A former Scottish cancer charity manager has been sentenced to three years in prison after stealing more than £95,000 from two charities she worked for, including one she co-founded. 

Lindsay MacCallum, 61 and from Aberfoyle, Stirlingshire, was sentenced at Falkirk Sheriff Court yesterday (8 October 2024).

In August, MacCallum pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud after stealing a total of more than £95,000 from the cancer charity Rainbow Valley and the stem cell transplant charity Anthony Nolan.

MacCallum co-founded Rainbow Valley, which supports families affected by cancer in Glasgow, with Angela MacVicar in 2012. MacCallum was the project development manager until she left in 2022.

She was arrested shortly after her departure and the charity discovered financial irregularities relating to a bank account that MacCallum had controlled.

Using her position, MacCallum funnelled funds to herself using a separate bank account that she had encouraged the public to donate to instead of the charity’s official account.

On 13 August, MacCallum pleaded guilty to defrauding the cancer charity of £85,978. She also pleaded guilty to defrauding Anthony Nolan – where she worked as a regional fundraiser in Scotland from 1995 to 2012 – of £9,505.

A spokesperson for Anthony Nolan said: “Our supporters are incredibly generous and often have a personal connection to our cause, so it’s devastating to think some of them donated in good faith believing the money would go directly to help patients with blood cancer and blood disorders. 

“Thankfully, incidents like this are extremely rare and we’d like to reassure fundraisers their donations are helping to support our lifesaving work.”

After MacCallum’s guilty plea, a spokesperson for Rainbow Valley told Third Sector that the organisation was “relieved that justice will be served”.

The spokesperson added: “We want to assure everyone that the fraudulent scheme involved funds from a separate account created for this purpose by Ms MacCallum, not from Rainbow Valley’s official accounts.”

Rainbow Valley has been contacted for further comment.