OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2024-12-31-accounts

The Dulwich Society

Annual Report for the year

1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024

Registered Charity number 234192

1

Objectives and Activities

Purposes

The Dulwich Society is an unincorporated association registered as a charity on 1 May 1964. Its constitution was adopted on 12 March 1964 and was revised on 20 May 2024. Minor revisions are proposed for approval at the 2025 AGM.

The Society’s objectives are to foster and safeguard the amenities of Dulwich, both in the interests of its residents and the wider local community of which it is a part, and to increase awareness of the varied character that makes the area so special.

The Society represents all parts of Dulwich, North, South, East and West in the London Boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth.

Further details of the Society’s aims and objectives are here.

Main activities

In planning their activities, the Trustees have regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

The Society has several activity groups which make recommendations to the Trustees to actively seek improvements in the environment, architecture and planning, licensing, trees, gardens, wildlife habitats and nature/species conservation, and knowledge of local history.

The Society comments regularly on local authority planning applications and is also a consultee for the Dulwich Estate on all changes to properties within the Estate’s Scheme of Management. We encourage change, and welcome good design appropriate to its setting, but actively defend Dulwich against the pressures of inappropriate development. In 2024, the Society has been working with the Dulwich Estate on its Green Strategy.

The Society supports additional tree planting on streets and in public open spaces and organises regular local history talks and walks. The Society has successfully submitted project ideas for using Southwark Cleaner Greener Safer (CGS) funds to enhance the Dulwich environment and improve local safety, securing Council funding to assist in local restoration projects.

Policy on grant-making

The Society’s resources currently allow it to make small grants to local projects which meet its objectives, for example improvements to the paths in local woods and parks and funding of benches and information boards. The Society’s Policy on grant-making is here.

Contribution made by volunteers

Volunteers play an essential part in the running of the Society. There are over 100 volunteers who sit on various activity groups and deliver the Society’s Journal which is issued 4 times a year.

2

Main achievements

As well as organising many talks and garden events, during 2024 the Society has approved a new Constitution, started to consider a strategic development plan and initiated a member engagement strategy.

Following a 6 month consultation with members, and a Special General Meeting to consider Motions proposed by a group of members, the Society approved a new Constitution at a wellattended Annual General Meeting on 20 May 2024. The new Constitution is based on a Charity Commission template. It will modernise the Society’s processes, enabling meetings and votes to be held online for example, and provide for retirement of Trustees by rotation, so that new Trustees can bring a fresh outlook whilst maintaining continuity of the local knowledge and expertise held by existing Trustees.

Richard Wingfield joined as a Trustee in January 2024 and took on the role of Development Lead. At the end of the year a member survey was issued, to better understand the perspectives, priorities and interests of our members. The results, which are summarised in the Development section of this report, will feed into our broader development plans. As part of our member engagement strategy, we have reached out to members through two “Meet the Trustees” events, one targeted at new members and the other at East Dulwich residents. In March 2025, the Trustees held a Strategic Planning day to further develop plans for the future. In preparation for this, the Chair and Treasurer conducted a detailed analysis of the Society’s finances.

Towards the end of 2024, planning commenced for a flagship event – “Women and Politics” – which was held on 4 March 2025 to coincide with International Women’s Day. Six inspirational women joined us for a discussion and Q&A on the theme of Women and Politics: Baroness Harriet Harman PC, KC; Baroness Caroline Pidgeon, MBE; Helen Hayes, MP; Naima Ali, Mayor of Southwark; Resham Kotecha, Global Head of Policy at the Open Data Institute and Head of Engagement for Women2Win; and Aruna Iyengar, BBC news correspondent, who chaired the evening. The event, held at Alleyn’s MCT Theatre, quickly sold out. The discussion and Q&A were fascinating and greatly appreciated by members and their guests, as well as the local Sixth Form students who also attended and received a politics workshop at the start of the evening.

Membership

Membership at the end of 2024 was 1,311. We gained 204 new members and lost 94 during the year.

£2,574 was received in Gift Aid for the financial year 2023-2024.

The Society encourages subscriptions by direct debit (with Gift Aid where eligible), which is easier to administer than other methods. We are grateful to existing members who have switched from standing order to direct debit during the year. New members continue to join via the direct debit link on the website.

There are still 50+ members who pay their subscriptions by cash, cheque and one-off bank payments. The majority of these need multiple reminders and many do not use email. With the cost of postage now so high, it would be appreciated if these members could change to direct debit, which can be set up quickly and easily via our website

www.dulwichsociety.com/membership-renewal. Members should note that payment is due on

3

1 January each year – reminders are given in both eNews and the winter Journal – so that the Society does not waste money chasing payments.

We have recruited more volunteers to deliver the Journal in and around Dulwich, saving approximately £800pa. However, there are still 150+ members outside the delivery zone and postage has increased considerably. Postal members are asked to contribute towards this cost, which is currently £8.40 p.a. per member.

Projects and Grants

During 2024, the Dulwich Society undertook a number of projects, and also made grants to further its charitable objectives, including:

Links and Partnerships

The Society works closely with local councillors and relevant officers of the London Borough of Southwark and with the Dulwich Estate.

Whilst maintaining a neutral position on Southwark’s traffic proposals, the Society has been a stakeholder in the discussions on the development of the public realm of the junction of Calton Avenue and Court Lane/Dulwich Village.

During 2024, the Society was represented on the Advisory Committee of the Dulwich Estate's Scheme of Management by James Thompson (Chair) and Penny Stern (Trustee). James Thompson’s term of office came to an end in December 2024 and he is replaced by Richard Wingfield (Trustee) in 2025. Society Officers also meet with representatives of the Dulwich Estate regularly on non-Scheme of Management matters.

The Society also has links with a number of other organisations, including:

4

Awards

Brian Green, Local History Group member and former Journal Editor and trustee, was awarded the British Association for Local History’s Outstanding Individual Contribution award.

Development

As Development Lead, Richard Wingfield has led our work this year to think through the Society’s future and strategic planning. This process started with the Society’s first ever survey of its membership in Autumn 2024. Over 100 people engaged with the survey, providing insights into the views of members on their experience of the Society and its activities and events, potential future activities that the Society could look to undertake, and demographic questions to help us understand our membership.

Some of the key findings of the survey were published in the Winter Journal. A significant majority of survey respondents were either “very satisfied” or “quite satisfied” with all the current activities and events, with particularly high satisfaction for the online history talks, monthly eNews and quarterly Journal. We were also pleased to see a large number of positive comments in the open questions, welcoming the current areas of charitable work undertaken by the Society.

While the overwhelming majority of comments received were positive, some respondents also took the opportunity to help us see where the Society could improve when it comes to the work we are currently doing. The two major themes that emerged were, first, that many members wanted to see the Society diversify, both in terms of its activities (and particularly more activities targeted at families and children) and its geographical coverage (especially East and West Dulwich); second, for the Society to increase the level of transparency over its activities and meetings.

Finally, some of the most popular ideas for future activities included local architectural/historical walks, a programme of talks with local public, more regular “meet the trustees” events, events on topical issues such as crime and safety or the environment, and more regular social events.

Building on the results of the survey, the trustees undertook a strategic planning meeting in March, to help guide the development of a strategic plan for the Society’s work in the future. As a result of this, the Society has set itself the following objectives:

5

Planning and Architecture

The Planning & Architecture Group continues to review local planning applications made to Southwark and Lambeth, and licence applications made to the Dulwich Estate Scheme of Management. With a change in Government there are many changes to the national planning system as well as local planning policy. Most recently this has included reviewing Southwark’s Draft Supplementary Planning Documents on Householder Development, Climate and Environment, Section 106 Community Infrastructure Levy and Affordable Housing.

This year we reviewed 193 applications to the Dulwich Estate Scheme of Management. Applications for upgrading properties continue, and we are always keen to argue for the protection of the varied character of buildings that make Dulwich so special.

We have reviewed many local planning applications to our local Councils. Some of the major applications we have commented on include:

It is noticeable that many planning applications remain undecided after considerable periods of time, and we continue to monitor these. Delays often result from the need for further information. There are also several major residential schemes where planning permission has been granted, but no development has started.

We have attended pre-application discussions or presentations on Alleyn’s Top Field redevelopment, Dulwich Picture Gallery Children’s Gallery Construction Management Plan and Dulwich Sports Club.

Members should continue to pass on details of any relevant schemes in their neighbourhood to planning@dulwichsociety.com

Media and Communications

We use our media outlets to communicate with our members, disseminate information from other organisations and help improve the amenities of Dulwich. Our printed Journal and digital eNews are our main forms of member communication and both have excellent feedback. Every member receives our Journal and a large number of our members subscribe to our eNews.

The printed Dulwich Society Journal is sent quarterly to all members. The articles featured cover environmental issues, local wildlife, trees and the natural environment, local history, local charities and community groups. The recent membership survey showed a high level of satisfaction with the Journal, and the content and layout continue to attract favourable comment. It is particularly pleasing that we have been able to deliver more copies by hand, due to new volunteers stepping forward to adopt routes.

6

We would like to thank our advertisers for continuing to support production costs, despite the recent increases, particularly in print paper.

Approximately 6-9 months after appearing in print, the contents of the Journal are put online, where they are searchable.

We welcome new ideas from our readers and articles from new contributors and are particularly keen to hear from anyone in East Dulwich who would like to write about local issues.

Our website is regularly updated and showcases the Society’s work and also Dulwich’s attractions, shops and restaurants. It serves about 3,300 visitors per month and importantly, our website is cookie free, as befits our commitment to visitor privacy.

Our social media accounts highlight local issues and allow us to engage with the community. The main Society Bluesky account highlights Dulwich Society and local community activities and relays information from local councils, the Dulwich Estate and central government. Our Local History Bluesky account brings our local history group’s research and events to the wider world. Our Instagram account supports local events, our local shops and our small businesses. We are active on the East Dulwich Forum where we answer enquiries and publicise our activities.

Local History

Congratulations to group member Brian Green who was awarded the British Association for Local History’s Outstanding Individual Contribution award. His citation read: ‘For his tireless and innovative work in bringing the history of Dulwich to the wider community, through his many publications and his leadership role in local history projects.’

The group participated in the Dulwich Festival with Eric Large leading two walks on the local route of the river Effra, Duncan Bowie leading three walks on Dulwich Social Reformers, and Ian McInnes leading four walks on East Dulwich pubs and the concrete houses in Belvoir Road. All nine were sold out almost immediately.

Working in conjunction with Bell House, group members continued the monthly Zoom talks on a variety of local history subjects. The 2024 schedule included talks on ‘The changing face of Dulwich over time,’ ‘A history of taste of paintings through the ages, through the lens of the Dulwich Picture Gallery collection,’ ‘Lost Mansions in Dulwich Village,’ ‘Kingswood House,’ ‘Alleyn Road.’ They remain popular and have a regular audience – all the proceeds are given to charity. The Society’s talks reach a growing number of members, Dulwich residents and we have even had online attendees from Europe and the US.

We continued to liaise with the Council on the Dulwich Volunteer Battalion information sign which is now installed (as of 8 February 2025) next to the war memorial on the corner of Dulwich Common and Lordship Lane, by St Peter’s Church. We also helped Kingswood Arts with their research on the history of Kingswood House and the post WW2 Kingswood Estate - and we received a very helpful unsolicited article re the Vestey family’s years in Dulwich in the interwar period. Other unsolicited articles included one on singer Anne Shelton, a Court Lane resident, marking the 30[th] anniversary of her death - it was published in a recent Journal. We were sent a revised version of the article on Thomas Farmer Baily of East Dulwich, with more information and better pictures - it is now on the website. The internet continues to be a

7

source of local history enquiries, many from overseas – one enquirer actually visited Dulwich and we showed him the house where his great grandparents had lived.

Members of the group met the chair of the Friends of West Norwood Cemetery (FOWNC) to talk about possible collaboration on the biographies of Dulwich residents buried there. As a result, Dr Jane Jordan, one of the trustees, gave an excellent online talk for the Society in January 2025 and will be leading walks for us in the cemetery at the upcoming Dulwich Festival.

The group has been working with the Dulwich College Archives on scanning a large number of Dulwich postcards onto an online data base, Preservica. The aim is to make them publicly accessible.

The audio posts in the Old College and Cox’s Walk continue to be well used, being played on average 13 and 19 times per day respectively.

The local history X (Twitter) account (@DulwichHistory) was closed in the autumn and a new one opened on Bluesky – at the end of December it had just over 700 followers.

Environment

In its first year, the Environment Group has focused on building a strong foundation by recruiting expert members, getting to know each other, understanding our roles, and establishing governance structures. Our group meets five times annually to collaborate, share knowledge, and support one another in working on local environmental projects. Each member is engaged in initiatives, supported by the collective expertise of the group.

Throughout the year, the Environment Group has contributed regularly to the Journal, writing over half a dozen articles. Several more pieces are in development.

We have hosted expert guests to provide insights into a variety of environmental issues. Topics covered include: biodiversity; environmental scrutiny in Southwark Council; net-zero action in local schools; the impact of festivals on local parks; noise impact of airport development.

Members have engaged with other groups to offer advice, including working with Planning and Architecture to develop sustainability guidelines for the Dulwich Estate and assess the impact of applications on pedestrian safety; providing feedback to the Dulwich Estate on pedestrian safety in the Hunts Slip Road plans; addressing the environmental impact of festivals in Brockwell Park; joining the Aviation Environment Federation and attending Safe Routes to School meetings.

The Environment Group applied for funding from Southwark’s biodiversity fund for a project, and supported another local application, aimed at enhancing biodiversity in the community.

We are currently working on draft guidelines for transforming “grey to green” front gardens, which includes investigating the implications of higher road charges for electric vehicle charging. We are preparing a talk for members on how to retrofit homes to meet higher environmental standards, to help local residents improve the sustainability of their homes. With Southwark Living Streets, we are exploring possible routes through our area to connect the Green Chain Walk with the Green Links Walk, which currently ends in Peckham. If completed, this will provide an outstanding leisure walk linking our area to the north of the borough.

8

Gardens

The Garden Group supports gardening and related activities in Dulwich, a green oasis bejewelled by its gardens, parks, trees and woodland.

Each Spring, we publish a “Dulwich Gardens Open for Charity” brochure, with details of local gardens that are open to the public during the year. This is compiled by Ann Rutherford, with copies going to all members of the Society as well as being distributed to local garden centres and other outlets. We further publicised the openings, which raise significant sums for national and local charities, through the Society’s monthly Newsletter and social media.

Our Spring garden talk, on “The 12-month garden – Colour All Year Round”, was given by garden writer Geoff Hodge and hosted at Bell House, with the surplus benefiting its volunteerled garden activities. In June we took a full coach of Society members and friends to Great Comp Garden (home of the curator’s salvia nursery) and to Chartwell, for what was an enjoyable day out. More locally, we organised visits to the Museum of the Home in Hoxton, where we were taken round by its head gardener, to Fulham Palace Gardens and to Grange Lane Allotments. We concluded the year with a fungus walk in Dulwich Park, where our excellent guide, Fabrice Boltho, identified some 40 different species for us, reflecting the origins of the park as farmland or associated with its more recently planted trees.

Wildlife/Trees

The Wildlife Group continued as before to meet bimonthly in the past year and monitor the health of Dulwich wildlife with our established programme of bird counts in Dulwich Park and Sydenham woods together with reports of sightings from members. There has continued to be a quarterly article in the Journal and a bulletin in the society eNews each month. As it has not been possible to find a chair or secretary for a renewed Trees Group, we have decided that for the time being the two groups should amalgamate as the Wildlife and Tree Group. The combined group has now met and plans a range of walks and activities over the coming year and welcomed this year’s tree planting plans.

The unseasonal weather events of 2024 continued to dominate local as well as national wildlife, particularly the heavy rainfall in early summer causing a profound shortage of insect life and poor breeding success. The one item of good news is that our report last year of extinction of Dulwich hedgehogs was proved wrong, with three quite separate independent hedgehog sightings.

Although our variety and populations of wildlife species are much affected by what happens elsewhere, our best chance of continuing to see and experience the wildlife we love is to regard and maintain our gardens as important habitats and places of survival.

Licensing

Southwark Council’s Licensing Department sends the Society notifications of all premises licence applications for restaurants, bars and events in Dulwich Village and adjacent wards. A group of members examines the applications and recommends to the Society’s Trustees whether the Society should make a representation. Details of new premises licence applications are published in the Society’s monthly eNews. In 2024 the number of premises licence applications again remained stable.

9

An outdoor festival /event needs both a premises licence and an event licence and we attend (either in-person or online) consultation or ‘drop in’ meetings before Southwark grants an events licence. We would strongly encourage Society members to attend consultations/’dropin meetings’ as it their chance to express their views direct to Southwark or the event promoter, before an event licence for an event in their neighbourhood is granted.

10

Financial Review

The Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2024, which are due to be received at the Society’s Annual General Meeting on 19 May 2025, can be found here.

Overall, the Society showed a surplus of £687 for the year, compared to the previous year’s surplus of £3,040.

Income was £32,212 in 2024 against £32,042 in 2023.

Expenditure was £24,647 in 2024 against £26,710 in 2023.

Donations and grants made in 2024 were £6,878 against £2,292 in 2023.

Accumulated Funds and Reserves Policy

The accumulated funds at 31 December 2024 totalled £40,444, mainly represented by bank and deposit accounts. The annual expenditure of the Society depends in part on the cost of projects that are undertaken and grants made or committed in that year, with an underlying surplus in recent years before such expenditure. Given the wish to fund worthwhile projects as they arise and the uncertain nature of the advertising income which partially funds the Society’s quarterly journals, it is the Trustees’ policy to hold as reserves, 9 months normal expenditure (currently some £16,500) together with a further £10,000 to cover unplanned major projects. In addition, the Trustees are reserving the unspent amount from the legacy received in 2016 for future local history projects, which they consider reflect the interests of the legatee, amounting to some £3,500. These amounts total circa £30,000. Funds at 31 December 2024 were in excess of this, and the Trustees continue to seek out worthwhile projects that meet the Society’s aims.

Principal Sources of Funding

The Society’s principal sources of funding are subscriptions (£13,662 in 2024), Gift Aid (£2,574 in 2024), Journal advertising (£9,066 in 2024) and Dulwich Gardens Open for Charity advertising (£2,694 in 2024).

In v estment Policy and Objectives

The Trustees seek to produce an acceptable financial return on the Society’s assets within an acceptable level of risk. The Society’s Investment Policy, which is reviewed annually, can be found here.

11

Structure, Governance and Management

The Dulwich Society is administered by its charity trustees. The trustees collectively are known as the Trustee Committee. The trustees comprise the Officers (Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary), and other trustees. Other trustees have roles as Group Chairs and other roles such as Membership Secretary and Journal Editor. The Trustee Committee meets every two months. The Society's subject groups provide technical expertise and volunteers. They advise the Trustee Committee which is the Society's decision-making body. The ability to comment on domestic licence applications to the Managers of the Dulwich Estate Scheme of Management has been devolved to the Planning and Architecture Group. Every subject group has a trustee as a member. All members of the Trustee Committee are Trustees of the Dulwich Society on appointment.

In addition to the Trustees, the Society has an honorary President, who is not a Trustee.

All members of the Trustee Committee were elected at the AGM on 20 May 2024. A new constitution was adopted at this AGM, which provides for retirement of trustees by rotation. In future, the number of Trustees closest to one third will step down each year, including those resigning and the longest serving, who may apply for re-election. The remaining two thirds of Trustees will continue in post. Those applying for election or re-election must be nominated by two members of the Society. Any contested election is determined by ballot at the Annual General Meeting. The Trustees have the power to fill any vacancy occurring in between Annual General Meetings.

All Trustees and members of the sub-groups give their time voluntarily and receive no remuneration or other benefits.

The Society is governed by its Constitution which can be found here.

Following a 6 month consultation with members on proposed new Rules during 2023, a new constitution based on a Charity Commission template was proposed for adoption at the AGM in May 2024. 34 members petitioned the Trustees to hold a Special General Meeting (SGM) to consider 4 Motions which, if approved, would have meant that the new constitution could not be adopted. At an SGM held immediately prior to the AGM, the 4 Motions were not approved and at the AGM, the new constitution was approved by 71% of the members voting, and has been registered with the Charity Commission.

Policies and Procedures

During 2024, the Trustees reviewed the Investment Policy, Reserves Policy, Internal Controls, the Safeguarding, Conflict of Interest, Grant-making, and Risk Management Policies and the Risk Map. A Policy Review Timetable is in place to assist with managing the policy review framework.

Publication of Minutes of Meetings

Minutes of Members' general meetings, Trustees' meetings and Group meetings (from June 2021 onwards) are available to members once they are approved. Minutes of Members' general meetings (from 2010 onwards), Trustees' meetings (from 2018 onwards) and Group meetings (from June 2021 onwards) are available on the Society's website. Earlier years' minutes of Members' general meetings and Trustees' meetings are available on request to the Secretary.

12

Policies and Procedures for the Induction and Training of Trustees

New Trustees receive Charity Commission documentation and regular updates to help them understand their obligations as Trustees.

References and Administrative Details

Charity name: The Dulwich Society Registered Charity Number: 234192 Charity’s principal address: The Dulwich Society, c/o 94 Underhill Road, London, SE22 0QU

Names of the Charity Trustees who Manage the Charity

Trustee name Role Dates acted if not
for whole year
James Thompson Chair (Officer)
Susan Badman Vice Chair (Officer)
Heather Stubbs Secretary (Officer)
Russell Lloyd Treasurer (Officer)
Ian McInnes Chair Local History Group
Jeremy Prescott Chair Gardens Group
Peter Roseveare Chair Wildlife Group
David Beamish Chair Trees Group 1/1/24-20/05/24
Laurie Johnston Chair Environment Group
Penelope Stern Chair Planning and Architecture Group
Patsy Bramble Chair Licensing Group
Diana McInnes Membership Secretary 1/1/24-20/05/24
Christine Brandon Membership Secretary 20/05/24-31/12/24
Claire Richards Journal Editor
Richard Wingfield Development Lead 15/01/24-31/12/24
Sharon O’Connor Media and Communications Lead 20/05/24-31/12/24

Since the year end, Jane Jones was co-opted as a trustee on 25 March 2025.

Honorary President

Kenneth Wolfe

The Honorary President is not a Trustee

13

Independent Examiner

Sally-Anne Jeffries K.A. Jeffries and Co 18 Melbourne Grove London SE22 8RA

Bankers

Barclays Bank 28 Rye Lane Peckham London SE15 5BS

Declarations

The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s)

JamesThompson

Heather Stubbs

Full name (s) Position Date

James Thompson Chair 16 April 2025

Heather Louise Stubbs Secretary 16 April 2025

14

THE DULWICH SOCIETY

Registered Charity No. 234192

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

31 DECEMBER 2024

THE DULWICH SOCIETY

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of The Dulwich Society

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Dulwich Society (the Society) for the year ended 31 December 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Society you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act").

I report in respect of my examination of the trustee's accounts carried out under s. 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under s. 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and the seeking of explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently, no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a "true and fair view" and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

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:

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.

S A Jeffries

……………………………………..

S.A.Jeffries Chartered Accountant

K.A.Jeffries & Company 18 Melbourne Grove London, SE22 8RA

16th April 2025

Date: ……………………………………….

1

THE DULWICH SOCIETY

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2024

Statement of Financial Activities
for the year ended 31 December 2024
Note
Income
Subscriptions
Gift Aid
Interest receivable
Advertising
2
Gardens Open for Charity booklet advertising
3
Gardening group - coach trip
Diamond Jubilee event - receipts
History talk
Southwark Council - plaque reimbursements
Southwark Council - bench plinth reimbursement
Income from talks
Total income
Expenditure
Journal printing costs
Journal distribution costs
Postage and related expenses
Subscriptions
AGM expenditure
SGM expenditure
Society - public and trustee liability insurance
Maintenance of website
Dulwich Gardens Open for Charity booklet
3
Gardening group coach trip
Garden talks
DGOFC - commission
Edward Alleyn statue insurance
Zoom subscription
Clarke's Green bench plinths - reimbursed by Southwark Council
Depreciation
Diamond Jubilee party costs
Talk costs
Fungi walk
WW2 bomb & Burial Ground leaflets - reprints
A1 poster - history board
St Christopher's Hospice donation re History talk
Meet the Trustees - entertaining expenses
Other expenses < £100
Total expenditure
Net income
Less:
Projects and grants
4
Net movement in funds
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward		 Unrestricted funds
£
£
13,662
2,574
2,080
9,066
2,694
1,802
-
-
-
-
334
32,212
9,053
2,294
122
68
378
2,636
1,142
1,656
2,456
1,529
290
700
750
156
-
897
-
-
-
-
-
-
367
154
2024		 Unrestricted funds
£
£
12,510
2,424
1,590
6,504
2,165
1,820
1,165
536
620
2,300
408
32,042
9,787
2,092
200
68
324
-
1,372
1,602
2,662
1,480
378
541
(858)
144
2,300
621
2,339
100
150
661
100
536
-
111
2023
9,053
2,294
122
68
378
2,636
1,142
1,656
2,456
1,529
290
700
750
156
-
897
-
-
-
-
-
-
367
154		 9,787
2,092
200
68
324
-
1,372
1,602
2,662
1,480
378
541
(858)
144
2,300
621
2,339
100
150
661
100
536
-
111
24,647 26,710
7,565
6,878		 5,332
2,292
687
39,757		 3,040
36,717
40,444 39,757

2

THE DULWICH SOCIETY

Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2024

Note
Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds
£
£
£
£
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
5
2,451
3,348
Investments
6
40,768
43,220
38,789
42,137
Current assets
Cash at bank - Barclays
830
978
Barclays - deposit account
3,107
1,750
Sundry debtors
7
1,050
1,030
_
___
4,987
3,758
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year
Sundry creditors
8
7,764
6,138
7,764
6,138
Net current assets/(liabilities)
(2,777)
(2,380)
Total assets less current liabilities
40,444
39,757
Total net assets
40,444
39,757
Unrestricted funds
Accumulated fund
40,444
39,757
Total Funds
40,444
39,757
Approved on behalf of the trustees
J Thompson
R Lloyd
Chairman …………………………………..
Hon.Treasurer ………………………………
James Thompson
Russell Lloyd
16th April 2025
Date ………………………………..
2024
2023		 Note
Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds
£
£
£
£
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
5
2,451
3,348
Investments
6
40,768
43,220
38,789
42,137
Current assets
Cash at bank - Barclays
830
978
Barclays - deposit account
3,107
1,750
Sundry debtors
7
1,050
1,030
_
___
4,987
3,758
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year
Sundry creditors
8
7,764
6,138
7,764
6,138
Net current assets/(liabilities)
(2,777)
(2,380)
Total assets less current liabilities
40,444
39,757
Total net assets
40,444
39,757
Unrestricted funds
Accumulated fund
40,444
39,757
Total Funds
40,444
39,757
Approved on behalf of the trustees
J Thompson
R Lloyd
Chairman …………………………………..
Hon.Treasurer ………………………………
James Thompson
Russell Lloyd
16th April 2025
Date ………………………………..
2024
2023		 Note
Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds
£
£
£
£
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
5
2,451
3,348
Investments
6
40,768
43,220
38,789
42,137
Current assets
Cash at bank - Barclays
830
978
Barclays - deposit account
3,107
1,750
Sundry debtors
7
1,050
1,030
_
___
4,987
3,758
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year
Sundry creditors
8
7,764
6,138
7,764
6,138
Net current assets/(liabilities)
(2,777)
(2,380)
Total assets less current liabilities
40,444
39,757
Total net assets
40,444
39,757
Unrestricted funds
Accumulated fund
40,444
39,757
Total Funds
40,444
39,757
Approved on behalf of the trustees
J Thompson
R Lloyd
Chairman …………………………………..
Hon.Treasurer ………………………………
James Thompson
Russell Lloyd
16th April 2025
Date ………………………………..
2024
2023
39,757
39,757
39,757
…

The notes on pages 4 to 6 form part of the financial statements.

3

THE DULWICH SOCIETY Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024

1 Accounting policies

1.1 Basis of preparation of accounts

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the second edition of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

1.2 Funds structure

The Society's funds are unrestricted.

1.3 Accumulated Funds and Reserves Policy

The accumulated funds at 31st December 2024 totalled £40,444, mainly represented by bank and deposit balances. The annual expenditure of the Society depends in part on the cost of projects that are undertaken and grants made or committed in that year, with an underlying surplus in recent years before such expenditure. Given the wish to fund worthwhile projects as they arise and the uncertain nature of the advertising income which partially funds the Society's quarterly Journals, it is the Trustees' policy to hold, as reserves, 9 months normal expenditure (currently some £16,500) together with a further £10,000 to cover unplanned major projects. In addition, the Trustees are reserving the unspent amount from the legacy received in 2016 for future local history projects, which they consider reflect the interests of the legatee, amounting to some £3,500. These amounts total circa £30,000. Funds at 31st December 2024 were in excess of this and the trustees' continue to seek out worthwhile projects that meet the Society's aims.

1.4 Tangible fixed assets for use by the charity, and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation.

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of assets, less estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives on the following bases:

In addition, the Society has title to a number of fixed assets that have either been donated to the Society or which have been purchased for a nominal sum. As such, the assets have no cost of purchase to the Society so they are not included in fixed assets. Where appropriate, the Society maintains and insures them. These assets are made available for the benefit of the community and include the Edward Alleyn statue and the Village Phone Box, which is a listed building

1.5 Income and expenditure recognition

Subscription income and donations are accounted for as received by the charity.

Expenditure is included on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred.

1.6 Value added tax

Value added tax is not recoverable by the Society, and as such is included in the relevant costs in the Statement of Financial Activities.

4

THE DULWICH SOCIETY Notes to the accounts (continued) for the year ended 31 December 2024

2 Advertising

The Society accepts a limited amount of advertising in its quarterly Journal to help defray the costs of production.

3 Dulwich Gardens Open for Charity booklet advertising

The booklet is distributed in March each year and also accepts a limited amount of advertising to help defray the costs of production.

4 Projects and grants

Murals - Dulwich Sports Ground
Dulwich Library and Tollgate signage
Phone box repairs and defibrillator
Bell House - pottery equipment
Dulwich Vegetable Garden - new greenhouse
Swift boxes
Dulwich Park - Coxwell path
Kingswood House - youth club & recording studio
Dulwich Picture Gallery - Open Art Project
Accrual no longer required		 2024
£
-
-
-
-
-
503
2,500
1,500
5,000
(2,625)
6,878		 2023
£
300
979
280
250
483
-
-
-
-
-
2,292

In addition to the above, in 2023 an audio post was installed in Cox's Walk which is included in Tangible Assets - Note 5 (cost £2,752).

Grants are made by the Society from time to time towards projects that meet its objective of maintaining and fostering the amenities of Dulwich in the interest of its residents and the wider community of which Dulwich is part.

5
Tangible assets
Cost
At 1.1.2024
Additions in year
At 31.12.2024
Depreciation
At 1.1.2024
Charge for year
At 31.12.2024
Net Book Value
At 31.12.2024
At 31.12.2023		 Statue Listening
Office
Computer
Total
Camera
Posts
Equipment
Equipment
£
£
£
£
£
3,529
4,483
653
1,750
10,415
-
-
-
-
-
3,529
4,483
653
1,750
10,415
3,528
1,140
650
1,749
7,067
-
897
-
-
897
3,528
2,037
650
1,749
7,964
1
2,446
3
1
2,451
1
3,343
3
1
3,348

5

THE DULWICH SOCIETY Notes to the accounts (continued) for the year ended 31 December 2024

6
Investments
COIF Charities deposit account
Monmouthshire Building Society
Investments
7
Debtors
Advertising revenue
8
Sundry creditors
Winter Journal printing
Statue insurance
Project and grant accruals
Items less than £500		 2024
£
39,611
1,157
40,768
2024
£
1,050
2024
£
-
750
6,500
514
**7,764 **		 2023
£
37,681
1,108
38,789
2023
£
1,030
2023
£
2,461
552
2,625
500
6,138

9 Related party transactions

There have been no related party transactions during the year that require disclosure.

10 Emoluments and expenses

None of the Society's trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from the charity.

6