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John Picton

@johnpicton.bsky.social
222 followers 147 following 2.7K posts

This is a nonprofit law scrapbook. Glued in: case law, regulation, donation, politics. I am an academic charity lawyer at the University of Manchester.

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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
'Sir Chris gave Extinction Rebellion £50,000 of his own money when the climate activist group emerged in 2019, while his charitable foundation, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, gave a further £150,000.' archive.ph/TNep9#select... www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Warren Buffett admits his philanthropic plans weren't 'feasible.' This is what he's doing instead | Fortune share.google/mW020qc50npJ...
share.google
Warren Buffett admits his original philanthropic plans were not 'feasible'—he’s instead left his three kids $500 million a year to give away | Fortune
The Berkshire Hathaway billionaire says his longevity has led to “unavoidable consequences” for his charitable objectives.
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Blackstone mogul turning his $48 billion fortune into a top philanthropic foundation fortune.com/2026/02/16/s...
fortune.com
Blackstone mogul warned of 'urgent need' for AI preparedness—Now he’s turning his $48 billion fortune into a top philanthropic foundation | Fortune
Stephen Schwarzman is committing his wealth to his foundation, which could become one of the largest in the world.
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
Octave Tassaert
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Bill Gates: ‘I see no value in my foundation lasting more than 20 years’ | Society | EL PAÍS English share.google/ccwhVnEv7ySB...
share.google
Bill Gates: ‘I see no value in my foundation lasting more than 20 years’
The billionaire and philanthropist participated this Monday in an event marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of EL PAÍS, where he reflected on the challenges of a world in crisis
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
"Oxfam trustee quits board over ‘cruel’ treatment of ex-boss" www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
theguardian.com
Oxfam trustee quits board over ‘cruel’ treatment of ex-boss
Balwant Singh calls for regulatory intervention after Halima Begum was forced out as chief executive
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
How alcohol-free venues ended up as pubs www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 10/08/2025
'To maintain a gambling license, an operator must pay a percentage of earnings into a pot. That money will then be distributed by commissioners...' www.gamblinginsider.com/in-depth/305...
gamblinginsider.com
What is the face of the UK gambling charity sector post-GambleAware?
The announcement of the managed closure of GambleAware jarred a sector that seems to have expected the outcome but didn’t enjoy the sensation of its col
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 10/08/2025
Code of Fundraising Practice launched: www.farrer.co.uk/news-and-ins...
farrer.co.uk
Code of Fundraising Practice launched
The Fundraising Regulator (FR) has issued a new Code of Fundraising Practice to take effect from 1 November 2025. It replaces the current version, which was last revised in 2019. The Code applies to f...
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 10/08/2025
'In a statement the Charity Commission said it had ben engaging with the charity in April 2025 after receiving an application from its trustees to change the charity's structure.' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Edmund Kell Unitarian Church probed over 'unaccounted-for' £290k
The Southampton charity's finances are being investigated by the Charity Commission.
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 10/08/2025
"'All sides' to blame in Prince Harry charity row, watchdog finds" www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
'All sides' to blame in Prince Harry charity row, watchdog finds
The Charity Commission criticises “all parties” at Sentebale for allowing a “damaging” dispute to play out publicly.
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 07/06/2025
"Oxfam said its 'restructuring proposals' were to secure its financial future and 'not about a policy to replace in-house roles with non-unionised casual labour'." www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Oxfam workers protest over 'outsourcing' of jobs
Unite members gathered outside Oxfam offices because of the charity's redundancy plans.
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 07/06/2025
“The government is determined to see the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club reach humanitarian causes in Ukraine." www.gistreel.com/uk-governmen...
gistreel.com
UK government to sue Roman Abramovich over £2.5b frozen Chelsea sale proceeds
The UK government is set to launch legal action against Roman Abramovich over the £2.5 billion proceeds from the 2022 sale
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 07/06/2025
"A previously leaked financial statement for 2023-24 indicated a £12 million deficit, and the former principal resigned last year after revealing a £30m budget shortfall and impending job losses." www.scottishfinancialnews.com/articles/dun...
scottishfinancialnews.com
Dundee University misses charity accounts deadline, regulator warns
Dundee University's charitable status is at risk of being withdrawn after it failed to submit its annual accounts to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) by the required deadline. As a ...
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 07/06/2025
"The Commission refused to register IFTCC on the basis that its purposes "were not exclusively charitable nor for the public benefit". www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/05...
secularism.org.uk
‘Gay conversion’ Christian group appeal for charity status rejected
Group linked to NI 'gay conversion' charity Core Issues Trust refused charitable status due to "political purpose" Read More »
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 07/06/2025
“No donor has influence on university governance, and it is mischievous and disingenuous to suggest otherwise." www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/5246...
thecourier.co.uk
EXCLUSIVE: £2m St Andrews University donor who nearly pulled funds over rector ‘genocide’ remarks revealed
The Courier can reveal the Wolfson Foundation was the donor “concerned” after Stella Maris accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 07/06/2025
"The fact that the report contains errors, and even a small number of irrational findings or observations, does not mean that the overall document is irrational." www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Kids Company: Part of Kids Company report 'unfair', says judge
In a judgement, Mr Justice Sheldon describes two paragraphs in the report as
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
'If [Campbell] succeeds, the implications for her former friend could be serious. Knowingly providing misleading information to the Charity Commission is a criminal offence that carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.' on.ft.com/44mUTBF
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
'Those of us involved in international solidarity need to look past the current retrenchment to search for new ideas and sources of resources. One of the most promising new ideas is to improve the amount and the quality of diaspora philanthropy.' ssir.org/articles/ent...
ssir.org
Diaspora Philanthropy 3.0 (SSIR)
How and why funders must move beyond traditional giving
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
“The thing about mutuality is it’s not based on volunteerism. It’s mutual, so it’s people helping each other to do something. The hastiness that happened over lockdown meant it might have slipped much more into a charitable model." www.bigissue.com/news/activis... #mutualaid
bigissue.com
Five years on, what happened to the pandemic's mutual aid groups?
From flood defence to reselling Amazon packages as a way of funding food banks, the nation's mutual aid groups are transforming.
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
'While the charity was successful, it was a kind of pet project for Harry, relying on the annual Sentebale polo cup and surviving the Covid pandemic largely through a pro bono performance by the pop star James Blunt, a friend of the previous chair.' www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
theguardian.com
Prince Harry charity row: why did he resign and what is dispute about?
Duke of Sussex and other trustees have quit Sentebale, while the charity’s chair accuses them of trying to oust her
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
'Signs of political activity targeting nonprofits emerged last November, when the European Commission sent a stark message to over 30 NGOs: They could no longer use funds from the LIFE programme, an EU green cash pot, for advocacy.' www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article...
theparliamentmagazine.eu
Beset on all sides, European NGOs risk running out of money
A conservative campaign against public funding for NGOs has piled on the pressure to an already beleaguered sector.
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
'The Human Rights Commission also criticises the disproportionate nature of the penalties, with fines of up to €3,000 and prison sentences of up to two years [which homeless people cannot pay]'. www.luxtimes.lu/luxembourg/h...
luxtimes.lu
Human rights body criticises Luxembourg begging law
Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CCDH) questions purpose of draft legislation to criminalise so-called ‘aggressive’ begging
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
'The barrister later said there was a 'real possibility' the Charity Commission was “predetermined” to criticise Kids Company.' www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/k... #Kidscompany
standard.co.uk
Kids Company report has ‘chilling impact’ on charity sector, High Court told
A two-day hearing is taking place over the Charity Commission’s February 2022 report into the collapsed children’s charity.
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
'As a museum, it’s very small and doesn’t really tell you a lot about the man himself. However, it does host a modestly interesting exhibition.' www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/a-v...
ianvisits.co.uk
A visit to the William Morris Society’s museum
Some people have their homes turned into museums devoted to the person -- but not many get two of them, and such a person is William Morris.
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 09/03/2025
'Such was Churchill’s fondness for his pet that he wrote a special bequest that a cat of the exact colour and markings [of his cat Jock] should always live at Chartwell. And that is why Jock VI has just arrived at the estate.' lady.co.uk/churchill-ch...
lady.co.uk
Churchill, Chartwell & Jock the cat | lady.co.uk
In continuous publication since 1885 and widely respected as England's longest running magazine for women.
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 09/03/2025
'The seven commissioners, who are not full-time, were [previously] responsible for making all casework, enquiries, compliance and registration decisions and orders through a committee.' www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/new-sch...
civilsociety.co.uk
New scheme aims to ease regulator’s decision-making processes
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 09/03/2025
'Eventually, hip hop’s own Dr Barnardo spots a sign held up by a single mother claiming to be 20 weeks pregnant. He lifts her out of the moshpit and into the VIP section and gifts her $30k. This is a good deed… right?' www.dazeddigital.com/music/articl...
dazeddigital.com
Drake-A-Wish Foundation: The problem with celebrity philanthropy
Drake heeded the signs begging for charity at his Sydney show earlier this week – but is this itself a sign of something more sinister?
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 09/03/2025
'The chief executive was found to have acted as a de-facto trustee, and set himself a yearly unauthorised salary of £40,000.' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Regulator finds misconduct at Birmingham Sikh TV charity
The Charity Commission finds serious failings at The Sikh Channel Community Broadcasting Company.
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
'The man with the golden arm, as he was dubbed, gave plasma 1, 173 times over 50 years until, to his chagrin, he was forced to stop aged 81.' on.ft.com/3QRMzC5 via @FT
on.ft.com
James Harrison, blood donor, 1936-2025
The railway worker who found his mission and saved the lives of more than 2mn babies
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
'The Charity Commission’s chief executive wrote to those members of the General Synod who are also charity trustees. This must mean most ... General Synod members, because membership of the General Synod comes with automatic membership of a parish’s PCC.' anglican.ink/2025/01/29/t...
anglican.ink
Too little, too late: Charity Commission reminds General Synod of charity trustee’s safeguarding duties
A miracle! The Charity Commission has finally taken public action in response to the ongoing safeguarding fiasco at the Church of England and its Archbishops’ Council. Last week, the Charity Commissio...
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
'Charities are required to maintain transparency and integrity when dealing with the Charity Commission. Under Section 60 of the Charities Act 2011, providing false or misleading information, whether knowingly or recklessly, is a criminal offence.' www.trethowans.com/insights/pro...
trethowans.com
Providing information to the Charity Commission: Understanding the criminal offence under Section 60
Charities are required to maintain transparency and integrity when dealing with the Charity Commission. Under Section 60 of the Charities Act 2011, providing false or misleading information, whether k...
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
'Chabad Lubavitch Centres North East London and Essex Limited set up a fundraising page in October 2023 to raise funds for a soldier of the IDF stationed in northern Israel. The page, which was eventually removed in January 2024, raised around £2,280.' www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
Charity issued with Official Warning over support for foreign military
A London charity has been issued with an Official Warning over a fundraising campaign in support of a soldier of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
'The Charity Commission failed to properly handle safeguarding concerns relating to historic child sexual abuse at a charity, the Parliamentary Ombudsman has found.' www.ombudsman.org.uk/news-and-blo...
ombudsman.org.uk
Ombudsman rules Charity Commission failed to properly handle safeguarding concerns related to historic child sex abuse | Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
'Heir to his parents’ fortune made in the vinting business, Roger Thiberville, a meteorologist shared but one thing with the town of 1,800 residents: its name.' www.goodnewsnetwork.org/man-leaves-e...
goodnewsnetwork.org
Man Leaves Fortune of 10 Million to a Tiny French Town He Never Visited
Describing the endowment as "beyond imagination" the local mayor said the money would help clear a €400K debt from the municipality.
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
'According to the Daily Telegraph, Thursday’s judgement by the First-tier Tribunal is the first case in which anyone has successfully overturned [a disqualification] order.' www.thejc.com/news/communi...
thejc.com
Former JNF UK trustee overturns Charity Commission ban in ‘landmark’ case - The Jewish Chronicle
The Commission had sought to disqualify Gary Mond over allegedly ‘anti-Muslim’ social media posts
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 19/01/2025
'Gates Foundation has given the UK-based group more than $700,000 for the next 18 months to fund journalism in “under reported” parts of the world."
on.ft.com
Independent secures funding from Bill and Melinda Gates’ foundation
It has given British media group more than $700,000 to fund journalism in ‘under reported’ parts of the world
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 11/01/2025
'Trustees of Chabad Lubavitch Centers in North East London and Essex received a final warning from the UK’s Charity Commission after 180 complaints were received that the Jewish organization was fundraising for the IDF.' m.jpost.com/diaspora/art...
m.jpost.com
UK charity commission gives Chabad official warning over IDF fundraiser
The fundraiser allegedly closed in January 2024, and was said to have raised £2,280 (approximately NIS 10,250).
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 11/01/2025
'It’s a challenge to the commission’s guidance ... if the charity could have declined it quietly without significant risk, but incurred the risks of going public in order to signal solidarity with beneficiaries.' www.civilsociety.co.uk/voices/andre...: www.civilsociety.co.uk/voices/andre...
civilsociety.co.uk
Andrew Purkis: The Children’s Society rejecting Justin Welby’s gift raises questions
The Children’s Society’s public rejection of a donation by the outgoing Archbishop of Canterbury raises questions, writes Andrew Purkis...
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 11/01/2025
'Our plan is to transform our existing for-profit into a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation⁠ (PBC) with ordinary shares of stock and the OpenAI mission as its public benefit interest.' openai.com/index/why-ou... #openai
openai.com
Why OpenAI’s structure must evolve to advance our mission
A stronger non-profit supported by the for-profit’s success.
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Reposted by John Picton
Mark Sidel @marksidel.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
From the School of Law and Social Justice, University of Liverpool, a podcast on the landscape of non-profit and philanthropic organisations across the United States, China, India, and Vietnam. My thanks to Annie Grey at SLSJ. On Spotify ⤵️ lnkd.in/eNVqmy8A
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 02/01/2025
'The couple founded their charitable trust in 1979, and the Allan & Gill Gray Foundation backed education in particular.' www.royalgazette.com/general/news...
royalgazette.com
Celebrating a life of philanthropy ‘in its purest sense’
A quiet benefactor to Bermuda who had an untold influence on the island alongside her philanthropist late husband has been remembered for “the impact she has made in improving life in Bermuda” by the ...
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 02/01/2025
'The former trustees were unable to account for more than £250,000 transferred overseas, with a further £500,000 lacking a satisfactory financial audit trail, the regulator found.' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... #Qubatrust
bbc.co.uk
Three Luton charity trustees disqualified by regulator
The Charity Commission finds serious management failings at the overseas aid group, the Quba Trust.
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 15/12/2024
"HHJ Tayler in MacLennan v The British Psychological Society [2024] EAT 166 has found that the effect of the ECHR is that a charity trustee could potentially be entitled to whistleblowing protection as a 'worker'." www.lexology.com/library/deta...
lexology.com
Can a charity trustee be “a worker” for the purposes of whistleblowing protection?
HHJ Tayler in MacLennan v The British Psychological Society [2024] EAT 166 has found that the effect of the ECHR is that a charity trustee could…
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 15/12/2024
Mohammed v Patel [2024] EWHC 2581: 'There was therefore a breach of the Constitution because the voting did not take place at the SGM but rather took place in advance of the SGM with the result then announced in advance of the SGM...' www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWH...
bailii.org
Mohammed & Ors v Patel & Ors [2024] EWHC 2581 (Ch) (11 October 2024)
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 15/12/2024
"The foundation ... is gauzily liberal, but [Alam] doesn’t really 'impose' any ideological template on Entitlement. Instead, the author offers insights into the effects of money and power on the professionals who work in establishment philanthropy."...
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 15/12/2024
Mohammed v Patel [2024] EWHC 2581: 'There was therefore a breach of the Constitution because the voting did not take place at the SGM but rather took place in advance of the SGM with the result then announced in advance of the SGM...'...
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 14/12/2024
“Some of the dogs were housed in the property... But the failure to manage the conflict of interest and the receipt of unauthorised benefits, in respect of accommodation costs, enabled [the trustees] to ... live rent-free in a sizeable, family home.”...
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 14/12/2024
'When donors contribute assets to a DAF, they are committing those funds irrevocably to charitable purposes. The claim these funds languish in perpetuity is a caricature...' www.philanthropyroundtable.org/inno…
philanthropyroundtable.org
Innovating Altruism: How DAFs Are Transforming Charitable...
When The Bradley Foundation’s Director of Communications ...
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John Picton @johnpicton.bsky.social · 14/12/2024
"HHJ Tayler in MacLennan v The British Psychological Society [2024] EAT 166 has found that the effect of the ECHR is that a charity trustee could potentially be entitled to whistleblowing protection as a 'worker'."...
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