## **Trustees’ Annual Report** **From 01/05/2020 to 31/05/21** **Charity name: Elizabeth’s Group** **Charity registration number: 1181256** ## **Objectives and Activities:** Elizabeth’s Group was formed on International Women’s Day 2018 and is a group of women who have joined together to raise public awareness of Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elmy, who lived in Congleton for over 50 years but is now largely unknown and unsung. There are two strands to our Project, first, raising the profile of Elizabeth in Congleton and nationally through heritage/community work and the establishment of an archive and, secondly, raising money for a bronze statue. Elizabeth is clearly an important figure in Congleton’s heritage. She was described by Emmeline Pankhurst as ‘the brains behind the suffrage movement’. She appears on the plinth of the Millicent Fawcett statue unveiled by Theresa May in Parliament Square in 2018 as one of the most influential women in the suffrage movement. Several statues of other influential suffragists/suffragettes have been erected, or are planned, across the country to establish a heritage trail of influential women. Congleton clearly should be part of that trail. Elizabeth was a pioneer in so many fields and has relevance to several of the issues currently being addressed in our town. In addition to the vote and advances in the education of girls. Elizabeth fought successfully to enable legislation in number of other significant areas including married women’s property rights, the guardianship of children and violence within marriage. We still have much to learn from her work. In an edition of WSPU’s Magazine ‘Votes for Women’ dated 9th September 1910 it says ‘if the women of England ever realise what they owe to Mrs Elmy they will put up to her memory a national monument’. That is what we are intending to do here in Congleton. We are mindful that less than 3% of statues in this country are of women and wish to play our part in helping to redress that. A statue of Elizabeth would keep women’s rights firmly on the agenda within the town and inclusion on the proposed suffragette trail would be a feather in the cap for Congleton, it would raise its profile nationally and would increase visitor footfall, particularly at a time when people are beginning to rediscover the joys of holidaying at home. As Trustees we are very clear about the public benefit requirements of our charity and the prime purposes are focussed on enhancing the local community and protecting our important heritage. Trustees remind themselves of their responsibilities at every AGM and at other times as appropriate. Volunteers are the prime, indeed only, drivers of Elizabeth’s Group and are involved in activities across the board ranging from organising bids, presentations, writing blogs, running information stalls, producing media (including films) to get the word about Elizabeth out there, networking across the community, developing our website, undertaking research to expand our archive and so much more. We have had a very successful year and have been very successful in raising the profile of Elizabeth through our activities, particularly: - With the help of the Heritage Lottery (funding ended in May 2020), we have established a professional website to share archive materials, research activity, articles and other materials relating to Elizabeth. This work continues. - Our social media presence has continued to grow. We have presence on Facebook and Twitter, have our own blog and a YouTube group. During lockdown we have produced around a dozen videos covering various aspects of Elizabeth’s life and achievements and these are published on our sites and wider. - - In addition to these films we have produced high quality leaflets, booklets and other promotional materials. - - Sadly, Covid has curtailed much of our face-to-face promotional activity at our monthly stalls at local craft food and ethical fairs dressed as suffragettes.. These have been very successful in getting Elizabeth‘s name out there. - The Congleton Chronicle, our local newspaper has run regular stories about the group over the year and we have had several features on local radio. - We continue to contribute to several influential blogs and publications as required. - We have established a Heritage Trail in Congleton, complete with plaques and maps. - Our schools outreach program has continued to flourish with schools and other groups in the town and much more widely. - Doing numerous Zoom presentations on Elizabeth and her achievements, highlighting the relevance of her work to many of the issues that are still with us today. - Producing a booklet for young people about Elizabeth‘s life. - Commissioning a statue of Elizabeth by the renowned artist Hazel Reeves for the town centre. - Planning for the unveiling of the statue on International Women’s Day 2022 with a big event. - In April we celebrated the opening of Congleton’s new link road which has been named Wolstenholme Elmy Way after representations from the Group. - We continue to network with other groups across the country who are seeking to celebrate the achievements of other important but often forgotten women. Our audited accounts are attached and raise no issues about our financial health. Covid19 has halted some of our fundraising activities, the main source of our income - but we have just launched a crowdfunding project and await signs of its efficacy in these strange times. Clearly the post-Covid19 era will bring uncertain times for us but we have confidence that our store of ideas will help to progress our aims. Susan Munro Chair. CHARITY COMMI5510N I frLMt tp4rAAND WAIIS Recelpts and payments accounts CC16a 01 n)&7020 To Section A Receipts and pa ments en¢knYrn•nl •t y••r Alll 14• IlJ7 lo¢•l(Gro￿ incoffl8 lorAR) ,123 11.375 rA*DfK)t 154 1) I,*J i4•J A4 A•MI In¥••tfft•nt 7.351 N•1 of M¢•l¥Wp•ym•nts) AS b•lw•M fvnd• A• C••h lund• l••t y•w•nd 1•,125 •.017 22.P71 41.yfyj J.170 28241 16aJl 4J,J70 28.241 Soction B Statement of assets and liabilities al the end of the period LhTrTr8trtct•d R•*Irfc￿1 lund* nds Endo*m•nt nd* f• 1 Ca•h 41.xx rotsie•¥h 14fvx 41.7•3 nd* fund* tfv•rltyts CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAM AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report R•port to thp tru¥tw On •¢¢ounts for tho year Charity no Ill any) 1181256 S•t out on pag I raport lo tre trustees cm my examination ol a￿OU￿￿ of the •tove nty I'the Trust'l lor year ended 3(V0412021 R•8ponslbllltle• and b••is of rfport As the th¥rrW$ trustees. you are res[￿￿1• for Ihe prepar0￿n ol the accounls in accordanu liti r•quir•ments ol the chan1￿9 Acl 2011 I r•port in fegFeCt d my examinatsjn ol the Trust's accounts carr￿1 OLrt urthr sethDn 145 01 the 2011 Ac¢ and in ￿￿Ying out my examinalion. 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