Chair's update, June 2024
Tom Walker, Chair
The restoration programme is nearly coming to a conclusion after all these years. The full set of premises are now completing occupation and handover.
This is going to re-establish the real sense of thriving community that we had on site before COVID with crafts and activities on site. In the council owned and let units, near the Stoke Newington High Street entrance, we will see:
the first workshop occupied by CQ Studio, who are moving in from this week.
the second workshop occupied by Wax Atelier who will be moving in shortly.
And in brilliant news, London Green Wood are back occupying the site, running their first full workshop this week. This is all alongside the wonderful Sabel Food who are now fitting out the cafe and who you can read more about on their instagram page and new website.
This is vitally important for us because they will also be managing the community space and the Delph Room as well as the cafe. We will be able to run weekly events once it is open as part of our partnership with Hackney Council and this will mean we can do a much bigger range of events including more intimate and affordable workshops, screenings and family activities in a less grand setting. We'll share more details about our new neighbours in a special newsletter as they settle in.
The 20th of May is the annual anniversary of Abney Park Cemetery's opening in 1840. This year marked 184 years. We held a series of fantastic sell out events in the chapel including two afternoon jazz performances and a special reception and history talk on the Saturday night. It is a very special space in the late spring evening sunlight. The notes from the talk which explain the history of the park are here and we hope to do similar events on a more regular basis. As a registered charity all the money we raise goes back into furthering the work of the Trust.
Our full Board met this week (we meet six times a year) and this will be the first with four new Trustees who bring a new set of skills and boost our capacity. We also look forward to the new Users Group coming into formation and creating a strong partnership between all of us committed to Abney's success and preservation. Details of our plans and events are below. Please get involved in this precious community asset.