The Saga Charitable trust has triumphed in the first Charities Against Fraud Awards, winning the Small Charities category for 2017. Hosted by accountancy firm Moore Stephens and supported by the Charity Commission and Governance & Leadership magazine, the awards ran as part of Charity Fraud Awareness Week. The week-long campaign aimed to raise awareness in recognising the warning signs of fraud and assist trustees in responding most effectively.

Winning alongside large charity nominee - Macmillan Cancer Support, Saga Charitable Trust won “Excellence in Tackling Fraud Against Charities - Small Charity” for its continual rigorous due diligence process to examine prospective grant recipients overseas.

Saga gives £120,000 a year to small local NGOs, predominantly in high-risk countries.

Prior to agreeing grants, The Saga Charitable Trust charity applies a cross-team three-stage approach, ranging from initial basic checks through to audited accounts and use of in-house financial crime expertise.

The winners were announced at an awards ceremony on 24 October 2017, hosted by Top 10 UK accountancy firm Moore Stephens LLP in London. Upon accepting the award, Helen Wathen, Charity Fundraising and Community Manager said “We are delighted that the Trust has been recognised for its contribution to combatting potential fraud. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all colleagues across the business who successfully implemented these processes. We are proud to provide both a safe and secure avenue for donations to our chosen charity partners.

ENDS