Registered Charity No: 1140146
Grayshott Concerts
Annual Report
for the year ended 31 December 2020
Grayshott Concerts
Annual Report for the year end 31 December 2020
| Pages | |
|---|---|
| Legal and Administrative Details | 1 |
| Trustees' Report | 2 - 3 |
| Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of | |
| Grayshott Concerts | 4 |
| Balance Sheet | 5 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 6 |
| Notes to the Balance Sheet | 7- 8 |
Grayshott Concerts
Legal and Administrative Details
Grayshott Concerts (the Charity) was registered with the Charity Commission on 1 February 2011.
Registered charity no: 1140146 Correspondence address: The Mousehole Avenue Road Grayshott Hindhead GU26 6LZ Patron: Sir Karl Jenkins CBE Associate Artist: Howard Shelley OBE Orchestra in Residence: London Mozart Players Choir in Residence: Excelsis Chamber Choir Director of Music: Robert Lewis Trustees: Anthony Ramsden - Chairman Andy Crocker - Managing Director Jim Miles - Events Director Vivien Harrison - Treasurer Peter Harrison - Secretary Andrew Bartholomew Bankers: Lloyds Bank 12 High Street Haslemere GU27 2JG Independent Examiner: Jonathan Tippett FCA The Calf House Brows Farm Business Park Farnham Road Liss GU33 6JG
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Grayshott Concerts
Trustees’ Report
for the year ended 31 December 2020
Structure, governance and management
Grayshott Concerts (the Charity) was formed in 2004 and registered with the Charity Commission on 1 February 2011. The charity's governing document is a Constitution adopted on 11 December 2010.
The trustees are elected and reelected annually at the AGM by the members and stand on the grounds that they are committed to the aims and objectives of the Charity and have specific expertise to bring to the Charity to help it achieve its objectives.
During the course of the year, the membership level reached 184.
As from 2 January 2019 the production of concerts has been managed through Grayshott Concerts Production Limited, a nonprofit making company controlled by two of the charity’s trustees. A Declaration of Trust document has been signed by the two Trustees.
Objectives and Activities
The objectives of Grayshott Concerts are:
(i) 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
(ii) To further such charitable purpose or purposes as the trustees in their absolute discretion shall think fit.
As amateur classical music promoters, Grayshott Concerts stage approximately four to six events each year at their local church and other suitable venues.
The performances include symphony concerts, oratorios, operas and some drama events. Performers (mostly professional) include choirs, orchestras, soloists, conductors, actors and composers.
The charity aims to educate and entertain audiences, many of whom are local people. Grayshott Concerts wants to achieve "world-class performances - on your doorstep" for local people enabling them to enjoy top-class classical music and other performances without the need to travel significant distances. Every event sells out weeks - sometimes months - in advance. From time to time, the trustees make donations to local good causes and stage events specifically to raise funds for charitable causes. The charity has a mailing list of over 1,200 individuals and families who receive regular free newsletters. Each year, Grayshott Concerts aims to attract over 150 members (‘Friends of Grayshott Concerts’) who will pay annual subscriptions as donations to the charity.
In planning activities for the year, the trustees kept in mind the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit. They are especially proud that every event since the first in 2004 has attracted a mix of members and the general public.
Achievements and Performance
Many charities and other organisations in 2020, found the official restrictions imposed to fight Covid-19, extremely challenging – and Grayshott Concerts was no exception. But thanks to the help of our Friends, supporters and performers, 2020 turned out to be one of our most prolific years for events, resulting in our staging a total of eight live performances instead of the four events planned.
This outcome resulted from the need to reduce audience capacity by 75% in order to achieve 2m social-distancing between groups of concertgoers. So to accommodate all who wanted to come, we simply staged additional performances each of which sold out on every occasion.
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Grayshott Concerts
Achievements and performance - continued
Our March, pre-lockdown, performance of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto featured our Associate Artist, Howard Shelley, together with Ruth Rogers, violin, and Sebastian Comberti, cello, accompanied by the London Mozart Players directed by Howard Shelley. The first Covid lockdown period was announced just days after the performance – so we consider ourselves very fortunate indeed not to have had to cancel or postpone this event.
Buoyed by a significant grant from East Hampshire District Council’s ‘Supporting Communities Fund’, we planned three reduced-size orchestral performances post-lockdown plus a free concert for our ‘Local Covid Heroes’, now deferred until 2021 to be certain it would not be cancelled.
We decided that, to attract concertgoers back, we would make the first event free – hoping to fill all 90 seats available. To our astonishment, all seats sold out within 40 minutes of going on sale – with a growing waiting list. This proved that concertgoers were more than eager to return, so we decided to double up each of our next events by staging two performances on adjacent days – with one programme proving so popular that three sell-out performances were necessary to find seats for everyone.
Our first (free) double-event in early October included Mendelssohn’s ‘Octet’ and works by Mozart with the London Mozart Players. It was uplifting to bring live music back to Grayshott – despite the peculiarities of hand-sanitisation, mask-wearing and social-distancing imposed by the regulations. But most importantly, it proved that audiences still craved live music and were prepared to undergo significant restrictions in order to attend.
The second double-event was squeezed in just a fortnight later. The originally planned performance of Bruch’s Violin Concerto starring our local ‘home-grown’ violinist, Shoshanah Sievers – proved impossible to fit on stage, safely. So instead, Shoshanah performed Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’, together with the world premiere of ‘Enchantment’, already specially commissioned for her from our Patron, Sir Karl Jenkins. This was an especially rewarding event for everyone. The audience loved it.
The final triple event of the year featured Tasmin Little, performing one of her most iconic works, Vaughan Williams’ evocative, ‘The Lark Ascending’, which she performed almost exactly 100 years, to the day, after its premiere in Somerset. We were fortunate to experience her last three performances of the ‘Lark’, anywhere in the world, before Tasmin retired from public performances – and selling her £1m violin.
Grayshott Concert managed to maintain a reduced ‘outreach’ programme at Grayshott Primary School and at Huntington Langham Estate Care homes and more events are planned for 2021.
With such a difficult year for so many, we are very grateful indeed, for all the support received for our activities from Friends, supporters, helpers, business sponsors, donors and other funding bodies. It has been a privilege to continue to provide ‘Worldclass Performances – On Your Doorstep!’
Financial Review and Reserves Policy
The charity uses all its income for the promotion and staging of “world-class performances – on your doorstep!” The Trustees have decided to maintain the levels of general reserves in the range of £23,000 - £25,000 to reflect the increased level of cost of staging events, in order to guard against the results of unforseen circumstances such as the enforced cancellation of an event.
Signed on behalf of the Board of Trustees
Managing Director ……………….…....………… Date …………………..
Treasurer ……………….………………………
Date …………………..
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Grayshott Concerts
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2020 which are set out on pages 5 to 8.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:
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Examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
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To follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
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To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair view” and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with the accounting record; 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 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.
………………………………. Jonathan Tippett FCA The Calf House Brows Farm Business Park Farnham Road Liss GU33 1JG
Date …………………………
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Grayshott Concerts
Balance Sheet at 31 December 2020
| Notes Fixed assets Tangible assets 2 Current assets Debtors and prepayments 3 Balance at bank Cash in hand Current liabilities Creditors and accruals 4 Net current assets Net assets Restricted funds 5 Unrestricted funds Total funds Approved by: |
Unrestricted Restricted 2020 2019 Funds Funds Total Total £ £ £ £ 2,220 - 2,220 2,220 2,220 - 2,220 2,220 21,023 - 21,023 25,859 49,535 - 49,535 34,065 91 - 91 91 70,649 - 70,649 60,015 47,504 - 47,504 35,011 23,145 - 23,145 25,004 25,365 - 25,365 27,224 - - - - 25,365 - 25,365 27,224 25,365 - 25,365 27,224 - Managing Director ) ) ) ) Events Director ) ) Trustees ) ) Treasurer ) ) ) ) Secretary ) |
|---|---|
Date:
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Grayshott Concerts
Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2020
| Notes Incoming resources Concert income Donations and gifts Sponsorship Grants Production income Other income Interest Total incoming resources Resources expended Cost of generating funds Administration and marketing Charitable activities Concert production costs Lighting/AV project costs Ticket management costs Website costs Venue costs Special Projects costs Other concert costs Donations 6 Bank and credit/debit card charges Governance costs Accountancy Total resources expended Net (outgoing) / incoming resources for the year Balance brought forward at 1 January 2020 Total funds at 31 December 2020 |
Unrestricted Restricted 2020 2019 Funds Funds Total Total £ £ £ £ 23,151 - 23,151 48,382 37,824 - 37,824 32,503 1,500 - 1,500 30,725 14,000 - 14,000 6,394 12,504 12,504 6,102 105 - 105 2,263 - - - - 89,084 - 89,084 126,369 17,110 - 17,110 12,302 53,272 - 53,272 82,044 - - - 3,145 1,800 - 1,800 1,800 7,990 - 7,990 5,820 200 - 200 47 3,300 - 3,300 2,500 1,100 - 1,100 8,525 3,910 - 3,910 2,235 1,511 - 1,511 1,752 73,083 - 73,083 107,868 750 - 750 750 (90,943) - (90,943) (120,920) (1,859) - (1,859) 5,449 27,224 - 27,224 21,775 25,365 - 25,365 27,224 |
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Grayshott Concerts
Notes to the Balance Sheet
for the year ended 31 December 2020
1 Accounting policies
(a) Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice ‘Accounting by Charities’ (SORP 2005) and applicable UK Accounting Standards and the Charities Act 2011. The particular accounting policies adopted are described below.
(b) Incoming resources
All incoming resources are recognised once the Charity has entitlement to the resources, it is certain that these resources will be received and the monetary value of the incoming resources can be measured with sufficient reliability.
(c ) Resources expended
Liabilities are recognised as resources expended as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the Charity to the expenditure.
(d) Fixed assets
Depreciation is provided at the following annual rate to write off each asset over its estimated useful life. Staging 10% on reducing balance basis or such other rate the trustees' consider appropriate.
2 Fixed assets
| Net book value on introduction to the Charity Additions in the year Depreciation At 1 January 2020 Depreciation provided for in the year Net book value At 31 December 2020 At 31 December 2019 3 Debtors Due from Grayshott Concerts Production Limited Note 7 Accounts receivable Prepayments Accrued revenue |
Staging £ 7,873 - 7,873 5,653 - 5,653 2,220 2,220 2020 2019 £ £ 18,529 18,594 - 1,000 2,494 2,617 - 3,648 21,023 25,859 |
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Grayshott Concerts
Notes to the Balance Sheet for the year ended 31 December 2020
| 4 Creditors Accounts payable Accrued income Special Projects Fund Development Fund Accountancy December newsletter accrual Other accrued expenses VAT payable Other creditors |
2020 2019 £ £ 3,880 5,086 9,251 6,806 23,500 20,500 5,000 - 900 750 650 - 1,225 - 2,180 951 918 918 47,504 35,011 |
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5 Restricted Funds
During the year ended 31 December 2020 no restricted funds were held (2019:£nil).
| 6 Donations Kickstarter - to Cai Thomas St Luke's Church, Grayshott Grayshott Primary School - musical instruments Grayshott Primary School - Surrey Get Vocal Music Programme |
2020 2019 £ £ 500 1,500 250 475 710 260 2,450 - 3,910 1,975 |
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Grayshott Concerts Production Limited
As from 2 January 2019 the costs of producing concerts are initially carried by a related company, Grayshott Concerts Production Limited (GCPL) the share capital of which is held by two of the trustees of Grayshott Concerts (the charity). The company invoices the charity with the cost of producing the concerts and GCPL is due to receive a Corporation Tax credit of £10,057 (2019: £5,371 received) by way of a claim for Orchestra Tax Relief that in turn reduces the net cost to the charity of producing concerts. The working capital requirements of GCPL are supported by a loan from Grayshott Concerts to GCPL (31.12.20 = £18,529 - 2019: £18,594).
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