Charity No. 1201209
Annual General Meeting
Wednesday 19 November 2025 Lewisham Arthouse, 140 Lewisham Way, SE14 6PD
Chair’s Annual Review 2024 / 2025 1 October 2024 - 30 September 2025
I moved to Brockley in 1995, joined Brockley Society in 1997 and have been Chair since 2009. It has been very interesting and enriching. In January of this year I celebrated my 80th birthday quite publicly and appealed in the spring issue of Brockley Society newsletter for others to step forward to take responsibility for existing projects or new ones or perhaps become a trustee. Gratifying responses have already made a difference, most noticeably for the Midsummer Fayre, whose organising committee stepped up to the plate amazingly. Several new initiatives have begun and we have two new trustees.
Brockley Society’s new constitution as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) r etains the pre-existing associate membership : open to all, no matter where they live. It also allows for voting membership for those who would like more active membership. We are still in the process of developing what this means beyond having voting rights.
My appeal was not just to replace me but to organise differently, with distinct projects taking place under the overall direction of the trustees, as required by charity law. We need help with admin in general, we would benefit by having a secretary, and we still have not worked out how we want to involve and empower the voting members created by our new CIO constitution. We have an inspiring number of volunteers in different fields and we need to work out how best to involve them.
Brockley Society has two parts. The Planning and Conservation component is sometimes unseen. Our Planning Group chair is Chris Johnson , who is of a similar age to me and is seeking others - architects, surveyors, lay people - to step forward. He will use his vast experience from a lifetime in architecture and planning to mentor others.
Brockley Society’s second component is its community activities, including the Midsummer Fayre . Groups have approached us in the past to create a new project: street trees (which became Street Trees for Living), a community garden in Breakspears Mews, Festivals of Ideas for Change, taking over four K2 listed telephone boxes, the 2015 Mass Photo on Hilly Fields. Anyone who has a project they would like to bring to life, or who enjoys living in Brockley, or wants their children to grow up in a strong community, I appeal to you to consider what part you could play in Brockley Society, to be able to say: ‘I am proud of where I live.’
A list of what we have done over the last year represents an astonishing achievement.
Planning and conservation
The bedrock of Brockley Society is its Planning Group , chaired by Chris Johnson RIBA, a founding member of Brockley Society, who will present the Planning Report tonight.
Collaboration:
We collaborate with Lewisham’s other amenity societies: Ladywell, St John’s, Brookmill Road CA, Telegraph HIll, Sydenham and others. We participate in the borough’s Community Planning Forum. We belong to the London Forum to keep abreast of London and planning and conservation issues. Sadly, it seems that the national organisation, Civic Voice , will be closing. We participate in London Open House Festival and are members of the Victorian Society and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. Locally we collaborate with other community organisations such as the Brockley Max Festival, Brockley Open Studios, Friends of Hilly Fields, and Friends of Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries. We are keen to collaborate with all community groups, large or small.
A chronological list of activities
Wednesday 20 November: Our 2024 AGM heard Edward Adonteng speak about Mr Pink’s House, the colourfully painted house on Loampit Hill, home to the musician and keen Caribbean gardener who died a few years ago. The house is at great risk and Brockley Society continues to seek a way forward on its conservation, with the family.
March 2025 onwards: Breakspears Mews Community Garden: the death of Sally Armstrong saddened volunteers and Brockley Society as a whole. Sally was a garden stalwart over many years and is greatly missed. Regular activities and special events continued. Schools and student groups from Lewisham College student groups have also participated. The garden makes a valuable cultural contribution to the local community. I want to pay tribute to the team who maintain the garden through all weather and also to appeal for more people to become involved.
Wednesday 16 April: Open meeting: Brockley Society and Lewisham Arthouse. An interlinked history in rescuing the former Deptford Library to become an artists’ cooperative and charity
Tuesday 3 June: Film: Tale of a Vampire This eerie film was shown in Lewisham Arthouse, where it was filmed in 1992, as an event contributing to the Brockley Max Festival.
Saturday 21 June 2025: Hilly Fields Midsummer Fayre: The Fayre’s amazing, committed organising team took on specific roles and saw them through to completion. I was proud to work with them. With nearly 100 volunteers they created a very special Fayre, enjoyed by 6,000 or more adults and children. It was exhilarating!.
Friday 4 July: Brockley Society’s informal BBQ was held at the Stone Circle on Hilly Fields
Saturday 12 July: First gathering of a new informal project for anyone interested in researching Who lived in my house? Further meetings have continued as we work out how to advance this as a project.
Wednesday 16 July: Open Meeting: Jane Hearn of the Prefab Museum spoke on The postwar housing crisis and prefabs on HIlly Fields . The meeting was held in the pavilion of Brockley Bowls Club on a balmy sunny evening with the doors open to the gentle breeze.
Saturday 26 July: The third Lewisham Way Youth & Community Centre Reunion Family Day in Luxmore Gardens to celebrate the Centre’s 40-year role was enjoyed by past users, their children,
grandchildren and the general public. Brockley Society has supported this and welcomes plans by a group of past users to continue organising an annual reunion.
Sunday 27 July: A Brockley meander with Graeme: This turned out to be a well-attended ‘ghost walk’ about local features that have disappeared.
Saturday / Sunday 13 & 14 September: Coordinated Front Garden Sale (13th year): Over 100 houses in Brockley, Ladywell and St John’s registered to participate in this quirky event.
Thursday 18 September: Caribbean Memories of Post-war Brockley brought together older locals to share their personal memories as part of our project to record and preserve the rich contributions of the Caribbean community to Brockley.
For London Open House Festival we ran two events:
Saturday 20 September: An Architectural Walk in Brockley, in Brockley’s High Victorian enclave. The attendance again reflected the local interest in guided walks.
Sunday 21 September: Brockley’s Historic Mews Walk Three guided walks through Ashby, Wickham and Breakspears Mews, ending with refreshments in Breakspears Mews Community Garden, which raised £200 for the garden’s funds. The walks were enjoyed by over 70 people on a beautiful day.
Our listed K2 Telephone boxes on Lewisham Way: Defibrillator in Breakspears Road phone box is registered on the national defibrillator network, The Circuit, and is regularly checked by a team of volunteers, including Lewisham College students. The Tyrwhitt Road general library is filled, tidied and sorted by volunteers and unknown members of the public. Three locals John, Marcus and Will quietly painted and repaired it as a ‘community contribution’. Builder Fred is dealing with some technical repairs, also for the Wickham Road children’s library . Our fourth phone box in St Margaret’s Road has been cleaned and repairs have begun. Plans are still forming.
Newsletter, communications and social media
Brockley Society’s newsletter records our activities, reflects our wider community, and is distributed by over 50 volunteers three times a year to 4,000+ houses, shops and cafes in Brockley Conservation Area and beyond. Andrew Thomas gives editorial assistance. Sara Corrin covers advertising.
Our Website brockleysociety.org.uk is the main window of our activities.
Brockley-relevant circular emails go roughly monthly to over 1600 addressees reflecting the breadth of our “associate” membership.
Our social media presence has been limited to Instagram, maintained by Carol Hooper, and occasionally Facebook.
Archives and records: We are grateful to a local family who house our archives. We hope to return to sorting and managing them in the new year.
Historical project
We have looked at and recorded the the area’s Victorian and early 20th century history to some extent and have begun steps to turn research by Gillian Heywood MBE into a book, assisted by Alison Groom.
But the post-WWII and Windrush contribution is in danger of being erased from memory. in the 1960s and 1970s the composition of the Brockley area was 40 to 60 per cent Windrush and Caribbean with some African residents as people facing housing discrimination moved into the area’s big houses. Brockley had its share of racist attacks and discrimination, some of which has
been recorded elsewhere. But the wealth of history in Brockley must be unearthed and recorded.
As part of this we have begun two activities this year:
1) Who lived in my house? An informal fun, participant-led, non-facilitated study group, initiated by Mel Loveday and supported by a number of participants.
2) Caribbean Memories of Post-War Brockley. The first event has been held when five elders recounted their memories. Led by Michelle Wright and Shevon. Future events are planned for The 2nd Windrush Generatio n
Graeme has stepped in to do guided walks.. We welcome all who wish to assist in this or create other projects.
Committee and volunteers
We have been delighted to welcome two new trustees: Elizabeth Morss and Michelle Rose. Thanks also to our Planning Group, Fayre Committee and Breakspears Mews Community Garden committees, speakers at events, those who deliver the newsletter, the volunteers who check the phone box libraries, and others who contribute to Brockley Society on so many fronts, with activities large and small. It is inspiring to be part of this community.
Clare Cowen Brockley Society Chair 18 November 2025
Charity Reg. No.1201209
Treasurer’s Report, year to 30th September 2024
Basis of preparation[ 1 ]
The accounts for the year follow. In line with the requirements for charities (specifically Charitable incorporated organisations) of this size the accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis and are exempt from preparation in line with SORP 2015. They are unaudited; no Independent Examination has been carried out, as the charity’s income was below the value for which an Independent Examination is required by the Charities Commission.
Financial position
The balance on the current account was £35,404.08. The balance on the CCLA deposit fund balance was £9,109. Total funds available to the Brockley Society are £44,678.26.
Income
Overall net income for the year ending 30 September 2024 was £23,671.23.
In 2024 the Fayre once again remains the major source of fundraising for the year. Total gross income generated by the Fayre was £21,142; costs were £15,271, generating a net profit of £5,871. This is consistent with profits in previous years. We also managed to recover some outstanding invoices from prior Fayres and newsletter adverts.
Expenses and Cost of Sales
Expenses and Cost of Sales increased in the year comparative to previous years. This was in relation to charitable activities of the Society and in particular in relation to the defibrillator project, feasibility study for BMCG, BCA50 event and Lewisham Way Youth & Community Centre: Annual Reunion Day.
Reserves
Our current reserve policy, set to ensure Brockley Society can cover minimal activities and expenditure for the next 2 years, is set to a reserve of £12,500.
Remuneration / Refunds
No trustees of Brockley Society have received any remuneration during this financial year. 11 Trustees and volunteers for Brockley Society received reimbursement for expenses made on behalf of Brockley Society for a total of £3,466.02 – the majority of which were related to the Fayre.
Governance
These accounts reconcile to the current bank account of the Society held with Barclays, as well as the PayPal balance and cash held. The CCLA balance is the prior year balance. There were no withdrawals from the CCLA account during the financial year.
PUBLIC - 1 GOV.UK Charity reporting and accounting: the essentials March 2015 (updated following The Charities Act 2011 (Accounts and Audit) Order 2015)
Charity Commission Database Updates, Annual Returns and Register Checks have been filed for all years to 30/09/2023.
Treasurer
17/11/2024
| BROCKLEY SOCIETY ANNUAL ACCOUNTS | Current year | Current year | Current year | Prior year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| For Period: 01/10/2023 to 30/09/2024 | Restricted | Unrestricted | Total funds | Total funds |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| FUNDS AS OF START OF YEAR | 0.00 | 47,852.31 | 47,852.31 | 44,688.45 |
| INCOME | ||||
| General Sales | 0.00 | 224.11 | 224.11 | 902.55 |
| Subscriptions | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Fayre stalls | 0.00 | 5,255.00 | 5,255.00 | 5,700.00 |
| Fayre catering stalls | 0.00 | 3,220.00 | 3,220.00 | 2,830.00 |
| Fayre advertising | 0.00 | 3,400.00 | 3,400.00 | 2,630.00 |
| Fayre sponsors | 0.00 | 2,000.00 | 2,000.00 | 3,500.00 |
| Fayre income | 0.00 | 7,267.00 | 7,267.00 | 4,354.87 |
| Newsletter adverts | 0.00 | 1,800.00 | 1,800.00 | 1,360.00 |
| Donations to BrocSoc | 0.00 | 182.65 | 182.65 | 295.70 |
| Donations for Trees | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Donations to BMCG | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Investment Income | 322.47 | 322.47 | 0.00 | |
| Various | 0.00 | 0.00 | ||
| TOTAL INCOME | 0.00 | 23,671.23 | 23,671.23 | 21,573.12 |
| LESS COST OF SALES: | ||||
| General Purchases | 0.00 | -5,437.00 | -5,437.00 | -1,835.74 |
| BMCG purchases | 0.00 | -2,400.00 | -2,400.00 | 0.00 |
| FAYRE purchases | 0.00 | -15,271.00 | -15,271.00 | -12,873.65 |
| TREE purchases | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Total | 0.00 | -23,108.00 | -23,108.00 | -14,709.39 |
| LESS EXPENSES: | ||||
| Advertising | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Printing | 0.00 | -2,715.00 | -2,715.00 | -2,669.00 |
| Postage and Carriage | 0.00 | 0.00 | -34.50 | |
| Stationery | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Books, Magazines etc | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Hosting Fees and IT Consumables | 0.00 | -155.88 | -155.88 | -498.34 |
| Audit and Accountancy Fees | 0.00 | -90.19 | -90.19 | -90.00 |
| Professional Fees | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Bank charges | 0.00 | 0.00 | -55.32 | |
| PayPal charges | -2.79 | -2.79 | 0.00 | |
| Donations | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Insurance | 0.00 | -773.42 | -773.42 | -353.02 |
| Other | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Total | 0.00 | -3,737.28 | -3,737.28 | -3,700.18 |
| TOTAL COST OF SALES + EXPENSES | 0.00 | -26,845.28 | -26,845.28 | -18,409.57 |
| INCOME LESS EXPENSES | 0.00 | -3,174.05 | -3,174.05 | 3,163.55 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OTHER MOVEMENTS | ||||
| PayPal moved to Barclays | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Cash deposited into Barclays | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| FUND AS OF END OF YEAR | 0.00 | 44,678.26 | 44,678.26 | 47,852.00 |
| Statement of Financial Position | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Current year | Current year | Current year | |
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Total funds | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Bank current account balance on 30th Sept of the year | 0.00 |
35,404.08 | 35,404.08 |
| CCLA Charity deposit funds on 30th Sept of the year | 9,109.00 | 9,109.00 | |
| PayPal balance on 30th Sept of the year | 165.18 | 165.18 | |
| Held as cash | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Total Bank and Cash accounts | 0.00 | 44,678.26 | 44,678.26 |