2022-12-31-accounts

FRIENDS OF ABBEY GARDENS

(Charitable Incorporated Organisation) TRUSTEES' REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31.12.22

CIO number:1158147

Friends of Abbey Gardens Financial year ending 31 December 2022

Trustees' report

CIO number 1158147

Charity Objectives:

To promote for the benefit of the inhabitants of Newham, London and the surrounding area the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity, or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interest of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of said inhabitants.

Executive Summary:

We’ve enjoyed another busy and productive year in the gardens maintaining space and building back community post-Covid. The gardens are becoming a real focal point with engaged communities spending significant time in the space. The cafe and events are flourishing. Our challenges have been sustaining all our activities and improving them with a small team and limited funds, which gives us a clear focus for next year to build a sustainable team, processes and fundraising strategy for the gardens.

Summary of main activities

The following events and activities addressed our charitable aims in 2022:

• 1) We welcomed an on site cafe in March 2022, ‘Spring Gardens Cafe’ which served from Weds-Sundays March through to October. Run by local residents, it provided a new focus point and connection point for the community in the garden and supported activities and events in the garden.

• 2) We hosted Newham Poetry Group in the gardens for a workshop in April

• 3) We held a Fibers Festival with Cordwainers group in the gardens to explore natural dye and clothes making processes.

• 4) We held regular gardening sessions from April - October on Sundays

• 5) We held a series of regular family focused community gatherings in the garden, from Spring Festival events, Midsummer festivals, Harvest and Halloween.

• 6) We hosted ‘Cutie Crawlies’ parent and baby groups on Wednesday mornings providing a connection point for local families - with songs, rhymes, garden activities and free healthy snacks.

• 7) We celebrated the Jubliee with a day of community, food, music, yoga, crafting and celebrations.

• 8) We worked with Compost Mentis Co-op to improve our composting systems and run educational workshops with the community on the value and process of composting.

• 9) In partnership with Forest Gate Community Garden and Manor Park Community Garden and Loop Labs we hosted free community gardening workshops in the summer.

• 10)We had a Eid celebration where local residents and families brought food and activities to celebrate together in the gardens.

Welcoming Spring Gardens Cafe to Abbey Gardens

Cutie Crawlies in the Gardens Spring-Summer

New composting plans in Abbey Gardens

Community celebrations and workshops

Summary of main achievements

• 1) The introduction of a community cafe into the gardens has created a more welcoming atmosphere and a focal point/reason to visit the gardens. The family-run cafe aligns with the community focused and sustainable values of the gardens and the owners have invested a huge amount of time and energy into the gardens and this has been a real connection point for the gardens community.

• 2) With a project manager in place the charity was able to establish a consistent flow of events and workshops in the gardens to host new interested gardeners and community members and enabled more connections.

• 3) We launched a new website for the gardens on a new accessible and easy to use Content Management System. This better communicates our values, gives people a view into the space and gives easy information on how people can get involved.

• 4) We maintained and improved the physical space in the gardens, with new bee enclosure built and raised beds replaced.

Ambitions and focus for 2023-24

1. Continue to establish and sustain a consistent level of gardening sessions, workshops and events in the gardens.

2. Re-establish lease and management plans for the gardens.

3. Create a funding strategy for the gardens and apply for funding; Trustees are aware we need to increase funds and access more larger funds, more unrestricted funds and more community fundraising to sustain plans.

4. Formalising and structuring ways for community and volunteers to get involved to leverage interest and momentum in the gardens.

Friends of Abbey Gardens Financial year ending 31 December 2022 Reference and administrative details

Charity number: 1158147

Trustees:

Stewart Haywood Anna Bulman Monika Szolle Tim Peake Isha Said

Principal address: Abbey Gardens, 20 Bakers Row, London, E15 3NF

Bankers: Co-Operative Bank, 1 Baloon Street, Manchester, M60 4EP

Governing document: Constitution of the CIO Friends of Abbey Gardens (2014) Type of organisation: Charitable Incorporated Organisation

Appointment of Trustees:

New trustees are elected to post at the annual general meeting As per the Constitution the CIO is required to have at least three trustees at any time The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Annual report and Annual Accounts in accordance with Charity Law of the United Kingdom / Charity Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012 The Trustees are responsible for keeping accurate accounting records.

Friends of Abbey Gardens

Financial year ending 31 December 2022

Financial review

TDtsI 14.331.95 o.oo 0.00 3.17D 13 631&3 1.283 4.240.IXJ 3.19115 I9,9￿.00 O.OD 769.94 769.94 DJ OM om om OAID o) 0.0) 0￿0 769.94 ID I•40m i U2.6J .$11.77 om om offjo O.CIJ , 9,109.38 0.￿ 2,866.25 4,170.fy) ' 12,795.03 o.th) 1 2.444.50 225fj0 9)7.67 9109.38, J86B.25 th) ts) CL) OLL) ono C•) .574.50 1324.50 om om 120.WI 225. 607.67 omi oml (L) I LM) oth) oth) 0.00 OA) OK 70ffj0 c¢) om om 0￿0 459m 1.94

Friends of Abbey Gardens Financial year ending 31 December 2022 Profit & Loss by activity INCOME Grant income Unrestricted income TOTAL INCOME 19,940.00 769.94 £ 20,709.94 EXPENDITURE Labour Project Management Gardener Contrartors Materials Insurance Utilities Publicity Event costs General expenses TOTAL EXPENDITURE 9,109.38 2,868.25 12,795.03 2,444.50 225.00 607.67 70.00 £ 28,119.83 7.409.89

Friends of Abbey Gardens Financial year ending 31 December 2021 Notes to the Annual Accounts

1. The annual accounts are prepared on a receipts & payments basis according to the Charity Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012

2. The CIO is exempt from external audit as the income in FY 2021 income falls below 250K threshold

3. In the FY 2022 the CIO did not enter into any guarantees

4. As at 31.12.2022 the CIO did not owe any amounts to external parties

5. The Profit & Loss (page 3) presents the summary of all amounts received and paid out in financial year 2020

6. The Profit and Loss (page 4) of the accounts lists income and expenditure by the source of the income/ funding

7. The Statement of Assets and Liabilities (page 5) presents the cash as the only asset the CIO held as at 31.12.2022

Signed

Stewart Heywood (Trustee)