The Telegraph Hill Centre’s Annual Report was presented at the AGM on Monday 20th May 2019 and covers the period from 1 January 2018 to 31st December 2018.
Over the past year the Centre has continued its efforts to create an environment which both reflects and is responsive to its local community. This has meant working on two fronts – the building itself and the activities it hosts.
On the building
After essential electrical and fire safety work last year, the Centre management team’s focus shifted to the equally important task of redecorating and refreshing the interior spaces at the Centre.
In Kondo parlance, the Centre has been ‘removed of things that did not bring joy’.
A detailed list of steps in this project can be found on Page 10 of the Annual Report, but in short, it involved:
• Complete redecoration of the Narthex, including new lighting;
• Complete redecoration of the Lounge, including a new floor and new lighting;
• New emergency lighting in all kitchens;
• 80 new upholstered chairs;
• 10 new large folding tables;
• Reflooring and repainting of the Craft Room (done by CCC Club and Centre);
• Renovation of Cloister Garden with new play areas, boules court, shelter replacement, fencing and artificial
turf laid across main playing area;
• Installation of CCTV in foyer and entrances to the Centre.
Activities: Our core activities have also grown consistently, and now cover a huge array of ages and walks of life – from babies, toddlers, teens, young and/or single parents, recent refugee arrivals, the long-term unemployed, those experiencing depression or mental health issues, those aged 55+ in our community and many more.
This year we have added a support group for those with depression – the Today Project – and soon to start is a theatre group for long-term unemployed.
The Centre has now established strong foundations in the areas of baby/toddler and older adult activity groups, especially with the garden improvements, and in the coming year we hope to have similar success with the 13-18 year age group. To this end we are working on theatre, dance and music projects which we feel sure will attract and engage this cohort.
We will also continue to support the Holiday Hunger project, providing meals for children from lower income families during the long summer holidays, and the ESOL (English Language) project for recent arrivals to the UK to aid their integration into the community.
We host a huge variety of classes in languages, art activities, education support, and physical activity for adults in the daytime. Each one of these additions improves our visibility and engagement and are open to all.
I started running classes at the Centre in January as I wanted to try offering the local community weekday morning Pilates classes. I didn’t expect my weekday morning class to be so popular so quickly! Within three months that class is full and I have opened an additional two classes to keep up with demand.
Ankor Pilates
Many may not be aware of the Centre’s donation of room spaces and office hours. The Festival and Christmas pantomime are the more visible community efforts hosted by the Centre across many months of the year, but we also welcome being able to support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous, AA, Mind and our Friday babies’ and toddlers’ play group at nil cost to them.
Thank you for hosting the bulk of our events and foregoing income and putting up with huge amounts of upheaval and disruption in the weeks prior to and during the festival. Your faith in what we do helps us to reach further and achieve more for the whole community. We really couldn’t do it without you.
Telegraph Hill Festival
There have been many more subtle changes which are and will increasingly bear fruit for the Centre. Our relationship with Lewisham Council is stronger than before and the Centre is therefore being included in the wider SE London loop. This brings opportunities not only to host council events but also participate in funding allocations as they arise.
The future is bright, thanks to the hard work of the staff team, and the many volunteers, and the 1000+ who use the building each week; you all strengthen the ties to this community.
Thank you.