Annual Report of Choir2000 to the Charity Commission for the year ended 31st July 2025
Registered Charity no. 1090489
Contact for correspondence: Malcolm Crisp (Chairman)
CONSTITUTION:
The current Constitution was adopted at the Annual General Meeting on 28th September 2022 and accepted by the Charity Commission in October 2022.
OBJECTS:
The objects of the Charity as set out in the Constitution are to promote, improve and advance (principally but not exclusively in the local community) public education and appreciation of the art of choral music in all its aspects by the presentation of concerts and recitals and in such other ways as the Committee shall determine.
ACTIVITIES:
Choir2000 has had a very successful 2024/25 season. Membership has continued at circa 90 throughout the year and is expected to increase to circa 110 for 2025/26, and audiences have increased - with over 700 attending our concerts.
We have been seeking opportunities to use some of our financial reserves to sponsor third-party youth groups. Discussions have been held with Cambridgeshire Music, a music service for the County coordinating provision of music education and arts therapies, regarding their establishment of a new youth choir. This remains work-in-progress.
2025 is the Choir’s 25" anniversary and in recognition of that and her other services to the community, the founder Beatrix Bown, was honoured with an invitation to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May.
September 2024
The society held its AGM on 18th Sept 2024. 40 members attended. All standing Trustees were re-elected.
December 2024
We staged two performances of our Advent Concert which comprised works by Verdi and Rutter along with a selection of carols for choir and audience. For this we were joined by CSD Brass — a local well-established brass band.
In line with our charitable status: the concert hosted a retiring collection in aid of Cambridge Cancer Help Centre, and a group of our singers sang carols at two local residential care homes: Bramley Court, Histon and Windmill Grange, Histon.
February 2025
We held a social event for members and friends.
March 2025
We staged two performances of our Lent Concert which comprised an all-English programme of Folk Songs, music by Britten and Finzi and the Shakespeare Sonnets arranged by George Shearing.
June 2025
In recognition of the Choir’s 25" anniversary we staged a single large-scale performance of Verdi’s Requiem at the renowned West Rd Concert Hall in Cambridge. We encouraged other singers in the Cambridge area to join us, resulting in an additional 30 singers. The concert was a near sell-out with an audience of approximately 340.
July 2025
Due to a busy schedule we were not able to have our usual fund-raising stall at the Histon Feast Market. We hope to make a return next year.
We closed the season in July with a substantial social for members and friends in celebration of the Choir’s 25" Anniversary.
TRUSTEES:
The Trustees for the period covered by this report were:
Executive Committee: Malcolm Crisp (Chairman), Susie Savage (Secretary, Andrew Snelson (Treasurer)
Additional Trustees: Beatrix Bown, Sarah Payne, Sandy Ash, Apostolos Petrakis, Julie Hawkins, Cathy Barker, Spyros Lyberis (part time).
Spyros Lyberis stood down in October 2024 due to other commitments and Cathy Barker stood down in July 2025 due to re-location.
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ASSETS AND INVESTMENTS:
The Charity's assets at 31st July 2025 were staging, audio equipment and a selection of scores available for hire.
The Charity holds two CAF Bank current accounts, and a savings account with the United Trust Bank. There is a small holding of petty cash.
There are no intentions to make long-term monetary investments. The Charity’s financial aim is to achieve a small surplus of income over operating costs and event expenditures and to retain sufficient funds to continue operations without income for nominally one year.
Acopy of Choir2000 accounts for 2024-25 accompanies this report.
ag a is TERRE Signed by Malcolm Crisp, Chairman: Gee Date: IS / 10 2025 . And by Susie Savage, Secretary: SSavapo Dates AD S10 leS
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Choir2000 Financial report
Registered Charity no. 1090489
Income and expenditure account for year ended 31 July 2025
| Balance at 1 August 2024 Balance at 31 July 2025 Change |
|
|---|---|
| Current account Gold account Pety cash UTB account Total |
750.03 4,828.22 4,078.19 8,485.81 8,676.93 191.12 45.33 41.59 -3.74 15,000.00 15,721.95 721.95 |
| 24,281.17 29,268.69 4,987.52 |
| Income | Expenditure | Profit/(Loss) | 23/24 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concerts | |||||
| Winter concert | 9,323.72 | 6,787.20 | 2,536.52 | 2,414.98 | |
| Springconcert | 7,970.17 | 6,783.88 | 1,186.29 | -388.55 | |
| Summer concert | 13,584.50 | 13,166.09 | 418.41 | -3,418.42 | |
| Elyevensong | -1.10 | ||||
| Sub-total for concerts | 30,878.39 | 26,737.17 | 4,141.22 | -1,393.09 | |
| Other choir activities | |||||
| Other | 0.00 | -121.99 | |||
| Social events | 162.75 | -162.75 | ~~February quiz~~ | ||
| Silver anniversary party | 1,035.00 | 1,240.00 | -205.00 | ||
| Donations to other organisations(performers) | 0.00 | -50.06 | |||
| Sub-total for donations | 1,035.00 | 1,402.75 | -367.75 | -172.05 | |
| Other income | |||||
| Donations(membership/members) | 45.00 | 45.00 | |||
| Fundraising | 200.00 | 200.00 | 416.00 | ~~Plant and jam sales~~ | |
| Tax refunds(Gift Aid)fromprioryear | 930.36 | 930.36 | 2,376.17 | ||
| Hire revenues | 690.84 | 107.60 | 583.24 | 150.00 | ~~Hire of music scores and staging~~ |
| Interest on bank/buildingsoc accounts | 925.14 | 925.14 | 308.98 | ||
| Sub-total for other income | 2,791.34 | 107.60 | 2,683.74 | 3,251.15 | |
| Other costs/overheads | |||||
| Other | 291.90 | -291.90 | -1,146.75 | ~~Headset for Chloe, anniversary booklets~~ | |
| Insurance - Public Liability | 155.00 | -155.00 | -151.00 | ||
| PerformingRights fees | 188.25 | -188.25 | -194.82 | ||
| MakingMusic membership | 313.00 | -313.00 | -298.00 | ||
| AGM | 12.70 | -12.70 | -76.21 | ||
| Admin/office expenses | 3.95 | -3.95 | -7.99 | ||
| Gifts | 71.00 | -71.00 | -29.00 | ||
| Generalpublicity | 78.94 | -78.94 | -50.00 | ~~Cambridge Concert Calendar, roller banner~~ | |
| Website hostingfees | 251.45 | -251.45 | -167.57 | ||
| Bank account charges | 60.00 | -60.00 | -76.47 | ||
| Costspertainingto the following year | 43.50 | -43.50 | 0 | ||
| Sub-total for other costs and overheads | 0.00 | 1,469.69 | -1,469.69 | -2,197.81 | |
| Grand totals | 34,704.73 | 29,717.21 | 4,987.52 | -511.80 |
Concert accounts
| **Winter concert ** | **Spring concert ** | Summer concert | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income | ||||
| Ticket sales | 2,739.20 | 1,741.70 | 5,890.81 | 10,371.71 |
| Membership- subs | 5,080.00 | 4,800.00 | 6,300.00 | 16,180.00 |
| Concert refreshments | 59.00 | 50.35 | 109.35 | |
| Tea moneyat rehearsals | 271.49 | 280.75 | 298.47 | 850.71 |
| Members donations towards score hire | 164.30 | 158.90 | 103.00 | 426.20 |
| Gift Aid | 1,009.73 | 938.47 | 992.22 | 2,940.42 |
| total income | 9,323.72 | 7,970.17 | 13,584.50 | 30,878.39 |
| Expenditure | ||||
| Conductor/MD fee | 2,387.00 | 2,453.00 | 2,321.00 | 7,161.00 |
| Accompanist fee | 1,471.50 | 1,610.00 | 1,155.00 | 4,236.50 |
| Soloist fees | 350.00 | 1,600.00 | 1,950.00 | |
| Orchestra fees | 850.00 | 150.00 | 5,020.00 | 6,020.00 |
| Music score hire /printing/postage | 488.15 | 551.24 | 205.00 | 1,244.39 |
| Venue hire - HBC | 1,089.00 | 1,075.80 | 988.00 | 3,152.80 |
| Venue hire-WR | 1,260.00 | 1,260.00 | ||
| Publicity-paid advertising | 32.83 | 37.50 | 35.00 | 105.33 |
| Publicity- other | 90.80 | 91.25 | 189.12 | 371.17 |
| Programmeprinting | 150.00 | 125.00 | 180.00 | 455.00 |
| Concert refreshments | 164.40 | 129.40 | 293.80 | |
| Rehearsal refreshments | 145.81 | 133.70 | 279.51 | |
| Gifts | 25.50 | 29.00 | 43.12 | 97.62 |
| Ticketprinting/cutting | 38.02 | 35.88 | 36.15 | 110.05 |
| total expenditure | 6,787.20 | 6,783.88 | 13,166.09 | 26,737.17 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | 2,536.52 | 1,186.29 | 418.41 | 4,141.22 |
Report to the trustees Choir 2000 On accounts for the year 31 July 2025 Charity no 1090489 ended (if any) ~~eeee eee~~ Set out on pages Annual Report, Income and Expenditure Account and Concert Accounts I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 July 2025
Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report 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 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 I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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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.
13 October 2025 ~~oo~~
Date: 13 October 2025 Signed: ~~oo~~ Name: Linda Barnes Relevant professional Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales qualification(s) or body (if any): ~~BC~~