Annual Report to Members 2021 including Chairman’s Commentary and Notice of AGM 



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## Chairman’s report to members of the Society 


As we coped with the changing government restrictions in the ongoing pandemic, our focus has inevitably been on what we could achieve outdoors. It felt positive to participate in and sponsor the Summer Big Picnic, attend the Rotary Summer Fair and round off the year with the fabulous numbers enjoying the High Street Christmas Market. 

2021 was also the year of the Bear! Our brand-new Bear Trail has made a significant contribution to our town, bringing smiles to the many faces finding these delightful carvings in our green spaces, railway stations and High Street. 







## Managing the Charity 

The Board of Trustees has met regularly throughout the year with both face-toface meetings in the Old Chapel at a social distance and on-line discussion via Microsoft Teams.  Despite operating reduced hours from the office at the beginning of the year, I congratulate our administrative assistant, Deirdre Taylor, for keeping us organised, working from her home office! 

Our Annual General Meeting was postponed until September.  The minutes were subsequently posted on our website. 

Emma Tyrell has continued her work administering our membership database and I’m grateful to her for her organisation of the preparation needed to get our magazine out to members.  Cockpit went back to three editions this year, packed by willing volunteers and delivered so ably by Alan Hunt and Peter Griffiths to 

our small army of distributors and then on to our stalwart Road Stewards. We are always looking to increase our Road Steward numbers; it can be a happy and neighbourly role to fulfil, getting to know your street and recruiting new members. If you want to offer your time in this way, please get in touch. membership@chislehurst-society.org.uk Peter Miller, our very committed Membership Secretary will be pleased to hear from you and offer support. 

In terms of membership, we spent 2021 encouraging our members to sign up to the new recurring card payment scheme via our website.  The move to on-line payments has been welcomed by many members and our numbers have remained steady.  Road Stewards will always be available to members, and we can continue to accept cash and cheques at the Old Chapel for those who prefer familiar payment methods. 

Those who signed up to on-line membership receive our electronic 

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bulletin ‘Chisleburst’, which keeps our members in touch with local news in between Cockpit publications. 

We always need up to date images to illustrate our activities and trustee Richard Green proposed an innovative iphone camera editing workshop which we hope will pay dividends going forward. Richard is to be thanked for his construction of Junior Cockpit and his application to diversifying our membership profile. 

Trustee Gabriella Toth organised a positive front gardens competition which we featured in Cockpit but she is passing the environmental baton on to Stephan Smith as she picks up the Jubilee portfolio. 

Our afternoon talks continued despite the pandemic; the talk on Crystal Palace was so popular it had to be repeated. Three talks were given via zoom and 


one face-to-face.  We regret that the July talk could not go ahead due to the death of the speaker.  I am very grateful to Di Beacom who organises these talks, taking a significant administrative burden off the shoulders of the committee. 

Our marketing strategy has made an important impact during lockdowns with so many of our members now embracing technology to access information. Hannah Green is contracted to keep us prominent on social media and accessible to more than just our local members. Hannah posted a weekly quiz which was well received whilst our coffee mornings were not able to occur. We operate Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts and enjoy telling our stories and promoting our messages on local issues. 

This great charity requires clear fiscal probity and I am ever grateful to Colin Martin in his role as Treasurer, always paying our invoices swiftly and appraising all the trustees of our budget position at our Board meetings.  Trustee, Christine Pearson, is a second signatory on our accounts and has familiarised herself with our investment profile.  The Charity Commission receives our annual accounts which are published here for you to peruse; please raise any questions by ‘phone or e-mail to the office. 

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I am very grateful to our Honorary Secretary, David Ely, for his endeavours in our corporate governance and his contribution to our legal responsibilities in our time-consuming role as freeholder of Chislehurst Commons. 

## Grants 

The Society grants programme continued; we are fortunate to have significant funds from legacies and investments which we are proud to put towards improvements for Chislehurst. There was quite a theme to our grants this year, appropriately reflecting the influence of the pandemic on the outside environment. 

The Friends of Belmont Open Space applied for their first grant from us to improve the children’s playground. Chislehurst School for Girls received funds for their gardening club and the National Trust applied to fund improvements to the much-trammeled footpaths on the Hawkwood Estate. 

A new local charity, Bikes for Schools, is set to receive a small annual grant from us to repair and maintain bikes 



for children whilst the Chislehurst and West Kent Cricket Club is now working in partnership with us and JDM to significantly improve its facilities, enabling better access for all. We are really interested to support this latter activity, not just for the wellbeing of local people but also to become involved with a young and growing community with such a long and special heritage as the only cricket club in the country protected by Act of Parliament. 

Another first-time applicant was the Church of the Annunciation and we’re pleased to see their clock finally telling the right time on a new handsfree winding mechanism. We have contributed to a new sign on Belmont Parade and the Trustees of Chislehurst Commons now have funds to install an information board at the Prince Imperial Monument. 

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The Friends of Chislehurst Recreation Ground have been awarded a small sum to undertake an ecological survey of the woodland. Their grant from last year for seating bore fruit this year and we were delighted to see more benches in situ in the Rec because of our funding. Elmstead Woods Station gardeners and the Friends of Scadbury have had ongoing funding for improvements; we always welcome more ideas from local groups and, although we cannot justify a grant for every application, your ideas and suggestions are received with interest and serious consideration. 



## The Chislehurst Bear Trail 

A highlight of 2021 has been the installation of over 30 carved bears across the town.  Starting at the stations and progressing through the Recreation Ground, on to the High Street, through the Commons and on to Scadbury, these carvings, by Will Lee, are a joy to discover. 

The inspiration of Alison Stammers several years ago, we are genuinely thrilled to finally see them in situ…. they make     such a cheerful contribution to our community.  We were proud to have sponsored the trail and the map on our website can be used to enhance the visitor experience. 

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## Planning and Conservation 

I am very grateful to the hard-working approach of our planning panels; It says a lot about the volume and pressure of work when one’s leader of a four-strong panel is reinvented as two panels of eight. Barry Redding has moved into a consultancy role for us now as we capitalize on his wealth of experience.  Two of our trustees sit on the newly constituted planning panels. Led by experienced professionals, they report to the Board and pass their comments and any objections on to the Bromley Planning Portal. Their work is so important as we seek to navigate new planning law and conserve what is left of our tree-lined environment and Conservation Area. Jennifer Dearing attends the Conservation Advisory Panel at Bromley Council and we are very grateful to her for her experienced voice at our meetings. 

Conservation was at the core of a pleasing last-minute project this summer when, with the help of volunteer, Andrew Stone, and major financial 

input from JDM Estate Agents and a contribution from Alex Neil Estate Agents, we were able to achieve the repainting of the Green Lane fence. Whilst it won’t solve the traffic issues on this narrow road, we hope it adds to the local environment and cars might slow down to appreciate it. 


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## Heritage 

We receive communications about the heritage of Chislehurst from all over the UK and abroad. Heritage remains one of the strengths and interests of the Society and we were very pleased to use our striking collection of over 300 vintage postcards to create a new local history book, a vintage calendar and Christmas cards. 

A shared talk by myself and Angela Hatton, heritage expert at Camden Place, was warmly received on-line by over 300 participants. Our partnership 

with the Golf Club continues as we prepare for Imperial centenary events in 2023. We were pleased to fund the restoration of the Napoleon stone marker at the entrance to the club this year. 

A new local history project has begun this year to research the Second World War stories behind our Commonwealth War Graves. 

The heritage telephone kiosk on Royal Parade continues to be used to provide information leaflets. We are very grateful to Colin and Margaret Yardley who voluntarily manage the book exchange inside. 






8 




## Education 

We were disappointed to not be able to hold either the Environmental Awards or The Mix this year. To redress the gap, Anne Lamb and Jennifer Dearing organised an art exhibition for both school pupils and adults to reflect their lockdown experiences. We have kept in touch with Head Teachers, delivering talks over Zoom and face-to-face activity on a staff training day. Farringtons benefited from the knowledge of volunteer Mary Wheeler, who led a guided walk for pupils around the immediate vicinity of the school.  I was pleased to be involved in a judging panel at Bullers Wood for a national debating competition. 

## Environment Matters 

The Society is determined to keep Chislehurst as green and clean as possible and we were very grateful to Crista Lyon for running our bi-monthly litter-picking sessions. These have been 

augmented by sessions organised by Bal Deol and her young team and, as Crista steps back, I’m pleased to report that Bal is happy to pick up not the baton but the litter stick!  Peter Miller and his own trusty ‘Street master’ continues to deliver equipment to any volunteers offering to help.  We were also encouraged this year by several students on their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Awards who went out litter-picking in the community. 

Trustee Jeremy Dwight, represents us at National Trust meetings, has forged links with the council tree officer as we look to plant trees marking the jubilee and has been talking to business representatives about our Rewards Scheme. Don’t forget to use your membership card to access a variety of rewards from local retailers. 

Following COP26 our interest in the environment is at the forefront of our work. We have joined the Bromley Environment network, are pushing for electric charging points locally and Stephan Smith is devising a pioneering project to map the carbon footprint of Chislehurst. 


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Our role, as the freeholder of Chislehurst and St Paul’s Cray Commons and the holder of the ancient title of Lord of the Manor, is not without its challenges. I am the appointee Lord of the Manor representative on the Board of the Trustees of Chislehurst Commons. We must always act in the best interests of our charity and rely on the professional advice of local law firm, Wellers, and nationally recognised surveyors, Strutt and Parker, where necessary. We have had a recent valuation of the commons as we continue to protect their benefit for everyone. 

## High Street and Local Parades 


We are pleased to work alongside the network of Visit Chislehurst and local businesses. The High Street has coped surprisingly well during the pandemic with more people working from home and shopping locally. We have been 

in touch with the developers of the Chislehurst Library site for a health centre and still await progress on consultation. 

Alison Stammers’ tenacity, in keeping our High Street and local parades 


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vibrant, is to be commended; her work in steering the outside seating on Royal Parade to a permanent conclusion has brought satisfaction to many residents and businesses. We were sad to accept her resignation from our board after 12 

selfless years of volunteering.  However, she has agreed to remain as a co-opted trustee, continuing to update us on local developments until the library and Age UK developments complete. 

The Society was honoured to pay for the poppies that were displayed on our shopping area lampposts again this year; it takes a lot of coordination to erect the display and I’m grateful to Alison for organising this. Peter Miller again represented our members in laying a wreath at the war memorial on Remembrance Sunday. 

The overwhelmingly successful High Street Christmas Market was a fitting end to the year and it was great to see everyone out and about. We were delighted to offer the Old Chapel as an HQ for the day; it demonstrates the importance of our situation in the heart of the community and supports our partnership with Rotary and the Visit Chislehurst business network. 


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## The Old Chapel 

regulations chop and change. We did benefit from a local business grant from the council and our tenants upstairs were punctual with rent despite having to work from home.  The lease with these tenants has concluded after five years and a new tenant has already been agreed. 

The outside space at the Old Chapel was temporarily converted into café seating, an idea managed by new trustee Stephan Smith.  The opportunity to have safe seating in the open air for two local independent cafes was welcomed by residents taking their daily exercise, our intent being to reduce the plastic coffee cup waste seen so frequently on the Common.  It was interesting that the commons keepers reported a slight reduction in their weekly haul; we can’t prove anything, but it was a positive summer project. 

Old Chapel Books has launched new titles this year and Tony Allen is to be thanked for his book layouts and liaison with the printers. Patricia is to be thanked for the many hours she puts into managing our book sales. 

Colin Martin heads up our hall maintenance committee and I’m grateful for his skills in keeping both the hall and the office in fine shape.  The Old Chapel still hosts a regular Wednesday coffee morning and, without the cheerful energy and availability of volunteer Peter Griffiths, the place would not tick over as it does. 

Patricia Leach, Hall Manager, has been most efficient and resourceful in coping with the day-to-day activities in the hall which, again, has meant calculating correct numbers for social distance spacing, refunding many deposits as events have been cancelled and managing cleaners and hirers as 

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_**Thank you to everyone involved with the Society this past year for your support.  We are a community charity aiming to make a difference locally and success depends on the team and everyone pulling together!**_ 

**Joanna Friel** Chairman 


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## Trustees’ report to members 2021 

The Chislehurst Society CIO, Registered Charity, No. 1166276, has its principal address at The Old Chapel, Queens Passage, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 5AP, and is established under a constitution adopted in April 2016. 

**Trustees of the CIO and members of the Committee during 2021 and up to the date of this report were:** 

Joanna Friel (Chairman) Jennifer Dearing (Vice-Chair) David Ely (Hon Secretary) Colin Martin (Treasurer) 

Anne Lamb Peter Miller Barry Redding Alison Stammers – resigned September 2021 Jeremy Dwight Richard Green Christine Pearson Stephan Smith – appointed September 2021 Gabriella Toth 

_The Officers (Chair, Vice-Chair, Hon Secretary and Treasurer) relinquish their office every year and are eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting; one half of the other (longest serving) members retire at the AGM and are also eligible for re-election._ 

_**Do you want to be more involved in local matters, and help make a positive difference to Chislehurst?**_ 

_**Contact us to see how you can help!**_ **admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk** 


## **Objectives and achievements** 

The Society’s objects are to promote high standards of planning and architecture in Chislehurst, to educate the public in the geography, history, natural history and architecture of Chislehurst, and to secure the preservation, protection, development and improvement of features of historic, environmental or public interest in Chislehurst. 

We continue to support plans and action for improvements across Chislehurst, both the built and open environments.  In our role as the freeholder and Lord of the Manor of Chislehurst and St Pauls Cray Commons we have appointed a Trustee as our representative on the Board of the Trustees of Chislehurst Commons. Our environmental work includes representation on the Petts Wood and 

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## **Financial Review** 

## Hawkwood National Trust Committee. 

Our planning panels scrutinise planning applications for Chislehurst; we respond to individual members who request  help on planning issues, and we provide information generally to our members via our magazine and website. 

The Old Chapel was available throughout 2021 as the Society’s headquarters, community meeting hall and rental space, though subject to Covid 19 restrictions. 

We communicate to members in print, by email, via our website, and using various social media platforms. Individual membership stood at 4351 by the end of 2021, in 3022 households. 

The attached consolidated accounts show the results for the year.  At the time of printing the accounts were still with the independent examiner.  The figures will be confirmed at the AGM. Our policy on reserves is unchanged: we maintain a level and range of investments to generate a regular income to supplement our modest subscription income and rental income, to enable us to acquire suitable assets, or give grants locally for activities that meet the Society’s objectives. 

This report was approved by the Trustees on 18th January 2021 and signed on their behalf by: 

_**Joanna Friel, Chairman C. L. Martin, Treasurer**_ 

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## STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES 2021 

|**Receipts**|**Receipts**|**2021**|**2020**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**General**||||
||Members subscriptions|18,240|9,043|
||Gift Aid tax reclaimed|918|1,683|
||Investment Income|24,735|24,350|
||Rental income - Old Chapel Offce|9,061|11,574|
||Rental Income - Old Chapel Hall|12,631|6,690|
||Commons Income(net)|17,424|23,711|
||Miscellaneous income(Note 1)|24,562|12,410|
||Bequests and donations|455|5,448|
|**Charitable Activities**||||
||Promotional sales(net)|2,711|1,240|
|||110,736|96,149|
|**Expenditure**||||
|**General**||||
||Cost of generating funds|4,105|<br>3,209|
|**Administration**||||
||Premises costs|18,439|<br>13,036|
||Administrative staff|3,382|3,630|
||Stationery/Telephone etc|10,014|5666|
||Legal|850|-|
||Depreciation|1,268|2,298|
||Miscellaneous expenses|1,164|715|
||Communications development & marketing|3,757|1,632|
|**Charitable Activities**||||
||Grants and sponsorship to third parties(Note 2)|45,654|41,505|
||Planning/Environment|10,123|2,858|
||Publications & local study|8,545|4,908|
||Heritage|671|3,972|
||Environmental Awards|181|428|
|||108,152|86,457|
||Operational surplus (defcit)|2,583|9,692|
||Investment revaluation|119,501|50,640|
||Land and buildings revaluation|( 127,219 )||
|16|Overall surplus (defcit)|(5,134)|60,332|






|BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER|BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER|2021|
|---|---|---|
|**Assets**|**2021**|<br>**2020**|
|Cash and short tem deposits|32,510|<br>59,236|
|Investments(Note 3)|961,922|<br>842,420|
|Chislehurst Commons(Note 4)|300,000|<br>160,576|
|Fixtures & fttings etc|17,849|<br>17,849|
|Less depreciation|( 12,004 )|<br>( 10,736 )|
|Old Chapel Building(Note 5)|695,000|<br>961,643|
|Heritage art(Note 6)|4,459|<br>4,505|
|Heritage property(Note 7)|-|<br>-|
|Debtors & prepayments|-|<br>192|
|**Liabilities**|||
|VAT Creditor|4,828|<br>2,132|
|Hall deposits held|( 2,380 )|<br>( 912 )|
|Other creditors(Note 9)|( 15,424 )|<br>( 45,010 )|
||1,986,761|<br>1,991,895|
|**Represented by:**|**2021**|<br>**2020**|
|**Undesignated**|||
|General fund|1,474,497|<br>1,433,796|
|**Designated Funds**|||
|Grants fund(Note 8)|512,091|<br>557,745|
|Environmental Awards fund|173|<br>354|
||1,986,761|<br>1,991,895|



These accounts were approved by the Trustees on 19 January 2022 and signed on their behalf by: 

J D Friel, Chairman C. L. Martin, Treasurer 

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## Notes to the accounts 

**Note 1:** Miscellaneous income is almost wholly Covid government grant. 

**Note 2:** Grants approved this year:  Friends of Belmont Open Space improvement plan, Chislehurst School for Girls Eco-project, Annunciation Church clock winding mechanism, Chislehurst Cricket Club facilities improvement, Chislehurst Commons Imperial Monument improvements, Belmont Parade sign, National Trust path improvements, Bikes for Schools, Friends of Chislehurst Recreation Ground Walden Woods survey, Scadbury landscape maintenance. 

In addition smaller donations, sponsorship and affiliation fees totalling approximately £300 were paid, or agreed, forinstitutions such as British Legion, CPRE, LBBRF, Chislehurst Business Group, London Green Belt Council  and London Forum. 

**Note 3:** Investments are holdings of CCLA Investment funds 

**Note 4:** Until now the Commons had been valued at cost and but this year has been professionally valued.  We will review the need for any further valuations in five years time. 

**Note 5:** Until now the Old Chapel had been valued at cost and but this year has been professionally valued.  We will review the need for any further valuations in five years time. 

**Note 6:** Heritage Art covers a number of paintings relating to the Townshend family relevant to the history of Chislehurst.  They are valued at cost. 

**Note 7:** The freehold of the access drive off Lubbock Road, Chislehurst is being retained indefinitely for environmental reasons to enable enforcement of a single dwelling restrictive covenant on land previously owned by the Society.  The Trustees place no financial value on it. 

**Note 8:** The creditors figure includes £12K being grants approved but not yet paid 

**Note 9:** The Grants Fund represents money earmarked for future grants for local charitable purposes. 


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## Notice of 2020 Annual General Meeting 

We plan to hold the AGM on Wednesday 20th April 7.30pm in an open forum at the Methodist Church, Prince Imperial Road, Chislehurst. 

Member engagement 

The Trustees understand that the AGM serves as a forum for members to raise questions and provide feedback. If after you have read the Annual Report, you would like to raise any immediate questions or observations before the AGM please email admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk including your name and address or drop a letter into the Society’s letter box at the Old Chapel. We will respond to you as soon as possible. 

Ongoing review 

We continue to keep Government guidance under review and may have to make changes. Members should continue to monitor the society’s website. 

## Agenda 

- Minutes of Annual General Meeting held on 21st September 2021 

- Presentation of Trustees Annual Report to Members 

- Re - election of Independent Examiner 

- Election of Officers and Trustees 

- Short presentation by the Chairman on prevailing issues 

- Member’s questions received 

Note: Only members of the Society are entitled to vote or speak at the Annual General Meeting. 

These may be obtained from the Secretary, The Old Chapel, Queens Passage, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 5AP 

Tel: 020 8467 0900 

The officers of the Society, and approximately one-half of the executive committee, are elected annually. Under the Charities Act 2011, persons elected are required to be acceptable as trustees. Nominations to serve as officers or members of the executive committee should be made in accordance with the Constitution of the Society. It is convenient, but not essential, for nominations to be made on the forms available. 

email: admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk 

Copies of the documents contained in this report, and the Independent Examiner’s Report, are available on our website: www.chislehurst-society.org.uk 

The Chislehurst Society CIO is a Registered Charity, No. 1166276 

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The Old Chapel, 3 Queens Passage, Chislehurst, BR7 5AP admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk 020 8467 0900 www. chislehurst-society.org.uk 



Annual Report to Members 2021 including Chairman’s Commentary and Notice of AGM 



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## Chairman’s report to members of the Society 


As we coped with the changing government restrictions in the ongoing pandemic, our focus has inevitably been on what we could achieve outdoors. It felt positive to participate in and sponsor the Summer Big Picnic, attend the Rotary Summer Fair and round off the year with the fabulous numbers enjoying the High Street Christmas Market. 

2021 was also the year of the Bear! Our brand-new Bear Trail has made a significant contribution to our town, bringing smiles to the many faces finding these delightful carvings in our green spaces, railway stations and High Street. 







## Managing the Charity 

The Board of Trustees has met regularly throughout the year with both face-toface meetings in the Old Chapel at a social distance and on-line discussion via Microsoft Teams.  Despite operating reduced hours from the office at the beginning of the year, I congratulate our administrative assistant, Deirdre Taylor, for keeping us organised, working from her home office! 

Our Annual General Meeting was postponed until September.  The minutes were subsequently posted on our website. 

Emma Tyrell has continued her work administering our membership database and I’m grateful to her for her organisation of the preparation needed to get our magazine out to members.  Cockpit went back to three editions this year, packed by willing volunteers and delivered so ably by Alan Hunt and Peter Griffiths to 

our small army of distributors and then on to our stalwart Road Stewards. We are always looking to increase our Road Steward numbers; it can be a happy and neighbourly role to fulfil, getting to know your street and recruiting new members. If you want to offer your time in this way, please get in touch. membership@chislehurst-society.org.uk Peter Miller, our very committed Membership Secretary will be pleased to hear from you and offer support. 

In terms of membership, we spent 2021 encouraging our members to sign up to the new recurring card payment scheme via our website.  The move to on-line payments has been welcomed by many members and our numbers have remained steady.  Road Stewards will always be available to members, and we can continue to accept cash and cheques at the Old Chapel for those who prefer familiar payment methods. 

Those who signed up to on-line membership receive our electronic 

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bulletin ‘Chisleburst’, which keeps our members in touch with local news in between Cockpit publications. 

We always need up to date images to illustrate our activities and trustee Richard Green proposed an innovative iphone camera editing workshop which we hope will pay dividends going forward. Richard is to be thanked for his construction of Junior Cockpit and his application to diversifying our membership profile. 

Trustee Gabriella Toth organised a positive front gardens competition which we featured in Cockpit but she is passing the environmental baton on to Stephan Smith as she picks up the Jubilee portfolio. 

Our afternoon talks continued despite the pandemic; the talk on Crystal Palace was so popular it had to be repeated. Three talks were given via zoom and 


one face-to-face.  We regret that the July talk could not go ahead due to the death of the speaker.  I am very grateful to Di Beacom who organises these talks, taking a significant administrative burden off the shoulders of the committee. 

Our marketing strategy has made an important impact during lockdowns with so many of our members now embracing technology to access information. Hannah Green is contracted to keep us prominent on social media and accessible to more than just our local members. Hannah posted a weekly quiz which was well received whilst our coffee mornings were not able to occur. We operate Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts and enjoy telling our stories and promoting our messages on local issues. 

This great charity requires clear fiscal probity and I am ever grateful to Colin Martin in his role as Treasurer, always paying our invoices swiftly and appraising all the trustees of our budget position at our Board meetings.  Trustee, Christine Pearson, is a second signatory on our accounts and has familiarised herself with our investment profile.  The Charity Commission receives our annual accounts which are published here for you to peruse; please raise any questions by ‘phone or e-mail to the office. 

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I am very grateful to our Honorary Secretary, David Ely, for his endeavours in our corporate governance and his contribution to our legal responsibilities in our time-consuming role as freeholder of Chislehurst Commons. 

## Grants 

The Society grants programme continued; we are fortunate to have significant funds from legacies and investments which we are proud to put towards improvements for Chislehurst. There was quite a theme to our grants this year, appropriately reflecting the influence of the pandemic on the outside environment. 

The Friends of Belmont Open Space applied for their first grant from us to improve the children’s playground. Chislehurst School for Girls received funds for their gardening club and the National Trust applied to fund improvements to the much-trammeled footpaths on the Hawkwood Estate. 

A new local charity, Bikes for Schools, is set to receive a small annual grant from us to repair and maintain bikes 



for children whilst the Chislehurst and West Kent Cricket Club is now working in partnership with us and JDM to significantly improve its facilities, enabling better access for all. We are really interested to support this latter activity, not just for the wellbeing of local people but also to become involved with a young and growing community with such a long and special heritage as the only cricket club in the country protected by Act of Parliament. 

Another first-time applicant was the Church of the Annunciation and we’re pleased to see their clock finally telling the right time on a new handsfree winding mechanism. We have contributed to a new sign on Belmont Parade and the Trustees of Chislehurst Commons now have funds to install an information board at the Prince Imperial Monument. 

5 




The Friends of Chislehurst Recreation Ground have been awarded a small sum to undertake an ecological survey of the woodland. Their grant from last year for seating bore fruit this year and we were delighted to see more benches in situ in the Rec because of our funding. Elmstead Woods Station gardeners and the Friends of Scadbury have had ongoing funding for improvements; we always welcome more ideas from local groups and, although we cannot justify a grant for every application, your ideas and suggestions are received with interest and serious consideration. 



## The Chislehurst Bear Trail 

A highlight of 2021 has been the installation of over 30 carved bears across the town.  Starting at the stations and progressing through the Recreation Ground, on to the High Street, through the Commons and on to Scadbury, these carvings, by Will Lee, are a joy to discover. 

The inspiration of Alison Stammers several years ago, we are genuinely thrilled to finally see them in situ…. they make     such a cheerful contribution to our community.  We were proud to have sponsored the trail and the map on our website can be used to enhance the visitor experience. 

6 





## Planning and Conservation 

I am very grateful to the hard-working approach of our planning panels; It says a lot about the volume and pressure of work when one’s leader of a four-strong panel is reinvented as two panels of eight. Barry Redding has moved into a consultancy role for us now as we capitalize on his wealth of experience.  Two of our trustees sit on the newly constituted planning panels. Led by experienced professionals, they report to the Board and pass their comments and any objections on to the Bromley Planning Portal. Their work is so important as we seek to navigate new planning law and conserve what is left of our tree-lined environment and Conservation Area. Jennifer Dearing attends the Conservation Advisory Panel at Bromley Council and we are very grateful to her for her experienced voice at our meetings. 

Conservation was at the core of a pleasing last-minute project this summer when, with the help of volunteer, Andrew Stone, and major financial 

input from JDM Estate Agents and a contribution from Alex Neil Estate Agents, we were able to achieve the repainting of the Green Lane fence. Whilst it won’t solve the traffic issues on this narrow road, we hope it adds to the local environment and cars might slow down to appreciate it. 


7 





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Calendar<br>2022<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


## Heritage 

We receive communications about the heritage of Chislehurst from all over the UK and abroad. Heritage remains one of the strengths and interests of the Society and we were very pleased to use our striking collection of over 300 vintage postcards to create a new local history book, a vintage calendar and Christmas cards. 

A shared talk by myself and Angela Hatton, heritage expert at Camden Place, was warmly received on-line by over 300 participants. Our partnership 

with the Golf Club continues as we prepare for Imperial centenary events in 2023. We were pleased to fund the restoration of the Napoleon stone marker at the entrance to the club this year. 

A new local history project has begun this year to research the Second World War stories behind our Commonwealth War Graves. 

The heritage telephone kiosk on Royal Parade continues to be used to provide information leaflets. We are very grateful to Colin and Margaret Yardley who voluntarily manage the book exchange inside. 






8 




## Education 

We were disappointed to not be able to hold either the Environmental Awards or The Mix this year. To redress the gap, Anne Lamb and Jennifer Dearing organised an art exhibition for both school pupils and adults to reflect their lockdown experiences. We have kept in touch with Head Teachers, delivering talks over Zoom and face-to-face activity on a staff training day. Farringtons benefited from the knowledge of volunteer Mary Wheeler, who led a guided walk for pupils around the immediate vicinity of the school.  I was pleased to be involved in a judging panel at Bullers Wood for a national debating competition. 

## Environment Matters 

The Society is determined to keep Chislehurst as green and clean as possible and we were very grateful to Crista Lyon for running our bi-monthly litter-picking sessions. These have been 

augmented by sessions organised by Bal Deol and her young team and, as Crista steps back, I’m pleased to report that Bal is happy to pick up not the baton but the litter stick!  Peter Miller and his own trusty ‘Street master’ continues to deliver equipment to any volunteers offering to help.  We were also encouraged this year by several students on their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Awards who went out litter-picking in the community. 

Trustee Jeremy Dwight, represents us at National Trust meetings, has forged links with the council tree officer as we look to plant trees marking the jubilee and has been talking to business representatives about our Rewards Scheme. Don’t forget to use your membership card to access a variety of rewards from local retailers. 

Following COP26 our interest in the environment is at the forefront of our work. We have joined the Bromley Environment network, are pushing for electric charging points locally and Stephan Smith is devising a pioneering project to map the carbon footprint of Chislehurst. 


9 




Our role, as the freeholder of Chislehurst and St Paul’s Cray Commons and the holder of the ancient title of Lord of the Manor, is not without its challenges. I am the appointee Lord of the Manor representative on the Board of the Trustees of Chislehurst Commons. We must always act in the best interests of our charity and rely on the professional advice of local law firm, Wellers, and nationally recognised surveyors, Strutt and Parker, where necessary. We have had a recent valuation of the commons as we continue to protect their benefit for everyone. 

## High Street and Local Parades 


We are pleased to work alongside the network of Visit Chislehurst and local businesses. The High Street has coped surprisingly well during the pandemic with more people working from home and shopping locally. We have been 

in touch with the developers of the Chislehurst Library site for a health centre and still await progress on consultation. 

Alison Stammers’ tenacity, in keeping our High Street and local parades 


10 





vibrant, is to be commended; her work in steering the outside seating on Royal Parade to a permanent conclusion has brought satisfaction to many residents and businesses. We were sad to accept her resignation from our board after 12 

selfless years of volunteering.  However, she has agreed to remain as a co-opted trustee, continuing to update us on local developments until the library and Age UK developments complete. 

The Society was honoured to pay for the poppies that were displayed on our shopping area lampposts again this year; it takes a lot of coordination to erect the display and I’m grateful to Alison for organising this. Peter Miller again represented our members in laying a wreath at the war memorial on Remembrance Sunday. 

The overwhelmingly successful High Street Christmas Market was a fitting end to the year and it was great to see everyone out and about. We were delighted to offer the Old Chapel as an HQ for the day; it demonstrates the importance of our situation in the heart of the community and supports our partnership with Rotary and the Visit Chislehurst business network. 


11 






## The Old Chapel 

regulations chop and change. We did benefit from a local business grant from the council and our tenants upstairs were punctual with rent despite having to work from home.  The lease with these tenants has concluded after five years and a new tenant has already been agreed. 

The outside space at the Old Chapel was temporarily converted into café seating, an idea managed by new trustee Stephan Smith.  The opportunity to have safe seating in the open air for two local independent cafes was welcomed by residents taking their daily exercise, our intent being to reduce the plastic coffee cup waste seen so frequently on the Common.  It was interesting that the commons keepers reported a slight reduction in their weekly haul; we can’t prove anything, but it was a positive summer project. 

Old Chapel Books has launched new titles this year and Tony Allen is to be thanked for his book layouts and liaison with the printers. Patricia is to be thanked for the many hours she puts into managing our book sales. 

Colin Martin heads up our hall maintenance committee and I’m grateful for his skills in keeping both the hall and the office in fine shape.  The Old Chapel still hosts a regular Wednesday coffee morning and, without the cheerful energy and availability of volunteer Peter Griffiths, the place would not tick over as it does. 

Patricia Leach, Hall Manager, has been most efficient and resourceful in coping with the day-to-day activities in the hall which, again, has meant calculating correct numbers for social distance spacing, refunding many deposits as events have been cancelled and managing cleaners and hirers as 

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_**Thank you to everyone involved with the Society this past year for your support.  We are a community charity aiming to make a difference locally and success depends on the team and everyone pulling together!**_ 

**Joanna Friel** Chairman 


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## Trustees’ report to members 2021 

The Chislehurst Society CIO, Registered Charity, No. 1166276, has its principal address at The Old Chapel, Queens Passage, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 5AP, and is established under a constitution adopted in April 2016. 

**Trustees of the CIO and members of the Committee during 2021 and up to the date of this report were:** 

Joanna Friel (Chairman) Jennifer Dearing (Vice-Chair) David Ely (Hon Secretary) Colin Martin (Treasurer) 

Anne Lamb Peter Miller Barry Redding Alison Stammers – resigned September 2021 Jeremy Dwight Richard Green Christine Pearson Stephan Smith – appointed September 2021 Gabriella Toth 

_The Officers (Chair, Vice-Chair, Hon Secretary and Treasurer) relinquish their office every year and are eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting; one half of the other (longest serving) members retire at the AGM and are also eligible for re-election._ 

_**Do you want to be more involved in local matters, and help make a positive difference to Chislehurst?**_ 

_**Contact us to see how you can help!**_ **admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk** 


## **Objectives and achievements** 

The Society’s objects are to promote high standards of planning and architecture in Chislehurst, to educate the public in the geography, history, natural history and architecture of Chislehurst, and to secure the preservation, protection, development and improvement of features of historic, environmental or public interest in Chislehurst. 

We continue to support plans and action for improvements across Chislehurst, both the built and open environments.  In our role as the freeholder and Lord of the Manor of Chislehurst and St Pauls Cray Commons we have appointed a Trustee as our representative on the Board of the Trustees of Chislehurst Commons. Our environmental work includes representation on the Petts Wood and 

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## **Financial Review** 

## Hawkwood National Trust Committee. 

Our planning panels scrutinise planning applications for Chislehurst; we respond to individual members who request  help on planning issues, and we provide information generally to our members via our magazine and website. 

The Old Chapel was available throughout 2021 as the Society’s headquarters, community meeting hall and rental space, though subject to Covid 19 restrictions. 

We communicate to members in print, by email, via our website, and using various social media platforms. Individual membership stood at 4351 by the end of 2021, in 3022 households. 

The attached consolidated accounts show the results for the year.  At the time of printing the accounts were still with the independent examiner.  The figures will be confirmed at the AGM. Our policy on reserves is unchanged: we maintain a level and range of investments to generate a regular income to supplement our modest subscription income and rental income, to enable us to acquire suitable assets, or give grants locally for activities that meet the Society’s objectives. 

This report was approved by the Trustees on 18th January 2021 and signed on their behalf by: 

_**Joanna Friel, Chairman C. L. Martin, Treasurer**_ 

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## STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES 2021 

|**Receipts**|**Receipts**|**2021**|**2020**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**General**||||
||Members subscriptions|18,240|9,043|
||Gift Aid tax reclaimed|918|1,683|
||Investment Income|24,735|24,350|
||Rental income - Old Chapel Offce|9,061|11,574|
||Rental Income - Old Chapel Hall|12,631|6,690|
||Commons Income(net)|17,424|23,711|
||Miscellaneous income(Note 1)|24,562|12,410|
||Bequests and donations|455|5,448|
|**Charitable Activities**||||
||Promotional sales(net)|2,711|1,240|
|||110,736|96,149|
|**Expenditure**||||
|**General**||||
||Cost of generating funds|4,105|<br>3,209|
|**Administration**||||
||Premises costs|18,439|<br>13,036|
||Administrative staff|3,382|3,630|
||Stationery/Telephone etc|10,014|5666|
||Legal|850|-|
||Depreciation|1,268|2,298|
||Miscellaneous expenses|1,164|715|
||Communications development & marketing|3,757|1,632|
|**Charitable Activities**||||
||Grants and sponsorship to third parties(Note 2)|45,654|41,505|
||Planning/Environment|10,123|2,858|
||Publications & local study|8,545|4,908|
||Heritage|671|3,972|
||Environmental Awards|181|428|
|||108,152|86,457|
||Operational surplus (defcit)|2,583|9,692|
||Investment revaluation|119,501|50,640|
||Land and buildings revaluation|( 127,219 )||
|16|Overall surplus (defcit)|(5,134)|60,332|






|BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER|BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER|2021|
|---|---|---|
|**Assets**|**2021**|<br>**2020**|
|Cash and short tem deposits|32,510|<br>59,236|
|Investments(Note 3)|961,922|<br>842,420|
|Chislehurst Commons(Note 4)|300,000|<br>160,576|
|Fixtures & fttings etc|17,849|<br>17,849|
|Less depreciation|( 12,004 )|<br>( 10,736 )|
|Old Chapel Building(Note 5)|695,000|<br>961,643|
|Heritage art(Note 6)|4,459|<br>4,505|
|Heritage property(Note 7)|-|<br>-|
|Debtors & prepayments|-|<br>192|
|**Liabilities**|||
|VAT Creditor|4,828|<br>2,132|
|Hall deposits held|( 2,380 )|<br>( 912 )|
|Other creditors(Note 9)|( 15,424 )|<br>( 45,010 )|
||1,986,761|<br>1,991,895|
|**Represented by:**|**2021**|<br>**2020**|
|**Undesignated**|||
|General fund|1,474,497|<br>1,433,796|
|**Designated Funds**|||
|Grants fund(Note 8)|512,091|<br>557,745|
|Environmental Awards fund|173|<br>354|
||1,986,761|<br>1,991,895|



These accounts were approved by the Trustees on 19 January 2022 and signed on their behalf by: 

J D Friel, Chairman C. L. Martin, Treasurer 

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## Notes to the accounts 

**Note 1:** Miscellaneous income is almost wholly Covid government grant. 

**Note 2:** Grants approved this year:  Friends of Belmont Open Space improvement plan, Chislehurst School for Girls Eco-project, Annunciation Church clock winding mechanism, Chislehurst Cricket Club facilities improvement, Chislehurst Commons Imperial Monument improvements, Belmont Parade sign, National Trust path improvements, Bikes for Schools, Friends of Chislehurst Recreation Ground Walden Woods survey, Scadbury landscape maintenance. 

In addition smaller donations, sponsorship and affiliation fees totalling approximately £300 were paid, or agreed, forinstitutions such as British Legion, CPRE, LBBRF, Chislehurst Business Group, London Green Belt Council  and London Forum. 

**Note 3:** Investments are holdings of CCLA Investment funds 

**Note 4:** Until now the Commons had been valued at cost and but this year has been professionally valued.  We will review the need for any further valuations in five years time. 

**Note 5:** Until now the Old Chapel had been valued at cost and but this year has been professionally valued.  We will review the need for any further valuations in five years time. 

**Note 6:** Heritage Art covers a number of paintings relating to the Townshend family relevant to the history of Chislehurst.  They are valued at cost. 

**Note 7:** The freehold of the access drive off Lubbock Road, Chislehurst is being retained indefinitely for environmental reasons to enable enforcement of a single dwelling restrictive covenant on land previously owned by the Society.  The Trustees place no financial value on it. 

**Note 8:** The creditors figure includes £12K being grants approved but not yet paid 

**Note 9:** The Grants Fund represents money earmarked for future grants for local charitable purposes. 


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## Notice of 2020 Annual General Meeting 

We plan to hold the AGM on Wednesday 20th April 7.30pm in an open forum at the Methodist Church, Prince Imperial Road, Chislehurst. 

Member engagement 

The Trustees understand that the AGM serves as a forum for members to raise questions and provide feedback. If after you have read the Annual Report, you would like to raise any immediate questions or observations before the AGM please email admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk including your name and address or drop a letter into the Society’s letter box at the Old Chapel. We will respond to you as soon as possible. 

Ongoing review 

We continue to keep Government guidance under review and may have to make changes. Members should continue to monitor the society’s website. 

## Agenda 

- Minutes of Annual General Meeting held on 21st September 2021 

- Presentation of Trustees Annual Report to Members 

- Re - election of Independent Examiner 

- Election of Officers and Trustees 

- Short presentation by the Chairman on prevailing issues 

- Member’s questions received 

Note: Only members of the Society are entitled to vote or speak at the Annual General Meeting. 

These may be obtained from the Secretary, The Old Chapel, Queens Passage, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 5AP 

Tel: 020 8467 0900 

The officers of the Society, and approximately one-half of the executive committee, are elected annually. Under the Charities Act 2011, persons elected are required to be acceptable as trustees. Nominations to serve as officers or members of the executive committee should be made in accordance with the Constitution of the Society. It is convenient, but not essential, for nominations to be made on the forms available. 

email: admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk 

Copies of the documents contained in this report, and the Independent Examiner’s Report, are available on our website: www.chislehurst-society.org.uk 

The Chislehurst Society CIO is a Registered Charity, No. 1166276 

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The Old Chapel, 3 Queens Passage, Chislehurst, BR7 5AP admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk 020 8467 0900 www. chislehurst-society.org.uk