‘Britain’s kindest plumber’ said to have faked his good deeds
A tradesman dubbed “Britain’s kindest plumber” who reportedly once received a donation from Hugh Grant is alleged to have faked stories about helping the vulnerable to raise money.
James Anderson, 56, has accused “online trolls” and the BBC of trying to shut down his charitable company, which has raised £2 million to help fund home repairs for the sick and elderly.
He said they had accused him of fabricating stories about vulnerable people to bring in money.
One of the allegations, set out by the BBC, suggested he had written a post about saving the life of a suicidal elderly woman, who had in fact died years earlier.
Her daughter later told the broadcaster that Mr Anderson, who has also won a Pride of Britain award, had been using her mother as a “money-making machine”.
The BBC also said Mr Anderson misrepresented a mother as a “thief” and claimed she was a “victim of domestic violence” in a post that had included pictures of her children.
It further suggested he had exposed the sexuality of a gay man in his 90s, who had told Mr Anderson he didn’t want to be pictured due to his fears over discrimination.
The BBC also alleged Mr Anderson’s company, Depher CIC, had purchased a home for £73,125, which was rented out to a member of his extended family.
And an ex-employee told the broadcaster Mr Anderson had also used the enterprise’s funds, which rose to £1.2 million in April 2023, to purchase cars to ride around in.
The Fundraising Regulator said on Thursday that investigations into Depher CIC were “ongoing” following complaints from members of the public.
But Mr Anderson, from Burnley, claimed in a post on his personal Facebook page that the accusations against him had emerged through malicious “online criminal trolls”.
He wrote: “The BBC News and online trolls are trying to shut Depher CIC community initiative down.
“There are questions that they have asked me about my personal life, that have unfortunately come from online criminal trolls.
“Unfortunately, the BBC have decided that these individuals have the right to ask, even after being reported to Burnley and Padiham Police on many occasions.
“They also accused me of purchasing a house with donations. I purchased a house with profits for Depher and it is in Depher’s name.
“The rent from the property has allowed us to reopen the food drive, and the community benefits from this, massively.
“The tenant is my wife’s ex-stepfather of 20 years, but she still looks at him as a father figure.
“His son, who works for Depher, lives with him and cares for him as he is very ill.”
Mr Anderson went on to say he had launched legal action against an ex-employee who he believed had spoken to the broadcaster.
He added in an update: “The witch hunt by these individuals continues.”
A spokesman from the Fundraising Regulator confirmed Depher CIC was under investigation.
The spokesman said: “Having received a number of complaints from members of the public, the Fundraising Regulator has opened an investigation into Depher CIC to determine whether or not its fundraising has breached sections of the Code of Fundraising Practice.
“While the investigation is ongoing, the Fundraising Regulator can not prejudice the outcome by publicly commenting on the details of the investigation.
“Depher is a Community Interest Company, rather than a registered charity, meaning its operations are regulated by the CIC regulator – though the Fundraising Regulator is, of course, investigating potential fundraising breaches; there are some charitable objects in Depher CIC’s rules.”
Depher CIC and Mr Anderson were contacted for further comment.
