Yorkshire Late Starters Strings
Charity number 1088105
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 August 2022
Yorkshire Late Starters Strings
Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 August 2022
| Contents | Page |
|---|---|
| Trustees' report | 2 to 4 |
| Examiner's report | 5 |
| Receipts and payments account | 6 |
| Statement of assets and liabilities | 7 |
| Notes to the accounts | 8 to 9 |
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Yorkshire Late Starters Strings
Trustees' report for the year ended 31 August 2022
Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors
The trustees during the financial year and up to and including the date the report was approved were: Name Position Dates
Name Position Dates Brendon Fletcher Chair Reappointed AGM 22 Cynthia Thewlis Treasurer Reappointed AGM 22 Simon Gayton Webmaster Reappointed AGM 22 Shirley Clarkson Secretary Sue Watts Jenny Brierley Delyth Robson Music Librarian Appointed AGM 22 Charity number 1088105 Registered in England and Wales Registered and principal address Bankers Ladywood Mews Lloyds Bank plc Monmouthshire Building Society Ling Lane 65-68 Briggate, John Frost Square Scarcroft Leeds Newport Leeds LS14 3HT LS1 6LH NP20 1PX
Independent examiner
Simon Bostrom FCIE West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
Structure, governance and management
The charity is governed by a constitution adopted on 20 January 2001 and subsequently amended on the 5th May 2001, 1st March 2008 , 12th February 2011and 27th March 2021.
Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees
The trustees of the charity are appointed by the members at the AGM.
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Yorkshire Late Starters Strings
Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 August 2022
Objectives and activities
The charity's objects
To promote knowledge and appreciation of music, particularly the establishment and maintenance of a community string orchestra which will provide an opportunity for structured group learning of instrumental performance by late starters and encourage participation by them in all aspects of music.
The charity's main activities
A friendly, welcoming string orchestra for adult learners of any standard, with coaching by professional musicians.
Public benefit statement
In setting our objectives and planning our activities our trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit with particular emphasis on the provision of a community facility for the furtherance of musical participation and enjoyment.
Achievements and performance
- We began the year enthusiastically with a return to normal Saturday morning sessions at our usual venue. Old and new members were welcomed and numbers in attendance for the three terms averaged 44 players per term. This proved very beneficial to our financial position during the year.
Players are still preferring to use individual music stands which is not usual practice but no decision has been reached as to when this might change.
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The introduction of providing cakes baked by our members, or otherwise supplied, was re-introduced towards the end of last term. During the coffee break , cake is available and donations are accepted. It is the intention to claim gift aid under the GADS scheme with monies raised.
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Cober Hill (our annual residential weekend in Scarborough) went ahead this year for the first time in three years. It proved as successful and popular as ever with every available place being subscribed to. This resulted in a surplus revenue amounting to £520.
A decision has been taken ,however , to change the venue for 2023 to Wydale: A location not too dissimilar to Cober Hill. This has been verified by our trustees as being very suitable accommodation for our needs. It resides in lovely surroundings and more importantly, it is competitively priced. A deposit of £1,460 for 2023 has already been paid and to enable us to secure the venue for 2024 , another deposit payment is imminent.
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The new web site became up and running this year and all agree this is a significant asset to our organisation. It is also a testimony to the skills set amongst our Trustees. Together with showcasing our orchestra, the new features of the site enable enrolment and access by members to the music folder. Shortly, there will also be a facility for payment of fees.
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After a detailed forecast of future income and expenditure, it was agreed that it would be necessary to increase fees from £89 to £92 a term commencing in September 2022. To keep this to an absolute minimum, a reduction in the number of beginner sessions has been incorporated into future programmes on a trial basis.
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A review of our Tutor rates has also taken place. Remuneration has not been increased for a number
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of years and an increase and simplification of payments from September 2022 has been agreed upon.
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The Gift Aid Claim added £538.64 to the funds.
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The Composer who won our biennial Commissioned piece was Jasmine Simons with her composition,
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Fantasia. At last we were able to give it a debut performance at our end of year concert which was a well attended and a hugely successful event.
The concert was held in St. James church in the centre of Wetherby and it was agreed that this venue was very suitable for the occasion and it is intended to use it again in future.
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Yorkshire Late Starters Strings
Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 August 2022
Financial review
The accounts show an overall surplus for the year of £5,160. This surplus includes pre payments of membership fees for the Autumn term 22 which is in the next financial year. Pre payments have been made by 20 members amounting to £2,017. Pre payments were also taken for the playday on September 3rd amounting to £630.
It is worth pointing out that we use the cash basis of accounting as opposed to the accrual method which although is less accurate, it is less complicated and has advantages too.
Reserves policy
A reserves policy is deemed necessary by the trustees to enable the smooth running of the charity should difficulties arise and to enable an orderly winding up of the organisation.
The trustees have agreed that holding a sum of between £8,000 and £12,000 in the Monmouthshire savings account is an appropriate level of reserve. The trustees consider the financial position at trustee meetings including the reserves position. The reserves position and the reserves policy is reported annually at the AGM and reviewed by the trustees after taking account of member views.
The charity's free cash reserves at the year-end were £15,347 with an additional £4,846 in restricted funds (the New Music Fund for the composition competition). Totalling £20,193.
Impact of Covid-19 virus
Despite a two year fund reduction due to the Covid-19 virus we are pleased to report that this has not resulted in a reduction of membership. The numbers returning to our orchestra are in excess of previous years averaging 44 members per term. There is no reason to suggest that this will not continue.
The trustees have reassessed the charity’s ability to continue for at least 12 months from the date that the accounts are approved and conclude that no material uncertainties exist that cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to meet its liabilities as they fall due.
Approved by the board of trustees on 13 February 2023
Brendon Fletcher (Trustee)
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Yorkshire Late Starters Strings
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Yorkshire Late Starters Strings
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2022, which are set out on pages 6 to 9.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity 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 charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. 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 giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Charities Act; 2 the accounts do not accord with those records.
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.
Simon Bostrom FCIE
27 February 2023
West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO
Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
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Yorkshire Late Starters Strings
Receipts and payments account for the year ended 31 August 2022
| Notes 2022 Unrestricted funds £ Receipts Orchestra fees 14,095 Events and activity fees 10,340 Donations (2) 198 Bank interest 46 Sundry income 41 Gift aid 434 Total receipts 25,154 Payments Tutor fees and expenses 6,525 Events and activity cost 7,389 Rehearsal room hire 4,403 Memberships and accountancy 453 General administration (3) 181 Website and zoom - Member refunds (Cober Hill) 50 Wydale deposit 1,460 Total payments 20,461 Net receipts / (payments) 4,693 Fund balances brought forward 10,654 Fund balances carried forward (4) 15,347 |
2022 Restricted funds £ - - 487 - - 105 592 - 125 - - - - - - 125 467 4,379 4,846 |
2022 Total funds £ 14,095 10,340 685 46 41 539 25,746 6,525 7,514 4,403 453 181 - 50 1,460 20,586 5,160 15,033 20,193 |
2021 Total funds £ 1,716 340 2,689 47 12 349 5,153 1,947 186 197 435 204 492 3,499 - 6,960 (1,807) 16,840 15,033 |
|---|---|---|---|
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Yorkshire Late Starters Strings
Statement of assets and liabilities
| as at 31 August 2022 2022 Unrestricted £ Cash funds Monmouthshire savings account 10,207 Lloyds bank account 5,127 Cash in hand 13 Total cash funds 15,347 Debtors and prepayments Wydale deposit Liabilities Independent examination Memberships received in advance Playday income received in advance |
2022 Restricted £ - 4,846 - 4,846 |
2022 Total £ 10,207 9,973 13 20,193 2022 £ 1,460 1,460 2022 £ 240 2,017 630 2,887 |
2021 Total £ 10,161 4,859 13 15,033 |
|---|---|---|---|
The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on 13 February 2023
Brendon Fletcher (Trustee)
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Yorkshire Late Starters Strings
Notes to the accounts
for the year ended 31 August 2022
1 Accounting policies
Basis of accounting
The trustees have taken advantage of section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and have prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.
There has been no change to the accounting policies since last year.
No changes have been made to the accounts for previous years.
Taxation
As a charity the organisation benefits from rates relief and is generally exempt from income tax and capital gains tax but not from VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it relates.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.
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Yorkshire Late Starters Strings
Notes to the accounts continued
for the year ended 31 August 2022
----- Start of picture text -----
2 Donations 2022 2022 2022
Unrestricted Restricted Total
funds funds funds
£ £ £
Cake money 98 - 98
Concert contributions 68 - 68
Second hand music table 32 - 32
New music fund donations - 487 487
198 487 685
----- End of picture text -----
| 3 General administration Music copying Stationery Binder purchases Meeting venue |
2022 £ 44 32 79 26 181 |
|---|---|
| Restricted funds New music fund |
Balance b/f £ 4,379 4,379 |
Incoming £ 592 592 |
Outgoing £ 125 125 |
Transfers £ - - |
Balance c/f £ 4,846 4,846 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 Restricted funds
Fund name
New music fund
Purpose of restriction
New Music Fund - Members’ voluntary donations given to enable the New Music Project to continue after Arts Council England grant had been expended has been significantly reduced this year as these are often added to subscription fees. Of the income received, £420 was from monthly donations, £67 from membership fee add-ons and the £105 from Gift Aid Reclaim.
The outgoing £125 was for the concert venue for the commission piece performance.
Related party transactions
Trustee expenses
No trustee received any expenses during this year or the previous year.
Trustee remuneration and benefits
No trustee received any remuneration or benefit during this or the previous year.
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