2024-03-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024

Charity name: The Bloomsbury Music Group

Charity registration number: 1139541

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	The objects of the Bloomsbury Music Group (BMG) are to advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of music in all its aspects including through the presentation of public concerts and recitals.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	The benefits to the public from the Group fall into five categories. 1. For participants, we involve wind players at all levels of competence and experience in a creative, enjoyable and fulfilling educational activity, providing them with opportunities to develop their instrumental technique and their understanding of the musical repertoire for wind groups large and small. The membership of both ensembles has remained consistent throughout the year. The Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble (BWE) had 40-45 members and the Bloomsbury Band had around 20 members. In London, where people come and go, we always expect a steady turnover of members which means that we provide opportunities for a substantial number of people to develop their playing skills on wind instruments during each year. Potential members email us throughout the year and they are usually put on a waiting list. The Group does not audition for either ensemble. We generally recruit in the order that people contact us. Potential new members are invited to a trial rehearsal which allows them to decide whether or not they are suited to the music we play, the

style of the rehearsals and the character of the membership. Both ensembles rehearse on regular evenings in Bloomsbury – the Bloomsbury Band rehearse on Mondays and the Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble rehearse on Tuesdays. Over the year, the two groups each held approximately 40 rehearsals. 2. For ourselves, and for other wind ensembles, we increase the repertoire of music available by commissioning new arrangements and original compositions. The majority of music performed by the Bloomsbury Music Group consists of arrangements specially commissioned from a large team of musicians. Our musical directors contribute arrangements and so do members of the Bloomsbury Band. Further information is available on the music section of our website. Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble celebrated their 30[th] anniversary in 2023. While the ensemble did not commission new music during this period, the concert in May (titled “Looking Back”) consisted only of works that had been commissioned or specially arranged for BWE since 2006. Bloomsbury Band premiered two new works during this period – both composed for the band by their musical director:  IoW Suite, composed by David Morris and inspired by the band’s annual trips to the Isle of Wight.  Wildwood Waltz, composed by David Morris and inspired by the band’s 2021 to the Wildwood Vineyard in Kent. 3. For audiences, we present exciting, innovative and high quality performances which should always be a pleasurable cultural experience, but will sometimes challenge them and educate them by extending their musical knowledge. From April 2023 to March 2024, Bloomsbury Music Group presented five concerts. This included two concerts by the Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble and three by the Bloomsbury Band. In addition to these concerts, Bloomsbury Music Group took part in a Christmas carols event at St Pancras Station in December 2023. Unfortunately the Bloomsbury Woodwind

		Ensemble’s annual July bandstand performance could not take place due to wet weather. See ‘Achievements and Performance’ below for more information on our performances. 4. We regularly organize concerts to raise money to support other charities. Our two ensembles also participate in community events that advance the well- being of local people. The Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble raised just under £1000 for University College London’s Dementia Research Centre at their May 2023 concert. In December 2023, members from both Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble and Bloomsbury Band raised money for Crisis by playing Christmas carols in St Pancras Station. The total amount raised was £1174, which was one of Crisis’s best collections in 2023. Also in December, some members took part in the Big Christmas Wind Orchestra and Choir’s annual performance. Here hundreds of musicians came together and put on a performance in Coal Drops Yard. 5 In addition to the public educational benefits mentioned above, the Trustees are committed to ensuring that the Society’s activities are affordable, and so concessionary rates are available for both membership subscriptions and audience tickets. Any member with financial difficulties can privately discuss a special reduced subscription arrangement with the Treasurer. The principle of offering concessionary rates was applied to membership subscriptions and concert tickets. Special arrangements were made, in confidence, to help a very small number of individual members.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	In carrying out the duties, the Trustees of the Bloomsbury Music Group have had regard to the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission.

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SORP reference The charity does not give grants. Para 1.38 Policy on grant making

Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	Social investments are not included among the activities of the charity.
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	The charity is run by volunteers drawn from its membership.
Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	Bloomsbury Music Group organised and performed five concerts between April 2023 and March 2024. The group also performed Christas Carols at St Pancras Station to raise money for charity. At these events, the members and musical directors of the two ensembles shared their enthusiasm for a range of musical styles with a public facing audience. Concerts are promoted and tickets are available on BMG’s website and Facebook page .These two platforms also helps people decide whether to join the Group and keeps members and the public well informed about the activities of the two ensembles. A summary of the events organised by the Bloomsbury Music Group are summarised below: Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble concert (13 May 2023) This was the first concert celebrating the ensemble’s 30 th anniversary and had the theme “Looking Back”. The programme included works commissioned by the ensemble since 2006, as well as pieces specially arranged for the ensemble.

Bloomsbury Band concert (24 June 2023)	Bloomsbury Band concert (24 June 2023)	Bloomsbury Band concert (24 June 2023)
The band performed a programme of light
music at Wildwood Vineyard in Kent, which
included the premiere of Wildwood Waltz,
composed by David Morris (Music Director).
This piece was inspired by a previous visit
by the Band to the vineyard in	2021
Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble
concert (22 November 2023)
The second concert marking the ensemble’s
30 th anniversary had the theme “Looking
Forward”. The programme featured a range
of contemporary music as well as chamber
group performances by members of the
ensemble. The ensemble invited a guest
soloist, Stephen Shepherd, who performed
the solo part in Hilary Tann’s In the Frist,
Spinning Place.
Bloomsbury Band concert (2 December
2023)
The winter concert included a	programme
that cycled through the four seasons with
pieces from classical composers such as
Purcell, Bridge, Vivaldi, Grieg,	and
Tchaikovsky as well as more modern
contributions from Gershwin and Bernard &
Bernhard Smith.
Joint carols – Bloomsbury Woodwind
Ensemble and Bloomsbury Band (14
December 2023)
Members of both ensembles played a varied
programme of seasonal music for two hours
from 5pm to 7 pm to entertain	passengers at
St Pancras Station. The aim was to bring the
two ensembles together while	raising money
for Crisis. The total amount raised for Crisis
was £1174.
Bloomsbury Band concert (16 March
2024)
In their spring concert, the Band explored
the theme of “Islands in the Sun”. A highlight
of the concert was a work inspired by the
Band’s annual trip to the Isle of Wight – the
premiere of David Morris’s three movement
“Isle of Wight Suite”. As well as music, the
programme included readings	of poems
related to islands.

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Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	The charity does not engage in fundraising apart from putting on charity concerts as described above.
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	The charity has no investments.
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	Our income during this period was approximately £30,400 and our expenditure was £24,600. We were therefore able to replenish our reserves, giving reserves at the end of the period of about £19,500.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	Trustees normally maintain a modest reserve equivalent to about 20% of annual expenditure in the Bloomsbury Music Group’s bank account. Reserves this year are greater due to the unexpected Orchestra Tax Relief uplift to 50%. We plan to use some of this increased surplus for events during 2024-2025.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£19,500
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	Not applicable
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	Not applicable
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	The charity is confident that it will continue to thrive.

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The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	The main income of the charity comes from members’ subscriptions with the associated gift-aid. Further contribution come from Orchestra Tax Relief (paid by HMRC to the company, BMG Productions Limited) and ticket sales at concerts.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	The charity does not make investments.
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	Maintaining a full membership of both ensembles is crucial to the financial health of the charity. The large population of London means that recruitment has not been a problem throughout the life of the charity but this is an issue that the trustees attend to carefully. Any changes to Gift Aid or Orchestra Tax Relief policies could have a significant impact but not big enough to imperil the stability of the charity.
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document	Para 1.25	Constitution
How is the charity constituted?	Para 1.25	Society
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Appointed as committee members by election at the Annual General Meeting of members.
dditional information (optional) ou may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	The charity has detailed guidance documents for new trustees. In this small charity, other induction and training is carried out on a one-to-one basis with the more experienced members of the BMG Committee.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	In the period covered by this report the Group ran two wind ensembles:  The Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble (BWE), founded in 1993 for about 45 adult amateur players of flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon and saxophone.  The Bloomsbury Band of flutes and clarinets (BB), formed in 2010 for about 25 adult players in response to the growing demand for opportunities to play from players of these two popular wind instruments. The charity is overseen by the members of the Bloomsbury Music Group committee. Separate committees of volunteers work with the two music directors to manage the operations of the two ensembles.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	Not applicable
Other

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Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	The Bloomsbury Music Group
Other name the charity uses	-
Registered charity number	1139541

Charity’s principal address Tower Mill Newchurch Romney Marsh TN29 0EB

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	Christopher Woodroofe	BMG Chair
	Liz Watson	BB Chair
	Colin Izod	BWE Chair
	Sarah Kirk	BMG Treasurer
	Clare Thompson	BMG Secretary

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of Name Address adviser

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Musical Directors: Michael McGowan (BWE) and David Morris (BB).

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details Other optional information ~~BS OS~~ Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Clare Thompson Position (eg Secretary, Secretary Chair, etc)

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Date
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29/09/24

Bloomsbury Music Group

Final accounts for year to 5 April 2024 INCOME Event Sales Event Donations Gift Aid Receipts Bank Interest Members Subs Others (inc OTR) EXPENDITURE MD Fees MD Expenses Music Purchases/Arrangements Refreshments Rehearsal Premises Costs Event Venue Hire Other Event Costs Charity donation Bank charges Finance costs Others	£2,597.13 £0.00 £3,505.30 £0.00 £17,596.00 £6,711.41
	£30,409.84
	£8,692.60 £102.15 £4,155.48 £336.16 £5,010.00 £1,483.02 £1,191.50 £998.30 £106.40 £94.53 £2,497.60
	£24,667.74
NET GAIN/LOSS	£5,742.10

Opening Balance:	£13,790.92
ClosingBalance:	£19,533.02
Net Gain/Loss	£5,742.10

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Bloomsbury Music Group On accounts for the year ended 5 April 2024 Charity no (if any) 1139541 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above chanty (Yhe Trusf) for the year ended 0510412024. Responsibilities and As the charity trUSt￿S 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 Charty Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to telieve that in, any material respect" accounting records were not kept in accordan￿ with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's ststement I have no cOn￿mS 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: Date: 2810812024 Name: Michael John Winterbum Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 58 Lammas Park Road London W5 5JB