitable objects.
“As the charity reported £0 income in its annual returns for the years ended 31 March 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 its income appeared to be below the threshold for submitting accounts to the Commission.
“However, following a review of the charity’s bank accounts, the Commission is concerned that the charity’s income may have exceeded the threshold and therefore accounts should have been submitted to the Commission. This raises concerns that the trustees have failed to comply with their reporting obligations.
The inquiry will examine the extent to which the trustees are complying or have complied with their legal duties in respect of the administration, governance and management of the charity, with particular regard to:
the trustees’ compliance with their statutory accounting and reporting responsibilities, including the accuracy of the information submitted to the Commission in the charity’s annual returns.
the financial management of the charity, including whether the charity’s funds have been properly applied in furtherance of its charitable objects.
the management of potential conflicts of interest and connected party transactions, and whether there has been any unauthorised private benefit to the trustees and/or connected parties.
whether any of the charity’s property has been or is at risk.
The commission will publish a report after its inquiries have ended.
In March officers from Northants Police economic crime unit arrested a man and woman, both in their 60s, on suspicion of fraud and money laundering offences. They remain on police bail pending further enquiries.