The Eldonian Community Trust Welcomes Guardian Coverage

This month marked an important milestone for our community.

The Guardian has today published a feature exploring the story of how the Eldonian Community Trust emerged from a difficult period and secured its future. The piece follows the journey from uncertainty to renewed purpose, and highlights the people who helped guide the charity through a critical moment.

Trustees Maureen Price, Brian Jones and William Little being photographed in Eldonian Village as part of The Guardian’s coverage of the Trust.

When a winding-up petition was brought before the High Court earlier this year, the Trust faced the real possibility of closure. With limited resources and a frozen bank account, the odds were not in our favour. Yet, with the support of our community, volunteers, and expert advisers working pro bono, the Trust was able to defend itself — and continue its work for Eldonian Village and Vauxhall.

The Guardian article captures more than a legal outcome. It reflects the resilience of a neighbourhood determined not to see its hard-won institutions disappear; and the belief that public-spirited organisations, under proper stewardship, can still prosper.

“Tremendous admiration is due to everyone who has shown bravery, skill and persistence in revealing the serious wrongdoing done to this Liverpool community. A page was turned this year, and the new Trustees are all grateful to those who have researched the facts to show what has been going on. The wrong community was chosen if it was thought that it would lie down and accept having been unfairly stripped of its assets. The investigative journalism involved shows how the media can be at its best in serving the public, and others should follow this example. I fear this may not be an isolated example concerning charity assets. Well done to the Liverpool Post and to The Guardian.” Lord Christopher Rennard MBE, Chair of Trustees

Today, the Eldonian Community Trust is rebuilding. A new Board is in place; governance has been strengthened; and plans are being developed to restore services and re-establish activities for residents of all ages. The Trust is working constructively with regulators, partners, and donors as it looks to the future.

We are grateful to everyone who has supported us, from those who quietly offered a message of encouragement, to the volunteers who gave their time, to the advisers who stepped in when we needed them most. We pay particular thanks to Daniel Crowley of 2 Temple Gardens who represented the Charity pro bono. Without his unwavering commitment to our future, there was a real possibility that the Charity would not be here today.

The Guardian article tells part of this story. The next chapter is ours to write — together.

🔗 Read The Guardian article here