Charity beloved by Princess Diana closes amid household dispute

A foundation beloved by Princess Diana and the Queen Mother has shut down amid a war of words between the son and grandson of Sir Douglas Bader.

I hear that the Battle of Britain veteran’s grandson, Charley, has threatened legal action against the Douglas Bader Foundation (DBF) after it collapsed under financial pressures.

The amputees’ charity was created in 1982 by Bader’s son-in-law David Bickers, 74, and other friends and family. For at least a decade, Bickers’ son Charley – Bader’s grandson by his stepdaughter Wendy McCleave – has been an integral part of the organisation, working under a contract basis with his firm Trillion Tree for about £30,000-a-year.

Charley was behind the popular Bader’s Bus Company flight display team, the first British team made up of disabled pilots, and heavily promoted it in media appearances.

But Charley, 44, left earlier this year amid a row with his father and has threatened to sue for unfair dismissal. A source tells me: ‘It is a desperately sad situation. Everyone knew that David would one day step back, but it was assumed that Charley would take up the reins.

‘For various reasons, the relationship between the pair deteriorated and the whole thing could now end up in court.’

Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader lost both his legs in a plane crash in 1931, but was allowed to re-enlist at the outbreak of World War II, going on to fight with incredible bravery over Dunkirk and in the Battle of Britain.

Bader was knighted in 1976 for his charity work with fellow amputees but died in 1982, when the foundation was started to continue his work.

The Queen Mother became the patron, as did Diana, Princess of Wales.

Since its creation, the DBF has handed out grants to thousands of amputees and played a leading role in supporting disabled sporting events, as well as offering light aircraft flights to disabled children.

Yet this summer the charity suddenly announced the closure of the grants scheme on July 31 and the full winding up of the charity at the end of next month[October].

Any remaining funds are set to go to grant applicants or similar charities, unless ringfenced for closing costs – which could include legal fees if the case goes to court.

Bickers says the ‘topic of closure’ first came up in August 2023 and Charley was told that his ‘services were no longer required’.

He says: ‘DBF confirmed this formally in November 2023. The agreement was mutually accepted and signed by both parties in November 2023.

‘There were no references made by Charley following the termination of his consultancy arrangement in November 2023, but in July this year Charley contacted DBF’s Lawyers attempting to bring a case against DBF for unfair dismissal.

‘Our Lawyers responded formally to him in July that he was not at any time an employee of the foundation, but a self-employed consultant and consequently the foundation would not be entering into any settlement with him.’

The status of Charley’s legal case is not known. He could not be reached for comment.

Data published on the Charity Commission’s website suggest the DBF was operating at a loss, with figures for the financial year ending October 2023, showing it had a total income of £377,141, but total expenditure of £461,348.

Charley, who describes himself as a ‘musician, writer, record label owner and inventor’ on Twitter, is the director of several companies and describes himself on LinkedIn as an ‘Entrepreneur & Philanthropist’.

The most recent financial statement shows that the charity ‘entered into a contract for services with C Bickers. Payments of £26,600 (2022 – £30,000) were made during the year. At the balance sheet date the amount due to/from C Bickers was £Nil (2022 – £Nil).’

Similar annual payments were made each year since at least 2019, published records show.

No official references to Charley now exist on the charity’s website, including in a segment about the Bader’s Bus Company.

Bickers says: ‘The decision to close is because the management team and trustees are of an age and jointly feel that, after 40 years of hard work and commitment, Douglas Bader’s name has been fulfilled, leaving a legacy that has supported so many people.’

He adds: ‘We are very proud of our achievements and how many other smaller charities we have assisted who are in the same space.’

Royal milliner Philip politely ignores Meg’s fashion faux pas

He can count Beyonce, Grace Jones and Madonna among his clients, but milliner Philip Treacy says the hats he makes for the Royal Family involve the longest preparation, particularly when they are travelling overseas.

‘You know there’s a royal tour, but it’s in 18 months, so you have time to create ­something perfect,’ the 57-year-old hatmaker tells me ­during the Perfect magazine party hosted by Dovetale at 1 Hotel Mayfair.

‘There are no wardrobe malfunctions because everything is planned very, very well,’ he adds.

Treacy is clearly far too discreet to mention the Duchess of Sussex’s wardrobe malfunctions. 

During her 2018 royal tour with Prince Harry, Meghan Markle appeared in Tonga with the shop label poking out of a red dress by the brand Self Portrait.

And, in New Zealand, she wore a Givenchy skirt that revealed the outline of her underwear. Least said, soonest mended…

Windsors think pink at hen do

The smart set are getting married later these days. Lady Amelia Windsor has just attended her first hen do at the age of 29. 

The model, once named the ‘most beautiful royal’ by Tatler magazine, joined her sister, Lady Marina, 31 in wearing bright pink at the party in Dorset to celebrate the forthcoming marriage of Amabel Kerr, 29, granddaughter of the 12th Marquess of Lothian. 

‘Lots of pink for my first hen do,’ Lady Amelia says. 

Crown star Greg shares castle secret

Greg Wise, who played the 1st Earl Mountbatten in Netflix hit The Crown, was at Windsor Castle last Friday on the eighth anniversary of his beloved sister Clare’s death.

The actor, who is married to Oscar winner Dame Emma Thompson, spoke at a reception supporting The Good Grief Trust. 

Raising a smile, Wise revealed to the 45 guests, who gathered in the Moat Garden, that he had worked as a tour guide at Windsor in the 1990s. 

He recalled: ‘When I showed some Americans around the grounds, one of them asked me why they had built the castle under the Heathrow airport flight path.’

Sir Benjamin struggles to get his guests to leave 

Having invited revellers to his Maunsel House estate at the weekend for a revival of The Rabbit Hole, which was previously an infamous haunt at Glastonbury festival, Sir Benjamin Slade, 78, was struggling to encourage them to leave yesterday. 

‘It’s still going on,’ the eccentric baronet tells me. ‘They seem to be still here. They’re in a hot tub at the moment. A lot of them are naked.’ 

Perhaps a warning shot from the 80 firearms he has on display in his bar room, would do the trick?

Boyle and Murphy to return for 28 Days Later sequel 

Oscar winners Danny Boyle and Cillian Murphy will return for a sequel to the cult post-apocalypse survival thriller 28 Days Later. However, Naomie Harris, who starred in the 2002 hit film, will not be joining them.

The actress, who’s played Moneypenny in James Bond films, declines to divulge why – 007 would be proud.

Sireix’s advice to Olympian daughter 

After she missed out on a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix was comforted by her father, First Dates star Fred Sirieix. 

But what advice does he offer the diver, 20, on matters of the heart? 

‘He just says I need to go to the gym so I look strong and can beat them up if they do anything wrong. He’s very protective,’ she tells me at the launch party of her father’s book, Seriously British.