Multi-millionaire catering boss Richard Cousins has left a substantial amount of money to Oxfam after dying alongside his family in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 2017. The Sun reports that the bequest amounts to £41 million, with Cousins' will specifying the money should go to the charity because his two sons died with him.
Cousins, 58, was chief executive of Compass Group. He died alongside his fiancée, magazine editor Emma Bowden, 48, her 11-year-old daughter Heather, and his sons Edward, 23, and William, 25, when a seaplane plunged into a river north of Sydney, Australia. An inquest in the UK ruled the deaths a 'tragic accident' due to multiple injuries and drowning.
According to The Sun, Cousins had added a 'common tragedy clause' to his will a year before the incident, ensuring his fortune would go to charity if he and his family died simultaneously. The clause meant £41 million would go to Oxfam, while his two brothers would each receive £1 million.
Oxfam confirmed the bequest but did not disclose the amount. A spokesman said: 'We are extremely grateful for this bequest of which we have only recently been notified. We are working with the family and our board of trustees to identify how the money will be used.' The donation comes as Oxfam faces financial difficulties following allegations of staff misconduct in Haiti.
