London Bombing Charity Shuts Down

A charity fund set up to help victims of the 7 July bombings has been wound up after handing out £12m in grants. Some 325 applicants, including individuals and families, have benefited from donations by The London Bombing Relief Charitable Fund (LBRCF).

Public contributions to the fund, set up by the Red Cross and Mayor Ken Livingstone, came flooding in after the July 2005 terrorist attacks in London.

The fund won an award for effectiveness at the 2006 Charity Awards.

Gerald Oppenheim, chair of the charity’s board of trustees, said the charity’s tasks have now been completed.

“I hope it will not have to be called on again, in London or anywhere else, but sadly that may not be the case in view of events around the world,” he said.

“We hope that donors, supporters, well-wishers and beneficiaries feel we have acted speedily and compassionately and that we have used the money well.”

Grants to victims of the attacks were made in phases between October 2005 and October 2006.

Bereaved families with two dependent children received £150,000.

A bereaved spouse or partner received £75,000 while a bereaved relative who was not a spouse or partner received £50,000.

The most severely injured received between £74,000 and £200,000.

“We are reasonably sure all the people who met the criteria of the fund have been reached,” said an LBRCF spokesman.

The fund also made grants to voluntary bodies, such as the 7th July Assistance Centre and Disaster Action, to continue providing support to those affected by the attacks.

A report by the London Resilience Forum into the lessons of the attacks praised the fund, saying it should be “considered as a model for other cities, counties and regions”.

The payments are separate from compensation from the government’s Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.