## **BOOKHAM CHORAL SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES YEAR ENDED 31[ST] MARCH 2025**
Charity registration number 1058863 Principal address 59 Durleston Park Drive, Great Bookham KT23 4AJ
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity Julia Field Chair Janet Kay Secretary Caroline Gibbons Treasurer Marion Pidgeon Librarian (appointed September 2024) Amy Callaghan Publicity Meg Frost Voice rep Sheila Millard Voice rep Brian Millard Voice rep
The following also served as a Trustee during the year: Claire Whittaker (resigned September 2024)
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
The Charity is an unincorporated association. The constitution adopted on 1[st] October 1996 was amended on 24[th] February 2012 and on 23[rd] April 2024. Trustees are elected annually at the AGM held each April.
## **Public benefit statement**
The trustees are of the opinion that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the Charity Commission's public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant.
## **Objectives and Activities**
As set out in the Constitution, the objective of the Charity is to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of the art and science of choral music through the presentation of public concerts and recitals, by participation in the Leith Hill Musical Festival and in such other ways as the Society through its Committee shall determine.
Bookham Choral Society provides opportunities for members to be involved in a creative, enjoyable and fulfilling educational activity, to improve vocal technique, learn new musical repertoire and to perform as part of a group. For our audience we provide the opportunity to hear a variety of live classical music in a local setting.
The trustees are conscious that its activities should be affordable. Concessionary rates for under 18s and students are available for our concerts and any member with financial difficulties can arrange a reduced subscription rate with the treasurer.
The choir does not hold auditions and is open to all.
## **Achievements and Performance**
The 2024/25 season was busy with three concerts held in St Nicolas Church, Great Bookham as well as taking part in the Leith Hill Music Festival. Our summer concert programme included John Rutter’s Birthday Madrigals, George Shearing’s Songs and Sonnets and Stuart Overington’s Build a Bridge and we were delighted to welcome back a former member, Tom Harrison, on double bass.
For our Autumn concert, we were accompanied by a string quartet comprising local professional musicians and we welcomed three wonderful young soloists Elizabth Howard, Dan Gilchrist and Felix Dickenson. The music included Purcell, Haydn and a piece written in 2019, The Hope of Loving by Runestad.
Our Christmas concert was again sold out and everyone enjoyed the mix of traditional carols and popular Christmas songs.
In April 2024, we took part in the Leith Hill Music Festival with our quartet winning the ensemble class. In the evening, we joined five other choirs to sing Puccini’s Messa di Gloria and Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna conducted by Jonathan Wilcocks in his final concert with the Festival. In March 2025, members of the choir sang in the Leith Hill Music Festival’s performance of Messiah conducted by Neil Ferris.
We are very grateful to our Musical Director, Elliot Mercer and our accompanist, Anthony Merryweather for their encouragement and support throughout the year.
## **Financial Review**
For the year ended 31[st] March 2025, the Charity had total receipts of £25,700 (2024 £24,286) and total payments of £23,696 (2024 £20,329), leaving a surplus of £2,004 (2024 £3,957). As at 31[st] March 2025, total bank balances and cash amounted to £14,939 (2024 £12,935).
We are very grateful for the ongoing financial support of the Humphrey Richardson Taylor Charitable Trust. Our other main sources of income were membership subscriptions, gift aid receipts and a very successful fund-raising coffee morning.
## **Charity’s policy on reserves**
The trustees recognise that if a planned concert were not to take place, there would still be costs that would have to be covered. Additionally, there are certain expenses that would have to be met if the Charity were to be wound up. Considering this, the Trustees have decided that reserves of £7,500 should be maintained.
## **Declaration**
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the Charity’s trustees
|_Julia Field_|_Caroline Gibbons_|
|---|---|
|…………………………………………….|……………………………………………..|
|Julia Field|Caroline Gibbons|
|Chair|Treasurer|
|_22nd April 2025_|_22nd April 2025_|
|…………………………………………….|……………………………………………|
|Date|Date|
## **Bookham Choral Society Year ended 31st March 2025 Receipts and Payments Account**
|**RECEIPTS**
Grants and donations
HR Taylor Charitable Trust grant
Donations
Subscription income
Membership subscriptions
Gift Aid receipts
Investment income
Bank interest received
Income from concerts
Note 3
Income from fundraising
Coffee morning
Cake sale - Come & Sing
Raffles
Weekly refreshments
Other income
Music hire/sales
Folders
**TOTAL RECEIPTS**
**PAYMENTS**
Concert costs
Note 3
Fundraising costs
Coffee morning
Financial costs
Card and online ticket sale charges
Donation
Leith Hill Music Festival|**2025**
**2025**
**2024**
**2024**
2,000
2,000
10
2,000
2,010
13,375
12,530
2,512
1,932
15,887
14,462
143
81
5,297
6,093
1,734
1,057
-
96
97
182
205
195
2,036
1,530
112
111
225
337
111
25,700
24,286
**2025**
**2025**
**2024**
**2024**
7,642
6,395
216
226
300
188
-
25|
|---|---|
Page 1
|Other costs
Professional musicians' rehearsal & LHMF fees
9,485
Hire of rehearsal hall
2,000
LHMF singing fees
1,755
LHMF music hire/purchase
1,135
Making Music membership & insurance
468
Website & marketing
335
Bookham Community Assocation membership
30
Folders
280
Engraving trophy
10
Weekly refreshments
14
Piano expenses
-
Travel expenses
-
Podium maintenance
-
**TOTAL PAYMENTS**
Net of receipts/(payments)
Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end
**STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT 31ST March 2025**
**Cash funds**
Lloyds current account
Lloyds deposit account
Petty cash
**Other monetary assets**
Gift aid repayment claim
**Assets retained for the charity's own use**
Piano
Music stock & folders
Laminator
Lights
**Liabilities**
Hall hire
LHMF music hire
Coffee morning prepayment|9,485
2,000
1,755
1,135
468
335
30
280
10
14
-
-
-|15,512
23,696|8,883
1,170
2,115
169
323
630
30
-
-
-
170
13
16|13,520
20,329|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||2,004
12,935||3,957
8,977|
|||14,939||12,935|
|||||**2024**
1,844
11,060
30|
|||||12,935|
|||||2,511|
|||||700
540
-|
|||||1,240|
Page 2
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## 1 **Basis of accounting**
The financial statements have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis.
## 2 **Endowment and Restricted Funds**
The charity does not have any endowment or restricted funds
## 3 **Financial results of concerts**
|**Concert income**
**Concert expenditure**
Professional fees
Venue & staging
Marketing & programmes
Music hire & PRS fee
Other costs
**Total concert expenditure**
**2024/25**
**Excess income/(expenditure)**
**2023/24**
Excess income/(expenditure)|Summer
Autumn
Christmas
Come & Sing
Total
Total *
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024/25**
**2023/24**
935
1,417
2,945
5,297
6,093
1,142
2,825
750
4,717
3,305
108
198
125
430
685
197
221
489
907
937
387
574
336
1,297
1,087
94
50
148
292
381|
|---|---|
||1,927
3,867
1,848
-
7,642
6,395|
||(992)
(2,450)
1,097
-
(2,345)
(1,039)
(1,280)
1,671
345
(302)|
* The 2023/24 figures include a Come & Sing afternoon as well as three concerts
Signed on behalf of the trustees
## _Caroline Gibbons_
….....................................................
Caroline Gibbons Treasurer
Date 22nd April 2025
Page 3
**Independent examiner's** FOR ENGLAND AND WALES **report on the accounts** CHARITYe ~~000~~ **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** ~~ee~~ **Report to the trustees/** Charity Name **members of** Bookham Choral Society **On accounts for the year** 31[st] March 2025 **Charity no** 1058863 **ended (if any) Set out on pages** 1 to 3 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/03/2025.
**Responsibilities and** As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation **basis of report** 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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
**Independent** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have **examiner's statement** come to my attention 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 the accounting records
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.
**Signed:** _Fiona Layton_ **Date:** 22 April 2025 ~~ed~~ **Name:** FIONA LAYTON ~~id~~ **Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):**
**Address:** 17 Maplehurst Fetcham, Leatherhead
KT22 9NB
~~I~~
**October 2018**
**IER**