Need to bone up on current sitrep on NHS reforms and how hospitals might respond. Ideas?

Pleased with the feature I sold in to the local Cambridge First newspaper about our community centre http://ping.fm/i2HV6

The right approach to philanthropy

The right approach to philanthropy

A charity that lobbies on behalf of museums and galleries has warned that philanthropy “cannot and should not” replace public funding of the arts. In its response to the Government’s Green Paper on giving, independently funded Art Fund has made a number of recommendations to encourage a culture of giving. The national fundraising charity says that the honours system could be used better and arts organisations could be creative in the way they recognise donor contributions. It also calls for match-funding, using government and National Lottery money, to stimulate giving. Two of its recommendations, to simplify Gift Aid and to increase incentives for people to leave money to charities in their wills, have already been addressed by the Chancellor’s Budget. The Cabinet Office will publish its final proposals later in the Spring.

http://ping.fm/Xsls8

First published on Arts Professional www.artsprofessional.co.uk

Relief or raise?

Creative artists could face tax hikes and charities may be burdened with more administration costs if official recommendations to change the tax relief system are adopted by the Government. Following an in-depth review, the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS), set up by the Chancellor last year, has published its final report into simplifying the tax relief system. It reviewed 155 tax reliefs, and key recommendations include merging National Insurance and income tax, abolishing the £8,500 threshold at which expenses and benefits are tax-free, and reviewing Inheritance tax and trusts. The OTS also recommends that the qualifying investments for charity tax relief be retained. Merging National Insurance and income tax could be boon for charities as it may mean a boost in Gift Aid receipts, if approved. However abolishing the £8,500 threshold means charities would have to spend more time on processing the expenses receipts from volunteers. The OTS does not see why artists “should receive favourable tax treatment” by being able to “average their profits and consequently their tax liability”. There remain 883 tax reliefs that have not been examined. The Chancellor will announce his response to the OTS report in his next Budget statement.
(first published on Arts Professional website, 10 March 2011)

Smaller charities say collaboration works, especially if it is with local partners with similar aims http://ping.fm/YvWw9

My article about collaboration in the arts for Arts Professional magazine http://ping.fm/7EgDK

Life without TV (but not YouTube). Maybe.. and benefit from finding out and learning more: http://ping.fm/nSIao

Right, back to the wallpapering. Funnily enough that's what I hear Mubarak is doing #Mubarak #Egypt

Reading about John Ruskin, cool bloke (influenced Ghandi) - wonder what he would have made of selling of forests