Harry charity's wage bill bigger than donations

PRINCE Harry's charity for African Aids orphans spent tens of thousands of pounds more on staff and fundraising than it received in donations.

Sentebale, which aims to help children in the southern African kingdom of Lesotho, spent a total of £279,000 on salaries for workers and the costs of fundraising, accounts published today disclosed.

But the charity's income was £231,000, with only £48,000 in direct donations to the fund. It spent £62,000 generating that income and £217,000 on staff costs during the 12 months to the end of last August.

The organisation faced criticism when last year's accounts showed it handed over only £84,000 to charity projects in its first year, while spending nearly £500,000 on staff salaries and set-up costs.

In the wake of the controversy, members of the public donated just £81,000 directly to Sentebale. A further £150,000 was raised through the Concert for Diana in 2007 and polo events. A separate £19,000 came from investments.

In an apparent bid to counter previous criticism, Sentebale issued a release with today's figures headlining the fact that £707,000 out of a total £791,000 expenditure last year went on "charitable activities", while just £22,000 was spent on "governance costs". But a closer analysis of the accounts reveals this obscures the £217,000 spent on staff salaries, pensions and social security mentioned towards the back of the report.