2024 LATTER HALF OF THE YEAR
Acting Chairperson Mike Davies
Continuity and Tradition are very much at the core of the objects of our charity:
“To preserve, for the benefit of the people of the City of Brighton & Hove and public at large, the historical, architectural and cultural heritage that exists in our City.”
Brighton General Hospital
“Continuity” saw an initiative begun by the late Roger Amerena being recognised by, and presented to, an audience of around thirty Councillors at the Town Hall Chamber. BHHC continues to fight for the site of the Brighton General Hospital to be preserved as the country’s only surviving complete Workhouse Village. Whilst the Workhouse itself is protected as a Grade II listed building, the other nine late 19[th] century historical buildings are not.
Roger had the foresight to recognise that an area of national social history could be demolished at the blink of a developer’s eye. Unless the site becomes a Conservation Area . He set out to do something about this, through our charity, familiarising his proposal to City leaders around the grand table at Montpellier Hall. Along with our Conservation Advisory Group representative trustee James and with Mike presenting, Roger’s idea gained traction. We know that he sadly passed away before the scheduled presentation at the Town Hall.
“Continuity” saw trustees Mike and Julie at the Town Hall presenting as promised and answering questions from engaged Councillors for over an hour.
Our presentation is attached as a PDF to this message for you to look through.
Brighton East Gasworks and the Brighton Gasworks Coalition
“Continuity” sees BHHC representing heritage views for four years now on the Brighton Gasworks Coalition – 14 societies across our City who came together to fight for the Kemp Town community against the detrimental plans of one of the largest construction developers in the country. The plans would deeply impact that East Brighton community and the Heritage Setting of the only Grade I listed seafront estate in the country, Kemp Town Estate.
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And we won . At the Council Planning Committee, our arguments to preserve heritage informed the Council’s reasons for REFUSAL to grant planning approval. We have not seen the last of this application yet as the inevitable Appeal by the big developer is scheduled for March this year. We continue the fight.
Fund raising social events
Whilst there is no update on Roger’s estate at this time, “Tradition” had our social calendars underpinned for many years by the biannual BHHC Members’ Summer Garden Party and Christmas Party held in Roger’s home. We explored alternative venues and would like to thank all those Members attending the Early Christmas Cheer event in December.
In the challenging months since dear Roger departed this life, your Trustees, all volunteers, have given a huge amount of time and worked tirelessly for the Charity between their day-jobs and commitments. We particularly wish Member Ania all success as she takes a break from her Trustee role to concentrate on her many other commitments.
I wish to thank them all enormously on behalf of the whole of Brighton and Hove Heritage Commission.
Best,
Mike
Mike Davies, Acting Chairperson, Brighton and Hove Heritage Commission
ATTACHED – ROGER’S BRIGHTON GENERAL INITIATIVE AS PRESENTED AT THE TOWN HALL CHAMBER…
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| Income and Expenditure Account 1st Aug 2024-31st July |
Income and Expenditure Account 1st Aug 2024-31st July |
Income and Expenditure Account 1st Aug 2024-31st July |
2025 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| INCOME | 24 - 25 | EXPENDITURE | 24 | - 25 | |
| £ | £ | ||||
| Membership Subscriptions | 2,085 | Heritage Donations made by BHHC | 930 | ||
| Subs paid to Affilations | 250 | ||||
| Christmas Cheer event takings | 201 | Christmas Cheer event costs | 230 | ||
| AGM costs | 50 | ||||
| Donations to R Amerena | 584 | General Spending - printing post etc | 418 | ||
| Interest from YBS Bond (at maturity) | 1,677 | Legal Advice for the charity** | 10,888 | ||
| Gift Aid | Payment in error to L King (to be returned) | 4,682 | |||
| Bank Charges HSBC | 69 | ||||
| Income: | 4,547 | Expenditure: | 17,518 | ||
| Surplus for year | -12,971 |
| Balance Sheet at 31st July 2025 In Bank HSBC opening balance Aug 1st 2024 YBS 1 yr Bond matured Oct 2024 HTB Reserve opened Oct 2024 Drawn down from HTB Reserve 24 - 25 Surplus for year In Bank HSBC 31st July year end |
24 - 25 £ 8,306 30,000 -40,000 17,000 -12,971 |
|---|---|
| 2,336 |
| BHHC Banks: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSBC | Current Account | 24 - 25 | ||
| Hampshire Trust (HTB) | High Int Reserve | £ | ||
| YBS 1 YR Bond closed Oct 2024 | 0 |
In Bank HSBC 31st July 2025
2,336
| HTB Reserve opened Oct 2024 | 40,000 |
|---|---|
| less drawn down from HTB Reserve 24 - 25 | -17,000 |
| HTB Reserve at 31st July 2025 | 23,000 |
In Bank HTB Reserve Fund 31st July 2025 23,000 Total BHHC Bank Funds at 31st July 2025 25,336
Payment in error held by L King (to be returned) 4,682