The Island’s MP, Andrew Turner has fulfilled a pledge to donate £4,164 – the net amount of the 10% pay rise he received at the beginning of this Parliament – to charities and other good causes on the Island.
Mr Turner has listed a range of organisations that have benefited from his donation, which has been verified by Mike Ward, a financial advisor from Ryde who was given full access to all relevant paperwork and details.
In total, the Island’s MP has donated over £4,500 from a ‘Good Causes’ bank account, plus other personal donations throughout the year.
Mr Turner said:
“Like many people, I think that talking about how much you give to charity is rather distasteful. The causes people support is a personal matter, and like so many Islanders I have always made private donations to a number of charities. However, I did say that I would pass my pay rise to good causes on the Island and was asked to demonstrate that I had done so. I have a separate ‘Good Causes’ bank account – and I set up a standing order each month into that account which covers the net amount I received from the pay rise. Some donations are made through that.
“The charities listed in the attached list have collectively received donations which exceed the net sum I received from the pay rise. I am grateful to Mike Ward, who works tirelessly for many charities himself, for looking through my personal paperwork and confirming that to be the case.
“I had planned to get this information on my website shortly after the end of the financial year, but the relevant bank statements did not come for some time and I also had to sort out all the paperwork for Mike to examine – and time slipped by”.
The MP made the decision to donate his pay rise because he did not believe that the controversial pay rise (which was awarded by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority) could be justified in a time of austerity.
Local good causes to benefit from Mr Turner’s donations include:
• Carers Isle of Wight
• Challenge & Adventure
• Earl Mountbatten Hospice
• Freshwater Independent Lifeboat
• Friends of the Animals
• Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation – the Island 100
• Isle Drive Safe
• Isle of Wight Christmas Toy Appeal
• Isle of Wight Citizen’s Advice Bureau
• Isle of Wight Foodback
• Isle of Wight NHS Trust Chemothearapy Unit
• Isle of Wight Physically Disabled Society
• RSPCA Isle of Wight
• Isle of Wight Stroke Association
• Osel Enterprises Limited
• Royal British Legion and the Poppy Appeal
• Ryde Inshore Rescue
• Sandown & Shanklin Independent Lifeboat
• South Wight Youth Theatre
