Charity Status for Chess Clubs?

[Joshua Gibbs]

I read the following:


http://www.merseysidechess.org.uk/index ... Itemid=170

I know several people at Atticus Chess Club Liverpool want it to get public funding

My personal belief is that most chess clubs don't deserve Public funding or charity tax breaks as much as other more needy organisations such as domestic violence victims or vulnerable people.

What does everyone else think of chess clubs getting charity status

[Andrew Zigmond]

From a layman's perspective `deserving` doesn't really come into it. Obviously there is a certain criteria to be a charity but allowing chess clubs to gain charitable status won't take money away from organisations supporting domestic violence victims (to take your example) as they will have a higher profile and attract greater donations because, as you say, the need is greater.

Charitable status would allow clubs to seek public funding and enjoy certain tax breaks. The downside is that running a registered charity does require slightly more professionalism than simply balancing the books as most clubs do and may even necessitate having accounts professionally audited. There wouldn't be any real benefit for the average chess club to seek charitable status; on the other hand more visionary clubs might take the opportunity and the main beneficiary might be organisations promoting chess amongst (for example) blind children or young adults with autism.

[MJMcCready]

I think charity in chess should remain an otb phenomenon.