## **Trustees’ report for year ended 31 October 2021**
## 2021 was a very eventful and successful year for the park.
The key event of 2021 was the official re-opening of the park in September following the completion of the phase I works the previous year. Polly Freeman designed the event and took it upon herself to organise the day itself. The event was a huge success with our local MP, Florence Eshalomi opening the afternoon, which was based around local children cutting a 120-metre ribbon to signify the park entering the next chapter in its long and interesting 131-year history. The whole event was funded by the Friends at a cost of just over £4,600 and it was estimated that around 2,000 people attended the afternoon’s events.
The park was awarded gold, the top level, in the London in Bloom 2021 London Park of the year category. Over the last year, the trustees worked hard with our group of volunteer gardeners to move the park up from the 2020 silver gilt by making sure the park met all the key assessment criteria, including the creation of a conservation area for wildlife. We were also helped by the wider contribution of the local community in the park, in particular parents and young children helping with plant and bulb planting. We also retained the Green Flag award.
We continued to expand our volunteer gardening group with 65 people currently in our WhatsApp group. Without their help, the park would not look as fantastic as it does. Regular volunteer gardening events were held during the year with up to 15 at a session.
During the year, the trustees escorted senior members of Lambeth Council on tours of the park. Claire Holland, the leader of the council, Councillor Sonia Winifred, cabinet member for equalities and culture and Kevin Crook, the council’s assistant director of neighbourhoods, all put the time in to visit the park and to talk to the trustees. These visits have proved useful for escalating park issues, including the resolution of the snagging list items from phase I.
The trustees continued to meet Lambeth Council parks department staff on a regular basis to follow up on the phase I snagging list items. Unfortunately progress on their resolution remained slow with many still outstanding in 2022.
In February 2021, Ardian and Mimoza Neziri took over the running of the Parco Café from Dominic Alves. The Friends have maintained the borders and planters and made the whole area more attractive and welcoming, which has helped in the café’s success.
Discussion with Lambeth Council officials on phase II of the park’s refurbishment works began based on the results of a survey of park users. The anticipated timescales on this phase remain unknown.
The financial position of the charity remains strong despite the major outlay on the re-opening event. The financial report for the 2021 year covers the movements and year end balances in more detail.
John Roome Chairman
## **Friends of Vauxhall Park**
## **Income and Expenditure Account**
|
**Income**
Membership Subscriptions
Membership Donations
Donations Easter Egg Hunt
Gift Aid
Bank Interest
Hall Hire returned deposit
Bank gratuities
Amazon Smile
**Total Income**
**Expenditure**
Hall Hire (Unused in 2020– Refund /use 2021)
Insurance
Human Sundial restoration
Gardening Tools
Keys
Netting and ties
Website
Grand Re-opening event
Plants
Bog pond excavation and build
**Total Expenditure**
ExcessExpenditure over Income
Balance Brought Forward from last year
**Balance at year end**
Lloyds Current Account at year end
Lloyds Business Account at year end
**Total**|**Year to 31.10.20**
**£**
**212.00**
**812.50**
**0.00**
**176.15**
**12.46**
**100.00**
**0.00**
**0.00**
**1,313.11**
**80.00**
**279.75**
**2,340.00**
**41.61**
**16.99**
**0.00**
**0.00**
**0.00**
**0.00**
**0.00**
**2,758.35**
**1,445.24**
**39,296.98**
**37,851.74**
**8,695.64**
**29,156.10**
**37,851.74**|**Year to 31.10.21**|
|---|---|---|
|||**£**
**316.00**
**963.00**
**20.00**
**196.20**
**2.94**
**0.00**
**152.00**
**7.16**
**1,657.30**
**40.00**
**279.75**
**0.00**
**47.93**
**0.00**
**29.06**
**28.78**
**4,645.17**
**118.63**
**391.80**
**5,581.12**
**3,923.82**
**37,851.74**
**33,927.92**
**4,691.88**
**29,236.04**
**33,927.92**|
John Roome, Chair