Hope Foundation reject ‘tainted’ donation

THE Calcutta-based Hope Foundation was not prepared to accept the €40,000 ordered to be paid to charity by child porn offender Tim Allen.

Although a Hope Foundation spokesperson declined to comment specifically on the case yesterday, it is understood the current directors of the charity felt that accepting the money would be unconscionable.

It would be tainted by association with a man convicted of viewing child pornography over the internet.

Many of Calcutta’s 200,000 street children being helped by the foundation are subjected to appalling sexual abuse every day and the fear is some may even have been videotaped and those tapes put on the internet.

While initially euphoric at the prospect of being given much needed funds, the Hope members felt that, on reflection, they should refuse it.

Along with Maureen Forrest and Celina Daly, Edith Wilkins helped set up the Hope Foundation four years ago but she is no longer associated with it. Originally entitled the Edith Wilkins Hope Foundation, it has for the past 18 months been known simply as The Hope Foundation.

It has now emerged The Hope Foundation will not get the money and it will instead go to a similar aid group now being run by Ms Wilkins.

Ms Wilkins is in the process of registering as a charity the new aid group she has founded in the past few months. This will allow the court to pay out the money to that organisation, called The Edith Wilkins Calcutta Street Children Foundation.

A spokesman for the Courts Services said yesterday the order made by Judge Pattwell was the money be paid to Ms Wilkins’ new venture in Calcutta and not the Hope Foundation.

Ms Wilkins said she was delighted to accept the money because of the good it would do Calcutta’s street children.