Bank closes account on Local Charity
As news of a ceasefire fills the media, Nick Bilbrough has been running the education project The Hands Up Project since 2015 and as an official Charity since 2016. When choosing a bank to work with it seemed logical to go with The Charities Aid Foundation. (CAF). On their website it declares: “..working at the centre of the giving world. We help donors to give more impactfully and charities to build their resilience so they can do more of their life-changing work.”
Unfortunately for The Hands Up Project, who work a good deal (but not exclusively) with Palestine, it appears they don’t want to be associated with the life-changing work of the Totnes Charity.
I’m an educator, not an accountant
Obviously, The Hands Up Project’s work has been profoundly affected by the War on Gaza. Nick Bilbrough cannot hide his deeply felt emotions during our conversation: “We’ve lost a lot – A LOT of people who work with the Hands Up Project – children, educators, and their families and there are many we have not heard from.” Nick can only hope they are not dead.

As a bank, The Charities Aid Foundation have given 3 months notice to close the account. Nick explains “It’s not a big issue in itself, there are other banks. It’s just another sign that we’re on our own. I’ve lost faith in vitually all corporations”. It might not be a big issue to the bank but it’s a major setback for the project. All the fundraising, payments, taxation and day to day procedures now have to be modified and updated. A big issue if you’re alone struggling to keep up with the emotion and hard-work of continuing the education work under seemingly impossible circumstances. It seems ludicrous to think that such a tiny outfit like Hands-Up might be funding terrorism or whatever it is that make CAF so reticent. Nick explains “This is going to entail a lot of work and take up time that I don’t have. I’m an educator, not an accountant.”
It seems reasonable that an organisation like CAF would want to satisfy itself that charities it works with, are acting responsibly and throughout the life of the project, Nick has been required to answer ongoing questions explaining transactions through the account to satisfy CAF that monies raised and used are legitimately used within the Hands Up Project. Hands-Up is now in Cairo, where using a 3 bedroomed flat, they have opened a temporary school to continue their work educating 20 children aged between 8 and 16 in English and Arabic.
It maybe the elimination of normalcy behind the bank closing on them. “it’s impossible to pay through normal channels, and we’re having to pay in cash.” Whilst Egyptian locals have been welcoming and helpful, it seems authority and banks are less amenable to a migrants’ situation. In the meantime Donna Campbell has set up a crowdfunder to help with the Temporary Cairo School.
There is also an even more urgent crowdfunder for Shaima, to help her to also escape Palestine. A nurse who worked in North Gaza’s last remaining hospital, The Kamal Adwan, right up to when it was entirely destroyed by Israeli Forces last month. You can see the details here
The Gaza Ceasefire
So what are Nick’s feelings about the announced ceasefire? “Mixed, I’m afraid. Will Israel comply with all the agreements? They will almost certainly find excuses to break the deal.” Less the 20 minutes after our conversation, Netanyahu does exactly this. He refuses, at time of writing, to ratify the agreement because he alleges Hamas are renaging already. Regardless of any agreements – last night there were further Israeli bombing attacks on Gaza… “The ceasefire doesn’t apply for days, they always do this and carry on with the killing in the meantime.”. Having spoken with Gazan’s today, Nick says they are optimistic and delighted about the latest news but worry for those who will die before the ceasefire is implemented. Nick is also cautious but hopeful that the Rafah Border will re-open allowing Palestinans to leave and help to come in.
It seems Nick cannot wait to return to Gaza to resume the teaching support work on a deeply wounded country.