## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** ## **From 23.9.24 Period start date To 23.9.25 Period end date** ## **Charity name: The Cambridge Room (CR)** ## **Charity registration number: 1210177** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP
reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the
purposes of the charity
as set out in its
governing document|Para
1.17|1._To advance education for the public benefit in_
_the planning and design of built environments_
_and their impact on physical and mental health_
2._To promote good citizenship for the public_
_benefit_
_by_
_encouraging_
_and_
_facilitating_
_participation by the public in democratic and_
_legal processes of the planning system,_
_including through research, and the publication_
_of the useful results of such research, in_
_improving the reach and quality of public_
_participation in the planning and design of the_
_built environment to ensure that a diversity of_
_voices are heard, in particular those from_
_marginalised groups_
3._To develop capacity and skills, particularly of_
_socially_
_and_
_economically_
_disadvantaged_
_groups in the region, in such a way that they are_
_better able to identify, and help meet, their_
_needs and to participate more fully in society_| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to
those purposes for the
public benefit, in
particular, the activities,
projects or services
identified in the
accounts.|Para
1.17 and
1.19|During this first year of the CR’s existence the focus
has been on building networks within the local
community. Much of this has been done through its
experimental events in its pop up shop, Unit 57, in
the Grafton Centre and the events and workshops
therein.
**Purpose 1**
Events and workshops relating to the advancing of
education
**Purpose 2**
Events and workshops encouraging the public to
participate in the processes of the planning system.| |||Ongoing research on the impact of the CR is being
written up by researchers in the Community Design
Research Lab in Cambridge University.
**Purpose 3**
Volunteering and work experience opportunities.
Events and workshops in socially and economically
disadvantaged areas.| |---|---|---| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees
have had regard to the
guidance issued by the
Charity Commission on
public benefit|Para
1.18|The trustees have given due regard to public benefit.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-benefit-rules-for-
charities| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:| |---|---|---| ||SORP
reference|| |Policy on grant making|Para
1.38|Not applicable| |Policy on social
investment including
program related
investment|Para
1.38|Not applicable| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para
1.38|The CR has benefitted from extensive volunteer input
in the following forms:
-
Trustee management (20 days)
-
explaining the purpose of the CR to visitors and
inviting engagement with the activities and
exhibitions within the space & collecting visitor
data (circa 100 days, 5 volunteers);
-
Design and hosting of events in the CR pop up
shop (circa 70 events, circa 350 hours);
-
Supporting CR events such as the opening party
(circa 100 hours);
-
Writing blogs, social media and other
dissemination material for the CR (circa 5 days)| |Other||| ## **Achievements and Performance** SORP reference |Summary of the main
achievements of the
charity, identifying the
difference the charity’s
work has made to the
circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any
wider benefits to society
as a whole.|Para
1.20|The Charity leased a pop up space in the Grafton
Centre in Cambridge from March-September 2025.
During this period it hosted 70 events and
workshops attended by almost 2000 members of the
public. The public had free access to in person
events. See www.cambridgeroom.org
**Objective 1**
_To advance education for the public benefit in the_
_planning and design of built environments and their_
_impact on physical and mental health._
‘Let’s Talk About’ events in the CR, including ‘Let’s
Talk About a Healthy Cambridge’. The CR is
supporting the development of a major research
report on ‘A Healthy Cambridge’.
**_Objective 2_**
_To promote good citizenship for the public benefit by_
_encouraging and facilitating participation by the public_
_in democratic and legal processes of the planning_
_system, including through research, and the publication_
_of the useful results of such research, in improving the_
_reach and quality of public participation in the planning_
_and design of the built environment to ensure that a_
_diversity of voices are heard, in particular those from_
_marginalised groups._
Events and workshops such as Let’s Talk About the
Beehive have enabled members of the public to have
an improved understanding of events underpinning
particular planning decisions, in this way facilitating
their participation in the planning system. Citizen
education was the particular focus of a series of
lunchtime talks by local historian Anthony Carpen.
The activities of the CR, particularly with regard to
increasing the diversity of the space, are currently
being written up as two research papers in their final
stage of review with_Buildings and Cities_journal. The
CR is the subject of two ongoing PhD projects, one on
knowledge exchange, the other on the benefits of the
CR to older people. An interactive exhibit within the
space, a timeline of community activities in planning
in Cambridge, has allowed members of the
community to add their narratives to this an ongoing
history project on planning in the Cambridge
**Objective 3**
_To develop capacity and skills, particularly of socially_
_and economically disadvantaged groups in the region,_
_in such a way that they are better able to identify, and_
_help meet, their needs and to participate more fully in_
_society._| |---|---|---| In terms of developing capacity and skills the CR has benefitted from the regular input of a team of volunteers who have been helping to keep the pop up shop open while adding new experience in community engagement to their CVs. The CR also provided work experience to two Year 12 pupils. Activities include a public talk and exhibition that shares the knowledge and experience of developing a community garden project at the Abbey area, one of the city’s most deprived wards. _The Charity collaborated with the Cambridgeshire Repair Café Network to run_ _**3 repair cafés** , helping local residents building skills, saving money and developing social connections._ The Charity helped to facilitate a symposium on – community led research Shared Knowledge is Shared Power attended by over 100 community members. - https://www.cambridgeroom.org/events/shared knowledge-is-shared-power-symposium **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Achievements against
objectives set|Para
1.41|We are very pleased with the degree of engagement
with the CR but the Charity is conscious of the need
to
improve
engagement
with
socially
and
economically disadvantaged groups and is developing
plans to do so in the coming year.| |---|---|---| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para
1.41|The CR projected an annual income of £5000
during its first year. It was hindered in achieving this
due to difficulties in negotiating the lease of the pop
up space which took nearly 6 months.
The CR received £500 per month, over 5 months,
from the Community Design Research Lab within
the Department of Architecture, University of
Cambridge, for help in facilitating its research work
within the CR space (total £2500).
Other income (amount) was derived from small
donations from visitors to the space.| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para
1.41|Not applicable| |Other||| ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|£1,977.83, including reserves| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|Aim to have reserves as 3 months running
costs, which equates to £540 x 3 = £1,620| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|£1,000| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|Not applicable| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|Not applicable| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|Further funds have been received and
grant applications continue| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|The charity continues to benefit from
research funding, offering facilitation
services to the Community Design
Research Lab in the Department of
Architecture.| |---|---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|Not applicable| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|-
Eviction from current premises in
Grafton Centre.
-
Inability to secure a long term financial
pipeline.
-
Inability to access a greater diversity of
communities in line with charitable
objectives.
-
Inability to recruit financial and legal
expertise into its Trustee team.| |Other||| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing
document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|CIO - FOUNDATION| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|(1)
Apart from the first charity
trustees, every trustee must
be appointed [for a term of
[three] years] by a resolution
passed
at
a
properly
convened meeting of the
charity trustees.
(2)
In selecting individuals for
appointment
as
charity
trustees, the charity trustees
must have regard to the
skills,
knowledge
and
experience needed for the
effective administration of
the CIO.
Appointment must be agreed by a majority
of all trustees.| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements||where relevant about:| |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction
and training of trustees|Para 1.51|No new trustees have been inducted since
the Charity was set up.
If a new trustee joined the team we would
**provide them with an induction pack**
**including:**the charity's governing
document, strategic plan, financial
accounts, and mission/vision statements is
provided.| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|The charity has a Chair and a Treasurer.
Other than this the charity has a flat
organisational structure with all Trustees
having equal status within the organisation.| |Relationship with any
related parties|Para 1.51|| Other ## **Reference and Administrative details** Charity name Other name the charity uses Registered charity number Charity’s principal address ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (if any)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Ze'ev Feigis|Chair||| ||Maria Abreu|||| ||Patrick Usborne|||| ||Peter Studdert|||| ||Katherine
Thornburrow|Treasurer||| ||Olutumininu
Hawkins|||| ||Fabrizio Galeazzi|||| ||Flora Samuel|||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity **Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year** ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** Description of the assets held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** |**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**| |---|---|---| |**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**||| |||| |||| |||| |||| |**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**||| |||| ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details ## **Other optional information** Declarations The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees, report above. Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees Signature{s) Full namelsl Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etcl Gkni Fr Date Ye,11 I 2023 YeLlI 2 2024 Yecir 3 2025 YeLlI 4 2026 Yecir 5 2027 kv, Cash Recelevèd Doiiitioiis Gi'clllts Sei'vices Debit iiiterest iefuiid Total Sale Revenue £20.00 £525.03 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £2,500.00 £0.00 £0.07 £20.00 £3,025.10 Cash Spent,, - Sales& N1arketing Website & Email MLirketingMaterial £o,00 £o,00 £0.00 £0.00 Adiministration Lease Insurance Supplies & IT Legal/Licensing Sumup Banking Other £0.00 £0.00 £o,00 £0.00 £0.00 £11.16 £0.00 £729.41 £284.62 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £42.08 £0.00 £11.16 £1,056.11 vcash Flow'(Deflclt)# £8.84 £1,968.99 1111111 1111111 1111111 11111 BBIII 1111111 1111111 1111111 11111 1111- 1111111 1111111 11111 Biiii Iiiiii= 1111111 BBIIIII IIIBB BBIIB 1111111 1111111 1111111 1111111 1111111 1111111 1111111 11111 11111 11111 11111