## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** ## **From 1 September 2021 Period start date To 31 August 2022 Period end date Charity name: Olden Community Garden** ## **Charity registration number: 1158105** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|The objects of the CIO are to promote for
the benefit of those people living or working
in the London Borough of Islington a
community garden and associated facilities
to advance education and for the purposes
of recreation or other leisure time
occupation of individuals who have need of
such facilities by reason of their youth, age,
infirmity or disability, financial hardship or
social and economic circumstances or for
the public at large in the interests of social
welfare and with the object of improving
their condition of life.| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|Olden Community Garden was created in
1986 when a group of residents
successfully campaigned to rescue a
derelict railway embankment and turn it into
a community garden. Over the years, the
site has become a significant asset for the
local community. Islington has less green
space than any other London borough, and
our garden and woodland form an
important wildlife habitat. Olden Garden
contains the largest area of woodland in
the Borough and is one of the largest
community managed open spaces in north
London. The Borough recognises the
importance of Olden Community Garden to
the area and has designated it Grade 1
SINC (Site of Importance for Nature
Conservation).
Olden Community Garden was open to
the general public on 60 days during the
year. We were also open to partner
community groups, members and their
guests during daylight hours every day
during the year.
Olden Community Garden is largely
maintained by volunteers, members and| |||non-members, with the support of part-time
gardeners who advise the Committee.
Members who have the entry code can
drop in at any time for volunteer gardening
or to enjoy the garden and woodland. A
part-time gardener is present one day per
week to guide and encourage our
volunteers. In addition, our monthly
volunteer gardening Saturday attracts up to
25 volunteers who come along to make
new friends and learn more about Olden
Community Garden.
It is clear that many families and
individuals are benefitting from the
recreational aspects provided by Olden
Community Garden. Walking, sitting,
reading in the garden and woodland,
enjoying the peace and quiet, looking at
our flowers, are all much appreciated and
contribute to the wellbeing of local people.
Following the re-configuration of the lawn
we have a large area that is being re-
paved to provide us with a second
accessible patio.| |---|---|---| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|The Trustees were satisfied that the
activities of Olden Community Garden met
the objectives as set out in the
constitution, and the requirement of public
benefit. We continue to be guided by the
requirement of public benefit as we plan
our future programme of work and
activities in Olden Community Garden.| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||SORP
reference|| |---|---|---| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|N/A| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|N/A| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|Olden Community Garden encourages
volunteers to get involved in gardening to
help reduce isolation and improve
wellbeing. During the year some 50
volunteers supported the charity in many
ways, including volunteer gardening in
Olden Community Garden, and helping at
our public events and with administration of
the Charity.| Other ## **Achievements and Performance** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|This was a successful year for Olden
Community Garden. We are one of the
largest community-managed open spaces
in north London. Our engagement with
members, community groups and
volunteers, our fundraising activity, our
relationship with neighbours and the
general usage of the garden has shown us
how well thought of we are in the Islington
community and reinforced trustees’ resolve
to continue to ensure we deliver for
Highbury and beyond.
We welcomed two new gardeners, Maria
who joined us as lead gardener, to run the
Tuesday volunteer days and to provide
general guidance on the garden and advice
to the trustees, and Caroline, who joined us
to run the Saturday volunteer days. They
have generated enthusiasm and new
ideas, increasing involvement in our
garden.
Tuesdays have seen volunteer numbers
average about ten each session. Half of
these are core regulars and garden
members. Diversity of people using the
garden is improving which Trustees are
pleased with; there are more BME
participants and younger people are joining
in.
Our maintenance of Olden Garden as a
Borough Grade 1 Site of Importance to
Nature Conservation ensures its
contribution to Islington Council’s
Biodiversity Action Plan.
We aimed to maintain and enhance the
biodiversity of Olden Garden by creating
habitats for wildlife, and not using peat,
petrol machinery or chemicals in the
garden. We aimed to encourage native
species in the woodland and meadow. In
other parts of the garden new planting is
drought tolerant, with pollinators for all the
year and we are sourcing plants locally.
The re-turfed lawn survived the summer
drought and as it was in its first year we| had to water regularly, using harvested water. We secured a partnership with the BIG Alliance (Businesses for Islington Giving Alliance, set up to strengthen links between businesses and community organisations and educational institutions across Islington). Our large collection of bricks is being repurposed as Victorian leaf composters. In the woodland we addressed the longstanding problem of dead and dying trees/saplings - after several years when there was no maintenance of the woodland. Following inspection by an officer from Islington Council’s parks department, and with the Council’s permission, we obtained the services of tree surgeons to fell about 20 dead and dangerous saplings. We had to bear the significant costs of these major works. Another challenge was the fencing along the railway line which is the responsibility of Network Rail. We maintained a dialogue, informing them of any damage, and several times requested them to repair the gate. Work was required to repair our steps, many of which suffered from deterioration during the year. There are several signs of landslip and subsidence on the Garden’s steep terraced site. The wall along Whistler Street is cracked, while several struts and wooden sleepers holding up our terracing have fallen. Islington Council is responsible for looking after the wall and the structural integrity of the site. With the harvested water from the Roundhouse roof and use of the irrigation system for the long border and the lawn, we have had no drought problems this year. We produced much of our own compost by sieving our annual leaf-fall and turning it into cutting and seed compost. Other green waste materials were incorporated into dead hedges and other eco-heaps. With our greenhouse, Olden Community Garden continued to be a hub for community vegetable growing. Regular volunteers continued their valuable work on the vegetable terraces, encouraging and educating groups of parents and children, creating a source of seeds and plants for community groups throughout Islington, and providing pots to help families to grow plants on their window sills. They provided the inspiration for local people who want to make gardening and greenery part of the local scenery. The orchard was not very productive this year. In May, our community festival of music in support of the Chelsea Fringe (the festival of gardening) was the first for three years and a really great success. Over 350 visitors came along to enjoy our musical entertainment, with music groups performing all afternoon throughout the garden and woodland. In June, we opened the garden for London Square Open Gardens, the annual event where over 100 secret gardens throw open their gates to the general public. We welcomed over 60 participants who had bought tickets for the weekend’s events. Also in June, we participated in ‘Have a Grow Day’, an initiative of Social Farms and Gardens. Visitors were able to help our gardener Caroline with the day’s volunteer gardening tasks and were invited to sow a pot of herb seeds to take home with them to promote healthy eating. Visitors could also see the food we are growing in the greenhouse. And we offered visitors an edible gardening advice sheet to encourage them to try some food growing at home. Our partnerships with local community groups are now thriving, following their revival during the past year. These partnerships – currently 20 groups and organisations – give us a vital community network. Bookings for the Garden House were back to pre-covid levels, raising over £3,000. During the year, the Garden House was booked by individuals and organisations who made 29 bookings, mostly for one-off parties or meetings. Other bookings enabled groups to come for multiple (weekly or monthly) sessions in Olden Community Garden. We offered free membership to local children’s playgroups, enabling them to bring under-5s to the Garden, and to Drayton Park Primary School, to enable pupils’ nature walks with a teacher. Forest School sessions, organised by Urban Outdoors, brought small groups of primary and nursery school pupils. Islington social services teams and disability support groups used the Garden House. By providing use of our greenhouse and vegetable patches, we were a hub for other community groups. And we had links with allotment groups and Islington Gardeners. About 2,500 people visited Olden Garden during the year, including members, their families and friends, partner groups, parties and other events. Garden usage and partnerships were crucial in seeking grants, as there is a myth that the garden is closed except to members. At the end of the year, we had 330 members, a reduction on the previous year’s high of 370 during Covid. To keep our members updated, we sent regular Newsletters via our Mailchimp database. Our website regularly posts news items and provides information about events. We encouraged use of Instagram and Twitter to promote our achievements. The garden door access using a pin code worked well during the year. Our Newsletters were normally opened by over 75% of our members. We appreciated the excellent response from our members who completed our online member survey, giving us useful information. The most liked aspects of Olden Community Garden are peace and quiet, walking in the woodland, birds and birdsong, flowers in bloom. Half of our members brought children with them, while many brought people aged 75+. Our woodland and garden appeal to people of all ages. To comply with best practice we arranged for remedial works to our electrical systems. **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|| |---|---|---| |||| |---|---|---| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|| |Other||| ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|At the year end, the charity’s financial
position was good. We had a planned
surplus, to pay the contractor for paving our
new accessible patio, to pay our increased
insurance costs, and to ensure funds would
be available for paying our part-time
gardeners.| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|The Trustees’ policy is to hold in reserve a
minimum of three months running costs.
These are defined as: gardening services;
gardening supplies and equipment, garden
house and toilet facilities, and general
administration.| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|£5000| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|N/A| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|N/A| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|N/A| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|where relevant about:| |---|---|---| |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|Our primary sources of income included
subscriptions and donations from
members, and income from bookings for
the Garden House and events, together
with grants.
We received the maximum grant available
from Islington Council’s Community Chest
and we are grateful for their continuing
support. This grant was used to help fund
the services of part-time gardeners who
advise the Trustees and guide the
volunteers in maintaining the garden.| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|N/A| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|We are supported in risk management by
the London Borough of Islington which
owns the land and retains responsibility for
aspects of the structural integrity of the site
and maintenance of the boundary fences
and walls and has an advisory role.
We have undertaken a full risk assessment
of our operation which is reviewed
regularly, together with the actions to| mitigate the risks. We have public liability insurance and regularly review our policies including safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. Copies of these documents are on public display on site in the Garden House. Principal risks are: - Loss of income from bookings - Loss of experienced and/or active Trustees - Unsuccessful grant applications Other ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|
Para 1.25|The Constitution was agreed on 6 April
2014. Olden Community Garden gained
charitable status in August 2014.| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|Charitable Incorporated Organisation| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|Trustees are elected by the membership at
the Annual General Meeting for a period of
three years and may be co-opted. During
the year there were seven Trustees,
including the Chair, Secretary and
Treasurer. Under the Constitution, the
maximum permissible number is nine.| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction
and training of trustees|Para 1.51|Information provided by the Charity
Commission is made available. Trustees
receive our Risk Assessment and copies of
our policies and procedures.| |---|---|---| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|Olden Community Garden is managed by
its Trustees, currently six, elected by the
membership and meeting as the
management committee. Elected Positions
include the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
Meetings are held monthly, except in
December. The charity has a simple
organisational structure, with no sub-
committee, though individual Trustees may
take lead responsibility for different aspects
of running it.
Olden Community Garden works closely
with Islington Council which owns the land.
Islington Council is responsible for aspects
of the structural integrity of the site and for
maintaining the boundary walls and fences,
and has an advisory role.
The fencing along the boundary with the
railway line is the responsibility of Network
Rail.
Olden Community Garden has partnerships
with local community groups, to some of
which we give free membership, including
local children’s playgroups and community
support organisations.| |||Olden Community Garden normally
participates in the Chelsea Fringe festival
and in the London Square Open Gardens
Weekend.| |---|---|---| |Relationship with any
related parties|Para 1.51|We are supported in risk management by
the London Borough of Islington which
owns the land and retains responsibility for
aspects of the structural integrity of the site
and maintenance of the boundary fences
and walls and has an advisory role.| |Other||| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|Olden Community Garden| |---|---| |Other name the charityuses|| |Registered charity number|1158105| |Charity’s principal address|15 Sotheby Road, London N5 2UP| ||| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||TerryStacyMBE|Chair||| ||Evelyn Thomas|Secretary||| ||John Croxen|Treasurer||| ||Jill McKeown|Trustee||| ||Wendyda Silva|Trustee||| ||Anjali Krishnan|Trustee||| ||Charles Waddell|Trustee|Appointed 20thMarch
2022|| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity **Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year** ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity Name and objects of the N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for N/A safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** |**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**| |---|---|---| |**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**||| |**Gardener**|Maria Papoui|62 Landseer Road, London, N19 4JP| |||| |||| |||| |**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**||| |We have no staff||| ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details ## **Other optional information** ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** |**Signature(s)**
**Full name(s)**
**Position (eg Secretary,**
**Chair, etc)**
**Date**||| |---|---|---| ||
Hamish Charles Keith Waddell|Evelyn Kaye Thomas| ||

Chair|| |||| |||| |**Olden Community Garden**||**1158105**|| |---|---|---|---| |**Receipts andpayments accounts**|||**CC16a**| |01-Sep-21
**For the period**
**from**|**To**|31-Aug-22|| |**Section A Receipts and payments**|**Section A Receipts and payments**|||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**740**
**1,560**
**5,925**
**3,150**
**2,678**
**890**
**6**

**14,948**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**14,948**
**3,067**
**1,748**
**-**
**-**
**1,402**
**-**
**1,399**
**371**
**488**
**348**
**945**
**1,903**
**450**
**2,040**
**-**
**14,161**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**14,161**
**787**
**-**
**12,680**
**13,467**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**5,000**
**500**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**5,500**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**5,500**
**5,000**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**379**
**5,379**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**5,379**
**121**
**-**
**-**
**121**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**5,000**
**500**
**740**
**1,560**
**5,925**
**3,150**
**2,678**
**890**
**6**
**20,448**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**20,448**
**8,067**
**1,748**
**-**
**-**
**1,402**
**-**
**1,399**
**371**
**488**
**348**
**945**
**1,903**
**450**
**2,040**
**379**
**19,540**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**19,540**
**908**||**Last year**
**to the nearest £**| |Islington Council CommunityChestgrant|**-**|||||**5,000**| |LocalgivingFoundation Magic Little Grants|**-**|||||**-**| |Corporate donations|**740**|||||**-**| |Individual donations|**1,560**|||||**2,683**| |Members subscriptions|**5,925**|||||**6,990**| |Garden House bookings|**3,150**|||||**1,262**| |Fundraisingactivity|**2,678**|||||**109**| |Gift Aid|**890**|||||**535**| |Miscellaneous
**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|**6**|||||**-**| ||
**14,948**|||||**16,579**| |||||||| |**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**||||||| ||**-**|||||| ||**-**|||||**-**| |**_Sub total_**|**-**|||||**-**| |**_Total receipts_ **
**A3 Payments**||||||| |||||||**16,579**| |||||||| |Gardeners fees for services|**3,067**|||||**7,344**| |Plants and materials|**1,748**|||||**894**| |Materials,wood,compost,etc|**-**|||||**793**| |Gardeningtools and equipment|**-**|||||**936**| |Repairs, Improvements, & maintenance|**1,402**|||||**-**| |Volunteer work days|**-**|||||**-**| |Events and fundraising|**1,399**|||||**-**| |Office supplies, website,postage|**371**|||||**291**| |Insurance|**488**|||||**320**| |Electricity|**348**|||||**313**| |Electrical testingand remedial works|**945**|||||**781**| |Lawn refurbishment|**1,903**|||||**1,619**| |Occasional labour|**450**|||||**215**| |Woodland maintenance|**2,040**|||||**-**| |Bird nestingboxes|**-**|||||**-**| ||**14,161**|||||**13,506**| |**_Sub total_ **
**_Total payments_**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_**||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||**-**| |||||||| |||||||**13,506**| |||||||| ||**787**|**121**|**-**|**908**||**3,073**| ||**-**|**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**| ||**12,680**|**-**|**-**|**12,680**||**9,607**| ||**13,467**|**121**|**-**|**13,588**||**12,680**| CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 14/02/2023 1 ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)|approved byemail
Signature
approved byemail
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
**Details**
~~2~~|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||**10,394**||**121**||**-**| |||**-**||**-**||**-**| |||**-**||**-**||**-**| |||**10,394**||**121**||**-**| |||||||OK| |||||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**When due**
**(optional)**| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||Date of
approval| |||||||14/02/2023| |||||||14/02/2023
| |||||||~~14/02/2023~~| CCXX R2 accounts (SS)