Cumberland Lodge has published an Annual Report of its activities from September 2015 to August 2016, with reports from the Chair of Trustees and Principal, and summarised financial statements, approved by the Board of Trustees and statutory auditors.
It outlines our renewed strategic focus on bringing people together to engage in constructive dialogue on the causes and effects of social divisions, to help build more peaceful, open and inclusive societies.
Our Chair of Trustees, Sir Stephen Wall, opens the report with by saying: "Our obligation as a charity is to be true to our founding objectives. Our founder Amy Buller saw how, in pre-war Germany, a divisive and immoral ideology had somehow captured the hearts and minds of Germans, including young and idealistic Germans. The educational charity at Cumberland Lodge was set up to help ensure that it did not happen again.
"Today, we are undergoing huge changes in society and some of the pressures young people face are insidious. For this reason, the trustees and staff of Cumberland Lodge have thought hard about how we can make what we do more relevant to today’s challenges, so that we can provide a safe and calm space where difficult issues can be discussed by young people and by older people with leadership roles in society – and how we can bring the young and not so young together to try and find answers to some of these challenges that we face."
The details of our five-year strategic plan is outlined in the report that follows, written by our Principal, Ed Newell.
Sir Stephen closes his opening report with: "I hope the plan will enthuse others as it has enthused the trustees, and that together we can make it work, true to the vision and purpose of Amy Buller but directly relevant to the world in which we live."
The 34-page report also features case-studies and testimonials from some of our beneficiaries of our work. It includes a summary of our charitable activities in supporting students, inspiring and connecting leaders and influencers, and supporting culture and the community.
There is also a summary of our activities as a residential and non-residential conference and events venue, the income from which helps to support our charitable and educational work.
Copies are available to download in pdf from our About Us pages, here. Hard copies can also be provided on request.