Burns & Co.

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Insights

Charitable Insights

Practical articles on charity governance, trustee duties, school trusts and community structures — written by the people who do the work.

Education8 min read

Why the government is pushing schools into multi academy trusts — and is joining one a good thing?

Multi academy trusts are reshaping English education. Here is what is behind the push, what schools gain and give up, and the questions a governing body should ask before saying yes.

5 October 2026Read
Governance7 min read

A local club has asked me to become a trustee — am I taking on massive liabilities?

The fear every prospective trustee has, and the truth about it: what liability actually attaches, where the real risks sit, and how to protect yourself properly.

18 September 2026Read
Education6 min read

What governing a school for children with learning difficulties teaches you about governance

Governors of special schools carry the same duties as any other governor — and a sharper lesson in why the details matter. Some reflections from the governing board at Cedar Hall.

2 September 2026Read
Governance5 min read

Free legal support for charities: how it works

The majority of the consulting and legal work we provide to registered charities is free of charge. Here is what that covers, what it does not, and how to ask.

20 August 2026Read
Governance6 min read

Five questions to ask before joining a charity board

Most trustee regret is preventable with an hour of due diligence. The five questions to ask — and the answers that should worry you.

4 August 2026Read
Governance7 min read

What the Charity Commission actually expects of new trustees

Beyond the induction pack: the six statutory duties, what 'acting reasonably' means in practice, and the mistakes that most often land trustees in trouble.

15 July 2026Read
Structures6 min read

CIC or charity? Choosing the right structure for a community project

The structure you choose determines who will fund you, how you are taxed and what you can never do with the assets. A plain-English guide to the choice.

28 June 2026Read
Governance5 min read

Fundraising events: the compliance nobody plans for

Licences, raffles, food, insurance and data: the six areas where well-meaning charity events quietly break the rules — and how to keep yours clean.

10 June 2026Read
Structures7 min read

When charities merge: getting collaboration right

Mergers fail for cultural reasons dressed up as legal ones. How to structure a charity merger — and the conversations to have before the paperwork.

22 May 2026Read
Governance5 min read

Protecting volunteers: insurance, safeguarding and common sense

Volunteers are the workforce of most charities — and the part of it most often unprotected. What to check, and why 'they're only volunteers' is a dangerous sentence.

5 May 2026Read

The majority of our consulting and legal work for charities is free of charge.*

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*The majority of our consulting and legal work for registered charities is provided free of charge. If a piece of work falls outside that commitment, we will tell you clearly, in writing, before it begins.