2024-06-30-accounts

Eastbourne Choral Society Patron: Sir Simon Rattle

25 Macmillan Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex. BN21 1SU

www.eastbournechoralsociety.org.uk Tel: [phone]

Chair’s Report Sept 2023 – Sept 2024

I cannot believe that another choir year has flown by and its time to write my anuual report. The year has seen us welcome some new members, and sadly lose a few others who gave up singing for health, or other personal, reasons. It is always lovely to see some of our former members attending our concerts though.

The first concert of the season, “The Glory of Music“ was held in November. It was given to celebrate St Cecilia’s Day. We sang Handel – Part one of Alexander’s Feast, and Puccini – Meses de Gloria, at the unusual time of 4pm. This was an experiment to see if more people would prefer to come out to listen to us in the daylight rather than a dark winter’s evening. The audience was, however, much the same size as always, some people commented that they came bacause of the earlier time, but we had no way of knowing who didnt come because of it! As with all our concerts it was well received.

This was was followed by our usual round of carol events – singing at Palm Court Care Home‘s Christmas Party,The Hawthorn’s Retirement Village, All Souls Lunch time carol service, singing carols in the Beacon Centre where we raised over £500 for the local Samaritans, and finally, on Christmas eve at The Star Hotel, Alfriston to start off their Christmas celebrations. All events were very enjoyable, some raising funds for choir, others for charity, but I have to say singing carols on Christmas eve in a beautiully decorated hotel which was once called The Star of Bethlehem and was used by pilgrims on their way to either Chichester or Canterbury, was a delightful experience and seemed very appropriate! All these organisations have asked us to come again this year!

January 2024 found us rehearsing Handel Messiah, always a favourite with singers and audience alike. We had a wonderful term with our MD, John, who always brings something new to a piece which is well known to some of us, but was new to others. The subsequent concert, where we were accompanied by a professional orhestra and soloists, was uplifting, and enthusiastically received by a large audience.

The sumer term had a very different feel with us rehearsing Rutter Magnificat, Haydn Little Organ Mass, Chilcott A Little Jazz Mass and the Spirituals from Tippett’s A Child of ourTtime. An eclectic mix which many found challenging, but refreshingly different. Rather than a concert, we finished the term with an “open to all singers“ event of an afternoon rehearsal followed by an informal concert in St Nicolas Church Pevensey, a pretty venue on a lovely summer’s day. We were joined for this by Katie Brown, a lovely student soprano soloist from Chichester University Conservatoire, and accompanied by our ever reliable and brilliant

Charity Registration No. 1063701

Eastbourne Choral Society Patron: Sir Simon Rattle

accompanist, Nick. I am delighted to say that Katie will be joining us to sing solos for our Advent Concert in November.

During the year we held several social/fundrainging events: A wine tasting and quiz evening – grateful thanks to Rebecca and Fenella for sharing their wine expertise, and to Pauline for devising and running the quiz, a Bottle Tombola, thank you to Tracy and Hugh, a Fish and Chip supper followed by a talk given by Dr Suzie Wilkins, who is an expert in her field and a former member of ECS, a cake sale kindly organised by Barbara and Alec – huge thank you to them, and finally, on a beautiful summer’s evening, a guided walk along Eastbourne seafront courtesy of Kim, followed by drinks in the Lansdowne Hotel – a very enjoyable, interesting and sociable evening. Grateful thanks to Kim.

Managing a large, very active choir is certainly a demanding task. I am very grateful to Claire, our secretary for all her help and support over the year, especially on concert days, to Paul, our treasurer who does a tremendous amount of work quietly in the background to keep our finances in order. I would also like to Eleanor, our choir librarian, who works extremely hard to ensure that we have all the vocal scores we need, and the music the instrumentalists need for concets. We are indeed very fortunate to have a professional librarian working for us! Grateful thanks to Alison who writes so expertly as our Press Officer, helps on the Welcome desk at rehearsals, and who is responsibe for making sure the tea break each week at rehearsal actually happens with all the necessary provisions and personnel. Thanks to Lesley who comes early each week to help set up for rehearsals and stays behind to help lock up. Also thank you to Lorraine and Michelle for their work with social media on our behalf.

Finally, my heartfelt thanks to John and Nick for their continued interest in and work for ECS. We are indeed fortunate to have two such experienced and talented musicians to to teach us the music, and inspire us to give of our best at concerts.

Perhaps most importantly of all, thank you to you, the members of ECS who make our choir such a lovely community with your loyalty,your singing and your friendship.

Liz Barker Chair Eastbourne Choral Society

Charity Registration No. 1063701

Eastbourne Choral Society

Accounts year 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024

	Payments	2023	2024	Receipts	2023	2024
Rehearsal expenses	Music Director	4620	5060	Members' subscriptions	12650	12544
	Accompanists	2310	2030	Gift Aid	1642	0
	Rent of Hall	1945	1980	Bank interest	52	197
	PianoTuning	150	150	Tea monies	717	690
Administration	Stationery (incl postage)	29		Refreshments	482	621
	Website	158	158	Ticket sales	6393	7615
	Insurance	304	339	Donations	1374	4475
	Other	15	35	Music hire (members)	1561	1041
Concert expenses	Artistes & Orchestra	11155	11955	Workshop fees	0	60
	Commission on ticket sales	111	130	Socials	0	421
	Flowers/gifts	107	85	Fundraising	752	701
	Venue hire	1140	1895	Other income	0
	Press adverts	0	0
	Staging	1340	1400
	Printing - posters/fyers/tickets	1594	1131
	Concert refreshments	207	264
	Music hire	1563	906
Other	Socials, etc	0	268
	Miscellaneous	500
	Refreshments	0	83
	Total Expenses	27248	27870	Total Income	25625	28364
Asset Purchases	Choir folders		0	Folder sales	91	17
	Bow ties, scarves
	Other	165
	Total Payments	27413	27870	Total Receipts	25716	28381
	Shortfall	1697		Surplus		511
	Accounts 2023-2024
	Assets at Year End	2023	2024
	Cash Funds
	Barclays Bank	4,172	7,986
	Virgin Money deposit	24,001	20,699
	Total	28,174	28,684	Paul Collis	###

Concert Account July 2023 Performers Orchestra Soloists Chitettes 1 singer Accompanists NH Rachel Fryer Music Director JH Hall hire Staging Music hire Ticket printing Programme print Posters, etc. print Bouquets/Gifts TOTAL Ticket sales Choir Welcome Centre Door WeGotTickets Donation TOTAL DEFICIT Nocturnes & Love songs Ticket sale commission	Costs 0 600 200 400 250 650 415 420 0 22 170 212 43 22 3404 Receipts 225 195 885 30 0 1335 2069	Concert Account Nov 2023 Performers Orchestra Soloists 3 singers Accompanists NH Music Director JH Hall hire Staging Music hire Ticket printing Programme print Posters, etc. print Bouquets/Gifts TOTAL Ticket sales Choir Welcome Centre Door WeGotTickets Donation TOTAL DEFICIT Alexander's Feast, Missa di Gloria Ticket sale commission	Costs 1200 900 400 650 690 460 4 24 170 227 42 15 4782 Receipts 495 150 1545 255 950 3395 1387	Concert Account March 2024 Messiah Performers Orchestra Soloists 4 singers Accompanists NH Music Director JH Hall hire Staging Music hire Ticket printing Programme print Posters, etc. print Bouquets/Gifts TOTAL Ticket sales Choir Welcome Centre Door WeGotTickets Donation TOTAL DEFICIT Ticket sale commission	Costs 3705 1350 400 650 690 520 50 24 175 301 39 94 7998 Receipts 760 880 1516 800 3500 7456 542

D2-11;ID PAUL BAPKIif4 R 18 Ravens Croft Eastboume BN20 7HX Phone [phone] [e-mail] , 2ndh September, 2024 Paul Collis (Hon Treasurer> Eastbourne Choral Society 3 Benenden Close Seaford BN25 3PG Eastbourne Choral Society ReTriew of Accounts 2023-2024 In accordance with instructions I have reviewed the accounts of the Eastbourne Choral Society for the peiiod ?0?3/?0?4. These unaudited accounts have been reviewed from the inforn]ation and records given to me together with explanations and cI￿lfICatIOnS proiiided. I am comfortable that they reflect the financial positions of the charity and can be submitted to those bodies and institutions as may be required. David P Barker