Oxford House Annual Review 2016-2017
Cover Image: Green Candle Senior Dancers rehearse in the #OhDanceStudio.
Contents
About us
4
2016 – 17: How we made a difference
6
Introduction 8 Highlights of the year
10
Our year
12
Community 12 Volunteering 14 Arts and heritage
14
Theatre and Gallery
16
Supporting the work of Oxford House
18
Our future
20
Our finances
22
Thanks to
23
Contact us
27
4
About Us Founded by Keble College, Oxford University in 1884, Oxford House in Bethnal Green is a thriving independent, community and arts centre. Oxford House was established as the first “university settlement house”. Students and graduates from Keble College Oxford undertook a period of residential volunteering to learn
first-hand about the realities of urban poverty while providing practical support to the local community through a variety of projects including youth clubs, poor man’s lawyer, adult education and labour exchanges. Over 130 years, later Oxford House is still at the heart of community life in Bethnal Green.
‘Oxford House is where East London comes together to work, learn, explore and create. We celebrate arts, community and our heritage’. What we do
How we are managed
We concentrate on three main areas of work to meet our purpose:
Oxford House is governed by company directors who are also charity trustees within the meaning of charity law. Michael Judge has been chair of the board since September 2016 and joined the board in 2012. John Ryan has been the chief executive officer since June 2008 and leads the staff team.
Our past is our future
1. As a community space, by letting a variety of offices and venues hire within Oxford house for the local community, charities and social businesses; 2. Offering a volunteering programme that develops employability skills, learning opportunities and builds community; 3. As a place for heritage and the creative arts by running an arts centre and heritage/arts activity programmes using our theatre, dance studio and art gallery.
Oxford House believes it is important that our trustees reflect the diversity of the local community and have the skills and expertise to govern the charity. We review our governance regularly and when appropriate, recruit new trustees to provide skills and experience to the board. The board holds an annual awayday to review and shape the strategic direction of the charity.
1884
1892
Oxford House established
New building opening
5
Opening of ‘Postcards from Aldgate East’#OhGallery..
Young & Talented#OhTheatre.
6
2016–17: How we made a difference Affordable hire
96% Community Rate (15/16: 80%)
Gallery We held 22 exhibitions
Our past is our future
in the year. 10 in 2015/16
£13,000 of donated community space
Visitors to OH
72,000 annually 1,400 weekly
for young people activities (15/16: £10,000)
1898
WWI
OH acquires the Excelsior Hall & Swimming Baths
OH used as a shelter for German Zeppelin raids
7
Total income
ÂŁ515,359 inc. 83% unrestricted
Volunteering
6,205 hours (15/16: 3,300 hours)
30 affordable offices rented during year
Pocket park open
all year long
1928 The Excelsior Baths reconverted into the Excelsior Cinema. Visit of Queen Mary
8
Introduction 2016/17 A year of achievement and excitement for Oxford House
Our past is our future
We celebrated the success of our application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for our project ‘From Victorian Gap Year to Community Hub.’ It is the result of a tremendous amount of hard work by trustees, staff, volunteers and our team of consultants. Together with the support of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets we have secured substantial investment in the building’s infrastructure whilst creating new spaces that enable us to host more people and generate new income. It will be topped off with an exciting two-year activity programme that engages new and existing audiences. It is a vote of confidence in Oxford House - who we are, what we do today and what we will do in the future. The project starts from May 2017 with detailed design planning and contractor selection and work starts on site around Easter 2018. The grand ‘re-opening’ (actually, we won’t close) is scheduled for Easter 2019. During the year the board also adopted and published a new three-year strategy that incorporates the heritage project. It has four objectives:
1. Refurbishing Oxford House to create a wonderful mixed use space 2. Developing a learning and engagement programme inspired by our heritage 3. Strengthening our content and accessibility through stronger partnerships 4. Creating a sustainable and effective organisation The strategy will ensure Oxford House, located in a Grade II - listed building, meets community needs and generates sufficient income so we can celebrate arts, community and our heritage. Our approach is to reduce our reliance upon grant income while continuing to offer fantastic community space and activities and using the building entrepreneurially. We want to build on our current strengths and ensure we are a sustainable organisation with new sources of income, increased visitor numbers and exciting programming. It is a challenge we relish and means we will continue to be at the heart of a diverse and changing neighbourhood. We would like to thank staff, trustees, volunteers, funders, partners and the communities of east London that continue to support our work. Michael Judge Chair
John Ryan Chief Executive
1931
1941
Gandhi gives an speach at OH attracting a crowd of 3000 people
OH Girls’ Club founded
9 5
Artist, John Dolan, pictured with John Ryan, kindly donated original piece to #SaveOhChapel campaign. Inspired by @eddiemarsan story
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Highlights of the year Two highlights of the year provide an insight into how Oxford House works. They illustrate core aspects of our strategy and how we plan to develop. Exhibition: Social Change in Tower Hamlets … 100 Years since Charles Booth, Keith Greenough, New Policy Institute and Oxford House
Our past is our future
2016 marked the 100th anniversary of the death of social reformer Charles Booth. Booth was best known for his 1889 survey of poverty in East London, ‘Life and Labour of the People’. Our exhibition explored what has changed in East London since Booth’s day through modern photographs and social investigations. Booth had strong links with East London, which was the first part of the city that he surveyed and Oxford House was one of the venues he selected for displaying his poverty map of East London. The work of Oxford House was directly relevant to Booth’s concerns. The exhibition began organically and became a successful collaboration between Oxford House, the New Policy Institute (an OH resident company) and photographer Keith Greenough. It featured contemporary photography fused with Booth’s original maps and statistical analysis of changes in poverty over the century. A video project presented interviews with Oxford House users and captured their views on what poverty means today.
The exhibition tested the role of Oxford House as a curator working alongside Keith Greenough, engaging visitors and users in film with a historical perspective to East End life. Volunteering Volunteering has been the lifeblood of Oxford House since 1884. Whether it is recent graduates wanting to gain work experience or those simply wanting to give back their time and skills to help Oxford House, volunteers continue to contribute significantly to our work. In 2016/17 we had more long term and full time volunteers. In particular, the EU funded Erasmus Project provided significant support for the cost of individual volunteers. “The convivial atmosphere and support from fellow staff and volunteers. I did not feel reticent to ask about anything, and felt very welcomed and encouraged in terms of developing my own personal projects and endeavours. Meeting other volunteers with similar and diverse interests was also rewarding.” OH Volunteer 2017 96% of volunteers rate their experience as good or very good. It is important that the faith we place in them is rewarded by their willingness to have a go and learn. During the year this was reflected in an enormous amount of work in digitising and curating our heritage archive.
WWII
1947
OH establishes evacuation centres in Wales for East End children
OH is recognised as an official community centre
11 5
‘PhotoBooth’ from ‘Social Change in Tower Hamlets... 100 Years Since Charles Booth’ - Keith Greenough.
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Our year Community daily, an 51 weeks of the xxOpen year, for an amazing range of community uses
xx of room hire was at affordable xx96% rates for community and charity use worth of donated free xx£13,000 venue hire to support community Welcomed around 72,000 visitors
groups without funds in Open House London xxParticipated weekend and supported Bethnal xxHosted Green Business Forum and managed Love Bethnal Green website www.lovebethnalgreen.com the Inclusive Mosque xxHosted Initiative for a second year for a range of conferences, xxCatered events and meetings including: – Magic Me
Our past is our future
– Knickerbockerglory TV – Open University
new resident xxWelcomed organisations including: Finance Uncovered aims to increase the quantity and quality of media coverage on global financial flows, focusing on tax abuse, corruption and money laundering. They deliver world class training in financial investigations and have a network of journalists/campaigners covering 63 countries. Ayoupa is a tech company that specialises in innovative mobile products for the transport industry. Platform: London combine art, activism, education and research in one organisation. Platform’s current campaigns focus on the social, economic and environmental impacts of the global oil industry. Their pioneering education courses, exhibitions, art events and book projects promote radical new ideas that inspire change.
– Making Music – UNICEF – Affinity Sutton
1953
1967
1st edition of the Pantomine Theatre Festival
Creation of Holland Hall
13 5
Participants of Green Candle Senior Dancers with the promotional bags of Oh! Crowdfunding Campaign. [xxxxxxxx]
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Volunteering
Arts and heritage
Volunteering remains a vital part of our work and provides opportunities for volunteers to gain work and life skills. 2016/17 was the busiest year in terms of number of volunteer and the hours they contributed. The Erasmus programme was supplemented by volunteers from Kings College, UCL and Richmond International. Volunteering roles included heritage, gallery, events, social media blogging and organising our annual visitor survey.
“Our audiences kept telling us how good the venue was and it certainly helped create the performance we had hoped.” Robert Crowter-Jones Centre Stage
circa 6,205 hours xxVolunteered (almost double the previous year 3,300 hours) the East London xxSupported Business Alliance, Nomura and State Street ‘Beyond Boundary Project’ through volunteering opportunities and as steering group member to develop xxContinued volunteering partnership with
Our past is our future
Queen Mary University, University College London, King’s College, Richmond University and the EU Erasmus Project free space to young xxProvided people from Somewhereto (an Olympic legacy project)
Oxford House’s threefold arts and heritage offering includes office space (over half our tenants work in the creative industries); a portfolio of mixed spaces (studio theatre, gallery and dance studio) available for hires and a programme of arts and heritage activities. 2016/17 was a successful year in programming in all our spaces. As a receiving house, the theatre welcomed touring shows including Upstart Theatre in association with Shoreditch Town Hall and Identity School of Acting. Centre Stage presented ‘Left of Centre Stage’ a musical cabaret and Spectrum Dance brought together North Indian and South Indian classical dance alongside contemporary, flamenco and break. We continued our programming and support of new and emerging artists through Oh! Presents… The programme supported new or emerging artists offering rehearsal space, events marketing and box office splits. We also curated a heritage project with photographer Keith Greenough and resident company New Policy Institute, illustrating the legacy of social reformer Charles Booth.
1972
1984
1991
OH closes for 3 months
1st Centenenary of OH
1st edition of the Somali Week
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Leah, #OhVolunteer Blogger
Maja, #OhHeritage Intern
Eva, #OhGallery Intern
Federico, #OhGallery Intern
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Theatre Oxford House and Londonist London Talks xxOur Gentrification: good, bad & the ugly? London Talks xxOur Jack the Ripper? Man, myth or misogyny?
Other performances and Flowers xxFolk Chelsea Fringe Festival xxSagacity Green Candle Dance of Centre Stage xxLeft Centre Stage Dance the new light xxSpectrum: Spectrum Dance Home xxPhone Upstart Theatre Upstart with
omali Week xx SKays Somali Arts xxIdentity School of Acting in the Same Boat xxAll Lost City Writers Matthew’s Church xxSt. Christmas Panto
Shoreditch Town Hall, Pathos München & Athens’ Highway Productions
Our past is our future
Gallery hinking Place xx TMark Riley BanglaHop! xxMulberry School for Girls utopia xx OCamberwell College of Arts xx Chelsea Fringe Group Show orry Boy xx WElsbeth Van der Poel essages of Welcome: xx MKazzum, Refugee Week 2016 2003
Temporal Scales xxSimon Welch ISC. xx MJamie Blackett, Marta Cubeddu, Poppy Parry and Barney Wilby, Kingston University Who’s in the House xxLeigha Fearon ans For Diversity xx FLiam Aylott and Kick it Out omali Week / Black History xx SMonth Abira Hussein and Khadra Muse Yusuf
OH launches the art centre with a new theatre, gallery and dance studio
17 Change in Tower Hamlets abels xxSocial xx LRobert 100 Years since Charles Booth Clack School Keith Greenough, NPI and Oxford May xxLucinda House Dance with me iliArt xx FRefuge, Paint me like one of your French xx ‘girls’ a group show University of the Arts London treetwise xx SJonathan Chater and Anchor ast End Trail xx ENoriko Housing Trust Michigami Riot in the Meadow xxVicky Hawkins ance in Process xx DGreen Candle Dance Mulberry School for Girls, Redlands and Queen’s Ineffable World xxSyeda Nasim Queen Smithy Street Primary Schools
Vicky Hawkins comes back to #OhGallery with ‘Riot in the Meadow’ after her first exhibition here 20 years ago.
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Supporting the work of Oxford House We continued to strengthen our organisational capacity through various iniatives including: Our fourth major visitor survey xxduring June 2016 to support our heritage project orking collaboratively with xx Wcorporate partners for their corporate social responsibility initiatives particularly with Nomura International, – this included the
design and print of our annual review, a makeover of our staff office and new plasma screen for the gallery partnership with Broadgate xx AEstates – who continued to mentor and support our chief executive, John Ryan See the box below for key findings from the visitor survey.
Our past is our future
Visitor Survey – Key findings
xx23% of visitors came for a class xx20% of visitors work in Oxford House xx40% visited for the first time in 2016 xx36% visited at least once a week xx25% of visitors were under 18 (8% were 65+) xx63% visitors were female (37% male)
2009
2014
The Youth Volunteering Programme is relaunched
Constrution of the Derbyshire Street Pocket Park
19
Vicky Leanse, Painting Conservator, examines Alfred Soord’s Crucifixion painting in Oxford House’s secret chapel.
20
Our future The total cost of the project is £2.97million. We have raised 90% of this including Heritage Lottery Fund (£1.39 million), Power to Change Trust (£262,000) and a crowdfunding campaign that raised £31,000. Planning permission was secured in 2016. In 2017 we will complete design work, appoint a contractor early 2018 and start works April 2018 and complete by April 2019. We have a funding gap of £293,000 and are applying to trusts and foundations for the final 10% of project costs.
Our past is our future
Heritage Project – Key aims
xxNew rooftop space for community events xxNew café and outdoor seating xxRefurbish and restore chapel xxNew lift xxNew heritage activity space xxAccessible toilets on 3rd floor xxRepairs to windows xxNew energy efficient boilers xx2 year community programme inc festival and events xxVolunteering & training opportunities xxExtra 25,000 visitors per year 2015
2016
OH is included on the Buildings at Risk Register
Round 2 submission for HLF grant
21
Oxford House building from Weavers Fields
22
Our finances
ed £86
,1
Do
Unr e
e m
8 ,58 £2
ri c t
Grants £77,732
st
37
20
Inco me
1 ,05 72
Underlying this figure is an unrestricted movement of £8,295 (2016: £31,586)
£3
icted £492 str
Re
Oth e r inc o
,988 £62
Overall, the net surplus of income over expenditure for the year ended 31 March 2017 amounted to £12,791 (2016: Deficit of £55,918).
inco me
2 ,22
Expenditure decreased from £547,410 in 2016 to £502,568 in the year ended 31 March 2017.
7 /1 16
l: £515,359 Tota Rental
ns tio na
Oxford House generated income for the year to 31 March 2017 of £515,359 (2016: £491,492).
l: £502,568 Tota Provisi
icted £413 str
st
ri c
92
Unr e
and service s ilities fac
Expen d
ity un m
£1
6 ,58
Rental ex itur pen e dit 20 ur e
on of co m
Re
te d £ 8 8,
8
9 2018
2019
Works to improve the building start
New cafe opens
£3 7 2, 59
Our past is our future
7 /1 69 16 29,9
23
Thanks To Oxford House Trustees Michael Judge (chair), Fergus Early (vice chair), Linda Kaur, Josh Spero, Rev. Kevin Scully, Asma Shah, Matthew Railton, Polly Richards, Jamie Andrews and Robert Robinson.
OH Staff John Ryan, Baz Browne, Anisa Khanom, Enus Ali, Christine Lee, Annie Gao, Evelyn Maison, Agnes Asiedu, Syed Kabir, Rubina Begum, Anna Pancikova and Kwame Owusu.
Freelancers Eva Carmona del Rio & Tony Burley.
OH Volunteers Sarah Baldiserra, Lydia Anderson, Maja Bevk, Evgenia Pangea, Adam Smith, Laura Newby, Hayley Downey, Christina Klus, Federico Malosti, Leah Abraham, Aysha Patterson-Merrils, Rowan Miller, Juan Pablo Cornejo, Angeliki Koumani, Sandeep Singh, Lea Nonninger, Izora Baba, George Challita, Sofia Panidou, Ana Andronic, David Bassadone, Eva Smininova, Thufayel Ahmed, Anselma Alice, Chris Gallacher, Nasir Mukhtar, Azura Farid, Katharina Posavec & Fiona Polard. Staff volunteers from Nomura International.
Funders Heritage Project included Lottery Fund xxHeritage The Goldsmith’s’ Company xxAllchurches Trust xxCrowdfunding Campaign xx
Creative Employment Programme: Supported the employment of Front of House apprentice
24
Partners
Resident Companies
College, Oxford xxKeble Green Candle Dance Company xxSomewhereto_ xxYoung & Talented School of Stage xxand Screen of Dance xxLanguage Kazzum xxLisa Gilbert Academy of Ballet xxSamson & Fox / The Carpentry Club xx
& the Arts xxChildren Nonclassical xxDante or Die xxGreen Candle Dance Company xxKazzum xxKayd Somali Arts xxMary Rahman PR xxThe Language of Dance Centre xxPearl Advertising xxSamson & Fox xxWhat Larks! Productions xxAuto Italia South East xxLondon Ethnic Ltd xxPhoenix Housing Cooperative xxPositive Care Link xxEast London Asian Family xxCounselling Union of Spiritist Societies xxBritish The Rock Church (London Mission) xxGod Worshippers Mission xxZimbabwe Association xxBasque Society xxPlay Association Tower Hamlets xxRCG Genesis Chapel xxElaine Harrison xxNew Policy Institute xxFood Cycle xxEast Creative Agency xxFinance Uncovered xxAyoupa xxWakefield and Tetley Trust xxPlatform: London xx
Advisers Bankers NatWest Bank Plc
Auditors haysmacintyre
Solicitors
Our past is our future
Russell-Cooke LLP
Charity Number:208582 - Company No: 59858 - VAT Registration No: 752 0306 67
2020
2034
The Heritage Activity Plan finishes
150th Aniversay
25
Opening of ‘’Labels’’ Exhibition by Robert Clack School Students.
Our London Talks: Gentrification: good, bad & the ugly? In partnership with the Londonist.
26
WorryBoy Exhibition at #OhGallery. School visit guided by artist Elsbeth van der Poel.
27
Contact us John Ryan Chief Executive Oxford House Derbyshire Street Bethnal Green, London, E2 6HG
Nearest Underground Station: Bethnal Green (Central Line) 020 7739 9001 info@oxfordhouse.org.uk www.oxfordhouse.org.uk oxfordhouseinbethnalgreen oxhse
Charity Number:208582 - Company No: 59858 - VAT Registration No: 752 0306 67