Abney Park Trust AGM: Another Strong Year for the Trust
We held our Annual General Meeting on 25 November to formally approve the annual report and accounts for the 2019/20 financial year. Like all our events since March, the meeting was held online via Zoom.
This marked another strong year for the volunteer-led community charity based in the heart of Stoke Newington.
As a registered charity and company, the Annual General Meeting is an important part of our governance and commitment to transparency. Trustees were joined by over ten guests and volunteers to hear about the progress during the year.
Reporting on the financial year before COVID-19 lockdown, we presented the highlights from the year. The Trust held:
30 tours and talks, with nearly 800 attendees;
39 performances of theatre and music with over 1,500 attendees; and
two fayres with attendance of approx. 2,500 at each.
During the year we also:
overhauled our website, boosting our online presence and information;
completed the restoration of the famous Grade Two listed Isaac Watts’ monument, restoring his hand, repairing the railings and giving it a thorough clean;
worked with 44 volunteers to keep the park in a good state of repair, working alongside the council.
The audited financial annual report and accounts were presented and approved. These show our different income streams and sources of revenue.
The year also marked the announcement in January 2020 of Hackney Council’s successful National Lottery Heritage Fund bid to restore the chapel and visitor facilities at Abney. Work is now in hand progressing the bid towards construction works.
We updated attendees on the Trust’s future plans including our online activities, emergency fundraising and opportunities for volunteering.
We are governed by an independent Board of volunteer Trustees and we employ two part-time members of staff. The Trust works closely with Hackney Council who provide an annual grant and the council conduct day to day management of the park.
The biographies of Trustees are available on our website alongside the annual report and accounts, the two presentations (on the accounts and an overview of the year) and the minutes of the meeting.
If you are interested in getting involved in the Trust’s work - the future of Abney Park then please email at info@abneypark.org