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102-822: RNIB (formally, the Royal National Institute of Blind People and previously the Royal National Institute for the Blind ) is a British charity , founded in 1868, that serves people living with visual impairments . It is regarded as a leader in the field in supporting people in the UK who have vision loss. The organisation seeks to increase awareness of the lived experiences of people who are blind or partially sighted. Additionally, it campaigns to make services such as healthcare, education and public transport safer and more accessible to people with visual impairments. The Charity Commission for England and Wales investigated

204-688: A membership organisation . To coincide with the launch of the UK Vision Strategy in 2008, it was renamed the Royal National Institute of Blind People. In October 2008, RNIB and Action for Blind People agreed in principle to combine some services across England. The new arrangement began in April 2009, resulting in Action for Blind People becoming an associate charity of RNIB. It merged with RNIB on 1 April 2017. Anna Tylor, who

306-457: A "xylophone", but in reality a toy glockenspiel – based upon the same instrument used by Sooty up until the 1980s. The creation of the franchise is traced back to 1948, when Corbett came across an all yellow bear glove puppet during a holiday in Blackpool . Purchasing the item, he made use of it to entertain his children during that time, including his newborn son Peter (Matthew), naming

408-627: A Board of Taxation inquiry to consult with charities on the bill. However, due to widespread criticism from charities, the government abandoned the bill. Subsequently, the government introduced the Extension of Charitable Purpose Act 2004 . This act did not attempt to codify the definition of a charitable purpose but rather aimed to clarify that certain purposes were charitable, resolving legal doubts surrounding their charitable status. Among these purposes were childcare, self-help groups, and closed/contemplative religious orders. To publicly raise funds,

510-714: A CHY number from the Revenue Commissioners, a CRO number from the Companies Registration Office , and a charity number from the Charities Regulator. The Irish Nonprofits Database was created by Irish Nonprofits Knowledge Exchange (INKEx) to serve as a repository for regulatory and voluntarily disclosed information about Irish public benefit nonprofits. Charitable organizations in Nigeria are registerable under "Part C" of

612-602: A Sooty-focused theme park area in May 2022. During Matthew Corbett's reign, seven stage shows were performed repetitively. For the first half of the tours, Matthew and Connie Creighton would present, and during the second half, while Matthew was busy writing and filming the TV shows, Connie and Spencer K. Gibbens would present. After Matthew retired, six stage shows toured the country. All starred Richard Cadell; three of them also featured Richard's Sooty Heights co-star, Liana Bridges, with

714-628: A charity in Australia must register in each Australian jurisdiction in which it intends to raise funds. For example, in Queensland, charities must register with the Queensland Office of Fair Trading . Additionally, any charity fundraising online must obtain approval from every Australian jurisdiction that mandates such approval. Currently, these jurisdictions include New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia, and

816-560: A co-star whom he worked with on a number of episodes in the final series of Sooty & Co. By the end of 1999, The Britt Allcroft Company , owners of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends , had purchased a 50% stake in the franchise from Sooty International Limited, and created a joint-venture company called Bridgefilms (Also known as Sooty Limited), which would also handle distribution rights to existing Britt Allcroft property Magic Adventures of Mumfie . The Britt Allcroft Company

918-527: A complex set of reliefs and exemptions from taxation in the UK. These include reliefs and exemptions in relation to income tax , capital gains tax , inheritance tax , stamp duty land tax , and value added tax . These tax exemptions have led to criticisms that private schools are able to use charitable status as a tax avoidance technique rather than offering a genuine charitable good. The Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 subjects charities to regulation by

1020-409: A disproportionate amount of their income to pay the salaries of their leadership. Financial figures (e.g. tax refund, revenue from fundraising, revenue from the sale of goods and services or revenue from investment) are indicators to assess the financial sustainability of a charity, especially to charity evaluators . This information can impact a charity's reputation with donors and societies, and thus

1122-430: A dog and friend of Sooty, who would be portrayed as being dim-witted but good-natured and innocent, who would often make mistakes that would cause problems for others, often get his own back on others when tricked, and have an obsession with bones. An aspect of the character's design was his voice – in performances he would speak in a high-pitched squeak that would have some form of sentences, but would often be translated by

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1224-516: A growing philosophical debate between those advocating for state intervention and those believing that private charities should provide welfare. The political economist, Reverend Thomas Malthus (1766–1834), criticized poor relief for paupers on economic and moral grounds and proposed leaving charity entirely to the private sector. His views became highly influential and informed the Victorian laissez-faire attitude toward state intervention for

1326-618: A list of charitable purposes in the Charitable Uses Act 1601 (also known as the Statute of Elizabeth), which had been interpreted and expanded into a considerable body of case law. In Commissioners for Special Purposes of Income Tax v. Pemsel (1891), Lord McNaughten identified four categories of charity which could be extracted from the Charitable Uses Act and which were the accepted definition of charity prior to

1428-572: A long tradition in Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. Charities provided education, health, housing, and even prisons. Almshouses were established throughout Europe in the Early Middle Ages to provide a place of residence for the poor, old, and distressed people; King Athelstan of England (reigned 924–939) founded the first recorded almshouse in York in the 10th century. During

1530-465: A magic wand, which he uses for spells conducted to the catchphrase of "Izzy wizzy, let's get busy!" – which Corbett devised – and tapping it to " Shave and a Haircut "; and a water pistol, which symbolises his cheekiness by often being used to soak others around him – including on programmes he is a guest on, such as soaking talk show hosts. On television programmes, the presenter – Sooty's owner and main puppeteer – often acts as narrator for scenes involving

1632-403: A mixture of slapstick comedy, prop comedy – ranging from gunge , custard pies and water pistols – magic tricks, and music. All routines in both are primarily aimed at providing family-friendly entertainment suitable for young children. In addition, the franchise also include merchandising, ranging from annuals to toys. One such product that was sold was a toy musical instrument – referred to as

1734-469: A new programme, which eventually launched on CITV in 2011 under the title of Sooty . Although the format remained the same, the setting changed to misadventures within a holiday park that they helped to run, while scripts were aimed at younger audiences. Filming of the series took place at Brean Leisure Park , which Cadell co-owned with his brother, until it was put up for sale in 2014. Additional series were still made, but focused on other locations, with

1836-425: A register of charities that have completed formal registration (see below). Organizations applying must meet the specific legal requirements summarized below, have filing requirements with their regulator, and are subject to inspection or other forms of review. The oldest charity in the UK is The King's School, Canterbury , established in 597 AD. Charitable organizations, including charitable trusts, are eligible for

1938-500: A sequel for ITV that launched in 1993 under the title of Sooty & Co. . The new programme operated under the same format as its predecessor, but with episodes set mainly within a bric-a-brac shop in Manchester. While Creighton remained a part of the programme for a number of series, Longman was given a physical role as co-star in several episodes, mainly as a regular customer named Mo, alongside her role as Soo's voice actor, with

2040-414: A vast collection of accessible textbooks and materials – and Talking Books, a service first established in 1935, which offers thousands of audio books, both fiction and non-fiction. RNIB’s ECLO (Eye Care Liaison Officers) service aims to help patients understand the impact of a sight loss diagnosis and to direct them to appropriate sources of support. Since the 1950s, the children's puppet character Sooty

2142-448: Is a mute yellow bear with black ears and nose, who is kind-hearted but also cheeky. Sooty performs magic tricks and practical jokes, and squirts his handler and other people with his water pistol. The franchise itself also includes several other puppet characters who were created for television, as well as an animated series, two spin-off series for the direct-to-video market, and a selection of toy merchandising. The franchise remained in

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2244-613: Is a specific type of charity with its primary purpose being to alleviate suffering in the community, whether due to poverty, sickness, or disability. Examples of institutions that might qualify include hospices, providers of subsidized housing, and certain not-for-profit aged care services. Charities in Canada need to be registered with the Charities Directorate of the Canada Revenue Agency . According to

2346-405: Is an exclusive feature on the charity's collection boxes. RNIB campaigns to change behaviours and perceptions around sight loss. It has been involved with several large-scale campaigns including calls for action to create a safer and more inclusive public transport system. In 2023, the charity played a key role in a national campaign to scrap plans to close ticket offices in train stations. In 2022,

2448-511: Is operated by the Ministry of Social and Family Development . The legislation governing charitable activities and the process of obtaining charitable organization status is regulated by Ukraine's Civil Code and the Law of Ukraine on Charitable Activities and Charitable Organizations. According to Ukrainian law, there are three forms of charitable organizations: The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine

2550-486: Is partially sighted, has been RNIB's Chair since 2020. Matt Stringer was appointed Chief Executive in 2019. King Charles III is the charity's Patron. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II , was RNIB's Patron throughout her reign (1952–2022). RNIB's helpline gives access to sight loss experts for questions and guidance. RNIB's extensive range of reading services includes RNIB Bookshare – a free library of over one million items, which supports students and others in education with

2652-551: Is the main registration authority for charitable organization registration and constitution. Individuals and legal entities, except for public authorities and local governments , can be the founders of charitable organizations. Charitable societies and charitable foundations may have, in addition to founders, other participants who have joined them as prescribed by the charters of such charitable associations or charitable foundations. Aliens (non-Ukrainian citizens and legal entities, corporations, or non-governmental organizations) can be

2754-476: Is the most common form of organization within the voluntary sector in England and Wales. This is essentially a contractual arrangement between individuals who have agreed to come together to form an organization for a particular purpose. An unincorporated association will normally have a constitution or set of rules as its governing document, which will deal with matters such as the appointment of office bearers and

2856-536: Is very easy to set up and requires very little documentation. However, for an organization under the statute of loi 1901 to be considered a charity, it has to file with the authorities to come under the label of "association d'utilité publique", which means "NGO acting for the public interest". This label gives the NGO some tax exemptions. In Hungary , charitable organizations are referred to as "public-benefit organizations" ( Hungarian : közhasznú szervezet ). The term

2958-417: The 2024 general election RNIB delivered an open letter to 10 Downing Street highlighting that according to its research roughly 87% of the UK's citizens with visual impairments were denied their right to vote in secret. The campaign follows a 2019 court judgement that declared the UK's current voting arrangements for people with blindness or visual impairments to be unlawful. RNIB pointed out that in spite of

3060-686: The Charities Act 2006 : Charities in England and Wales—such as Age UK, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds ( RSPB ) and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( RSPCA )  – must comply with the 2011 Act regulating matters such as charity reports and accounts and fundraising. As of 2011 , there are several types of legal structures for a charity in England and Wales: The unincorporated association

3162-768: The Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020 . Under the law, the Corporate Affairs Commission, Nigeria , being the official Nigerian Corporate Registry, is empowered to maintain and regulate the formation, operation, and dissolution of charitable organizations in Nigeria. Charitable organizations in Nigeria are exempted under §25(c) of the Companies Income Tax Act (CITA) Cap. C21 LFN 2004 (as amended) , which exempts from income tax corporate organizations engaged wholly in ecclesiastical, charitable, or educational activities. Similarly, §3 of

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3264-485: The Electoral Commission in the run-up to a general election. Section 1 of the Charities Act 2011 provides the definition in England and Wales: The Charities Act 2011 provides the following list of charitable purposes: A charity must also provide a public benefit. Before the Charities Act 2006 , which introduced the definition now contained in the 2011 Act, the definition of charity arose from

3366-576: The Enlightenment era , charitable and philanthropic activity among voluntary associations and affluent benefactors became a widespread cultural practice. Societies, gentlemen's clubs , and mutual associations began to flourish in England , with the upper classes increasingly adopting a philanthropic attitude toward the disadvantaged. In England, this new social activism led to the establishment of charitable organizations, which proliferated from

3468-500: The Magdalen Hospital to rehabilitate prostitutes . These organizations were funded by subscriptions and operated as voluntary associations. They raised public awareness about their activities through the emerging popular press and generally enjoyed high social regard. Some charities received state recognition in the form of a royal charter . Charities also began to take on campaigning roles, championing causes and lobbying

3570-893: The Polish Historical Society , and the Polish chapter of the Wikimedia Foundation . The legal framework in Singapore is regulated by the Singapore Charities Act (Chapter 37). Charities in Singapore must be registered with the Charities Directorate of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports . One can also find specific organizations that are members of the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), which

3672-595: The Value Added Tax Act (VATA) Cap. V1 LFN 2004 (as amended) , and the 1st Schedule to the VATA on exempted Goods and Services goods zero-rates goods and services purchased by any ecclesiastical, charitable, or educational institutions in furtherance of their charitable mandates. A public benefit organization ( Polish : organizacja pożytku publicznego , often abbreviated as OPP) is a term used in Polish law . It

3774-481: The local government . Charities at the time, including the Charity Organization Society (established in 1869), tended to discriminate between the "deserving poor", who would be provided with suitable relief, and the "underserving" or "improvident poor", who was regarded as the cause of their woes due to their idleness. Charities tended to oppose the provision of welfare by the state, due to

3876-741: The Australian Capital Territory. Numerous Australian charities have appealed to federal, state, and territory governments to establish uniform legislation enabling charities registered in one state or territory to raise funds in all other Australian jurisdictions. The Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission (ACNC) commenced operations in December 2012. It regulates approximately 56,000 non-profit organizations with tax-exempt status, along with around 600,000 other NPOs in total, seeking to standardize state-based fund-raising laws. A Public Benevolent Institution (PBI)

3978-567: The BBC: Sweep in 1957, handled by his brother Leslie Corbett, and Soo in 1964, voiced by his wife Marjorie and brought in after backlash on the BBC's desire not to include a female character. In 1967, Corbett fell into disagreement with the BBC , in particular with the new controller of BBC1 that year, Paul Fox , who decided that Corbett be replaced with another person presenting his programme. Faced with

4080-477: The Canada Revenue Agency: A registered charity is an organization established and operated for charitable purposes. It must devote its resources to charitable activities. The charity must be a resident in Canada and cannot use its income to benefit its members. A charity also has to meet a public benefit test. To qualify under this test, an organization must show that: To register as a charity,

4182-716: The Charities Act (2009) legislated the establishment of a "Charities Regulatory Authority", and the Charities Regulator was subsequently created via a ministerial order in 2014. This was the first legal framework for charity registration in Ireland. The Charities Regulator maintains a database of organizations that have been granted charitable tax exemption—a list previously maintained by the Revenue Commissioners . Such organizations would have

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4284-543: The Embossed Literature of the Blind. The first meeting, which was held at 33 Cambridge Square, Hyde Park, London , involved founder Thomas Rhodes Armitage (a physician who was partially sighted) and Daniel Conolly, W W Fenn and Dr James Gale (all three of whom were blind). Later, the organisation became the British and Foreign Blind Association for Improving the Embossed Literature of the Blind and Promoting

4386-734: The Employment of the Blind – generally shortened to the British and Foreign Blind Association. In 1914, the organisation relocated to larger premises in Great Portland Street . From 2000 until 2023, RNIB operated from premises on Judd Street, in Bloomsbury, London , which it shared with Guide Dogs . In 2023, The Duchess of Edinburgh opened the organisation's new headquarters in the Grimaldi Building on Pentonville Road , London, which has been adapted to cater for

4488-564: The London Daily Mirror . Later annuals were published by Purnell and Sons . The annuals feature an expanded cast of characters including: In 1956, Philips Records released a 78 r.p.m. record P.B.528. It contains (side 1) "Sooty" (by Corbett) performed by Marie Benson and also featuring Harry Corbett and Sooty with instrumental accompaniment, and (side 2) "Mr Dumpling" (by Heathcote) performed by Marie Benson with instrumental accompaniment. In 1961 an album "Sooty Entertains"

4590-667: The action plan, the Charity Commission withdrew its adverse decision in June 2022. Charitable organization The legal definition of a charitable organization (and of charity) varies between countries and in some instances regions of the country. The regulation , the tax treatment, and the way in which charity law affects charitable organizations also vary. Charitable organizations may not use any of their funds to profit individual persons or entities. However, some charitable organizations have come under scrutiny for spending

4692-475: The advent of the Internet, charitable organizations established a presence on online social media platforms and began initiatives such as cyber-based humanitarian crowdfunding , exemplified by platforms like GoFundMe . The definition of charity in Australia is derived from English common law, originally from the Charitable Uses Act 1601 , and then through several centuries of case law based upon it. In 2002,

4794-505: The boxes on the paper. RNIB used to run a number of schools, homes, and other institutions. In 2018, an Ofsted report was highly critical of the RNIB Pears Centre for Specialist Learning , near Coventry , which comprised a school and a children's home, founded in 1957 as Rushton Hall School. Ofsted described it as inadequate in three categories and requiring improvement in the other two. It highlighted failures in safeguarding

4896-416: The character and other puppets, thus providing a 'voice' for Sooty during their narration to portray the character speaking normally with other puppet characters. The other two characters in the franchise were created to accompany Sooty in performances, effectively forming the backbone of television and stage shows, and were created by Corbett. The first character, Sweep, introduced in 1957, was designed to be

4998-405: The character tends to sometimes hate being tricked by the others, but does not mind enjoying a laugh when someone else is being tricked. Unlike the other two, Soo was designed to have a voice, in order to provide ease in production of television episodes. After his initial performances with his puppet between 1952 and 1955, Harry Corbett introduced Sooty officially with his own programme, Sooty ,

5100-426: The character was cheeky and naughty, fond of playing practical jokes, but was also kind-hearted and good. Part of the character's design that Corbett devised, was for Sooty being mute in his appearances and thus communicating with others by 'whispering' in their ear, to which the recipient often repeats what was said for the audience to understand. The character often retains two items that are iconic in his appearance:

5202-521: The characters and effectively saw several puppeteers, including Longman, leaving the programme. HIT continued to struggle with the franchise from this point forward, seeing it as having little "international appeal" and attempted to put their stake in the Sooty Limited joint-venture with ProVen Private Equity up for sale in December 2002, with Entertainment Rights as an interested purchaser. However, nothing came forward of these plans and eventually

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5304-464: The charity from 2018 to 2020, finding multiple failings described by the Commission's chief executive as "one of the worst examples we have uncovered of poor governance and oversight having a direct impact on vulnerable people." The RNIB began selling all its eighteen schools, homes and other institutions. RNIB was first established on 16 October 1868 as the British and Foreign Society for Improving

5406-519: The charity launched its largest-ever advertising campaign, See the person, not the sight loss , to raise awareness of sight loss and the support that people who have visual impairments might need. Along with other leading health charities, RNIB lobbied throughout 2023 for better disability support across the National Health Service (NHS). The charity has campaigned for mandatory secret ballots for people with visual impairments. After

5508-485: The charity's care were put at risk or harmed. The Charity Commission's chief executive described this investigation as "one of the worst examples we have uncovered of poor governance and oversight having a direct impact on vulnerable people." The Commission stated that RNIB's corporate stewardship of services for children with complex needs fell far short of expectations and that the charity's board had been focused on narrow regulatory compliance and dismissive of criticism from

5610-453: The charity's financial gains. Charitable organizations often depend partly on donations from businesses. Such donations to charitable organizations represent a major form of corporate philanthropy. To meet the exempt organizational test requirements, a charity has to be exclusively organized and operated, and to receive and pass the exemption test, a charitable organization must follow the public interest and all exempt income should be for

5712-520: The development of social housing , and Andrew Carnegie (1835–1919) exemplified the large-scale philanthropy of the newly rich in industrialized America. In Gospel of Wealth (1889), Carnegie wrote about the responsibilities of great wealth and the importance of social justice. He established public libraries throughout English-speaking countries and contributed large sums to schools and universities. A little over ten years after his retirement, Carnegie had given away over 90% of his fortune. Towards

5814-699: The end of the 19th century, with the advent of the New Liberalism and the innovative work of Charles Booth in documenting working-class life in London , attitudes towards poverty began to change. This led to the first social liberal welfare reforms , including the provision of old age pensions and free school-meals. During the 20th century, charitable organizations such as Oxfam (established in 1947), Care International , and Amnesty International expanded greatly, becoming large, multinational non-governmental organizations with very large budgets. With

5916-472: The federal government initiated an inquiry into the definition of a charity. The inquiry proposed a statutory definition of a charity, based on the principles developed through case law. This led to the Charities Bill 2003 , which included limitations on the involvement of charities in political campaigning, an unwelcome departure from the case law as perceived by many charities. The government appointed

6018-431: The finale of Sooty & Co. Following his retirement, Matthew Corbett bequeathed his puppets to Richard Cadell , a fan of Sooty and a skilled magician, who produced a new Sooty programme for ITV titled Sooty Heights , which launched in 1999. Like its predecessor, the new programme stuck to the same format, but with episodes set within a beachside hotel that the characters ran, with Cadell joined by Liana Bridges –

6120-401: The first Model Dwellings Company  – one of a group of organizations that sought to improve the housing conditions of the working classes by building new homes for them, all the while receiving a competitive rate of return on any investment. This was one of the first housing associations , a philanthropic endeavor that flourished in the second half of the nineteenth century, brought about by

6222-500: The founders and members of philanthropic organizations in Ukraine. All funds received by a charitable organization and used for charitable purposes are exempt from taxation, but obtaining non-profit status from the tax authority is necessary. Legalization is required for international charitable funds to operate in Ukraine. Charity law in the UK varies among (i) England and Wales , (ii) Scotland and (iii) Northern Ireland , but

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6324-589: The fourth starring Amanda Howard in Liana's place. From 2005 to 2008, annual shows, featuring the puppet characters and various different presenters, toured around the UK. From 2009, stage shows again featured Richard Cadell. The first, Sooty in Space , was a reworking of one of Matthew Corbett's scripts, and toured the country throughout the year. On 20 June 2014 the Radio Times confirmed that Sooty: The Movie

6426-552: The franchise suffered some setbacks in 2004, and eventually Cadell bought the rights in June 2008. He has since focused on ensuring the survival of the brand with new stage shows and television programmes. The Sooty franchise is focused upon the adventures of Sooty, a glove puppet character created by magician and puppeteer Harry Corbett in the 1950s, alongside his other friends Sweep and Soo . Although mainly appearing in programmes for British children's television , Sooty also incorporates stage shows, both of which make use of

6528-610: The franchise to his son Peter, who was now performing in children's television under the stage name of Matthew Corbett, with his own programme. Corbett's role in children's television earned him an OBE for his services in January 1976, with his character Sooty being given a special one alongside him during his ceremony. He continued to provide assistance on The Sooty Show as a guest star, making his final appearance in 1984 – five years before his death in 1989. Following his father's retirement, Matthew Corbett took sole responsibility for

6630-409: The frontman for the franchise. In 1997, Matthew devised an animated spin-off, titled Sooty's Amazing Adventures , which ran between 1997–98 and featured a different style of adventures to the live-action show, including voices for Scampi and Sweep, and a different voice actor for Soo. The spin-off lasted two series, before Matthew concluded it in preparation for his retirement in December 1998, following

6732-693: The fundamental principles are the same. Most organizations that are charities are required to be registered with the appropriate regulator for their jurisdiction, but significant exceptions apply so that many organizations are bona fide charities but do not appear on a public register. The registers are maintained by the Charity Commission for England and Wales and by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator for Scotland. The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland maintains

6834-560: The government for legislative changes. This included organized campaigns against the mistreatment of animals and children, as well as the successful campaign in the early 19th century to end the slave trade throughout the British Empire and its extensive sphere of influence. (However, this process was quite lengthy, concluding when slavery in Saudi Arabia was abolished slavery in 1962.) The Enlightenment era also witnessed

6936-696: The growth of the middle class . Later associations included the Peabody Trust (originating in 1862) and the Guinness Trust (founded in 1890). The principle of philanthropic intention with capitalist return was given the label "five percent philanthropy". There was strong growth in municipal charities. The Brougham Commission led to the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 , which reorganized multiple local charities by incorporating them into single entities under supervision from

7038-461: The inclusion of songs and music. The glove puppet gained a sufficient profile from television exposure that his likeness became a feature on charity collection boxes used by the Royal National Institute of Blind People in the late 1950s. Corbett expanded on the programme further with the inclusion of story-telling, and the creation of additional characters that would co-star with Sooty. The two most prominent additions were made during his tenure with

7140-470: The judgement, the majority of the UK's visually impaired voters do so using technology that requires them to be accompanied into the voting booth and have their choices read aloud by an assistant. As of 2024 only one person living with blindness in the UK has voted in secret, using a device known as the McGonagle Reader. This comprises an audio player with headphones and a plastic template to locate

7242-422: The main puppeteer for the audience to understand more clearly. The concept was created by Corbett's brother Leslie through the use of a saxophone reed, and became a permanent element of the character upon his debut. The second character, Soo, introduced in 1964, was designed as a panda bear, who would be portrayed as sweet, shy, and mainly responsible, acting as a motherly character to the other two. In later years,

7344-609: The middle of the 18th century. This emerging upper-class trend for benevolence resulted in the incorporation of the first charitable organizations. Appalled by the number of abandoned children living on the streets of London , Captain Thomas Coram set up the Foundling Hospital in 1741 to care for these unwanted orphans in Lamb's Conduit Fields, Bloomsbury . This institution, the world's first of its kind, served as

7446-424: The needs of people who are blind, partially sighted or neurodiverse . RNIB's remit has always included reading and writing (e.g. Braille ), education and employment. From the 20th century, welfare/social support has been important. However, it was not till the late 1980s that eye health became a major focus. Previously, eye health was seen as the sole prerogative of ophthalmologists and optometrists . In 1914,

7548-452: The organisation changed its name to The National Institute for the Blind, or NIB, to reflect its status as a national body involved in all aspects of the welfare of blind people. The organisation was officially renamed the Royal National Institute for the Blind in 1953, having been granted a Royal Charter in 1949. In 2002, the organisation was renamed the Royal National Institute of the Blind ("of" rather than "for" blind people) when it became

7650-523: The organization has to be either incorporated or governed by a legal document called a trust or a constitution. This document has to explain the organization's purposes and structure. Most French charities are registered under the statute of loi d'association de 1901, a type of legal entity for non-profit NGOs. This statute is extremely common in France for any type of group that wants to be institutionalized (sports clubs, book clubs, support groups...), as it

7752-406: The ownership of Corbett until his retirement in 1976, before being passed on to his son Matthew . The rights to the franchise were sold in 1996 to a development firm who formed a holding company for the property, with Matthew later retiring and handing over control of the puppet characters to Richard Cadell in 1998. After initial ownership changes from Gullane Entertainment to HIT Entertainment ,

7854-560: The part of a villain; Ramsbottom, a snake; and 'Enry the Robot, a robot with light up eyes who keeps breaking down. Alongside his television work, Corbett also created travelling shows with Sooty and various works for charity, but the switch to ITV created a tighter schedule that increased his workload. As a result, Corbett's work affected his health badly, culminating in him having a heart attack in December 1975. Knowing he would need to retire, Corbett opted to hand over control of his puppets and

7956-480: The perceived demoralizing effect . Although minimal state involvement was the dominant philosophy of the period, there was still significant government involvement in the form of statutory regulation and even limited funding. Philanthropy became a very fashionable activity among the expanding middle classes in Britain and America. Octavia Hill (1838–1912) and John Ruskin (1819–1900) were important forces behind

8058-507: The poor. During the 19th century, a profusion of charitable organizations emerged to alleviate the awful conditions of the working class in the slums . The Labourer's Friend Society , chaired by Lord Shaftesbury in the United Kingdom in 1830, aimed to improve working-class conditions. It promoted, for example, the allotment of land to laborers for "cottage husbandry", which later became the allotment movement. In 1844, it became

8160-534: The precedent for incorporated associational charities in general. Another notable philanthropist of the Enlightenment era, Jonas Hanway , established The Marine Society in 1756 as the first seafarers' charity, aiming to aid the recruitment of men into the navy . By 1763, the Society had enlisted over 10,000 men, and an Act of Parliament incorporated it in 1772. Hanway also played a key role in founding

8262-672: The programme featuring several stories that ventured out into new locations. Matthew continued to conduct further stage shows, and also entered himself and Sooty as guests on other programmes. In 1996, Matthew sold the rights to the Sooty brand to the Global Rights Development Fund (a subsidiary of the Bank of Yokohama ) for £1.4 million, creating Sooty International Limited whose intentions would be to bring Sooty to "true international stardom", but leaving Matthew to be

8364-503: The programme moving to ITVBe . Cadell continued to keep Sooty in the public eye, making guest appearances with him, and at times the other characters, on other programmes. In 2017, Sooty was officially inducted into The Magic Circle based upon the magic tricks he conducted with his handlers. After the expiry of the licence at Brean, Cadells Limited announced in February 2022 to sign a new deal with Crealy Theme Park & Resort to open

8466-446: The prospect of this or his programme being cancelled, Corbett decided to sign a deal with ITV to bring Sooty to commercial television, having earlier performed with the character in one of the channel's first product advertisements. The newly established franchise Thames Television would make the programme. The move led to him expanding on the characters that featured in the programme, including: Butch, another dog who occasionally plays

8568-613: The public good as described by the law, and it should demonstrate sufficient transparency in its activities, governance, and finances. Moreover, data has shown that this evidence is pertinent and sensible. Polish charitable organizations with this status include Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego , the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity , KARTA Center , the Institute of Public Affairs , the Silesian Fantasy Club ,

8670-594: The public interest. For example, in many countries of the Commonwealth , charitable organizations must demonstrate that they provide a public benefit . Until the mid-18th century, charity was mainly distributed through religious structures (such as the English Poor Laws of 1601 ), almshouses , and bequests from the rich. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam incorporated significant charitable elements from their very beginnings, and dāna (alms-giving) has

8772-620: The puppet Teddy. In time, his use of the puppet to entertain children with a variety of comedic routines and magic tricks earned him a place on the BBC 's talent competition, Talent Night , being held at Belle Vue, Manchester in 1952. Corbett proved popular with viewers and became the overall winner, landing him a job as a regular performer on the BBC children's show Saturday Special , where his puppet immediately appealed to children, turning him into an overnight success. Corbett opted to redesign Teddy's appearance to make him stand-out on black and white television screens. The overall change involved

8874-468: The puppets faced a misadventure in each episode. Elements such as slapstick comedy, comedic messes, practical jokes, music and guests remained a part of the programme under the new format. Alongside the transformation of The Sooty Show , Matthew branched out into stage shows featuring Sooty, bringing him closer to his audiences. Production on the new format of the television programme was aided by Connie Creighton, who had worked alongside Matthew's father and

8976-436: The puppets on The Sooty Show , although he was forced to forgo his own programme as a direct result. Matthew maintained the programme's format until 1981 before making changes. These included discontinuing the use of an audience and comedic sketches, dropping a number of puppet characters – leaving only Sooty, Sweep and Soo as the main stars – and setting the show to a sitcom format set within a suburban home, in which Matthew and

9078-587: The regulatory organisations it was accountable to – the Care Quality Commission and Ofsted. It found failures in training, safeguarding, record-keeping, reporting, responding to complaints, and the administration of medication, as well as instances of harm. It was then reported that RNIB was selling all eighteen of its care homes and schools. The Charity Commission gave RNIB an official warning and required it to overhaul its governance, management and culture. In light of RNIB's progress in fulfilling

9180-631: The rules governing membership. The organization is not, however, a separate legal entity, so it cannot initiate legal action, borrow money, or enter into contracts in its own name. Its officers can be personally liable if the charity is sued or has debts. Sooty Sooty is a British children's television media franchise created by Harry Corbett incorporating primarily television and stage shows. The franchise originated with his fictional glove puppet character introduced to television in The Sooty Show in 1955. The main character, Sooty,

9282-529: The stage sets, and the addition of two new puppet characters to the cast: the return of Butch; and the introduction of a new character called Miki – a Brazilian cat. In July 2002, Gullane Entertainment accepted a deal to be acquired by fellow children's company HIT Entertainment , the owners of franchises such as Bob the Builder and Barney . Following the purchase, the then-current TV series went under severe budget cuts, which included new puppet designs for

9384-629: The then-current series was cancelled by ITV in 2004. By 2005, HIT had been sold to Apax Partners and was in heavy debt. The company was unable to offer ITV a new series in 2006 and in October 2007 the company officially announced that they had put the Sooty Limited/Bridgefilms subsidiary up for sale. In June 2008, Cadell bought the rights from HIT, with the intention of saving the franchise and ensuring its future. Alongside conducting new stage shows, he also began work on producing

9486-526: The title was changed to The Sooty Show in 1967. The programme, run on BBC TV (later BBC1) between 1955 and 1967 and made as a replacement for Muffin the Mule , included a series of comedic sketches involving Sooty conducting simple tasks or ventures, which would sometimes go wrong and result in a mess that they would need to deal with. The show expanded on the routines used in episodes by featuring slapstick humour suitable for young children, magic tricks, and

9588-502: The use of black dust (or 'soot') upon the ears and nose, which inspired Corbett to change the puppet's name from Teddy to Sooty. The new look cemented the foundations of the franchise. The franchise features three different characters, with the most prominent being the titular character himself – Sooty. Corbett's design for the character was that all his puppets were yellow bears who bore the distinct features of black ears and nose. When portrayed in performances on television and stage shows,

9690-607: The vulnerable children and in training staff to support them. Later that year, RNIB announced that it had been unable to make sufficient improvements and was closing the Centre; RNIB's chief executive resigned. Also in 2018, the Charity Commission for England and Wales launched its own inquiry into RNIB following serious allegations of systemic failings within the organisation. In 2020, the Commission ruled that there had been significant management, oversight, and staffing shortcomings which had led to repeated incidents where young people in

9792-443: Was given a co-star role on several episodes, while following his mother's retirement from her role, the voice of Soo was cast to Brenda Longman; Sweep's handler was also replaced, with Brian Sanford replacing Matthew's brother. Episodes of the programme mostly were aimed at comedic value, but elements of education were included in some stories; a spin-off educational series generated for pre-school audiences, titled Learn With Sooty ,

9894-455: Was in production. It was set to go in production in 2016. Wink Taylor, Alex Skerratt and Richard Cadell were writing the film. Cadell confirmed that Matthew Corbett would appear in the movie. In 2021 Sooty and The Trifle of Doom was announced to be distributed by Kaleidoscope Film Distribution. For most years from 1957 to 1998, there was a Sooty Annual ; no annual was published in 1987, 1988, or 1990. The early annuals were published by

9996-480: Was introduced on 1 January 1997 through the Act on Public Benefit Organizations. Under Indian law, legal entities such as charitable organizations, corporations, and managing bodies have been given the status of " legal persons " with legal rights, such as the right to sue and be sued, and the right to own and transfer property. Indian charitable organizations with this status include Sir Ratan Tata Trust . In Ireland,

10098-453: Was introduced on 1 January 2004 by the statute on public good activity and volunteering . Charitable organizations of public good are allowed to receive 1.5% of income tax from individuals, making them "tax-deductible organizations". To receive such status, an organization has to be a non-governmental organization , with political parties and trade unions not qualifying. The organization must also be involved in specific activities related to

10200-512: Was later released between 1989 and 1991 on home video, but never shown on television. Although Matthew had dropped several characters from the show's old format, some returned in a guest capacity, while a new one was introduced in 1990 called Little Cousin Scampi – a character that Matthew devised as being part of Sooty's family, and who communicated in the same manner as Sooty. The Sooty Show came to its conclusion in 1992, whereupon Matthew created

10302-417: Was rebranded as Gullane Entertainment in 2000. While Cadell continued to operate stage shows and produce a second spin-off series, titled Sooty's Magic , for the direct-to-video market, Sooty Heights was changed by Gullane Entertainment in 2001. As well as being renamed as Sooty , it also saw Bridges being replaced with Vicki Lee Taylor , the presentation style of the programme being changed, including

10404-492: Was released. It contains Sooty's Concert, Sooty The Chef, Danger - Animals At Work, Sooty's Theatre, Double-Cross Quiz, The Music Lesson, Sooty's Music Festival & Sooty's Photographic Studio. All were also released as four singles. Two more singles were released with titles Sooty's Party Part One & Part Two, and Bedtime With Sooty and Sooty At The Organ. In 1965 an E.P. was released "Sooty & His T.V. Friends" featuring Sooty's Signature Tune, Soo, Sweep & Harry. In 1973

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