ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025
A. Reference and Administration Details
The Exeter Festival Chorus is a registered Charity, No. 1040565, and is governed by its Constitution. The address of the Secretary is Rangitoto, Littlemead Lane, Exmouth Devon, EX8 3BU
The following were members of the Committee for the year 2024-25:
Tam Jackson (Chair elected 25th Jan 2025) Trustee
Jillian Nickels (Vice Chair from Jan 2025) Trustee
Kate Holt (Treasurer elected Jan 2022, stepped down Sept 2025, now Marketing Lead) Trustee
John Eyre (Treasurer from Sept 2025) Trustee
Bridget Baines (Secretary elected Jan 2023) Trustee
Nike Hariades (Membership Secretary re-elected Jan 2023) Trustee
Charlie Lane (Artistic Planning elected Jan 2021) Trustee
Louise Roberts (Concert Manager elected Jan 2021) Trustee
Caroline Fewkes (elected Jan 2023)
Simon Bates (Scholarship and Outreach elected 25th Jan 2024) Trustee
The Musical Director, Andrea Brown, is an ex officio member of the Committee but not a Trustee.
Bankers: CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JQ;
Independent Examiner: Nicholas Kellagher, Rest Harrow, Green Lane, Exton, EX3 0PW.
==> picture [194 x 627] intentionally omitted <==
1
B. Structure, Governance and Management
Copies of the Chorus’s Constitution are available from the Secretary on request. See Section C below for extract concerning the objectives of the Chorus.
Every member of the Chorus’s Committee other than the MD is a Trustee of the Charity and is elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee meets between six and eight times each year and the Annual General Meeting is held each January.
Commented [JE1]: except MD
The Constitution requires that the Committee should comprise no fewer than eight members of the Chorus. There are currently ten members on the Committee, however, the Committee would always welcome new members who may wish to contribute to the Chorus through Committee work.
| RISK | Mitigating Actions |
|---|---|
| 1. Loss of Musical Director | Seek a replacement as soon as possible |
| 2. Cancellation of Concert | Covered by an abandonment clause in insurance policy |
| 3. Financial Loss | Reserves policy in place |
C. Objectives and Activities
The objectives of the Chorus, as set out in the Constitution, are as follows:
“To promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of choral music in all its aspects by the presentation of public choral concerts and by such other ways as the Chorus may from time to time decide.”
D. Achievements and Performance
The EFC season 2024-2025 started in fine style with events planned by the hard-working EFC committee and a much-appreciated team of helpers who keep the organisational tasks afloat. With Andrea Brown as our Music Director beginning her fourth season and Peter Adcock as our rehearsal and concert répétiteur and performer, we viewed the year ahead full of wondrous repertoire and another year of innovations in EFC’s experience.
On Saturday 16 November 2024 at St David's Church, Exeter, we performed Rossini‘s Petite Messe Solennelle . As one of Nigel Perrin’s favourite pieces, the concert was dedicated to his memory and we were pleased to have Kate Perrin and Abi McGillivray in our audience.
2
The work was accompanied by piano (Peter Adcock) and harmonium (Stephen Tanner), staying true to Rossini’s original intentions for its first performance. Thomas Hobbs and Frederick Long were our tenor and bass with Emily Vine (soprano) and Alison Kettlewell (mezzo).
I was fortunate enough to be a member of the audience at an EFC concert – a treat in the face of bad fortune after a broken patella. I have missed only a few concerts as a founder member of over 30 years because of family date clashes. I watched in the proud knowledge that EFC is one of the best choirs I have ever heard.
Our Christmas Concert on Saturday 14 December 2024 took place in Exeter Cathedral. It had a multi-faceted programme with music by composers from the Renaissance to the 20[th] Century, including readings by members of EFC, Graham Hutton’s Devon Youth Jazz Orchestra, who shared their talented exuberance, soprano Amy Carson and audience carols. One of the highlights for the choir was to perform the arrangement of Silent Night by the contemporary composer Darius Battiwalla.
This concert collaboration was a sign of the year to come for EFC with the final two pieces being performed together with our two conductors.
Our January Workshop attracted just under 180 singers. The day was a final organisational triumph for Amanda Dodds and Kate Kelly who are handing over the task to Helen Beard and Jenny Parsons. The day was full of top-notch choral direction from Andrea Brown with Peter Adcock’s expert accompaniment for Vaughan Williams’ ‘A Sea Symphony’. It was a real gem for the singers who joined us and gave EFC the opportunity to showcase what we do best. Thank you again to Amanda and Kate.
Having given notice of my stepping down as Chair after almost five years in the role, Tam Jackson was elected as Chair. Stepping out of the role was not done lightly, as I have loved playing such a central part in EFC and being involved in the inception of the exciting projects that we embark upon and the works that we perform, surrounded by talented people. Tam has made the transition very easy and her hard work, experience in the choir and help in steering us in new directions is apparent to us all. Final thanks then, to the committee, Andrea, Peter and, of course, EFC members for making the role that I held such a fantastic experience.
Jill Nickels, Exeter Festival Chorus Chair until January 2025.
Thank you for those kind words Jill. And so, the baton is handed over …
The title of our spring concert ‘Of Light and Shadow’ reflected the huge variety in musical mood from Duruflé’s reflective Requiem to Poulenc’s joyous Gloria . Between the two works, EFC performed the world première of Russell Heppelwhite’s I Wake ; one of ten poems set to his music under the collective title of Living Voices . Each poem considers contemporary life and I Wake , written by Wendy Cope, expresses relief at regaining consciousness following surgery. The choir could relate to the sense of relief at the end, having performed the new work ‘off copy’. Even the composer himself was impressed. To recognize the
==> picture [194 x 627] intentionally omitted <==
3
significance of this event, and to increase our exposure, a video was produced and made available to view via the EFC website.
All the soloists and instrumentalists for the evening had close connections to the South West. The rich voices of soprano soloist Gweneth Ann Rand and bassbaritone Timothy Dickinson added the depth and power required for both the Duruflé and Poulenc. Devon-born ‘cellist Isabella Farleigh provided melancholia and beauty in her partnership with Gweneth for Duruflé’s Pie Jesu and our Exeter-based organist Andrew Millington created the range of atmosphere demanded of such a variety of music throughout the whole evening.
A retiring collection was taken for ‘Balloons’, a small, local charity offering a range of bereavement support to children and young people aged 5 – 25.
21 June was Make Music Day and saw members of EFC take to the streets as part of the Magdalen Road Street Festival. A small group performed a selection of mostly lighter music to help illustrate the message of the day, which was a celebration of creativity and wellbeing. There was an overall feeling of positive outreach into the community and we hope to be involved again next year.
In the culmination of over a year’s collaboration with Devon Music Education Hub (DMEH), our summer concert, A New Creation , considered the theme of nature and the environment. The programme was based on the first two movements of Haydn’s Creation, with other music and narrative interwoven throughout, raising awareness and appreciation of the environment and highlighting our responsibilities towards it. The combination of musical forces was diverse and over 300 strong with EFC being joined in Exeter Cathedral by singers from five Devon primary schools, Devon Youth Choir and local professional soloists (Penelope Appleyard, Niall Anderson and Michael Graham) and actors (Ros Williams and Ian Pearce) with musicians from Devon Youth Chamber Orchestra, all blended together under the expert baton of not one, but four different conductors. A highlight for me was performing John Ireland’s The Hills by heart and a cappella. You could have heard a pin drop in the cathedral.
A VIP reception prior to the concert created the opportunity to engage with local dignitaries, including the Lord Mayor and Dame Julia Slingo, through whom we forged links with the Eden Project for this event. Alongside its experimental nature, this project also formed the first case study in research undertaken by Exeter and Sheffield Universities, looking at environmentally and ecologically engaged music-making in the UK and considering the impact on performers and audience. A short promotional video was instigated by DMEH, which now also forms part of EFC’s publicity. Subsequently, we have applied for a Royal Philharmonic Society award under the category of ‘Series and Events – a unique performance event’. We are waiting to hear…
Our continuing focus this year has been to address the imbalance in numbers between our lower and upper voices. Work has been ongoing to encourage younger voices from Exeter University through the offer of a scholarship programme. While we have yet to have our first scholar, we are in regular contact with their Director of Chapel Music, Michael Graham. We are also
==> picture [194 x 627] intentionally omitted <==
4
planning to expand our recruitment by targeting larger local employers and making ourselves easily accessible to those moving into the area.
Despite the reduction in our reserves of -£1,776, the committee continues to work hard to create innovative programmes to develop and delight in equal measure. I’m looking forward to the year ahead!
Our accumulated fund holding is at £35,180
Tam Jackson
Exeter Festival Chorus Chair
E. PUBLIC BENEFIT
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties.
F. Financial Review
FY 24/25 was a good year for Exeter Festival Chorus despite closing the year on a deficit of -£1,776 from our opening position.
General operating income was £24.3k, £1.2k higher than budget. The main contributing factors were this year’s success of our Friends and Patrons scheme which generated income of £2.1k which is more than double the previous year’s income. Our library loans totalled almost £1k which was three times the income from previous years. The success of both these fundraising schemes helped to offset the £2.5k decline in membership income versus the previous year. £1k of this decline is due to the Chorus receiving sponsorship funds from RunBySingers in 23/24. However, the remaining £1.5k decline is due to the Chorus retaining the same number of members year on year, but a greater proportion of them only managed to pay for 1 or 2 terms. This has been highlighted to the committee for further discussion and action.
Thanks to Janet Bowdler for her hard work to manage our library loans and to Jill Nickels and Paul Rosser for their work in promoting the Friends and Patrons scheme.
General operating expenses were £19.3k, £6.6k lower than budget but £0.6k higher than the previous year. The budget had allowed for two choral scholarships totalling £4k for which suitable candidates were not found. The scheme is currently under review for 25/26. Savings were also made against conductor costs and rehearsal venue costs. A one-off consultancy fee of £1,500 was paid to Emma Dunton of Sweet Track Productions for her research paper and guidance on a choir tour to Norway.
==> picture [194 x 627] intentionally omitted <==
5
Three concerts were loss-making in 24/25:
- Rossini – Petite Messe Solenelle
Income was on budget at £2.8k – £2.4k of which was ticket sales. Costs were £5.8k, £390 under budget. The cost of four soloists, harmonium hire and two pianists contributed to the expenditure. Total loss -£2.9k, +£383 vs budget
• Of Light and Shadow
Income was £5.3k which was £1.5k over budget. £3.2k came from ticket sales and £1.5k was sponsorship gratefully received from the Bryan Foster Trust and allocated to this concert. Costs were £8.5k which was £2.9k over budget. The reason for the overspend was due to 5 additional lower voices, additional staging and recording costs including the hire of a grand piano to create a quality performance video.
Total loss -£3.1k, -£1.3 vs budget.
• A New Creation
This ambitious project generated income of 11k - £2.6k higher than budget. Ticket sales were £8k, £1k worth of sponsorship was gratefully received from our collaboration with Devon Music Education Hub and £1k from Exeter and District Classical Music Trust. Costs were £13.5k which was £648 over budget.
Total loss -£2.5k, +£1.9k vs budget.
Two concerts made a profit in 24/25:
-
The Workshop made a profit of £1k helped by a £1 increase in ticket prices.
-
Christmas Classics at the Cathedral made a profit of £1.1k. Income was £8.2k -1.6k vs budget. Costs were £7.1k - £1.5k less than budget.
We are ever grateful for the ongoing support of our generous Members, Friends, Patrons and The Bryan Foster Charitable Trust.
The Choir’s cash balances as at 31st August 2025 stand at £33,050
==> picture [194 x 627] intentionally omitted <==
6
7
Signed :
Name: Tam Jackson - Chair of trustees on behalf of the trustees Approved by the trustees on 19/11/25
8
H. Statement of Cashflow
I. Notes to the Financial Statements
1. Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared on an accruals basis in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) effective from January 2015.
2. Accounting Policies
Reserves - To achieve its objectives the Chorus needs to promote concerts, programmed up to two years in advance, which could result in financial deficits as a result of receipts failing to meet costs. The Trustees consider that the reserves at each year-end should be at least £20,000. Should this level of reserves not be achieved, the Trustees will arrange future concert programmes with the aim of returning to the required level of reserves.
Incoming Resources - All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the Charity is entitled to the income, its
9
receipt is sufficiently certain and the amounts can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
Resources Expended - All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category.
Stock – Stock consists of a library of music purchased and owned by the Chorus; it is held at the lower of cost and net realisable value. 50% of the cost of new music purchased is charged to the first concert at which the music is performed. The stock of music is depreciated at 10% on a reducing balance basis.
3. Trustees Expenses and Related Party Transactions
The Trustees receive no emoluments and any expense claims must be made within the terms of the Charity’s Trustee Expenses Policy.
There have been no related party transactions in 2024/25.
| Nature of Expense | 2024/25 £ |
2023/24 £ |
|---|---|---|
| Technology costs | 329 | |
| Concert costs | 255 | 440 |
| Charity Donations and fundraising | 145 | 238 |
| Choir development | ||
| Advertisements | 111 | |
| Travel, Subsistence and General costs | 95 | 444 |
| Total amount paid | 607 | 1,451 |
| Number of Trustees paid expenses | 3 | 6 |
4. Analysis of Debtors
All debtors fall due within one year
| 4. Analysis of Debtors All debtors fall due within one year |
||
|---|---|---|
| 31 August 2025 £ |
31 August 2024 £ |
|
| Trade debtors | 1149 | |
| Prepayments | 833 | |
| Total debtors | 1149 | 833 |
==> picture [194 x 627] intentionally omitted <==
10
5. Analysis of Creditors
All creditors fall due within one year
| 31 August 2025 £ |
31 August 2024 £ |
|
|---|---|---|
| Trade creditors | 981 | 871 |
| Deferred income | 428 | |
| Total creditors | 981 | 1299 |
==> picture [194 x 627] intentionally omitted <==
11
12
Declaration
The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ Report above. Signed on behalf of the Charity’s Trustees:
Signatures:
Full names: Morag Tamar McIntosh Jackson Positions: Exeter Festival Chorus Chair Date: 16/11/25
13