Gap years face ruin as charity used by Duke collapses

GAP year students face losing thousands of pounds after a charity used by the Duke of Cambridge collapsed just days after it took money that they had raised to fund overseas trips.

Raleigh International, which has sent thousands of young volunteers on overseas projects and adventures, closed down without warning on Thursday, after running into financial difficulties.

Administrators for the charity said it had been left insolvent after travel restrictions during the Covid pandemic, along with cuts in government spending on foreign aid, had a dramatic impact on its ability to raise funds.

It has emerged that in the days that preceded the collapse of the charity many prospective volunteers paid the charity thousands of pounds they had raised to facilitate their trips – with no warning the organisation was in peril.

The financial services firm called in to handle Raleigh International’s affairs is taking legal advice over the issue, but has so far not been able to give any guarantees the money will be returned.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took part as teenagers in development projects run by Raleigh International in Chile.

Rosie Giesler, 20, from west London, had given £3,800 she had raised for a rainforest conservation trip to Costa Rica. “It came as a complete shock when I heard about the collapse.

“It was going to be one of the highlights of my year” she said.

Carter Backer Winter, the firm appointed to handle Raleigh International’s affairs, said: “The charity is mindful that volunteers who have paid funds will be concerned about the status of these funds and legal advice is being sought in this regard.”