Grandparents charity aims to bounce back after ‘bitter blow’

A CHARITY was almost forced out of business by its treasurer’s dishonesty, it has been claimed.

Roz Peters, chair of Grandparents Apart self-help group, said the embezzlement of £500 had come as a bitter blow for the charity.

The cash was stolen by Richard Stedman, 63, while he was responsible for banking the West Lothian group’s income and accounts.

Stedman, of Longridge, West Lothian, helped himself to funds raised at a charity shop event then told the Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator the charity had been wound up.

Sentence on Stedman was deferred to repay the missing funds at Livingston Sheriff Court last week when he pleaded guilty to embezzling the cash in 2009. Ms Peters said she hoped Grandparents Apart, which was was founded in 2001 to help grandparents fight for legal access to their grandchildren after divorce battles, would bounce back.