A Captain Sir Tom Moore branded rose sold to raise money for a foundation set up in his name has been withdrawn from sale following a surveillance investigation launched into the charity, it can be revealed.
‘Captain Tom Rose’ was removed by World of Roses after the Charity Commission announced it had opened a statutory investigation into the Captain Tom Foundation.
The retailer, who said he was “proud” when he introduced the rose plant last year, confirmed to The Independent that it was withdrawn from sale “as soon as we were made aware of the Charity Commission investigation”.
It’s another blow to the Captain Tom Foundation after the charity launched its investigation in June, warning that the company Club Nook Ltd – run by the late fundraiser’s daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, and her husband, Colin – “may have generated significant profits” from marketing variations of the veteran’s name.
In March 2021, the watchdog opened a regulatory compliance case against the charity, but revealed last month that it had “stepped up its engagement due to newly identified concerns about arrangements between the charity and a business connected to the Ingram-Moore family, as well as ongoing concerns about directors’ decision-making and governance of the charity”.
In January 2021, World of Roses tweeted, “We are proud to present The Captain Tom Rose!”
Prior to its removal, World of Roses sold a potted “Captain Tom Rose” on its website for £22.99, with a potted and gift-wrapped version for £27.99. The website stated: “Every rose sold donates £2.50 to the Captain Tom Foundation.”
Under the description section, the website stated, “This beautiful gift rose can make a wonderful gift for any occasion or even a treat for yourself, with the added pleasure of donating to an important cause.” The Captain Tom Rose blooms gorgeous double flowers repeatedly throughout the summer, in a bright red. This rose can be planted in beds, borders or pots. A wonderful way to brighten up your garden and support the Captain Tom Foundation. The website explained: “Our roses are supplied as garden rose plants.”
The Charity Commission opened its statutory investigation into the Captain Tom Foundation on June 16, making it public in an announcement on June 30.
David White, Managing Director of World of Roses, said The Independent that “as soon as we were made aware of the Charity Commission investigation, we withdrew the rose from sale”. It was taken down on June 30 or July 1, he added.
There had been “no contact” with the Charity Commission, he said. He said The Independent that “nothing” was paid to Club Nook Ltd and that no direct or indirect payments were made to Hannah Ingram-Moore or Colin Ingram-Moore, adding that “none were requested”.
In response to a question about how much money World of Roses had donated to the Captain Tom Foundation, he said, “We sold around 20,000 plants because that was all we had from our production. We donated just over £50,000 to the foundation.
Mr White added: ‘To put this into context, when we launch a new rose we expect it to sell between 5,000 and 10,000 in the first three years, with sales slowly increasing.’
In recent months, the Captain Tom Foundation has been at the center of controversy. In February, The Independent reported how she understood that part of the Charity Commission’s compliance case involved a request by the foundation to appoint Hannah Ingram-Moore as chief executive with a six-figure salary, as the watchdog blocked the appointment l ‘last summer.
In May, The Independent revealed that gin sold to raise funds for the foundation had been withdrawn from sale after an apparent breach of the Charities Act.
The Captain Tom Foundation said: “We can confirm the CEO’s account of David White, CEO of World of Roses, regarding the donation to the Captain Tom Foundation, and we sincerely thank everyone who purchased a rose and World of Roses for its generosity.
According to the Charity Commission, the opening of an investigation does not prevent the association from raising funds, whether through donations or commercial agreements.
A spokesperson for Hannah Ingram-Moore and Colin Ingram-Moore said the pair had no comment.
