'I let 12 complete strangers picked at random give away my £100k inheritance'

03 February 2024 , 21:43

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Researcher David Clarke said he already has enough to live on (Image: David Clarke)

A man who inherited £100,000 let 12 strangers give it away to help tackle inequality in a poor area.

Researcher David Clarke, 34, picked them at random from the 40 people who replied to his request. The group was not allowed to keep the money but could decide how to spend it in the Toxteth and Dingle areas of Liverpool.

Mr Clarke, who is also a delivery driver, said he had enough money to live on. “I just feel there is too much inequality so I wanted to do my bit to try to address that,” he said.

The group of 12 was selected randomly after Mr Clarke wrote to 600 households in the L8 area of the city in July last year. “Forty people got back,” he said. “I think most people thought it was a scam”.

Mr Clarke said the process was “gripping to watch”. “People really embraced it and took it seriously and there was a lot of passion and energy in the space,” he added.

The group decided that it wanted to focus on local poverty and inequality in L8, which is one of the most deprived places in the country.

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One of the 12 strangers, Lindsay Challoner-Eke, said: “The money is so needed here. We felt it was important that everyone from children to pensioners could benefit from the money. Once we decided who we were giving the money to we had to give it to them with no conditions. We trusted them to know what its needed to be spent on”.

Mr Clarke said he “believes in the power of local people” and their “wisdom and understanding of their communities”.

“Liverpool people are willing to challenge each other and speak frankly in their discussions,” he said. “They have a strong set of values and community solidarity. They are always looking out for each other.”

Mr Clarke has shared the results of the project on his website, Wealth Shared. He said he hoped to inspire other people to consider sharing money to make a difference in their local community.

“To anyone who is lucky to have more money than they need, and is wondering what to do with it, I recommend this as a solution,” he said. “The money will have more benefit now than it did when it was sitting in my account.”

Phil Cardy