An article by Lily Scaplehorn in Hackney Post highlights the milestone reached by Stoke Newington History Talks, a community event series I started in 2016, which has now raised over £10,000 in donations for Hackney charities. The latest talk, held at St. Matthias Hall, raised £649 for Boiler House Spaces, a charity dedicated to strengthening community connections in Hackney. The contribution brought the total funds raised through ticket sales to £10,079.

Since the series began, I’ve hosted 69 talks by 44 guest speakers (including a quite few of my own), exploring the unique and layered history of Stoke Newington. I hadn’t anticipated such overwhelming interest, with some events now selling out overnight. A big draw for the community seems to be that all donations directly benefit local charities, including Hackney Foodbank, Hackney Children and Baby Bank, and Hackney Playbus, providing crucial support to those in need.

The next talk, event number 24, is scheduled for late February or early March 2025, and I look forward to sharing more stories from Stoke Newington’s past!