The American Garden in Peckham Charity No 1186914
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2025
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Contents
| Page | 3 | Reference and Administrative Details |
|---|---|---|
| Page | 4 | Trustee Report |
| Page | 7 | Financial Review |
| Page | 8 | Independent Examiner’s Report |
| Page | 9 | Statement of Financial Activities |
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Reference and Administrative Details
Trustees:
Ms Nancy Coleman-Frank Ms Birgitta Pernille Ahlström Ms Matilda Dallas Ms Rebecca Kong (appointed 11 May 2025) Mr Derek Summerfield (resigned 22 February 2025) Ms Sally Williams
Registered Address:
33 Highshore Road London SE15 5AF
Charity Registration Number: 1186914
Bank:
Lloyds Bank 25 Gresham Street London EC2V 7HN
Independent Examiner:
Andrew Cooper
Retired Deputy Director, UK Health Security Agency with experience of public sector governance, financial management and audit oversight.
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Trustee Report
The Trustees of the Charity present their report with financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025.
Structure, Governance and Management
The American Garden in Peckham is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission and governed by its Constitution. The Charity was established on 12 December 2019. The affairs of the Charity are managed by the Trustees who exercise all the powers of the CIO.
The Charity is governed by a Board of Trustees, which is chaired by Nancy Coleman-Frank. In accordance with the terms of the constitution, there must be at least three Trustees. Apart from the founding Charity Trustees, Trustees are appointed for a term of three years. Trustees are appointed taking into consideration the skills, knowledge, experience and commitment needed for the effective administration of the charity.
None of the Trustees is remunerated for services which may be provided. Trustees are required to disclose all relevant interests and are required to withdraw from decisions should a conflict of interest arise.
The Trustees of the CIO have no personal responsibility for settling debts and liabilities in the event of winding up.
In the year under review, the Board of Trustees met 9 times.
Key Partnerships
The Charity continues to work in partnership with Southwark Council, through a Memorandum of Understanding, to achieve its charitable objectives as Peckham Rye Park, in which the American Garden is located, is owned and managed by the Council.
December of this year brought a new Park Manager for Peckham Rye Park. We look forward to continuing our positive working relationship with Idverde UK and the Park team. Trustees are grateful to the new Park Manager and the Park Gardeners for their help, especially to the new Head Gardener for his additional support.
A group of volunteers dedicated to preserving and maintaining the historic beauty of the Park, the Friends of Peckham Rye Park, have endorsed our project from the beginning. Their ongoing support is much appreciated.
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Objectives
The Charity was established to create a new garden by re-designing, enhancing, protecting, promoting and maintaining for the public benefit the American Garden in Peckham Rye Park.
Its objectives are:
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To promote the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of the American Garden in Peckham Rye Park for the benefit of the local community and visitors.
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To promote for the benefit of the public the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of those using the garden.
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To advance education for the public benefit particularly by providing opportunities for learning about horticulture in and around the American Garden.
Activities and Achievements
Activities this year again concentrated on maintaining and enhancing the Garden. Day to day care, watering and weeding was carried out mostly by Trustees, while professional garden service providers were engaged to assist with enhancement work.
Early in the year under review, two new information panels were installed in the Garden, one containing information about the historical context of the Garden, the botanist Peter Collinson and his seed and plant exchange with the American colonies. The second panel shares details of the trees found in the garden. These panels reflect the abundant research carried out by Trustees and the signage designer. The panels have been very well received by park users who stop frequently to read about the Garden and look for the specific trees mentioned.
On the 31st of January, a tree was planted in honour of the Charity’s founding treasurer, who had passed away in 2024. The tree is a Red Maple (Acer rubrum) and promises to bring outstanding autumn colour to the Garden.
The Charity took part in the FoPRP Annual Fête, held in September 2025, sharing information about the Garden and recruiting potential supporters. This was a successful event; the names of additional supporters were gathered.
At the end of the year, replacement and enhancement planting took place to further improve the Garden. This saw the planting of 50 shrubs and more than 400 perennials. The success of previous plants was taken into consideration when selecting new ones. Research also brought the name of a new plant, Fothergilla x intermedia, named for Dr John Fothergill, an eminent physician, plant collector and colleague of Peter Collinson. Fothergill wrote about Collinson in Some Account of the Late Peter Collinson… Two of these shrubs are now included in the American Garden.
Communication with supporters was continued through our Instagram page (@americangardenpeckham) and through ‘News from The American Garden’ newsletter emails.
Impact of Climate Change
The Trustees are aware of the potential impact of accelerated climate change, including weather shifts, drought and flooding, and will consider these environmental factors when carrying out the Charity’s activities and planning for the future.
Public Benefit Statement
The Trustees confirm they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Charity’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities.
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The Charity continues to receive many favourable comments from visitors to the Garden. The purpose-built benches are always found in use. Families often gather for picnics on the weekends. Pre-school children and their teachers enjoy the Garden on a regular basis.
Plans for the Future
The Charity’s main goals for 2026 focus on the Garden itself. Trustees will continue to maintain and enhance the garden, looking for ways to mitigate the worst effects of climate change through irrigation and careful mulching.
Additionally, Trustees will continue to look for ways to encourage more volunteer gardening to assist with general weeding and maintenance.
Since the year end the Charity has been fortunate to secure funding to install a permeable paving grid system below each of the six benches, to protect the grass from wear and tear where visitors put their feet. Trustees look forward to progressing this project during 2026.
Declarations
The above Trustees Report is approved by order of the Board of Trustees and signed on their behalf.
Nancy Coleman-Frank Chairperson
18 August 2026
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Financial Review
Funds brought forward from the 2024 financial year were £7,273.
Financial income for 2025 totalled £7,606 and included a legacy from the late Mr Derek Kinrade, a founding trustee and the late husband of our Chairperson. The total legacy is £30,000, of which the remaining £22,500 will be received in 2026. The legacy was unrestricted and no conditions were attached.
Expenditures for this period amounted to £7,011.
Funds available at the end of the financial year 2025 were £7,868.
The Trustees are of the opinion the Charity is in a secure financial position and has enough funds to meet its obligations for continued planting in the Garden. Fundraising will continue in order to meet the financial needs required for the Charity and its plans for the future.
Fund Accounting
The financial statements have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis which summarises the movement of cash in and out of the organisation. This format is available to noncompany charities with a gross annual income of £250,000 or less.
Funds Structure
The Charity maintains both restricted and unrestricted funds. Unrestricted funds may be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the Trustees. Restricted funds provided to the Charity may only be used for particular restricted purposes, as specified by the donor, within the objectives of the Charity.
Risk Management
The Trustees confirm they have considered major risks which may arise and, in their opinion, no significant risks are seen at the date of this report.
Reserves Policy
The Charity reviews the level of funds available on a regular basis and aims to ensure at least one year’s anticipated expenditure is held in reserves.
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Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of The American Garden in Peckham, Charity No 1186914:
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on page 8.
Responsibilities and Basis of Report
As the Trustees of the Charity, you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the Charity's financial statements carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. 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 giving me cause to believe that, in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
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the financial statements do not accord with those records
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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 post 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.
Andrew P Cooper
Chartered Fellow Institute of Personal Development
19 August 2026
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Statement of Financial Activities for the Year ending 31 December 2025
| 31 | December | 31 December | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | ||||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Receipts | |||||
| Donations and | 7,606 | - | 7,606 | 2,281 | |
| legacies | |||||
| Total receipts | 7,606 | - | 7,606 | 2,281 | |
| Payments | |||||
| Charitable activities | 6,368 | - | 6,368 | 5,113 | |
| Administration | 643 | - | 643 | 383 | |
| Total payments | 7,011 | - | 7,011 | 5,497 | |
| Net receipts / | 595 | - | 595 | ||
| (payments) | |||||
| Cash at beginning of | - | 7,273 | |||
| year | |||||
| Net receipts / | 595 | ||||
| (payments) | |||||
| Cash at end of year | 7,868 |
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