The Trustees and team are pleased to advise that on 1 September 2024 the Batten Disease Family Association transitioned to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) formed under the Charities Act 2011 and now uses the formal name Batten Disease Family Association CIO.
As a CIO, the BDFA has a legal status similar to a company and it provides the protection of limited liability for the charity trustees. It therefore takes the BDFA into a safer position and a more sustainable future that we hope will enable us to attract more talent on the board of trustees.
This is therefore a significant strategic step, and we look forward to this new chapter in the life of the BDFA. For nearly all practical purposes the existing name will continue to be used and all phone, physical addresses, website, social media accounts and email addresses will be completely unchanged with all Trustees remaining in place with the new charity.
What will Change?
The charity has a new Charity Number: 1205650
The logo has been updated to include our new registration number. If you use our logo for fundraising purposes, then please contact Lisa Forsyth for the updated version; admin@bdfa-uk.org.uk
The charity has a new bank account and all payments to the existing accounts will be rejected as the accounts will close to new receipts in due course.
We are also able to reclaim Gift Aid in the new name of the charity. An email was sent to families and supporters on 30th August advising about our new bank details for setting up a new standing order:
If you currently make payments to our Cooperative, PayPal or Santander accounts can you please complete a new Standing Order to our new account. Please notify Sarah Chandler, sarahchandler@bdfa-uk.org.uk when you have put a new standing order in place or if you need the new account details.
One-off donations may also be made to this account as it is the only current account for the charity.Other income platformsSarah Chandler has contacted these organisations, such as JustGiving and Enthuse to ensure they are made aware of the changes, and we hope that there will be little need for any effort by individuals to ensure the donations reach the new account.
Any current fundraising pages will not need amending. If you make donations via CAF or Benevity, please contact Sarah regarding these payments as new accounts are in the process of being created for these platforms.
For any questions regarding donations and regular giving, please contact Sarah Chandler, Fundraising Assistant, at the above email address.
For any questions related to the CIO status then please contact Liz Brownnutt, CEO, lizbrownnutt@bdfa-uk.org.uk
