TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDING DEC 31 2024
IMPERIAL MALE VOICE CHOIR : CHARITY NO. 1120047
EVENTS
2024 began with our usual choir residential weekend, but at a new venue – Benslow Music in Hitchin. This meant that accommodation, rehearsal facilities and catering were all conveniently on one site. Thanks are due to Steve Bodle for efficiently managing our booking and to Roger Woodward and Martin Taylor for producing two highly entertaining quizzes.
We had planned that 2024 would mark a watershed in the life of IMVC by achieving a major London concert and an overseas tour before reducing the scale of our operations in subsequent years.
In June we hired Cecil Sharp House for our concert of male voice arrangements of folk music, entitled “The Seeds of Love”. This was an artistic and financial risk as it focused solely on one area of our repertoire and we bore the entire costs of the event. In the end the concert was well attended and received, the only issue being the slow service at the bar. We made a financial loss but of a manageable scale. We gave a rare outing to some (undeservedly) seldom-performed pieces, made good use of audience participation and involved several of our WAGS on stage. We were very fortunate that Leanne Singh-Levett was available to reunite with us as accompanist when Paul Webster damaged his hand.
Thanks to professional contacts Michael Tripp had in Malta (notably the supportive Citadel Insurance) we determined to plan a concert-tour there in October. Steve Bodle again magnanimously volunteered his organisational skills and he accompanied Michael and Debbie on a mission to cement contacts and examine venues for performance and accommodation. 48 choristers and partners were involved in 4 concerts, split between Valletta, Senglea, Ghasri and Victoria (the latter two on Gozo), whilst staying in the Waterfront Hotel in Sliema and the Lourdes Convent on Gozo. Walks and coach transfers were incorporated as were joint rehearsals with the excellent Gozitan choir Schola Cantorum Jubilate (led by soprano Marouska Attard) and a final meal with representatives of SCJ. Our first concert at Valletta University was not well attended (in spite of the Three Tenors – in the guises of Tim Sawers, Brian Parsons and John Tripp – making an appearance) but the other 3 were sold out and in total we raised €1295 for local charities. We also had some interviews and airings on Maltese radio stations. Interestingly we were required to split our repertoire into sacred (for places of worship) and ‘profane’ (elsewhere). We are indebted to Brian Parsons for his accompanying skills and ability to cope with varying instruments and being asked to sing here and there to boot.
At the end of 2024, after some years of gestation, we finally produced “The Christmas Collecton” CD containing 14 tracks of our recorded carols. These are still being distributed to choir members past and present. Two have been entered in the Making Music (Classic FM) carols competition.
ORGANISATION.
Recognising the pressures on a choir with an ageing demographic, our intention beyond 2024 has been to reduce the scale, musical demands and financial risk attached to our events. This has implications for our funding, which are dealt with in the Treasurer’s Report. One benefit of our changes in modus operandi is that we are already seeing former members, who for reasons of time and distance had not been able to participate regularly in recent years, make themselves available again. Monthly Committee meetings continue on Zoom.
FUTURE EVENTS
2025
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Sunday May 4th Social/ musical day chez Brendan and Kirstie, Mossman Cottage, Durley Street Hants SO32 2AA. With singing in Bishop’s Waltham Palace at 3pm.
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Saturday June 7th – St. Michael’s, Betchworth, Surrey. With Leilani as soloist.
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Sunday July 27th Audley End (English Heritage - Saffron Walden) "Lazy Sunday" performance. 11.30 am - 5 pm.
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Saturday September 6th at Leith Hill Place (NT), Surrey. Informal concert. 10.30 am - 5pm.
2026
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January tbd Benslow weekend
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June 20th tbc St Mary's, Standon, Herts - Joint concert with 2 other choirs
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under David Ranford.
Details of future events can now be found on Google Drive
Thanks are due to our treasurer, Paul James, who has managed our finances through two high-risk events whilst maintaining a balance healthy enough to allow for future needs. We have fulfilled our charitable objectives by performing interesting and varied repertoire at home and abroad and raising substantial amounts for good causes. A separate Treasurer’s Report follows this Chair’s Report.
Thanks are also due to MD Deborah Miles-Johnson who has embraced our ‘change of tack’ with enthusiasm and managed our musically challenging events with flair and dedication. An MD’s report also follows.
Under our 2007 (updated 2022) Constitution our objects continue to be:
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to advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of music in all its aspects by any means the trustees see fit, including through the presentation of public concerts and recitals;
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To further such charitable purpose or purposes as the trustees in their absolute discretion shall think fit but in particular through the making of grants and donations.
Both these objects have been met in 2024.
R.NICHOLLS (Chair) March 2025
TRUSTEES: Paul James, Martin Taylor, Roger Woodward, Stephen Bodle, Andrew Harbord, Tim Sawers
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| IMVC - Annual Accounts - Charity 1120047 | IMVC - Annual Accounts - Charity 1120047 | IMVC - Annual Accounts - Charity 1120047 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statement of financial activities foryear to 31/12/24 | |||||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| Notes | Income | £ | £ | ||
| 2 | Subscriptions | 4,846 | 7,413 | ||
| 3 | Gift aid | 6,217 | 1,887 | ||
| 4 | Concert/tour income | 29,146 | 4,747 | ||
| Miscellaneous income & CD sales | 108 | 300 | |||
| Sub-total -gross income | **40,317 ** | 14,347 | |||
| Expenditure | £ | £ | |||
| 5 | Weekend inc professional fees | 8,731 | 7,304 | ||
| 4 | Concert/tour expenses inc professional fees | 31,066 | 4,236 | ||
| 6 | Other professional fees & expenses | 1,083 | 2,337 | ||
| Rehearsal venue costs | 159 | 855 | |||
| 7 | Other costs | 6,283 | 1,017 | ||
| Sub-total - expenditure | **47,322 ** | 15,749 | |||
| Surplus/(deficit) foryear | **(7,005) ** | (1,402) | |||
| Balance Sheet at 31/12/24 | |||||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| Notes | Unrestricted funds | £ | £ | ||
| Surplus/(deficit) in year | (7,005) | (1,402) | |||
| Unrestricted funds at start ofyear | 9,486 | 10,888 | |||
| Unrestricted funds 31/12/24 | 2,481 | 9,486 |
| Net assets | £ | £ | |
| Stock - CDs, tankards, shirts, fleeces, cufflinks | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | Debtors and prepayments | 1,485 | 10,591 |
| 9 | Creditors and accruals | (6,781) | (5,438) |
| Bank & cash | 7,777 | 4,333 | |
| Net assets 31/12/24 | 2,481 | 9,486 | |
| The charity is not required to have an audit but the accounting records and draft accounts have been independently scrutinised by a member of the charity, Mr Brian Fugard. |
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Accounts approved by Trustees on 11 April 2025 and signed on their behalf by the Treasurer, Paul James.
Notes to the accounts
Note 1 - Accounting policies
Basis of accounting. The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for completing the accounts in accordance with Charity Law and relevant accounting standards. The 2024 accounts have been prepared on an accruals basis. Expenses. The choir subsidised a limited amount of members' necessary travel and accommodation during the financial year. This change of policy was reported in the 2023 annual accounts. In 2024 the Trustees decided to allow a travel and accommodation subsidy of £170 to each of the 28 singers who paid significant sums to support the choir in the Malta concerts. This expense, £4760, is included in note 7 “other costs” and has been recorded as a creditor at the year
end since it is being settled in 2025.
Stocks - Stocks consist mainly of CDs. Values have been shown prudently as nil because it is unclear how much can be realised. Sales are recorded as income when they occur.
Recording costs. The outcome of the recording project was reported in the 2023 accounts. Additional costs were incurred during 2024, primarily in relation to the production of the CDs, and these are reported separately under note 7 “other costs” within the line entitled “other - inc music”. Deferred income. Some 2025 subscriptions, which attract gift aid, were received before the year end. The subscriptions and related gift aid have been recorded as deferred income. This is consistent with the policy adopted in the 2023 accounts, when the Trustees followed technical advice obtained from the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Note 2 - Subscriptions
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | ||
| 2024 Subscriptions received in 2023 | 4,306 | ||
| 2024 subscriptions received in year | 540 | ||
| Subscriptions for 2023 |
7,413 | ||
| Subscription income | 4,846 | 7,413 |
Note 3 - Gift aid
HMRC paid the choir £6,381 gift aid in 2024, some of which had been recorded as income in the 2023 accounts. There was approximately a further £973 of gift aid due from HMRC as at 31 December 2024.
Note 4 - Concerts & tours
The 2024 concerts were at Cecil Sharp House (CSH) and in Malta
| CSH | Malta | Total 2024 |
2023 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Ticket sales & members voluntary contributions | 1,734 | 25,815 | 27,549 | 3,794 |
| Other income (bar, raffle etc) | 0 | 553 | ||
| External donations and sponsorshipreceived | 1,597 | 1,597 | 400 | |
| Concert/tour income | **1,734 ** | 27,412 | 29,146 | 4,747 |
| Venue | 1,544 | 1,544 | 420 | |
| Professional fees | 561 | 1,765 | 2,326 | 2,330 |
| Expenses, inc accommodation and travel | 219 | 28,742 | 28,961 | 211 |
| Amounts togood causes | 215 | 215 | 1,275 | |
| Concert/tour costs | **2,324 ** | 28,742 | 31,066 | 4,236 |
| Concert/tour outturns | **(590) ** | (1,330) | (1,920) | 511 |
Note 5 - Weekend
The choir held its weekend at Benslow in 2024. In December 2023 the choir paid for its planned 2024 weekend at Benslow. This was shown as a prepayment in the 2023 accounts. The Trustees decided to fund members' necessary accommodation costs at Benslow, which represented a change of policy in recent years. That policy was continued for the 2024 Malta tour.
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Venue | 7,895 | 6,740 |
| Professional fees & expenses | 836 | 820 |
| Miscellaneous | (256) | |
| Totals | 8,731 | 7,304 |
| Notes to the accounts (continued) | ||
Note 6 - Professional fees, accommodation & expenses
Professional fees include the Malta tour and the January weekend shown in notes 4 and 5 above.
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Concerts/tours | 2,326 | 2,330 |
| January weekend | 836 | 820 |
| Rehearsals and other | 1,083 | 2,337 |
| Totals | 4,245 | 5,487 |
Note 7 - Other costs
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Making Music, inc insurance | 213 | 259 |
| Photography | 0 | 300 |
| Expenses due to Malta singers | 4,760 | 0 |
| Other - inc music | 1,310 | 458 |
| Totals | 6,283 | 1,017 |
Note 8 - Debtors & Prepayments
| Note 8 - Debtors & Prepayments | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Benslow prepayment | 397 | 8,445 |
| Gift aid | 973 | 1,839 |
| Subscriptions due | 0 | 90 |
| Miscellaneous debtors | 115 | 217 |
| Totals | **1,485 ** | 10,591 |
Note 9 - Creditors & Accruals
| Note 9 - Creditors & Accruals | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Deferred income - subscriptions received in advance | 1,007 | 4,306 |
| Deferred income - gift aid | 252 | 953 |
| Expenses payable to Malta singers | 4,760 | 0 |
| Sundrycreditors | 762 | 179 |
| Totals | 6,781 | 5,438 |