Commission statement on any charities affected by recent events in NI

The Commission is aware that some charities have been affected by the recent tensions and disorder over the last few days and, as the regulator, we stand by them as they work through this challenging time. Charities are a vital part of the social fabric of Northern Ireland, working in and across all communities.

In any charities affected, trustees will want to keep the safety of their staff, volunteers, beneficiaries and premises under regular review. Charities know their communities and areas best and are therefore the best people to assess and respond to any perceived risks.

Given the role of misinformation in the current circumstances, often spread across social media, we would urge charities to avoid sharing any content without first checking that it is from an official or verified source and to encourage their staff and volunteers to do the same.

Usually when a charity has experienced events such as damage to property the Commission would expect them to submit a Serious Incident Report to us to show they are managing this situation. Given the pressures on any charity trustees who might be dealing with these events, we want to let them know that the Commission does not expect them to spend time submitting this type of report to us until the situation has eased.