## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** ## **From 1[st] August 2023 To 31[st] July 2024** ## **Charity name: Sinfonia of Leeds** ## **Charity registration number: 1021886** ## **Objectives and Activities** |**Objectives and Activities**||| |---|---|---| ||SORP
reference|| |Summary of the purposes of the
charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|The objects of the Society shall be to advance,
improve, develop and maintain public education
in, and appreciation of, the art and science of
music in all its aspects by any means the
trustees see fit, including through the
presentation of public concerts and recitals.| |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.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|Presentation of four symphonic concerts during
the year.| |Statement confirming whether
the trustees have had regard to
the guidance issued by the
Charity Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|In planning our activities for the year the trustees
have had regard to the guidance issued by the
Charity Commission on public benefit.| |**Additional information (optional)**|**Additional information (optional)**|| |---|---|---| |You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:||| ||SORP|| ||reference|| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|| |Policy on social investment|Para 1.38|| |including program related||| |investment||| |Contribution made by|Para 1.38|| |volunteers||| |Other||| ## **Achievements and Performance** ||SORP
reference|| |---|---|---| |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.|Para 1.20|Sinfonia of Leeds 2023-2024 season was a
varied, challenging and familiar programme for
both members and audiences alike. The
performance of Bluebeard’s Castle (Bartók) was
an exceptional undertaking for players and the
orchestra committee - bringing a work of this
nature to St Edmund’s of Roundhay was an
extraordinary opportunity for members and for
our audience to experience the likes of Henry
Waddington and Yvonne Howard at such close
quarters and accessible ticket prices.
Our first programme delivered Finnish
nationalism and a Russian epic. Sibelius’s
Finlandia, both rousing and turbulent, is a stark
contrast to the Adagio for Strings by Samuel
Barber, a piece of sublime calm and beauty.
Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 was an
enormous effort for players. To complete the
programme was Dvorák’s Slavonic
Dance No. 8, a live performance of the
orchestra’s second online lockdown project, a
moving experience revisiting a work that took us
back to the depths of covid, reminding us all just
how important the network of Sinfonia of Leeds is
to all who are part of it.
Our artistic director David Greed swapped baton
for violin in January in a performance of Brahms’
much loved Violin Concerto, alongside the
composer’s Symphony No. 2. It was an
electrifying experience for the orchestra and our
audience to experience David as a soloist, and
this concert was all but sold out. Unfortunately,
Tony Kraus fell ill just before the concert
weekend and the committee and David worked
hard to find a conductor who could step in at the
last moment to conduct the concert with
experience and understanding of the ability of an
amateur orchestra. We were very fortunate that
Peter Stark travelled from London to conduct the
concert and the experience was incredible for us
all to work with a conductor of his calibre, despite
us all missing the beloved Tony Kraus.
In March SOL embarked on one of the
orchestra’s most ambitious projects: Bartók’s
only work for the stage, Duke Bluebeard’s Castle,
sung in English. This intense psychodrama
needs no opera house or set, as the orchestra
vividly portrays the castle with its grandiose and
grizzly secrets. We were extremely fortunate to
be able to welcome international artists
Yvonne Howard and Henry Waddington to
perform with our orchestra, in an experience
usually reserved for much higher ticket prices.
As a season finale, Blair Sinclair (Principal
Trombone, Opera North) played unfamiliar but
brilliantworks byNinoRota andLeopoldMozart,| while the orchestra completed the programme with Wagner, Ravel and Tchaikovsky. **Concert 1: 11 November 2023** Sibelius - Finlandia Barber - Adagio Dvorak - Slavonic Dance No. 8 Rachmaninov - Symphony No. 2 Conductor David Greed **Concert 2: Saturday 20 January 2024** Brahms - Violin Concerto Brahms - Symphony No. 2 Soloist David Greed Conductor Peter Stark (replacement for Tony Kraus who was unwell) **Concert 3: Saturday 23 March 2024** Haydn - Symphony No. 90 Bartók - Duke Bluebeard’s Castle Soloists Henry Waddington & Yvonne Howard Conductor Tony Kraus **Concert 4: Saturday 22 June 2024** Wagner - Overture ‘Rienzi’ Ravel - Pavane pour une Infante défunte Leopold Mozart - Trombone Concerto Nino Rota - Trombone Concerto Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker Act 1 (highlights) Soloist Blair Sinclair Conductor David Greed ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Achievements against
objectives set|Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|The 23/24 programme was ambitious and varied
and took the skill and ability of both the orchestra
and the committee to new levels, especially in
regards to the performance of Bluebeard’s
Castle. A last minute illness of conductor Tony
Kraus in the second programme of the year saw
us bring in an external professional conductor.
The entire orchestra was saddened to miss
working with Tony Kraus to complete his Brahms
symphony cycle but everyone got so much out of
professional conductor Peter Stark coming to
take rehearsals at the last minute and rallied
together in the final rehearsal before the
performance with a new conductor.| |---|---|---|---| ||||| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives set|Para 1.41|Our 23/24 box office target was**£8780**and we
brought in**£10184**- the first two concerts we sold
almost 163% and 148% respectively of our
target, the second two came in under at 71% and
89% of forecast.
The regular and committed membership base
accounted for a third of our income, and in the
2023/2024 financial year we received £11129.
We saw an increase in the amount of donations
in our ‘patrons’ scheme, which brought us £2660,
an increase on the projected £1800 (NB two of
the patron payments reported in the 23/24
financial year were for the 24/25 season).
In this financial year, we have received payments
for two years of Gift Aid returns: £5504.36
(22/23) and £3286.48 (23/24), totalling £8790.84
received this financial year.
Likewise, we received a Orchestra Tax Relief
return for both the 22/23 and 23/24 seasons
within this financial year. This accounts for
**£16445**of our income (£7767 for 22/23 and
£8678 for 23/24 respectively).| |---|---|---| |Investment performance against
objectives|Para 1.41|| |Other||| ## **Financial Review** |Review of the charity’s financial
position at the end of the period|Para 1.21|At the end of the 2023/24 season, the orchestra has built up to
have almost a year’s operating costs in the bank. This is due
to catching up with gift aid and orchestra tax relief returns after
covid, a small raise in membership fees and ticket prices
(ticket prices were raised for the first time in almost 12 years to
help reflect the artistic quality of concerts presented, in
particular soloists and conductors).| |---|---|---| |Statement explaining the policy
for holding reserves stating why
they are held|Para 1.22|Reserves are held at the discretion of the treasurers in
consultation with the whole committee and with the Sinfonia of
Leeds Ltd. directors.
Due to receiving two years’ worth of returns of both gift aid and
orchestra tax relief in the 2023/24 financial year, in addition to
a noticeable increase in box office attendance, we built to have
roughly a year's operations costs in cash reserves. The
committee is committed to not go beyond this and has begun
to use these funds to invest back into assets (e.g. purchasing
of a new suite of stands), programming (larger works with
more extras, percussion, expensive music hire costs) and a
sensible increase of artist fees.
Looking beyond the 25/26 season Sinfonia of Leeds will see a
change in artistic leadership and more frequent guest
conductors who may require investment into travel and other
subsistence, something which the orchestra has not had to
consider in recent years due to the locality and agreements
made with the current permanent conductors. The illness of
Tony Kraus in our second concert of the year highlighted the
need to have sensible reserves in our bank account so the
committee can appropriately respond to emergency needs in
replacing conductors or soloists at short notice with those who
are professional and experienced enough to do so, which often
come with higher fees. Ensuring there are funds to cover last
minute artistic illness is sensible and responsible.| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|Balance of funds at the end of the 23/24 financial year was
£33,729.09| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|| |Explanation of any uncertainties
about the charity continuing as
a going concern|Para 1.23|| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|**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|There are 4 sources of funding - this year saw a
higher than usual income owing to receiving two
years’ worth of returns for both gift aid and OTR. See
below for details.
**Box Office- 20% of income**
The 23/24 box office target was**£8780**and we
received**£10184.**
**Subscriptions- 22% of income**
There were 72 paying members in 2023/24.
Subscriptions totalled £11129.
**Patrons/Donation- 5% of income**| ||||Patron donations totalled £2660. NB two of the
payments received in the 23/24 financial year were for
the 24/25 season.
**Gift Aid- 17% of income**
In this financial year, SOL received the payments for
two years: £5504.36 (22/23), £3286.48 (23/24),
totalling £8790.84.
**OTR- 32% of income**
We received a Orchestra Tax Relief return for both
the 22/23 and 23/24 seasons within this financial year.
This accounts for**£16445**of our income (£7767 and
£8678 respectively).| |---|---|---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any social
investment policy adopted|Para 1.46||| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46||Loss of Income
The main identifiable risk is the changing cost of living
and ability of audience members to attend a concert
(or ideally regular concerts) of Sinfonia of Leeds
Increasing Costs
Our venue's current fee structure is the foundation of
our budget. There aren’t other venues of the size of
our performance venue which are easily comparable
in facility and cost. Likewise our rehearsal venue
which is unavailable to us during 2025/2026 due to
building renovation forcing us to search elsewhere for
a comparable facility with a comparable cost.| |Other|||| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Constitution| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|Trust| |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|Volunteers who are elected by the orchestra
membership at AGM| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and Para 1.51 training of trustees The charity’s organisational structure and any wider Para 1.51 network with which the charity works Relationship with any related Para 1.51 parties Other ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|Sinfonia of Leeds| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|| |Registered charity number|1021886| |Charity’s principal address|C/O The Treasurer
62 Oxford Avenue
Guiseley
LS20 9BX| ||| **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Nam**
**e of**
**pers**
**on**
**(or**
**body**
**)**
**entitl**
**ed to**
**appo**
**int**
**trust**
**ee (if**
**any)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||ALISON
GILCHRIST|n/a||| ||VALERIE
STYGALL|SECRETARY||| ||EMMA BARNETT|TREASURER||| ||LESLIE
BROADHEAD|CHAIR PERSON||| ||ADRIAN STYGALL|n/a||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |20||||| ## – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity Truslee name Dates acled if nol for whole ear ## **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**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**| |---|---|---|---| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**||| ||||| ||||| ## **Other optional information** **N/A** ## **Declarations** **----- Start of picture text -----**
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s)
rr |
Full name(s) Emma Anne Barnett
— a
Position (eg Treasurer
Secretary, Chair, etc)
TT ee
Date
27/05/2025
i: [7
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Charity Name No (if any)
Sinfonia of Leeds 1021886
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
SS For the period Period start date To Period end date
from 1/8/2023 31/7/2024
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Endowment
Restricted funds Total funds Last year
funds funds
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Generated Funds - 40,180- - - - - - - - 40,180- - 24,457-
Charitable Activities - 10,518- - - - - - - - 10,518- - 7,829-
- -- - - - - - - - - - - - -
- -- - - - - - - - - - - - -
- -- - - - - - - - - - - - -
- -- - - - - - - - - - - - -
- -- - - - - - - - - - - - -
- -- - - - - - - - - - - - -
- 50,698- - - - - - - - 50,698- - 32,286-
ese Sub total (Gross income for AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales, (see
table).
None - -- - -- - -- - - -
- -- - -- - -- - - - - --
**----- End of picture text -----**
CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 31/05/2025 1 |**_Sub total_-**
**--**
**_Total receipts_ -**
**50,698-**
**A3 Payments**|**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
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**--**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||||||||| ||**-**
**50,698-**||**-**
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**--**||**-**
**50,698-**||**-**
**32,286-**| ||||||||||| |Charitable Activities|**-**
**31,571-**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**31,571-**||**-**
**29,762-**| ||||||||||| ||**-**
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**--**| |**_Sub total_ -**
**31,571-**
**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**|**-**
**31,571-**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**31,571-**||**-**
**29,762-**| ||||||||||| |**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**|||||||||| |**None**|**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||| ||**-**
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**--**||| |**_Sub total_ -**
**--**
**_Total payments_ -**
**31,571-**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_ -**
**19,127-**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**-**
**--**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**-**
**14,733-**
**_Cash funds this year end_ -**
**33,860-**|**-**
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**--**||| ||||||||||| ||**-**
**31,571-**||**-**
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**31,571-**||**-**
**29,762-**| ||||||||||| ||**-**
**19,127-**||**-**
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**19,127-**||**-**
**2,524-**| ||**-**
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**14,733-**||**-**
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**14,733-**||**-**
**12,209-**| ||**-**
**33,860-**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**33,860-**||**-**
**14,733-**| ||||||||||| **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 31/05/2025 2 |**Categories**
**B1 Cash funds**|**Details**|**Details**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Restricted funds**
**to nearest £**|**Restricted funds**
**to nearest £**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||Cash at bank and in hand||**-**
**33,860-**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**| ||||||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**| ||||||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**| |**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B3 Investment assets**|**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments account
(s))
**Details**
**Details**||**-**
**33,860-**||**-**
**--**||**-**
**--**| ||||||||OK| ||||**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**Fund to which asset**
**belongs**||**Restricted funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**-**
**--**
**Cost (optional)**||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| ||||||||**-**
**--**| ||||||||**-**
**--**| ||||||||**-**
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**--**| ||||||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||||**-**
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**--**| ||||||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| CCXX R3 accounts (SS) 31/05/2025 3 |**B4 Assets retained for the**||||||**-**|**--**||**-**|**--**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |**charity’s own use**||||||**-**|**--**||**-**|**--**| |||||||**-**|**--**||**-**|**--**| |||||||**-**|**--**||**-**|**--**| |||||||**-**|**--**||**-**|**--**| |||||||**-**|**--**||**-**|**--**| |||||||**-**|**--**||**-**|**--**| |||||||**-**|**--**||**-**|**--**| |||||||**-**|**--**||**-**|**--**| |||||**Fund to which**||**Amount due**||||**When due**| ||**Details**|||**liability relates**||**(optional)**||||**(optional)**| |**B5 Liabilities**||||||**-**|**--**|||| |||||||**-**|**--**|||| |||||||**-**|**--**|||| |||||||**-**|**--**|||| |||||||**-**|**--**|||| |Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of
all the trustees||Signature||Print|Name||||Date of approval|| CCXX R4 accounts (SS) 31/05/2025 4 **----- Start of picture text -----**
Emma Barnett 27/05/2025
**----- End of picture text -----**
CCXX R5 accounts (SS) 31/05/2025 5 Date: If nKG¥¥gL & S gr-F>ty/LlJ CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfo report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to the tru¥(eesl members of On accounts forthe year ended Charity no (if any) Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charty ('Ihe Trustl for the year ended Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible forthe preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance wtth the requirements of the Chartlies Act 2011 (Yhe Act.). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention (otherthan that disclosed below l in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with Ihe accounting records Independent examIne￿S statement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets If they do not apply. Slgned: Date: Name: P ¢Mkif NKGk¥gL Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: IER O¢tpber 2018