HAMPSTEAD GARDEN SUBURB FELLOWSHIP
(Registered Charity No. 207948)
Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31[st] July 2025
The Trustees are pleased to present their Annual Report & Accounts which have been unanimously approved by them and the Management Committee at the Annual Meeting on 15[th] October 2025.
| Object & Activities | Page 2 |
|---|---|
| Governance & Management Structure | Page 2 |
| Management & Trustees | Page 3 |
| Review of the Year | Page 4 |
| Financial Review and Reserves Policy | Page 5 |
| Contact & Information | Page 6 |
| Independent Examiner’s Report | Page 6 |
| Statements of Accounts | Page 7,8 |
| Trustees’ Declaration | Page 8 |
HGS Fellowship
Annual Report & Accounts 2025
Object
Hampstead Garden Suburb Fellowship is a charity (founded in 1910) to promote the physical, social, cultural and educational wellbeing of Hampstead Garden Suburb residents over the age of 60.
Activities
In order to fulfil directly and indirectly its charitable object, Fellowship conducts a wide range of activities and welfare support much of which is based in the community centre building of Fellowship House at 136A Willifield Way, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London NW11 6YD
Governance and Management Structure
Fellowship is run according to the provisions laid down in its Constitution by a Management Committee of at least eight local unpaid volunteers who choose from their number between three and five Trustees. One member of the Management Committee is appointed by the Hampstead Garden Suburb Residents Association, a body one of whose purposes is to promote the general welfare of all Hampstead Garden Suburb Residents regardless of age (i.e. about 5,000 households). As well as overseeing the activities of Fellowship, the Management Committee is responsible for the management of the buildings and land leased from The Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust. Cleaning and caretaking services are provided by a professional team. To finance its charitable activities, Fellowship derives income from lettings, subscriptions from Club members, donations from residents and other parties and bequests. After examination by an Independent Examiner, the accounts of Fellowship are lodged annually with the Charity Commission and published on the website.
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HGS Fellowship
Annual Report & Accounts 2025
Management & Trustees during the period
Management Committee
Andrew Botterill (Chair) Martin Webster (Hon Treasurer) Jill Purdie (Hon Secretary, Activities and Newsletter) Lorna Jones (Transport, Welfare) Sally Botterill (Weekly Talks and Art Gallery) Elisabeth Kocen (Lettings) Margaret Lancaster (Fellowship Club Membership Secretary) Marie-Christine O’Callaghan (HGS Residents Association Representative) Irene Colomb Louise Scheuer (Honorary)
Trustees
Andrew Botterill Elisabeth Kocen Jill Purdie Martin Webster
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HGS Fellowship
Annual Report & Accounts 2025
Review of the Year
Fellowship has enjoyed another good year, and the local community continues to be very well served by the facilities and by the scope and low cost of the activities taking place in our building and grounds.
In the 115[th] year of Fellowship’s existence, we continue to be made aware of the relative affluence over recent decades of Hampstead Garden Suburb compared with other parts of London. In great contrast to earlier times, the demand for financial support is hard to find in our area whilst beyond it there is a constant and increasing need for the reserves we judge to have available to apply to appropriate causes. So it is that we look further afield. As an example, the Financial Review section below details a total of £36,150 going to Food Banks, Toynbee Hall (Tower Hamlets) and Laurence’s Larder (Brent), two of London’s most deprived Boroughs. In total, outward charitable donations have increased from last year by 17% to £75,607.
One of our larger bequests arrived right at the end of our Financial Year. The end of year reserves figure on the Balance Sheet is high because the Trustees felt that more time was needed for reflection on how much should be retained against future as yet unspecified needs and how much could go to good causes. We will form our judgements here over the 2025-2026 year.
Fellowship House continues to be filled every day from morning until evening by residents involved in a score of activities, from weekly talks to wine tasting, from concerts to yoga, from Zumba to dressmaking, from poetry to art etc. etc.
Apart from the paid caretaker contractors, HGS Fellowship depends wholly on volunteers to allow it to function. The Trustees thank all those who contribute to the success of HGS Fellowship. The Trustees remain concerned about the growing reluctance of people to put in voluntary work for the good of their community, day in day out, on a year-round basis. One current example we are attempting to work through is the difficulty in maintaining an adequate supply of volunteer drivers able to bring people with restricted mobility to Fellowship events and activities.
We give tribute to Suburb residents and also local organisations (e.g. U3A, HGS Art, History Society, Hort Soc and various musical and singing groups etc.) which hold their meetings and social events at Fellowship House. We try to keep rentals low to benefit the local community but the income they provide covers the running costs of our building and equipment which we always aim to keep in the best condition possible. It’s a virtuous circle.
The Art Gallery with its monthly exhibitions continues to provide interest to users and visitors as well as a stimulus for North London artists. We make no charge for admission or exhibiting and no commission is taken on any sales.
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HGS Fellowship
Annual Report & Accounts 2025
Financial Review of the Year
Income for the year increased by 295% to £249,610 due principally to the receipt of significant bequests from the estates of Moya Page and Margaret Hilary Cox. Regular income was down by 6.6% with slight reductions in membership subscriptions and income from the use of Fellowship House partly offset by an increase in investment income (COIF deposits).
Welfare spending was stable at £7,515. The bequests received supported an increase in charitable donations of 17% to £75,607. Main recipients of the latter were: Toynbee Hall (£14,000), North London Hospice (£14,000), Food Bank Aid (£14,000), Age UK Barnet (£10,000), Lawrence’s Larder, Kilburn (£8,150), Royal Free Hospital Charity (£5,000). In addition, a further total of £10,456 was donated to 9 smaller registered charities with which we have built connections over the years through the Weekly Talks speakers etc.
The result for the year was a surplus of £130,020. Liquid reserves carried forward (Cash at Bank plus Charities Official Investment Fund Deposit Account) were £244,365. This is significantly higher than our reserves policy equating to 3 years of non-discretionary running expenses as the significant bequests received during the year will be utilised to support welfare and charitable activities over the coming years as the Trustees feel is appropriate.
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HGS Fellowship
Annual Report & Accounts 2025
Contact and Information
For detailed information about Hampstead Garden Suburb Fellowship and its activities, visit our website : www.fellowshiphouse.co.uk and any questions should be directed by email to hello@fellowshiphouse.co.uk
Independent Examiner’s Report
I have examined the Income and Expenditure account and the Statement of Assets and Liabilities of HGS Fellowship and have obtained all the information and explanations that I considered necessary. In my opinion HGS Fellowship has kept proper books and the Income and Expenditure account and the Statement of Assets and Liabilities are in agreement therewith.
Peter Blackstaffe FCA
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HGS Fellowship
Annual Report & Accounts 2025
Hampstead Garden Suburb Fellowship Statement of Accounts Year ended 31 July 2025
| 2023/24 £ 10,009 1,388 7,004 40,391 3,498 6,036 0 5,531 10,900 84,757 34,212 7,351 64,519 3,823 2,398 112,303 (27,546 ) (5,531) 84,342 0 51,265 |
Income Donations collected by Residents Association Gift Aid Members subs and allotments Payments for use of Fellowship House Other admission charges and miscellaneous Other donations (includes members) Bequests Income from investments Gain on sale of fixed assets Total income Expenditure Upkeep of Fellowship House, garden and croquet lawn Welfare work Charitable donations Autumn and Spring music series (net) Printing, stationery, postage, miscellaneous Total expenditure Income greater (less) than Expenditure Income from investments retained within Investment Fund Funds brought forward Fixed assets purchased Funds carried forward |
2024/25 General Fund £ 9,715 0 6,107 37,413 4,011 4,330 180,426 7,608 0 |
|---|---|---|
| 249,610 | ||
| 28,784 7,515 75,607 2,453 5,231 |
||
| 119,590 | ||
| 130,020 (7,608) 51,265 0 |
||
| 173,677 |
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HGS Fellowship
Annual Report & Accounts 2025
Hampstead Garden Suburb Fellowship Statement of Accounts Year ended 31 July 2025
| 15,102 101,42 4 48 7 211,47 1 14,724 (4,838) 338,37 0 51,264 277,10 6 10,000 338,37 0 |
Statement of Assets and Liabilities Monetary assets Cash at bank Charities Official Investment Fund deposit account Debtors Other non-monetary assets held for own use Fellowship House premises, at cost less depreciation Fellowship House furnishings and equipment, at cost less depreciation Total assets held Less creditors Total net assets Representing General Fund Investment Fund Building Sinking Fund Total unrestricted funds |
10,658 233,70 7 812 |
|---|---|---|
| 245,17 7 206,32 3 8,072 |
||
| 459,57 2 |
||
| 459,57 2 (2,981) |
||
| 456,59 1 |
||
| 173,67 7 272,91 4 10,000 |
||
| 456,59 1 |
||
| 456,59 1 |
Declaration
The Trustees declare that they have approved the foregoing Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts. Signed on behalf of the Charity’s trustees
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HGS Fellowship
Annual Report & Accounts 2025
Andrew Botterill Position: Chair
Date: 15[th] October 2025
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