The IPR Annual Review can be downloaded here.
Chair’s Report
2019-2020 was certainly a very big year for IPR. We celebrated our 50th anniversary with a series of great events, including a major exhibition at Islington Museum, and an evening with Ken Loach and screening of “Cathy Come Home”. IPR@50 gave the organisation an opportunity to tell its story, including highlighting some of the people who have given so much to the organisation over five decades.
Just as these celebrations were coming to an end, in the first months of 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic changed everything. It was essential that our services helping many of the most needy residents in Islington continued seamlessly. In fact, demand increased significantly with so many local people suddenly finding themselves out of work and needing to access welfare benefits and debt advice. It’s a credit to all the staff that the service switched so quickly and efficiently to operating through home-working and that IPR was able to continue to offer its service throughout the lockdown and subsequently.
Some key statistics from IPR’s year were:
- Direct specialist advice benefiting over 2,800 people
- Support for 130 clients at benefits tribunal appeals with a success rate of over 90%
- Three quarters of our clients say they have mental health problems
As in previous years we must give particular thanks to the London Borough of Islington for their continuing strong financial commitment to our work. Also thank you to the trusts that have given funding this year to resource our special initiatives such as our work to support carers and those with families with children that have complex disabilities. I must also thank individual supporters who have supported those that have walked, run and cycled in aid of IPR. We will continue to ensure that every penny will be put to good use and will help those most affected by poverty and disadvantage in our community.
In these especially challenging times I am pleased to say that everyone including the trustees, staff and volunteers at IPR remain focused on doing all that we can to improve the prospects of thousands more people in the year ahead.