2023-12-31-accounts

KING HENRY S WALK garden Annual Report 2024

SECTION A: REFEENCE AND ADMINISTRATION DETAILS

Friends of King Henry’s Walk Garden

Registered charity number 1173019

Trustees

Philomine Wales (Chair) Annabel Goulding (Treasurer) Fiona Kirk (Secretary) Kirsty Slarke - until July 2023 David Harrison Jenny Morgan Nicola Freshwater

Management committee

Philomine Wales (Chair) Annabel Goulding (Treasurer) Fiona Kirk (Secretary) Kirsty Slarke (Vice Chair) - until July 2023 Andy Parkinson - until July 2023 David Harrison Jenny Morgan Peter Clarke Laurie Evans Aliyah Naroth – until November 2023 Sonia Khan – from March 2023

Address

11C King Henry’s Walk London N1 4NX

Website: www.khwgarden.org.uk Email: [e-mail] Facebook: King Henry’s Walk Garden Twitter: @khwgarden Instagram : @khwgarden

Cover images: Judith Palmer

SECTION B: STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Friends of King Henry’s Walk Garden is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Association) governed under its Constitution.

Trustees up to a maximum of seven are elected by members at Annual General Meeting. The Board of Trustees may co-opt others as needed to fill vacancies or skills gaps until the next Meeting.

New trustees undergo an induction on their legal obligations under charity law, the content of the Constitution, the committee, and decision making processes, the budget and financial performance of the charity

The Board of Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to such risks

SECTION C: OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The charity’s objectives are set out in its Constitution

• to improve the conditions of life for local people in the interests of social welfare by providing facilities for recreation and leisure activities, and by advancing education

• to manage community gardens for recreation and education of local people

• to act as a resource for young people up to the age of 25 by providing assistance and organising activities to develop their skills and capabilities

To these ends King Henry’s Walk Garden organises an annual programme of workshops and events as well as ongoing maintenance of the site.

The Board of Trustees have had due regard to the public benefit and taken the Charities Commission guidance into account when making decisions for which it is relevant.

SECTION D: ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Chair’s Report

Welcome, Overview and Impact

Community, recreation, and leisure. 2023 saw a return to our regular annual cycle of events after the upheaval of previous years. Post pandemic there has been an ever increasing awareness of how outdoor green space is fundamental to good mental health and wellbeing. This is very much aligned with King Henry’s Walk Garden’s core objectives (as noted above) to provide facilities for recreation and leisure activities for the local community.

• We open to the public at weekends throughout the year, keyholder membership is available to all.

• Our plots provide local people with the opportunity to grow ‘from plot to plate’.

• Our monthly workdays, and annual events, are as much about fostering community (and social cohesion) as maintaining and fund raising for the garden.

• Participating in initiatives such as the National Garden Scheme, Open Garden Square, Green Flag award and In Bloom, provide the opportunity to engage with a wider audience, with visitors often subsequently joining as members

• We have also run a small number of workshops around garden related topics. Both our events and workshops also provide opportunities to involve the wider public

Education . As well as our workshops, the garden is also well used by our sister charity, The Garden Classroom which brings children from local schools, to use the many resources of the garden - the wildlife pond, apiary, woodland, clay oven, the green house, and four of the container planters, as well as the classroom itself. All these are great facilities which support authentic hands-on learning, and developing skills and capabilities of primary school children. We also maintain links with other local schools, nursery, and our church neighbour, who all visit the garden on a regular basis

All of the above demonstrates how the Garden’s activities meet the Charities Commission’s public benefit requirements and are in line with our stated objectives.

Governance All existing garden policies have been reviewed during 2023, to ensure that they reflect current legislation and the way the garden now operates. This has been a major piece of work, taken on by members of both committees. These are all available on our website. Policies regarding the safe guarding of children, and of vulnerable adults are in the process of being finalised, with the intention that they will be uploaded shortly

People

Trustees

All 7 of the 2022 Trustees and Management Committee members were re-elected at the 2023 AGM last March (as listed at the beginning of this report). However, in July we were sorry to lose Kirsty Slarke both as a Trustee, and also from the Management Committee, when she left for new horizons in California. We wish her every success in her new life there. Annabel Goulding has also indicated that she will be stepping down as Treasurer this year. We are therefore looking for someone to take this on, although Annabel has indicated she will remain available as necessary. The five remaining trustees have confirmed that they are happy to stand for re-election - Fiona Kirk (secretary) Nicola Freshwater, Jenny Morgan, David Harrison, and myself (Phil Wales- Chair). Sonia Khan, who joined the Management Committee last March, has confirmed that she is also willing to stand. We always welcome others to consider joining, so please do consider this.

Management Committee

In the summer, Andy Parkinson resigned from the Management Committee, although he has continued to work to complete a number of projects and leading our monthly workdays up to the end of the year. We are truly appreciative of the time and energy he has dedicated to the garden since the very start of the garden. We are grateful to Peter Clarke for taking on overseeing the maintenance of the garden, and especially initiating members and volunteers in the important task of composting, and much more.

We must also thank Aliyah for her contribution in organising our workshops over the past year but understand family commitments now preclude her continuing a regular involvement.

We were pleased to welcome Sonia Khan to the management committee last March, and amongst other things taking over our newsletter from Jenny.

All other members on the Management Committee listed at the beginning of this report have confirmed they are happy to continue to serve in the coming year. However, we are always looking for new members to join both committees and for help in non-committee roles and will shortly be sending call outs for help with specific roles. Please do consider getting in touch if you have a bit of time to offer help, however little.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all members of both committees personally for all the great work they do, also to the many other volunteers, who help make the garden what it is. As in previous years, special thanks are due:

• To Annabel Goulding for her meticulous attention to our finances, ensuring the ongoing viability of the garden.

• To Fiona Kirk, both as committee and membership secretary, organising renewals and duty rota, as well as looking after the apiary together with Hannah McDowall

• To Peter Clarke, for ensuring the continuing cyclical maintenance and regular smooth running of the garden

• To Jenny Morgan for her nurturing of plants for sale in the greenhouse.

• To Nicola Freshwater, who runs our monthly volunteer work sessions with Peter and Annabel. Those who attend will also vouch for the delicious homemade cakes provided in the break.

• To David Harrison, for organising our annual Bio Blitz, lead by Will Atkins and team, which has become an annual event, monitoring the range and diversity of the wildlife in the garden. The results are published on the website

• And to many other garden members. Special mention to the fruit tree team, to Judith Palmer, who manages KHWG’s social media presence (do look out for and follow her daily Instagram posts @khwgarden), and to Clare Jeapes who ensures all the garden’s bird feeders are kept filled.

We would also like to thank our ward councillors for their continuing support, and to Fiona Mackenzie-Cardy from Islington Parks Department, who ran our annual garden bird watch for us once again. Please forgive any omissions, it is the contributions by all members and supporters that make the garden such a special place and a real community - thank you!

Infrastructure and Maintenance

The various projects carried out during 2023, and in the pipeline, are noted in the financial statement under designated funds.

Education

The Garden Classroom (TGC) ran the following activities at King Henry’s Walk Garden (KHWG):

• 82 half-day educational sessions for schools including 8 Samuel Rhodes plant care courses

• 2 days sustainability champions for schools

• 5 days Secret Garden Theatre Project

• 6 days first aid training

• 3 days forest schools training

• 3 days continuing professional development

• 3 days team training

• 10 half-day team meetings and activities

Weekly visits by The Children’s House School took place whenever possible during term time.

The preschool group connected with St Paul’s Steiner School held an early evening lantern walk through the woodland for St Martin in November.

Membership

Membership has remained stable. As of the end of December 2022, there were 70 plots taken. We had 130 keyholders, and there were 41 names on the waiting list for plots. Our plot holders include a school and 2

churches, with 6 containers tended by TGC as part of their education programme with older children from Samuel Rhodes School .

Internal Objectives

In January of this year, the Trustees reviewed the objectives that had been set for 2023

• Membership – aim to encourage more active participation and involvement in the running of, and maintenance of the garden. The Trustees were in agreement that this objective had not been fully achieved, and should remain a focus for the garden going forward

• Local community – focus on garden members and the local community. Continue to build on collaboration with Chorley Mission and the Playground – little progress had been made with the playground partly due to a change of management but otherwise objective partially achieved in that the connection with Mildmay has been revived and there has been some collaboration with Olden Garden, sharing information on policies.

The following objectives were agreed for 2024, with the focus on developing the garden for recreation, and leisure activities for all, and to support the various education programmes.

• Membership – aim to encourage more active participation and involvement in all aspects of the running, and maintenance of the garden.

• Local community – focus on garden members and the local community with the aim of building on existing collaborations and exploring new opportunities

• Sustainability – to hold a sustainability event to assess the garden using the results to develop a policy which would align with Islington Council policies.

• DDA Review – to identify and ensure completion of two projects, namely the steps with handrail and the benches including suitable arm rests, around the central planter.

Philomine Wales

Chair

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April 2024

SECTION E: FINANCIAL REVIEW

The charity’s policy is to maintain reserves at a level sufficient to enable normal activities to continue for a period of up to 12 months should a shortfall in income occur and also to take account of contingencies that may arise.

Its policy is to hold surplus funds in an interest bearing account with a UK bank or building society. Key criteria in selection are ethical investment, low risk with fair rate of return and ease of access.

The annual receipts and payments account, statement of assets and liabilities plus reserves are given on the following pages.

King Henry's Walk Garden

Registered Charity 1173019

Receipts and Payments Account for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2023

£ £ Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds RECEIPTS Building Hire 3,425 Education 615 Events 5,969 Donations 134 Grants Interest 509 Membership 3,455 Workshops 1,149 Sales 1,345 Other 118 TOTAL RECEIPTS PAYMENTS Running costs: Accessibility Administration 1,117 Building Hire Education 300 Events 2,234 Grants Workshops 1,140 Bees 369 Manure/compost 924 Bird Food 178 Community Projects 2 Maintenance General 173 Sales Oven Costs / Supplies 152 Plants 92 Security 6 Tools 690 Training Website Hosting & Development Total running costs 7,376 Total capital items 4,358 TOTAL PAYMENTS NET INCOME	£ Total Funds	£ Totals 2022 2,304 835 4,471 56 1,520 67 3,527 432 1,948 138
	16,719	15,229
		- 1,247 1,712 1,760 350 1,060 515 225 300 714 9 4 312 287 177 8
		8,673 5,075
	11,735	13,747
	5,509	1,551

Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31 December 2023

CASH FUNDS
Bank balance brought forward	5,133
Bank balance as at 31 December		9,609
Deposit balances brought forward	30,238
Deposit balances as at 31 December		30,746
TOTAL FUNDS		40,355
ASSETS RETAINED FOR OWN USE
Land and Building
Garden structures
Fixtures and fittings
Equipment
Tools
Stocks
LIABILITIES
Works
Signed on behalf of the Trustees
Name: Annabel Goulding, Treasurer		Date

Reserves

	Current 2023/24	Previous 2022/23	Increase / (decrease)	Increase / (decrease)
Unrestricted Funds Reserves	15,855	15,870	(15)	(0.1%)
Restricted Funds
Designated Funds - building/site fund - conservation/development fund	17,000 7-500	12,500 7,500	5,000	41.7%
Total Funds	40,355	35,370	4,985	14.1%

The Garden should hold in reserve up to 10 months’ general operating costs which equates to £10,000 for the year. This would allow the opportunity to continue activities while identifying ways in which further funds might be raised. Additional reserves at the level of general maintenance costs for 2 years (£5,000) should be retained to cover unforeseen needs over that period. Current reserves equal £15,855 which represents a surplus of £855.

Designated funds to be used as follows

• I. Replacement of plot edgings £1,500 Spring 2024

• II. Replacement of benches around circular planter £4,500 Spring/Summer 2024

• III. Resurfacing of paths and steps £9,000 Summer 2024

• IV. Renovation of greenhouse and cold frames £4,500 Summer/Autumn 2024

• V. Renovation of water infrastructure £1,500 Autumn 2024

• VI. Renovations in woodland £1,500 Autumn/Winter 2024

Additional funds will be needed to meet costs which are not part of planned maintenance work

The reserves will be monitored during the year at the monthly management committee and biannual trustee board meetings. In addition, the policy will be reviewed annually as part of the financial accounting and budgeting processes.

SECTION F: FURTHER INFORMATION

2023 in summary

Number of plots allocated at 31 December 2023: 70 Number of key holders at 31 December 2023: 130 Number on waiting list at 31 December 2023: 41

Annual Events

We ran the following annual events

• AGM and Members’ Day event 12[th] March

• Summer Fete 10[th] June

• Annual Bio Blitz 19[th] June

• Autumn Produce Show 16[th] September

• Winter Fair 9[th] December

Affiliated events

• Opening for the National Garden Scheme 1[st] May

• Opening for Open Garden Square Weekend 10[th] & 11[th] June

Awards

• Islington in Bloom: Silver award

• Green Flag: Pass (met all requirements of the award)

• RHS Its your Neighbourhood: Outstanding

Workshops

We ran the following workshops (some lead by garden members)

• Our garden Bird Watch 28[th] January

• 2 sessions of drawing in the garden

• Book making,

• 3 Chelsea Fringe Events – Natural dyeing, Eco printing, and Taking a poem for a walk

• Our ever popular ice cream workshop with La Grotta Ices

• Brilliant Bees family event

• Fire Craft with pewter

• Festive decoration

Do let us know if you have ideas or can offer help with this year’s programme

Volunteer hours worked (all estimated and from recorded hours)

Committee	1550
Weekend openings	580
Events	725
Workshops	100
Volunteers working in the garden	1750
TOTAL (Approx)	5730

SECTION G: DECLARATION

The Board of Trustees declare that they have approved the annual report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signatures(s):

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Full name(s): Philomine Frances Wales Position(s) Chair (Trustees)

Date:

22[nd] April 2024