Charity boss stricken by huge rent increase from Milton Keynes Community Foundation tragically passes away on the premises

John Mann was tragically found dead at Re-use furniture recycling scheme on Burners Lane in Kiln Farm last night.

The 50-year-old had been locked in a two-year battle with the premises owners MK Community Foundation, one of the city’s richest charities, after they withdrew rent subsidies and doubled the amount to £60,000 a year.

Sources say John, a dad-of four, had been unable to afford the rent for the past few months and was sickened at the thought of Re-use having to close down after more than 25 years of helping hard-up local people.

John’s body was found in Re-use after the smoke alarms went off during the night. It is thought he had started a fire in small basket.

"It’s just so very, very sad,” said his former partner and Re-use co-founder Margaret Mann.

Margaret and John started the Community Interest Company from scratch in the late 1990s from an industrial unit in Denbigh before moving to Kiln Farm.

The ethos was that people donated unwanted furniture and household goods, which were then sold cheaply or given away to former homeless people, single parents or hard-up families struggling to equip their homes.

They even collected clothing such as school uniforms and winter coats and gave them to local children.

It was one of the city’s earliest recycling schemes and soon became hailed as a “godsend” by organisations such as the city’s Bus Shelter homeless project. Leading figures at MK Council have also endorsed its work as ‘ticking all the boxes for helping the needy as well as encouraging eco-friendly recycling and reducing waste’.

“All was perfect until 2022 when MK Community Foundation announced the rent on the Burners Lane warehouse would be doubling,” said a source. “It went from £2,487 a month to £60,000 a year – almost £6,000 a month.”

“There was no way Re-use could afford that but John was determined to fight. He appealed and appealed against the decision, but sadly he lost.”

MK Community Foundation is a grant-making charity and describes itself as “sending funding where it's needed most in Milton Keynes”. It receives millions of pounds in donations and funds to redistribute to other local help groups.

In an email to Re-use in 2022, the foundation’s Philanthropy Director, Ranjit Singh, wrote: “It remains for you to decide if you want to revert to a full lease at a rent of £60,000 pa... or we terminate the tenancy and agree dilapidations.”

Big-hearted John answered at the time: “Our goal is to provide free and affordable furniture and household goods to help those in need, not to make a ton of money to pay our rent.”

And council leader Pete Marland said of the dispute: "It's vital that community organisations like Reuse are able to rent affordable premises. The Community Foundation was gifted land and premises in order to be able to provide local groups with cheap for the benefit the community.

"The tenants seem to now be concerned this provision is being reduced and rents are increasing, so it's important that Community Foundation are clear on what is happening and why as many of these organisations provide people with a lifeline when they most need it.”

The Citizen contacted MK Community Foundation in May 2022 an explanation but a spokesman refused to comment about the decision.

Today (Wednesday) we contacted them again. Their spokesperson said: “We have been made aware of the passing of John Mann and are deeply shocked and saddened to hear the news.

“Reuse Community Project MK has been a long-standing tenant of our property at Kiln Farm and it’s been a pleasure to support the group through a continuous and ongoing rent subsidy.

“John’s death will be a great loss to the charity sector and all of those who Reuse supported. We send our condolences to his family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.”

Meanwhile this week Re-use remains closed and its future, with nobody to take it over, is uncertain.

A date for John’s funeral has not yet been set.

"This is a tragic loss of a man who just wanted to do good and a charitable scheme that helped thousands of people as well as the environment,” said one Re-use customer.

"Our hearts go out to John’s children and his family. He did his best for everyone.”

The MK Citizen wishes to make it clear John’s family were spoken to prior to publication of this article.

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