MP Blocks Islamic Help School Plan  

The dreams of a Birmingham based disaster relief charity, Islamic Help, of establishing a 5,000 place boarding school for Muslim girls at Brierfield Mills in Pendle have been shattered by the Charity Commission.The charity watchdog has ruled that Islamic Help was operating outside its charitable objects in raising money for a school. In a hard hitting decision the Charity Commission has ordered donations to be returned to those who had responded to the appeal for funds. People thinking about donating were told £500 would go towards student accommodation; £5,000 towards a classroom and £20,000 towards a computer lab.Pendle MP, Gordon Prentice, called in the Charity Commission, insisting Islamic Help was breaking charity law in asking for money for a purpose clearly outside its charitable objects.Islamic Help bought Brierfield Mills, the Grade II listed former medical fabrics factory,...