Who are we and what do we do?
Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation owns and manages a 5,500-acre property Estate. The Foundation generates income from the Estate and ploughs all surpluses back into the town through its six charitable objects and reinvestment in its property portfolio.
What and where is Letchworth Garden City?
Letchworth is the world's first Garden City, created as a solution to the squalor and poverty of urban life in Britain in the late 19th Century. Based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard as published in his book of 1898 "Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Reform". Letchworth Garden City inspired town planning across the globe.
Howard's company First Garden City Ltd began construction in 1903. The company appointed architects Barry Parker and Raymond Unwin to design the masterplan for the new community. Central to the Company's ethos was a commitment to repatriate all profits back into the Estate.
In 1962, an Act of Parliament transferred the assets, role and responsibilities of First Garden City Ltd to a public sector organisation - Letchworth Garden City Corporation. 33 years later, a further Act of Parliament wound up the Corporation passing the £56 million Estate to Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation.
The Garden City is located in North Hertfordshire, 35 miles north of London.
What is Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation?
Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation is an Industrial & Provident Society with Charitable Objects. It is registered with the Registrar of Friendly Societies under the Industrial & Provident Societies Act 1965 and has exempt charity status. Its registration number 28211R.
The Heritage Foundation is currently regulated by the Financial Services Authority. It is anticipated that this will change in due course, with the Charity Commission will assuming responsibility for regulation.
To find out more about Ebenezer Howard and the Garden City movement visit the First Garden City Heritage Museum website www.gardencitymuseum.org - a charitable enterprise of Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation.
How are we governed?
The 'Rules of Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation' is the organisation's primary governance document. The Rules set out the Foundation's six Charitable Objects, the provision for 30 Governors, a Board of Management responsible for managing the business of the Foundation, committees, meetings, elections and other requirements.