**2024-5 Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra Annual Report**
## **Charity reference information**
Charity name: Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra Charity registration number: 1057071 Correspondence address: 9A Bourchier Close Sevenoaks Kent TN13 1PD
Trustees as at date of report:
Additional trustees during the financial year reported:
John Hendry - Chairman Anne Webster - Secretary Charles Hebert – Membership Secretary Debra Coote – Treasurer David Floyd – Librarian Nadia Courtenay Elizabeth Crawford Usher Jonathan Jaggard Jane Moore None
## **Structure, governance and management**
Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra is governed according to its constitution as adopted on 5 June 1996 and revised in 2017. Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra is unincorporated. Appointment of trustees is by election by Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra members at the Annual General Meeting.
## **Reserves policy**
It is the Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra’s policy to hold at least £15,000 in reserves for contingency purposes. To determine the size of the required reserves, we have considered the recommended charitable standard of approximately twice the “costs of the day” of producing a concert.
## **Objectives and activities**
## **Objectives**
As stated in the charity constitution:
The objects (hereinafter called "the objects") of the Society shall be to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of the art and science of music, and in particular orchestral music, in all its aspects by the presentation of public concerts and recitals and by such other ways as the Society may from time to time decide; and for the general purposes of such charitable bodies or for such other purposes as shall be exclusively charitable as the Society may from time to time decide.
The charity has considered the public benefit of the objectives and activities of the orchestra. The giving of public concerts ensures that the benefits are available to the public. The concert ticket prices are such that these are not prohibitively expensive and in the case of the children's concert are significantly below cost in order to
encourage attendance. In addition the £2 tickets for under 19's at the 3 main concerts have been widely taken up. These have risen from £1 per ticket following a pricing policy change by the Stag to include a £1 per ticket charge within the ticket price. The orchestra receives £1 for each of the £2 tickets sold.
## **Activities**
The orchestra has had a busy and successful year of activities. We kicked off the year with a ‘Play for Pleasure’ social event, followed by our annual family concert in October, three standard concerts, and a joint concert with Sevenoaks Philharmonic Choir, all of which were well attended. We also held a number of social events for members and patrons.
## **Achievements and performance**
Feedback from audience members has been very positive, in terms of both the standard of playing and the selection of music performed. We are continuing to work hard to raise awareness of the orchestra’s activities amongst those who may not traditionally attend classical music concerts to build up future audiences. Membership of the orchestra is strong.
Financially, the orchestra is also stable. Income was lower than expenditure, for the second year running, but balances are still healthy and we have two years’ worth of Gift Aid still to claim.
Signed on behalf of the trustees
Debra Coote 26 November 2025
## **Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra**
## **Annual Accounts for the Year Ended 31st August 2025**
## **Statement of Financial Activity**
|**Incoming Resources**
**Incoming Resources from Charitable**
**Activities - Concert Income**
Season Tickets
Tickets
Sponsorship
Advertisements
**Total Concert Income**
**Voluntary Income**
Patrons and Other Donations
Members Subscriptions
Sundry Donations
Tax Recoveries (Gift Aid)
Grants
Other
**Investment Income - Interest**
**Total Incoming Resources**
**Expended Resources**
Conductor
Soloist
Leader
Professional Musicians
Music Hire
Rehearsal Hall
Concert Hall
Instrument Hire
Printing & Publicity
Programmes
Memberships (Making Music and MMP)
Card Payment Fee
Other
**Total Resources Expended**
**Net Incoming Resources**
**Total Funds Brought Forward**
**Total Funds Carried Forward**|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**2024/5**
**2023/4**
(Cello Fund)
2,565
2,565
2,790
14,572
14,572
11,841
0
0
747
747
500
17,884
0
17,884
15,131
4,035
4,035
4,238
8,410
8,410
8,468
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
855
855
1,025
Note 11
91
91
101
**31,275**
**0**
**31,275**
**28,963**
8,305
8,305
8,109
2,850
2,850
1,673
3,198
3,198
3,597
5,272
5,272
5,240
2,099
2,099
726
1,435
1,435
1,540
6,762
6,762
6,078
67
67
0
2,990
2,990
1,860
1,687
1,687
1,433
567
567
692
25
25
25
1,386
1,386
922
Note 12
**36,643**
**0**
**36,643**
**31,895**
-5,368
**0**
-5,368
-2,932
47,017
150
47,167
50,099
41,649
150
41,799
47,167|
|---|---|
## **Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra**
## **Annual Accounts for the Year Ended 31st August 2025**
## **Balance Sheet as at 31st August 2025**
|**Fixed Assets**
**Current Assets**
**Debtors & Prepayments**
**Cash at bank and in hand**
**Total Current Assets**
**Creditors: amounts falling due**
within one year
**Net Current Assets/Liabilities**
**Net Assets**
**Funds of the Charity**
Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds - (Cello Fund)
**Total Funds**
Signed by Debra Exall, Treasurer
on behalf of all the Trustees|Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Funds
Funds
2024/5
-
0.00
- -
4,203
4,203
37,970
150
38,120
42,173
150
42,323
-524
-
-524
41,649
150
41,799
41,649
150
41,799
41,649
41,649
150
150
41,649
150
41,799
…………………………………
Signature
…………………………………
……………..
Name
Date of Approval|Total
2023/4
-
Note 8
4,758
Note 9
42,634
47,392
-225
Note 10
47,167
47,167
47,017
150
47,167
|
|---|---|---|
Page 2
## **Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra**
## **Annual Accounts for the Year Ended 31st August 2025**
## **Notes to the Accounts**
- 1 **Basis of Preparation**
- 1.1 **Basis of Accounting**
These accounts have been prepared on the basis of historic cost in accordance with; Accounting and Reporting by Charities - Statement of recommended Practice (SORP) FRS 102, Accounting Standards and with the Charities Act 2011.
There has been no change in the basis of accounting since last year and no changes have been made to the accounts for previous years.
## 2 **Accounting Policies**
## 2.1 **Incoming Resources**
Incoming Resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when SSO becomes entitled to them, the trustees are virtually certain they will receive the resources and the monetary value can be measure with sufficient reliability.
Concert income is recognised in the concert season to which that income relates.
Income from concerts and the related expenditure are reported gross in the SOFA.
Grants and donations are only included in the SOFA when the charity is unconditionally entitled to the resources. Incoming resources from tax reclaims are included in the SOFA when received.
## 2.2 **Expenditure and Liabilities**
Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources.
## 2.3 **Assets**
Tangible fixed assets for use by the charity are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and cost more than £500.
## 3 **Detailed Analysis of Incoming Resources and Resources Expended**
APPENDIX A comprises a schedule of direct Income and Expenses, analysed by concert, with all other indirect income and expenses listed separately.
Page 3
## **Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra**
## **Annual Accounts for the Year Ended 31st August 2025**
## **Notes to the Accounts**
## 4 **Trustee remuneration, benefits and expenses**
No trustees receive renumeration or benefits
No trustees have claimed travel expenses
Trustees have been reimbursed for costs properly incurred in delivering the charitable activities of the Orchestra, including costs of hiring music, advertising and promoting concerts and providing flowers for soloists etc.
## 5 **Related party transactions**
There were no related party transactions requiring disclosure.
## 6 **Fees for Examination of the Accounts**
The Independent Examiner has not been paid any fees or expenses for examining the accounts
## **7 Paid Employees**
The charity has no paid employees.
## **8 Tangible Fixed Assets**
The Orchestra owns a set of music stands and concert display boards, which have been held for some time and fully written off since acquisition. The Trustees estimate the aggregate value of this equipment at £1,200 in total.
The orchestra also owns a set of cymbals and a cello which are valued at below the capitalisation threshold
Future acquisitions of fixed assets in excess of £500 will be capitalised and depreciated at appropriate rates.
|**9 Debtors and Prepayments**
Debtors
Ticket sales
Prepayments
Music hire
Printing & publicity
Stag concert deposits
Rehearsal hall hire (Bat & Ball community centre)|2024/5
£
0
265
772
2,880
286
4,203|2023/24
£
1,658
159
721
2,220|
|---|---|---|
|||4,758|
Page 4
## **Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra**
## **Annual Accounts for the Year Ended 31st August 2025**
## **Notes to the Accounts**
|**10 Creditors and Accruals**
Accruals
Piano Tuner (May 24 concert)
Season tickets for next season
Creditors
Making Music - PRS for summer concert
**11 Other Income**
Play for Pleasure receipts
Easy fundraising
Teas
**Total**
**12 Other expenses**
Gift, flowers for Soloist
Audience refreshments
Website & Domain hosting
PRS Fees
Refreshments Play for Pleasure
Piano Tuner Pamoja hall May 2024 concert
Piano Tuner Pamoja hall May 2025 concert
Cards and Gifts
Tea and biscuits
Four Last Songs words in programme
Bank Charges
Christmas party plates and napkins
Accounting System Fee
Deduct cost of piano tuner for May23 concert
Unrecorded deposits recovered
Purchase of cello using Cello Fund, loaned to SSO Member
**Total**|2024/5
£
0
-320
-204||2023/4
£
-180
-45|
|---|---|---|---|
||-524||-225|
||2024/5
£
180
121
554||2023/4
£
196
384
445|
||855||1,025|
||2024/5
£
42
0
163
536
79
0
190
37
86
0
60
7
186
0
0
0||2023/4
£
76
86
163
67
119
180
107
68
120
60
186
-170
-240
100|
||1,386||922|
Page 5
## **Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra - APPENDIX A**
## **Detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31st August 2025**
|**Subscription Concerts and Development of Repertoire**
**Other Concerts**
**Winter 2024**
**Spring 2025**
**Repertoire**
**Total 2024-5**
**Total 2023/4**
**Incoming Resources**
**from Charitable Activitites**
**Concert Income**
Season Tickets
855
855
855
2,565
2,790
Tickets
3,677
1,906
4,380
2,488
2,122
14,573
11,841
**Total Concert Income**
4,532
2,761
5,235
-
2,488
2,122
17,138
14,631
**Resources Expended on**
**Charitable Activities**
Conductor
1,610
2,520
1,870
130
1,110
1,065
8,305
8,109
Soloist (including gifts etc)
564
714
514
350
750
2,892
1,749
Leader
625
760
690
70
585
468
3,198
3,597
Professional Assistance
1,110
1,465
780
1,115
802
5,272
5,240
Music Hire
59
133
789
205
913
2,099
726
Rehearsal Hall
210
455
280
175
140
175
1,435
1,540
Concert Hall (inc technical support)
1,680
1,696
1,056
1,680
650
6,762
6,078
Printing & Publicity
407
471
418
328
259
1,883
1,860
Programmes
401
361
346
309
269
1,686
1,433
PRS Fees
120
62
204
81
69
536
67
Piano Tuner at Pamoja Hall
190
190
180
Audience refreshments
-
86
Other
19
45
23
87
120
**Total Expenditure on Charitable Activities**
6,805
8,637
7,137
375
5,948
5,443
34,345
30,785
**Concert Shortfall for the Year**
(2,273)
(5,876)
(1,902)
(375)
(3,460)
(3,321)
(17,207)
(16,154)
**Other Income**
Patrons and Other Donations
4,035
4,238
Members Subs
8,410
8,468
Interest
91
101
Tax Recoveries
-
-
Advertisements
747
500
Other
855
1,025
**Total Other Income**
14,138
14,332
**Other Expenses (Not allocated to particular concert)**
Making Music and MMP Annual Membership
567
692
Website and Domain Hosting
163
163
Liberty Accounts System
186
186
General printing and publicity (NB in 2023/4 the cost of the overall season leaflet was spread across the concerts)
1,106
Bank Charges
60
60
Refreshments Play for Pleasure
80
119
Cards and gifts
18
107
Tea and biscuits
86
67
Card payment fee
25
25
Christmas party plates and napkins
7
Unrecorded deposits recovered
-240
Accrual Piano Tuner for May23 concert
-170
**Total Other Expenses**
2,298
1,009
**Net Other Income & Expenses**
11,840
13,323
**Net Incoming Resources for the Period**
(5,367)
(2,831)
**Unrestricted Funds Brought Forward as at 31st August 2024**
47,017
49,849
**Unrestricted Funds Carried Forward as at 31st August 2025**
41,649
47,017
**Summer**
**2025**
**Family**
**Concert**
**Joint Concert**
**with SPS**|**Subscription Concerts and Development of Repertoire**|**Subscription Concerts and Development of Repertoire**|**Subscription Concerts and Development of Repertoire**|**Subscription Concerts and Development of Repertoire**|**Other Concerts**|**Other Concerts**|**Total 2024-5**|**Total 2023/4**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Winter 2024**|**Spring 2025**|**Summer**
**2025**|**Repertoire**|**Family**
**Concert**|**Joint Concert**
**with SPS**|||
||855
3,677|855
1,906|855
4,380||2,488|2,122|2,565
14,573|2,790
11,841|
||4,532|2,761|5,235|-|2,488|2,122|
17,138|14,631|
||1,610
564
625
1,110
59
210
1,680
407
401
120
19|2,520
714
760
1,465
133
455
1,696
471
361
62|1,870
514
690
780
789
280
1,056
418
346
204
190|130
70
175|1,110
350
585
1,115
205
140
1,680
328
309
81
45|1,065
750
468
802
913
175
650
259
269
69
23|
8,305
2,892
3,198
5,272
2,099
1,435
6,762
1,883
1,686
536
190
-
87|8,109
1,749
3,597
5,240
726
1,540
6,078
1,860
1,433
67
180
86
120|
||6,805|8,637|7,137|375|5,948|5,443|
34,345|30,785|
||||||||||
||(2,273)|(5,876)|(1,902)|(375)|(3,460)|(3,321)|(17,207)
(16,154)||
||||||||4,035
4,238
8,410
8,468
91
101
-
-
747
500
855
1,025||
||||||||14,138
14,332||
||||||||567
692
163
163
186
186
1,106
60
60
80
119
18
107
86
67
25
25
7
-240
-170||
||||||||2,298
1,009||
||||||||||
||||||||11,840
13,323||
||||||||(5,367)
(2,831)
47,017
49,849||
||||||||41,649
47,017||
Page 6
## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts**
## **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report**
## **Report to the trustees**
Charity Name Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra
31[st] August 2025 1057071 1 to 6
**On accounts for the year ended Charity no (if any) Set out on pages**
(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31[st] August 2025.
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the 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 all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have 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 kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities 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 content 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 to be reached.
**Signed:**
**Date:**
**Name:**
11/11/25
1
**Oct 2018**
**IER**
Richard Gilbert
## **Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):**
Retired Chartered Accountant
**Address:**
Ryefield, Packhorse Road,
Sevenoaks
Kent. TN13 2QP
## **Section B Disclosure**
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
## **Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** .
2
**Oct 2018**
**IER**