## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 1 September 2021 Period start date To 31 August 2022 Period end date** **Charity name: City of Bristol Choir** ## **Charity registration number: 1015961** ## **Objectives and Activities** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Summary of the purposes of “To promote, improve, develop and maintain public
the charity as set out in its education in and appreciation of the art and science of
governing document music in all its aspects by the presentation of public
concerts and recitals and by such other means as the
Choir, through its committee, shall determine from time
to time.”
**----- End of picture text -----**
|**Objectives and Activities**|**Objectives and Activities**| |---|---| ||| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document
“To promote, improve, develop and maintain public
education in and appreciation of the art and science of
music in all its aspects by the presentation of public
concerts and recitals and by such other means as the
Choir, through its committee,shall determine from time
to time.”|| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or services
identified in the accounts.|**City of Bristol Choir 30th Anniversary Season**
**2 October 2021 – Mozart’s Requiem, St Alban’s**
**Church, Westbury Park**
Mozart’s Requiem, St Alban’s Westbury Park
4.30 pm and 7.00 pm performances. Soloists Esther
Mallet, Nick Mulroy, Annie Gill, Kieran Rayner with the
Brandon Hill Chamber Orchestra.
**12 November 2021 ‘Wonderful World’, Clifton**
**Cathedral**
Toby Young ‘Raise A Voice’ songbook
Performed with Bristol Youth Choir and the University of
the West of England (“UWE’) Singers
**18 December 2021 Christmas Spectacular, St**
**George’s Bristol**
With Bristol Ensemble
**21 December 2021 Festive Fiesta, St George’s,**
**Bristol**
With Bristol Ensemble| ||**5 February 2022,**
**Recording ‘The Passion of Christ’ by Roger**
**Hewetson, All Saints’ Church Southbourne, Dorset.**
**2 April 2022**
**Handel’s ‘Messiah’ St George’s, Bristol**
With soloists Kerry Fuge, Felicity Buckland Gavan Ring
and Alex Ashworth, and with Bristol Ensemble.
**2 July 2022**
**Songs of Celebration, St Mary Redcliffe**
Parry, Handel, Barnard, Walton, McDowell, Brahms,
Summers, Essenvalds, Rutter and Moore.| |---|---| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Yes| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: **----- Start of picture text -----**
There is no policy but decisions are taken on a case by
Policy on grant making case basis by the Trustees and the committee for the
commission of new musical works and to award Bursary
Scholarships for young singers.
Policy on social investment N/A
including program related
investment
Volunteer stewards, committee members, librarian and
Contribution made by front of house team are thanked publicly and thanks are
volunteers published in the concert programmes.
Other N/A
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Achievements and Performance** **2 October 2021 – Mozart’s Requiem, St Alban’s Church, Westbury Park** Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. City of Bristol Choir ( ‘CBC’) was joined by soloists Esther Mallet, Nick Mulroy, Annie Gill, Kieran Rayner with the Brandon Hill Chamber Orchestra. We gave two performances of Mozart’s Requiem, one at 4.30 pm and one at 7.30 pm. Both performances were sold out. We sold tickets at a significantly reduced rate to encourage a local audience to feel able and confident to return to watching live music even as the pandemic, and associated restrictions, continued. Prescribed social distancing meant that the audience numbers were capped at just under 50% of the venue capacity which is why we performed the concert twice. A late afternoon performance of this popular work meant that we were able to offer a larger audience the opportunity to enjoy the music. We were keen to use a local orchestra for whom this was one of their first ‘post lockdown’ concerts and we specifically chose to use professional soloists whose engagements had all but disappeared in the preceding year and a half as a result of the pandemic. It was, in the event, a profoundly moving performance of exceptional quality and the positive audience feedback was fulsome. ## **12 November 2021 ‘Wonderful World’, Clifton Cathedral** This concert was one element of a large project at the heart of which City of Bristol choir commissioned and performed Toby Young’s _‘Raise A Voice’_ songbook, to reflect the themes and work of the Global COP 26 Environmental Conference taking place in Glasgow at the same time. CBC invited Bristol Youth Choir to perform part of the work that the composer wrote for children and we invited the University of the West of England ( _‘UWE’_ ) Singers to perform with us to reflect another dimension of our city and the role that the university plays in educating students from all over the world and attracting them to Bristol. The concert featured diverse expert speakers on environmental and conservation issues making it a unique fusion of words, as well as new and classic music, performed by over 200 people. The concert sold out. The audience comprised many primary school aged children and their families which was a key objective for us when designing the programme and when setting the ticket prices. Our collaboration with UWE and Bristol Youth Choir provided each of those long established choirs with one of their first opportunities to perform to an audience after the pandemic, which was another important objective when putting together the programme. ## **18 December 2021 Christmas Spectacular, St George’s Bristol and 21 December 2021 Festive Fiesta, St George’s, Bristol** Each of these concerts is a highlight of the City’s Christmas classical music offering and despite the resurgence of Covid at the time, the concerts were well attended and afforded the audience an opportunity to enjoy traditional and new Christmas music and entertainment. For CBC, the hard work and commitment involved in taking part cements the choir’s profile as one of the region’s leading choirs and raises funds to support our programming for the remainder of the season. ## **5 February 2022, Recording ‘The Passion of Christ’ by Roger Hewetson, All Saints’ Church Southbourne, Dorset.** CBC was retained by the composer of this new sacred work to perform it on 5 February 2022. However, owing to the ongoing concerns about Covid, the venue cancelled the performance. CBC and the composer therefore worked to find a venue and professional producer to record the work on that date instead. This took place over the course of a day, working with an orchestra of professional musicians and professional soloists. This enabled CBC to learn and perform a challenging piece to a high standard, and to raise funds for our ongoing projects, at the same time as supporting the dissemination of new classical music ## **2 April 2022 Handel’s ‘Messiah’ St George’s, Bristol** It was an easy choice to select what we wanted to perform for our pinnacle concert in our 30th Anniversary season. In performing ‘Messiah’ at the City’s premier classical music venue, we were delighted to welcome the exceptional talents of the soloists Kerry Fuge, Felicity Buckland Gavan Ring and Alex Ashworth as well as Bristol Ensemble. The media reviews and audience feedback confirmed that this was a performance of the highest quality. This reflected the work and preparation done by the choir not only in the weeks leading up to the concert but also during lockdown when the rehearsals were online. **2 July 2022 Songs of Celebration, St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol** By way of a celebratory conclusion to our 30[th] Anniversary season we performed a concert of rousing and familiar, as well as new, works. The programme provided an opportunity to premiere another new piece we had commissioned by former CBC chorister Amy Summers and to give a nod to the recent Platinum Jubilee celebrations by singing Parry and Handel. We chose to perform this concert in a different part of Bristol from our previous concerts this season, at a venue which is more accessible to residents in the South of the city. It was a very well-attended concert at which we were able to provide complimentary refreshments to our loyal audience, thanking them for thirty years of support and following. ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: Achievements against CBC’s September 2021– August 2022 programme was objectives set among its most ambitious in its thirty year history and was executed wholly successfully. Following the restrictions of the previous year, CBC was able to ‘ _hit the ground running’_ when we were able to perform again because we had been agile and responsive in offering online and socially distanced rehearsals during the height of the pandemic. This meant that we retained an excellent level of membership when many amateur choirs lost members and second, it meant that we had maintained high technical standards in our singing. Key objectives included; to commission new works, to perform in different venues across the city and to collaborate expansively with other performers in order to, ‘ _promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of the art and science of music in all its aspects’._ These objectives were met. We also saw excellent ticket sales throughout the year, enabling us to meet another objective of protecting and, where possible, _growing_ our audience figures. Performance of fundraising **N/A** |activities against objectives
set|| |---|---| |Investment performance
against objectives|**N/A**| |Other|**N/A**| ## **Financial Review** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Review of the charity’s Para 1.21 The Choir’s finances have held up well despite
financial position at the end emerging from the difficulties of the lockdown
of the period following the pandemic and embarking on
ambitious programming to celebrate the choir’s 30 [th]
Anniversary season. This has been mainly due to
the loyalty of our members.
Subscription income returned to pre-pandemic
levels providing the choir with a secure financial
basis for the 30 [th] Anniversary season.
The choir secured significant funding to
commission new works and the choir saw
maximum ticket sales for our October and
November programming.
Statement explaining the Para 1.22 City of Bristol Choir tries to maintain a reserve of
policy for holding reserves at least £5000 to support the Choir’s on-going
stating why they are held
activities and to provide a contingency fund in case
of poor ticket sales or unexpected costs. The
accompanying Accounts quantify three designated
funds (the CBC Bursary Fund, the Commissions
Fund and the CBC Tour Fund) and explain their
purposes.
Amount of reserves held Para 1.22 Minimum of £5000
Reasons for holding zero Para 1.22
reserves N/A
Details of fund materially in Para 1.24
deficit N/A
Explanation of any Para 1.23
uncertainties about the N/A
charity continuing as a going
concern
**----- End of picture text -----**
**Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|**Subscriptions from members**
**Concert income**
**Grants and awards for specific projects or**
**concerts ( in this season, for example, the**
**‘Raise a Voice Songbook’ and the ‘Wonderful**
**World’ concert)**| |---|---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|**N/A**| |||The principal risks to the Choirarefirst; ensuring| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|that
audiences
continue
to
attend
concerts
following
the
pandemic
and
secondly,
that
membership remains at an optimum level to deliver
the aims and objectives of the choir and to
generate
subscription
income.
The
Trustees
continue to review this, and are pleased to report
that, while income has been reduced, costs have
been controlled similarly, and the Choir’s position
remains satisfactory.| |---|---|---| |Other||N/A| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para
1.25|Written constitution.| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para
1.25|City
of
Bristol
Choir
is
an
unincorporated
association regulated by its constitution, adopted at
a
specially
convened
Extraordinary
General
Meeting of the Choir on 26thNovember 1992 and
amended at specially convened EGMs of the Choir
on 9thSeptember 2001, 29thJune 2003 and at the
AGM on 19thJune 2014.| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para
1.25|In accordance with the amended Constitution
adopted at the AGM on 19thJune 2014, the
Trustees are drawn from the members of the Choir
and elected by a simple majority of members at the
Charity’s Annual General Meeting or at an
Extraordinary General Meeting. They hold office
until the next Annual General Meeting and are
eligible for re-election.| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction and
training of trustees|Para 1.51|New Trustees are mentored and meet with
outgoing or current Trustees depending
what, if any role, they will play on the
committee.
All Trustees are advised of the expectations
and duties of Trustees and their attention is
specifically
drawn
to
www.
Gov.uk/guidance/charity-trustee-whats-
involved| |---|---|---| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|N/A| |Relationship with any related
parties|Para 1.51|N/A| |Other||N/A| ## **Reference and Administrative details** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Charity name City of Bristol Choir
Other name the charity
N/A
uses
Registered charity
number 1015961
Charity’s principal
address City of Bristol Choir
9 Sandstone Rise, Winterbourne,
Bristol BS36 1BB
**----- End of picture text -----**
**Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Dates acted if
Name of person (or body) entitled
Trustee name Office (if any) not for whole
to appoint trustee (if any)
year
1 Elizabeth Cunningham Chair City of Bristol Choir
2 Ian Blenkinsop Treasurer “
3 Tim Jackson Secretary “
4 Rose Lancaster Membership Sec. “
5 Peter Lunt Concert Manager “
6 Alice Howse Ticket Sec. “
Helen Burke Publicity Officer “
**----- End of picture text -----**
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name N/A** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity **----- Start of picture text -----**
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
N/A
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** |Description of the assets
held in this capacity|N/A| |---|---| |Name and objects of the
charity on whose behalf the
assets are held and how this
falls within the custodian
charity’s objects|N/A| |Details of arrangements for
safe custody and
segregation of such assets
from the charity’s own assets|N/A| ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** |**Type of**|**Name**|**Address**| |---|---|---| |**adviser**||| |**N/A**||| |||| |||| |||| ## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** N/A ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details **N/A** ## **Other optional information** **N/A** ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** |**Signature(s)**
**Full name(s)**
**Position (eg Secretary,**
**Chair, etc)**
**Date**|| |---|---| ||Elizabeth A. Cunningham| ||
Chair| ||25.3.23| ||25.3.23| CITY OF BRISTOL CHOIR ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR EKIED 31 AUGiIST 2022 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTivmES UNR&8TRICTED FUNDS 2022 2021 INCOME Fw Fw Subscriptlons Gift Aid Donation5 arKI want8 Concert Incomg PerforM￿Ce Fees Sw8orship And fundraislNJ Sale of goods Intere8t rèceived 16.516 2.670 16.516 2.670 ,106 1.5LX) 17,2C8 4,439 17,209 4,439 1,386 166 166 41.406 15fA) 43,906 19,040 EXPENDITURE Rehearn￿ Costs Concert exponditure Perf0m￿ne• Colts Cost of goods sc4d Grant$ aThJ comff￿SsionS Subscriptlons p8*J Insurance Amortisatlon Other co$ts 13,802 22,478 1,108 13,802 22.478 I,Ic 12,050 4.5 4.SCQ 1,610 25 137 436 729 137 785 492 137 785 492 38,842 4,5CQ 43,342 15.387 NET INCOMEIIEXPENDITURE) I2.(￿) 3,653 FUNDS AT 1 SEPTEMBER 22.426 627 12481 6.176 28.981 25,328 FUNDS AT 31 AUGUST 24.990 627 12481 4.176 29,S45 28,981 CITY OF BRISTOL CHOIR ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022 BALANCE SHEET UNRESTRICTED FUNDS 2022 2021 Fu¥J FLThI Fthj F￿d FIXED ASSErs 10.709 10,709 117 CURRENf ASSErs Musbc Library Stock Gift Ald receivable Deblors and prepayments Cash at bank COIF D•po8il Attount 1,385 1,585 861 6.159 547 21789 5,309 3,236 3,942 5,309 3,236 8,497 627 1248} 4.176 15.733 627 12481 4.176 20,288 32,941 CURRENT UABILITIES Creditors and Aowal8 1.452 1.452 4,077 1,452 1.452 4,077 NET CURIIENT ASSETS 14,281 627 {2481 4,176 18.836 28,864 24,990 627 1248) 4.176 29.545 28,981 RESERVES Genord FuTra$ CBC Tour Fund CBC Bursary Fund CBC Commission¥ Fund 24.990 24,99) 12481 627 4,176 22,426 12481 627 6,176 12481 627 4,176 24,990 627 12481 4.176 29.545 28,981 Approved by the Trustee8 and 8ign&J on th8ir behaff E Cunning Chaim7an June 29 2023 I S Blenkirffjop Treasurer CITY OF BRISTOL CHOIR AccouKfs FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022 NOTES TO THE Accoupirs 1. Accountlng pollcl•• Ba#1# of Accounting Rèporting by Charities ISORP 2015), and with the chanb.es Act 1933. The bB$is of accounting has not chonged durlng the year <)olng con¢•rn Thore are no fnateri81 uncertainties *thich mtht affect ts atrAty of th• Ctrthir to ¢c4￿1nU* Publlc ￿n•fft Tho Choir is a put4k t*n8fft ￿tity R•eognltlon of In¢MI• Ineomo 1$ r8cogni8ed the Statement of Financial Actp*ts08 IS(rfAI when th& dwiity b￿n89 entitied to the re8ources.' Ihe Tnjstees are Virtualty c8rtaln Ihey wlll re¢eN¢ tho re6our￿. the mN*tsry n b• m•a8ured with 8uffiTherrt TejHb￿ty Incom• wlth r•ht•d •xp•ndllure Where incomo ha$ rolatgd exp￿ltUre. s￿h a¥ ¢onc*rt I￿Ome. the i1￿0m8 and related tY￿ndI￿re ar• reported gross in the SofA Grnnts and donatlon• Grants and donallon8 are (￿ty indL*Jed in th8 SofA th& cholty ha8 ¢nUUomont lo tho res(¥JI￿8. T•x reclalm• on donat5on8. subgcrfpllM• and gift• Incom• from tax reclairns is induded in the SofA al thè sam• 0$ th& gft to TthM¢h r¥lat•. COnt￿tual Incorne and perforniarK• r•lAtsd gran1• Thi8 ￿ onty included in the So£A once the related sarYic•s ha￿ d4iv•r•d. Inve•tment Incam• Thii is induded in the acojunts receIvab￿. Uablllty r•cognltlen lo pay resourcos Flxed Assets FiKe(l assets comprise folding chairs used In perbrmances, vthKh are depreciated over 10 years on a 8traight-line basis, recording equipment, 1$ Il*pwy*ed ￿ a straight line basis over 5 yearn. and concert st89WI9. which is dèprarAatgJ to net ¥a￿e on a stravjht line basis over 20 years CITY OF BRISTOL CH(XR Accouiifs FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2tr22 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS PAu$l¢ Ubrnry Items held by the c￿[ for 118 U8e. or fry rwttal by othw ¢lb)ird. are the subpd of an annual stocktake. To recognise Ihe reduung v￿ue ofeoF*tsS ovdr twn•. ￿1r ¥￿u8 is amortised fw 8 wicxl of 5 years. on a raducing balane8 basi8 Stock Stock Comprises compact di6c recorthng¥ orKI muslc fold*s. *thich are ￿lU*￿ 81 the ofcost and net re81i8abl¢ V￿u8. 2. Cone•rt Incom• and exp•ndltuff• Mozart Wonderful Requiem Worfd 14*s8iah CdèW¥Jn 2022 2021 Total Income ricket Salg$ Programme Salos 2,170 3.329 9.065 17,209 6,967 387 Totsl Income 2,170 3,329 9,C65 2.64S 17,209 7.354 EXp￿dIlure Mu8irAans and soloists V&nu8 ¢xJ8ts Music Hir• Programffle Co818 Refre$hrnent Costs Public4ty and post8ge Commission on ticket sal•s Other costs Grants received 3,211 618 31 150 1350 700 175 172 1.147 10,981 9,023 994 1,596 399 1.3 433 2,232 1.164 650 172 3￿0 1,542 3,039 14,4(X)I 270 1.076 51 338 365 79 2.066 I4.4￿) 1.242 1.356 2,201 51 466 17501 5.530 1,183 11.964 3WI 22,478 14,513 Surplusl{defKit) 13.3601 2.146 12.8991 11,1561 15,2691 17,1591 rry OF BRISTOL CHOIR ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS 3. Sah of good¥ Music Sales CD Sales 2022 Total 2021 Total Income 140 26 166 1,592 Expènditure 1,749 Su￿luSIDefidt 140 26 166 11571 4. Flx•d A•wts 2022 2021 C05t Depreclatlon Net Book Valve Brought fon¥ard 435 13181 117 24 Addltions during the year 11,031 11,031 195 Depreclation chatgo 14391 14391 1631 Camed fo￿ord 11,466 17571 10,709 156 S. Mu•lc Llbrnry 2022 2021 Net book value blfrHd 1,586 1.765 Additions durtn9 th• year 146 269 Amortlzal￿1n 13461 14071 Net book value clfwd 1,386 1,627 CITY OF BRISTOL CHOIR ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS L Designat•d lund* The CBC Bursary Fund 18 a d￿￿n810￿ lund established to provide funds to advance the mustcal education of young singèrs, who are iequired to join the choir durbng the p¢riod for which th¢y are In r•ceipt of bursary fut)ding. The CBC Tour Fund Is a deslgnated fund established to meet thtr in¢idéntsl ¢osl$ as$o¢i•t•d ￿th overseas and domèsli¢ ¢on¢grt tours which the choir may undertake periodically. 7. Trustee's remuneratlon and expen5e$ No twstees were In recelpt of remuneratlon or expenses durlng the year 8. Related partyiransa¢tlons There were no related party transactlons durlng the year. CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of City of Bristol Choir On accounts forthe year ended 31 Augusl 2022 Charity no {if any) 1015961 Set out on pages I report lo the trustees on my exarninalion of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 31 August 2022. Responsibilities and As the charity trustees, you are responsible for Ihe preparation of the basls of report accounts in accordance with the Charilies Act 2011 1 the Act"). I report in resp8cl of my examination of Ihe Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{51{bl of the Act. Independent I have completed my examination. I confim that no material matters have examlnerfs statement Come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect,= the accounting records were not kepl in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and conlenl of accounts set out in the Charities {Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts lo be reached. Signed: Date: 29 June 2023 Name: Richard Francis Bacon Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (If any): FCA Address: 8 Easlfield BRISTOL BS9 4BQ IER October 2018