Create Streets Foundation Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Charity Number: 1171928
TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 18 DECEMBER 2024
Create Streets Foundation Contents
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Reference and administrative details of the charity | 2 |
| Trustees’ report | 3 - 10 |
| Independent examiner’s report | 11 |
| Receipts & payments accounts | 12 |
| Statement of assets & liabilities | 13 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 14 |
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Create Streets Foundation Reference & administration details
Trustees
Harry Briggs, Chair (appointed 29 April 2021) Fabian Richter, Treasurer (appointed 7 March 2017) Clare Mirfin (appointed 29 April 2020) Robin Edwards (appointed 26 January 2023)
Charity registration number 1171928 81 Lambeth Walk Principal address London SE11 6DX
Independent Examiner Ms K Spooner KS Accountancy 114 Whitmore Road Harrow HA1 4AQ
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Create Streets Foundation Trustees’ report for the year ended 18 December 2024
The trustees present their annual report together with the financial statements of Create Streets Foundation for the year ending 18 December 2024.
The trustees confirm that the annual report and financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the constitution and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
Structure, Governance & Management
Create Streets Foundation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission and governed by its constitution, adopted on 28[th] February 2017.
The board of trustees has responsibility for the activities of Create Streets Foundation. They are appointed at the AGM by a quorum of 3 of the trustees and are to be professionals with relevant experience.
Objectives & Activities
The object of CSF for the public benefit is to advance the education of the public in subjects related to the built environment, successful development and the associations between urban form and mental health, physical health, community cohesion and pro-social behaviour by
(a) providing training to community groups (above all in economically and socially disadvantaged areas) in the context of neighbourhood planning and urban design activities; and
(b) promoting study and research in such subjects and disseminating the useful results of such study to the public at large.
We conduct research into associations between different types of building and popularity, wellbeing, long term economic value and density. We provide training to community groups, officials and students on neighbourhood planning, urban design, place-making and sustainable development.
The trustees declare that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers or duties.
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Create Streets Foundation Trustees’ report for the year ended 18 December 2024
Achievements & Performance
| 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. |
Our key achievements this year: 1.Place Champions Programme._Continuing and extending our Place Champions Programme with community groups in Bootle, Blackfriars, and continued Grimsby work. Funded from core funding from private donors. 2._Creating Places Academy._Broadening our education programme by offering our second Summer School. These activities meet our first charitable objective - providing training to community groups (above all in economically and socially disadvantaged areas) in the context of neighbourhood planning and urban design activities. 3._Research programme. Following the success of the Greening Up research report we achieved direct parliamentary influence when amendments to the 1980 Highways Act were moved by both MP Aphra Brandreth and Lord Gascoigne, based on our policy recommendations. We also launched the London Boroughs Front Garden Network with 12 councils represented and 22 expressing interest. These activities meet our second charitable objective of promoting study and research in such subjects and disseminating the useful results of such study to the public at large. |
|---|---|
| Achievements against objectives set |
Objectives: To advance the education of the public in subjects related to the built environment, successful development and the associations between urban form and mental health, physical health, community cohesion and pro-social behaviour by • providing training to community groups (above all in economically and socially disadvantaged areas) in the context of neighbourhood planning and urban design activities 1. Place Champions programme Process and outputs CSF significantly expanded the Place Champions programme in 2024, working with three communities across England to support community-led design and development. The programme continued to deliver on our first charitable objective by providing training to community groups in neighbourhood planning and urban design activities. i) Christ Church, Bootle Working in partnership with SAFE Regeneration, we facilitated two workshops in April 2024 around the Grade II listed church. A site walkaround with 9 residents captured community preferences for buildingdesign,while a co-design workshopbrought together 22 |
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participants including local councillors, religious leaders, and congregation members. The community developed consensus on preserving the historic vicarage while replacing the structurally unsound 1970s building, establishing clear design principles including 2.5-3 storey height limits and red/brown brick materials reflecting local Victorian character. We produced two sketch design options potentially delivering 14-18 new homes alongside improved church facilities, including an innovative "cloister" concept connecting church, hall, and housing around a community courtyard.
ii) Blackfriars Green Network, London
In September 2024, we supported a grassroots group of 60 local residents and office workers in their community-led placemaking initiative. Working with LUC landscape consultants, London Living Streets, and Trees for Cities, we facilitated a co-design workshop that identified two priority areas: Boyfield Street for quick wins and Lancaster Street for transformational change. The community developed a "Woonerf" shared space concept with planters, seating areas, and improved children's play facilities. We piloted our new "Create Communities" digital platform, enabling location-specific community feedback on masterplan proposals.
Outcomes
The expanded Place Champions programme in 2024 directly engaged 107 community members across three locations, demonstrating the programme's adaptability to different contexts - from church-led housing development to resident-led street improvements to faith organization community anchoring. Each project resulted in concrete design proposals developed through genuine community consensus, with clear pathways identified for implementation and ongoing community stewardship.
iv) East Marsh, Grimsby
Process and outputs
We continued our work with East Marsh United (EMU) on the ongoing transformation of Grimsby's East Marsh area, building on the tree planting achievements from previous years. Our focus remained on the "Greening the Marsh" programme while expanding into new areas of community-led regeneration. We played the lead role in engaging stakeholders on a joint EMU, North-East Lincolnshire Council, and Active Travel England scheme to transform Rutland Street into a quiet, tree-lined "Rutland Avenue."
In 2024, we delivered four key initiatives: the Energise Grimsby Solar Streets project , working alongside Ashden Climate Solutions to secure £80,000 Energy Savings Trust funding for rooftop solar panels on Rutland Street homes and developing a business model to share solar surplus from the redeveloped Ice Factory. We partnered with landscape designer Elisabeth Wright-McCalla to relocate the award-winning Anywhere Courtyard Garden to the former docks, creating a thriving outdoor natural space at the Creative Start recovery addiction centre. We facilitated an Abundance London twinning visit , bringing their urban greening expertise to the East Marsh through knowledge sharing, plant donations, and identification
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of further greening opportunities. Finally, we organised a knowledge sharing trip to a School Streets conference in Lambeth, taking EMU team members and a North East Lincolnshire Council officer to showcase successful examples of reallocating highways and public realm to greenery and people.
Outcomes
The East Marsh programme in 2024 achieved remarkable environmental and financial sustainability. All 130 trees planted in schools survived their first year, with only 1 tree in the park requiring replacement after being snapped. We planted 2 additional trees at the top of Rutland Street in front of the youth centre, with plans to develop this into "Kay's Corner" in 2025 with benches and wildflower areas. The £80,000 solar project funding represents innovative community energy development, while the Greening the Marsh programme secured a further £20,000, ensuring the programme's financial sustainability rather than relying solely on CSF resources. These activities demonstrate how initial tree planting success can catalyse broader community-led regeneration encompassing environmental, economic, and social benefits whilst building local capacity for ongoing stewardship.
2. Ukraine Reconstruction Vision Project
Process and outputs
In 2024, CSF launched an innovative project to support eventual Ukrainian reconstruction, funded by a private organisation that had been forced to abandon a project in Russia due to the war and wished to redirect their support towards helping Ukrainians rebuild after the conflict. With the help of UK based Ukrainian citizens, we engaged directly with residents in bombed Ukraine to understand what they value most about their places, starting from first principles rather than focusing on large-scale masterplanning or individual heritage buildings.
We crowd-sourced responses through the "Create Communities" digital platform, asking three simple questions: What is your favourite building/street/space in your hometown? Why have you chosen this place? Can you share a photo or sketch? This approach aimed to capture the personal, lived experience of place that could inform future reconstruction efforts.
In October 2024, we officially launched the project at a private view during the Royal Academy's 'In the Eye of the Storm' exhibition, attended by supporters including Ukrainians living in the UK. We then hosted an exhibition in our offices presenting the findings to over 60 attendees, combining professional artwork with community submissions.
Outcomes
We received over 50 written reflections, images, drawings and photos from Ukrainian citizens, including submissions from 4 professional artists and a group of art students in Kharkiv. The responses revealed five key themes that Ukrainians value: streets and places as more than physical structures (connected to childhood memories and student days); historic buildings and landmarks
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conveying history (notably mid-rise 6-storey "gentle density" rather than high-rise); public places and community buildings where people gather; nature interspersed throughout streets with greenery and trees; and calm places for relaxation and reflection within busy cities.
These findings provide a citizen-led foundation for understanding Ukrainian place attachment that could inform reconstruction approaches. The project has established partnerships with Ukrainian artists and organisations, with plans for a Phase II co-design workshop in a Ukrainian city in late 2025/early 2026 to develop an open-source regeneration blueprint for Ukrainian streets.
This project meets both charitable objectives: providing education on place-making principles while conducting research into what citizens value about urban form and disseminating these insights for public benefit.
3. Creating Places Academy
Process and outputs
The Create Streets Foundation continued to expand its education programme by offering practical, hands-on learning opportunities in urban design and architecture. Through our Summer School and Dare to Draw Saturday workshops, the foundation provides accessible, expert-led tutorials that teach participants the principles of urban design, with a particular focus on creating walkable, humanscale environments.
We significantly expanded our annual Summer School program in 2024, extending it from 5 to 7 days and hosting 22 students for our residential intensive learning experience. The programme attracted international interest with attendees from Denmark and Spain, demonstrating the growing recognition of CSF's educational approach. A key enhancement was the addition of a dedicated architecture module, kindly delivered pro bono by Adam Architecture, who also supported 2 additional bursaries alongside our 3 foundation bursaries, ensuring accessibility for students from diverse backgrounds.
We continued our programme of 'at cost' Saturday drawing workshops from our office in London. We delivered 2 workshops during 2024: one in January with 7 students and another in November with 6 students. These day-long sessions (10am to 4pm) continue to receive incredibly positive feedback from participants, with the intimate class sizes allowing for personalized instruction and meaningful peer interaction.
Outcomes
The Creating Places Academy reached 35 students across both programmes in 2024, with the extended 7-day Summer School format allowing for deeper learning and the new architecture module providing comprehensive coverage of both urban design and architectural principles. The international attendance demonstrates the programme's growing reputation, while the partnership with Adam Architecture both enhanced educational quality and demonstrated the value of pro bono professional collaboration. The 5 bursaries provided (including Adam Architecture's contribution)
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ensured our educational opportunities remained accessible regardless of financial circumstances.
This shows the programme's continued evolution and growing partnerships while maintaining the intimate, high-quality approach that has proven successful.
Here are a few samples of this year’s student feedback:
‘I’ve had an absolutely life-changing week.’
‘I had a wonderful and informative time’
‘an amazing experience’
‘Fantastic course, would highly recommend it’
Encouraged by these outcomes, we aim for 2025 to make the course longer and to include a craft day that will be kindly lead by Rose of Jericho.
4. Research Programme
Process and outputs
Following the success of the Greening Up research report, we continued to advance policy development and implementation in 2024 through two significant initiatives that demonstrate our second charitable objective of promoting study and research whilst disseminating useful results to the public.
4.i Policy Impact: Highway Act Amendment
CSF's Greening Up policy proposals achieved direct parliamentary influence when amendments to the 1980 Highways Act were moved by both MP Aphra Brandreth and Lord Gascoigne. The proposed amendment, based directly on CSF's research recommendations, requires the Secretary of State to issue guidance on planting trees, shrubs, plants or grass alongside highways for new transport infrastructure and development projects. The amendment specifically addresses CSF's findings about bureaucratic barriers to highway greening by mandating that licence conditions "are not unreasonably burdensome on applicants" and "do not prevent or discourage planting," whilst requiring provision of model licence conditions, standard designs, and planting palettes.
4.ii London Boroughs Front Garden Network
Building on Greening Up research findings, CSF initiated and launched the London Boroughs Front Garden Network to facilitate practical policy implementation at local authority level. We convened an inaugural meeting with representation from 12 different London councils, with 22 councils expressing interest in participation. The network aims to develop specific, agreed policy proposals for protecting and enhancing front garden spaces across London, providing a collaborative platform for sharing best practice and coordinated policy development.
Outcomes
The research programme in 2024 demonstrates successful transition from policy research to practical implementation and legislative
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| influence. The Highway Act amendment represents direct parliamentary adoption of CSF research recommendations, potentially affecting greening policy across England's transport infrastructure. The London Boroughs Network has established a sustainable mechanism for ongoing policy development and implementation, creating lasting infrastructure for continued research dissemination and practical application at local government level. 5. Fundraising Continuing a campaign of fundraising dinners to allow CSF to pay for salary of a part time Development Manager. £19,837 was raised in 2024 for this purpose. |
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|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Our indicative fundraising target for 2024 was £175,000 and we received donations of £174,501 thereby meeting our target. |
| Investment performance against objectives |
1.05% gross, 1.06% AER on the easy access reserves account. This was in line with our objectives. |
| Other | NA |
Create Streets Foundation Trustees’ report (continued) for the year ended 18 December 2024
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Cash in hand on 18/12/24 was £101,611 with pledged or anticipated income within six months of £3,333 and anticipated liabilities of £17,350. The charity hired a full-time professional fundraiser in December 2023 who departed in May 2024. While this experiment provided valuable learning about organisational systems and event management, it reinforced the effectiveness of the service level agreement model with Create Streets Ltd for operational delivery. The charity achieved an 7% increase in donations to £174,501 despite the transition period, demonstrating the strength of donor relationships and programme quality. |
|---|---|
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Reserves are held to pay for outstanding invoices and to hire a development manager within CSF. |
| Amount of reserves held | At 18/12/24 unrestricted reserves held were £85,001. |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
NA |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
NA |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
NA |
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| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Grants from charities (Trust for London via Centre for Theology) Donations from private donors Donations from corporate donors (Persimmon, Ibstock Bricks) Income from courses and summer school |
|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
The charity maintains a prudent approach to cash management, prioritising operational liquidity over investment returns given current funding levels and ongoing commitments. Reserve funds are held in readily accessible accounts to meet operational expenses and contractual obligations. During 2024, the charity opened a savings account to optimise returns on cash balances whilst maintaining the flexibility required for charitable activities. The trustees will review investment opportunities as reserves grow, with consideration of both financial returns and alignment with the charity's mission.. |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
The principal risks facing the charity are the following: _1_Key person risk: Grants from charities pay for specific work which sometimes requires Create Streets Ltd's competencies. Create Streets Ltd Chairman Nicholas Boys Smith has been key to the successful performance of this work - this risk is diminishing as the wider reputation of the Foundation and the team within Create Streets Ltd grows. _2_Financial risk: should fundraising not continue successfully - this risk is stable. We have a very low level of fixed cost and liabilities, have several multi-year donations and are continuing to see interest in funding our work from several foundations. The strong donor relationships demonstrated by 2024's fundraising success despite staffing disruption indicate robust financial sustainability. _3_Socio-political risk: should our agenda no longer be seen as worthwhile -- this risk is diminishing as the wider debate focuses increasingly on the quality and sustainability of places as well as the quantity of homes built. |
| Other | CSF have a service level agreement with Create Streets Ltd: CS Ltd renders administration services in support of the CSF Activities which then get invoiced to CSF. |
Create Streets Foundation
Trustees’ report (continued) for the year ended 18 December 2024
Statement of Trustees responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustee's Annual Report, and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards.
Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures that must be disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the CIO will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
This report was approved by the trustees on 6[th] October, 2025
and signed on their behalf by:
Harry Briggs – Chair
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Create Streets Foundation
Independent examiner’s report for the year ended 18 December 2024
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Create Streets Foundation
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 18th December 2024, which are set out on pages 12 to 14.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity’s trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed:
Date: 07/10/2025
Katy Spooner (Oct 7, 2025 19:14:50 GMT+1)
Ms K Spooner KS Accountancy 114 Whitmore Road Harrow HA1 4AQ
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Create Streets Foundation Receipts & payments accounts for the year ended 18 December 2024
| Note Receipts Charitable Activities 2 Total Receipts Payments Project Expenses Raising Funds Staff Costs Admin Services Trustee Liability Insurance Other Total Payments Net of receipts/(payments) Net movement in cash funds Reconciliation of funds: Cash funds brought forward Cash funds carried forward |
Unrestricted Funds 104,709 104,709 13,748 8,454 19,500 9,394 270 2,651 54,017 50,692 50,692 34,309 85,001 |
Restricted Funds 69,792 69,792 127,868 - - - - 337 128,205 (58,413) (58,413) 75,023 16,610 |
Total Funds 2024 £ 174,501 174,501 141,616 8,454 19,500 9,394 270 2,988 182,222 (7,721) (7,721) 109,332 101,611 |
Total Funds 2023 £ 163,302 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 163,302 | ||||
| 49,262 2,613 4,589 25,233 270 1,338 |
||||
| 83,305 | ||||
| 79,997 79,997 29,335 |
||||
| 109,332 |
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Create Streets Foundation Statement of assets & liabilities as at 18 December 2024
| Unrestricted | Restricted | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Assets | ||||
| Cash at bank and in hand | 85,001 | 16,610 | 101,611 | 109,332 |
| Liabilities | ||||
| Professional Fee | 585 | 585 | 585 |
The financial statements were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Name: Harry Briggs, Chair Date: 6[th] October 2025
The notes on page 14 form part of these financial statements.
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Create Streets Foundation Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 18 December 2024
1. Accounting policies
1.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements
These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).
Create Streets Foundation constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).
The trustees have taken advantage of the provisions of the SORP Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a cash flow statement.
1.2 Going concern
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.
1.3 Receipts and payments
These accounts have been prepared under a receipts and payments basis. The charity is allowed under section 133 of the Charites Act 2011 to prepare receipts and payments accounts as its gross income is below £250,000.
2. Receipts
| The Centre for Theology Power to Change grant Karbon Homes grant GY 1900 Ltd The Persimmon Foundation Sustrans grant Delancey NPT UK/The Magic Trust Wates Family Enterprise Trust Ibstock Bricks Heartaches Ltd The Golden Bottle Private donors Summer School fees Dare to Draw workshops Other donations Total |
Unrestricted Funds 5,000 5,000 5,000 2,000 65,837 21,872 104,709 |
Restricted Funds 25,040 10,000 15,000 17,771 1,981 69,792 |
Total Funds 2024 £ 25,040 - - 10,000 5,000 - - 5,000 - 5,000 15,000 2,000 65,837 17,771 1,981 21,872 174,501 |
Total Funds 2023 £ 25,714 7,540 19,480 - - 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 - - 55,000 11,667 2,450 16,451 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 163,302 |
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2024 Charity annual report 061025 - signed2
Final Audit Report
2025-10-07
Created: 2025-10-07 By: Constance de Montigny (constance@createstreetsfoundation.org.uk) Status: Signed Transaction ID: CBJCHBCAABAAWZpqH-t-1P_b6vIvMCaRLKuJ9PN2gSHf
"2024 Charity annual report 061025 - signed2" History
- Document created by Constance de Montigny (constance@createstreetsfoundation.org.uk) 2025-10-07 - 3:07:22 PM GMT
Document emailed to Katy Spooner (katyspooner@hotmail.com) for signature 2025-10-07 - 3:07:26 PM GMT
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Email viewed by Katy Spooner (katyspooner@hotmail.com) 2025-10-07 - 6:12:31 PM GMT
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Document e-signed by Katy Spooner (katyspooner@hotmail.com) Signature Date: 2025-10-07 - 6:14:50 PM GMT - Time Source: server
Agreement completed.
2025-10-07 - 6:14:50 PM GMT