UK Fundraising Watchdog Finds Kindest Plumber Misled Donors Using Fabricated Stories

James Anderson, known as "Britain's kindest plumber," founded the community interest company Depher CIC to help vulnerable and elderly people by providing free plumbing services. Despite widespread support and donations, including from actor Hugh Grant, investigations revealed that Depher misled donors by repeatedly using the same images of vulnerable individuals with different stories and fabricated acts of kindness, sometimes involving references to death or suicide. The Fundraising Regulator found multiple breaches of fundraising codes related to misleading information, inconsistent use of donations, and controversial fundraising practices. The company also faced criticism for using donations to purchase a house, although control over such spending lies with a separate regulator. Anderson acknowledged some mistakes but claimed he was the target of a "witchhunt" and contested parts of the investigations, including complaints to the communications regulator Ofcom. Depher is no longer active, and the watchdog's findings highlight significant concerns about transparency and ethical fundraising in charitable enterprises.