A series of local history talks hit a £10,000 fundraising milestone for Hackney charities last Thursday.
The latest Stoke Newington History Talk took place at St. Matthias Hall, raising £649 for Boiler House Spaces, a charity that strengthens community networks in Hackney. The talk raised a total of £10,079 through ticket sales.
Amir Dotan, who specialises on Stoke Newington, began organising the local history talks in 2016. He said: “It feels amazing, I never imagined we would get here.”
The events have become so popular that some sell out overnight. Part of the event’s popularity is the focus on fundraising for local charities, Amir said: “People know [the donations] stay local and benefit their immediate community … a lot of local charities very much appreciate it.”
Previous recipients include Hackney Foodbank, Hackney Children, Baby Bank, and Hackney Playbus.
“It’s a very serious hobby that I’ve been cultivating for over 10 years …so it’s nice in this instance to see that there is a wider appeal, and maybe it’s not as nerdy as I thought originally,” Amir said.
The talks, which occur every four months, feature Amir and two guest speakers, who discuss local history. Previous topics include 130 years of Clissold Park along with the history of Stoke Newington Town Hall.
Lily Scaplehorn - community reporter for Clissold - former political reporter at Radio Cardiff and Bro Radio