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2021-06-30-accounts

Bradford Festival Choral Society A classical choir with community spirit since 1856

Annual Report 2020/21

Rob Voakes, Chair’s report

This has been our second year of the Covid 19 pandemic, with members of the choir and supporters experiencing lock-downs, ZOOM rehearsals and digital performances. All of us have missed the joy of personal contacts, and some have lost friends or family. We've had to live with the anxiety of assessing risks and taking precautions, and balancing what feels safe with what makes life worth living.

The opportunities for us to be excited and moved by "live" art and music have been severely restricted, and only slowly, became available again towards the end of our performance year (June).

In this context our choir presented four complete concerts.

The Road Home was premiered in September 2020, though rehearsed and recorded in the previous season. Along with the November and December concerts This Shining Night, and A Virtual Christmas Singalong, these performances gave the choir members an activity and focus providing welcome relief from the daily news of illness and loss.

These concerts were the product of work by all in the Choir, but particularly from our music team, Tom Leech and Chris Pulleyn. Life during the worst of the pandemic would have been much worse without receiving their weekly input of professionalism, determination and patience.

For many of us Christmas 2020, was severely disrupted by the sudden imposition of travel restrictions from London and elsewhere. It was therefore particularly moving to learn that for some members, our Christmas Singalong, enabled those separated by quarantines to be virtually together, sharing festive music and seeing family members on screen.

One unintended by-product of our digital recordings has been the development of a virtual library to showcase our work on You Tube. As well as a permanent display of our achievements, this archive has a great resource for us to send digital links to friends and others who might not be ready to appreciate whole classical concerts, but who can enjoy one of the many short pieces. A favourite of mine is the second video we made available of Sure on This Shining Night, with Chris playing the beautiful introduction, surrounded by the starry night sky. Superb.

The Haydn Mass would have been an ambitious project in any year. During a pandemic, the practical and technical difficulties were considerable and the costs significant. Nevertheless the trustees and Tom felt it important to tackle this piece and to show that despite the pandemic, we could present a major work, with an orchestra, and do so to a high standard.

I think we saw it as a kind of defiance. The result, premiered on May 8th 2021, surpassed all our expectations. The work has now had over 1500 views - a recording of which we can be immensely proud.

The enjoyment of the piece was enhanced by the relaxed, good-natured and informative pre-concert talk with Tom and Chris, Payee Chen and Ben Crick.

We decided from the first digital concert to give any donation we received, to those suffering hardship due to lockdown. In 2020/21 we raised and donated nearly £2,000 shared between the Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank, The Bradford Friendship Choir and Ben's Music Foundation, a West Yorkshire charity providing support for disadvantaged young musicians.

Two trustees, Karen Jones and Sue Hayton, also spent innumerable hours helping the Bradford Friendship Choir (BFC) to make an application for funding from the Arts Council. The result, a substantial grant that provides BFC a base of much needed financial stability.

A demanding year for us all, but one in which the Choir maintained its reputation for musical quality, innovation and engagement with the wider world. I think we can be proud of what we've done

On behalf of the trustees I would like to thank Tom and Chris, our audience and our members, and all the volunteers and helpers who contribute to the choir,

Welcome back.

Tom Leech, Musical Director's Report

When I wrote about our period online for the 2019-20 season annual report, I still hoped that we would see regular live rehearsals and some performances in the 20-21 edition. How little I knew! March 11th 2020 stubbornly remained as our last rehearsal together, and Chris and I - aided by the excellent support of the choir and trustees - ploughed on into the digital world.

The first digital season in BFCS’s history started with our launch concert ‘The Road Home’, featuring our first composite video and audio recordings, as well as some archive material we’d unearthed.

We then moved on to a second virtual choir project ‘This shining night’, where Chris and I created new video and audio composites. Much of the repertoire was entirely new to the choir, including music by Clara Schumann, Stanford and Coleridge-Taylor, and we were really pleased with the results.

During this period, we were also delighted to welcome composers Roxanna Panufnik and Paul Mealor to our online rehearsals - they both gave their time very generously and were fascinating to talk to. Additionally we commissioned some vocal resources for our members and other singers to use, with videos from singers Peyee Chen, Hannah Mason and Phil Wilcox, all on our YouTube channel.

As Christmas drew near, I suspect we all felt a certain weariness with the stress and strain of making individual recordings - I certainly felt that in the editing process, but the effort was rewarded in a Christmas sing along full of cheer and a sense of community that was extremely welcome, despite some restrictions being lifted at the time.

And then it was back into lockdown...and time for our most ambitious virtual choir recording.

Many of us missed the opportunity to sing a large, or larger, work, so we decided that a recording project featuring Haydn’s Nelson Mass, soloists and orchestral musicians, would be a statement of optimism and intent. Inevitably it turned out to be far harder work than Chris or I anticipated, from creating the initial backing tracks to administering vast amounts of data and finally attempting to edit it together despite clearly inadequate computing power! Amazingly - and with all the hard work from choir members responding to our increasingly desperate requests to record videos - it came together and was a remarkable success.

After a few rehearsals singing through larger works, it was delightful to end the season with three in person rehearsals outdoors at Bingley Rugby Club - a real delight for us all to see each other again after such a difficult period.

The future of course remains rather uncertain, but I think the support from members and trustees of our ambitious digital existence has provided the choir with a stronger foundation than we would have had otherwise, and more importantly I hope it’s given our members pleasure, focus and community at a time when these were so badly needed.

A huge thank you to our volunteers, trustees, and of course to Chris (and Jenny when deputising) for his superb musical support. Above all thank you to our members for their commitment to BFCS.

Sue Bennett, Chorus Secretary’s Report

In the 2019 – 20 season before we went into lockdown we had 119 members -- 43 Sops, 45 Altos, 10 Tenors, 21 Basses. 2020 was a year like no other! BFCS members were enjoying rehearsing for The St. Matthew Passion and nearing the concert when suddenly rehearsals stopped and we were in Coronavirus lockdown.

For the 2020-2021 season we had 88 members – a significant decrease on the previous year –but given the uncertainty a fantastic response and support from the members. Not everyone went on Zoom so big thanks to all who paid but did not access the online rehearsals. It was a huge learning curve for everyone and so a big thanks also to all who did rehearse on Zoom and who sent in recordings for the concerts – traumatic at times – but definitely worth it as it had lots of positive outcomes and gave us an online presence.

The decrease in numbers obviously has had an impact. Some who could not access the online rehearsals and concerts said they would return once live rehearsal resumed and some were leaving anyway because of moving to be nearer family or work etc. but our usual recruitment to attract new members obviously couldn’t happen. We did welcome some temporary members for some of the sessions - but apart from one, this did not translate into full membership as most lived too far away! Some members have now returned but others are still waiting until Covid numbers decrease further and hopefully they will join us for the Christmas concert and the St. Matthew Passion.

Now we still have 88 members – 33 Sops, 36 Altos, 7 Tenors, 13 Basses. Some longstanding members have decided to retire and others have left but we are really pleased to welcome 12 New Members and really hope they enjoy singing with us. Obviously with fewer members this has a financial impact and also a musical impact in the ability of the choir to take on larger choral works so it’s really important to attract more members.

Most new members come from either searching the website/ YouTube etc. or from personal recommendation, so please encourage your friends, family and work colleagues to come along to a rehearsal and continue to circulate leaflets and publicise our concerts. We definitely need more numbers to do the St. Matthew Passion justice and to support the excellent work Tom and Chris do to ensure we do the best we can.

Many thanks to Rosy who organises the voice checks. Obviously there were no voice checks last year but voice checks for the new members were organised for October and those for existing members will be scheduled for sometime after Christmas.

Covid regulations and changes of venue have produced their own challenges so a big thanks to all those who help with rehearsals - to Cynthia Thresh, Rosy Lambert, Hilary Luckham and Anne Huntley who do the registers, and to the Trustees and everyone who has helped in a variety of ways to try to keep us all safe.

2020/2021 has proved to be another very challenging year so well done to everyone for rising to those challenges set. Tom and Chris have enabled us to meet together on Zoom and produce some wonderful concerts culminating in the Haydn Nelson Mass which we all enjoyed. The streaming of rehearsals has extended the chance of joining online rehearsals if unable to make it in person and this is proving very beneficial.

Thanks Tom and Chris for all your amazing work and the brilliant job you do. Finally: Thank you Rob for being an excellent Chairman and guiding us throughout this most difficult of times. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Karen Jones, Bradford Friendship Choir Report

Affiliated to Bradford Festival Choral Society, Bradford Friendship Choir is a joyful singing sanctuary which focuses on welcoming and supporting refugees and people seeking asylum. We celebrate our diversity through the power of song.

‘Supporting Bradford’s singing sanctuary in these challenging times is vital. Securing a sustainable funding stream to do this is, therefore, our main priority’ (AGM report 2020). These were the final words in last year’s report and it is wonderful to be able to record this year that we have been successful in securing a £15,000 project grant which will see us through until summer 2022. This means we can:

----- Start of picture text -----
Facts about the Choir and
its link with BFCS.
Thank you all
for your support!
----- End of picture text -----

Blended online and in person sessions run on Tuesdays – details on website www.bradfordfriendshipchoir.com.

All welcome on Zoom or at the Kala Sangam Arts Centre in Bradford!

Challenges and future plans

Mark Clayton, Treasurer’s Report

The Choir members are all unpaid volunteers and derive no financial benefit from membership. Choir members pay a subscription set at the Annual General Meeting.

The Choir's income for the year was £25,277, of which £8,018 was generated to support Bradford Friendship Choir. The Choir’s expenditure was £32,916, of which £7,929 was used to support Bradford Friendship Choir. The Choir generated a deficit of -£7,640 which included a £88 surplus for the Bradford Friendship Choir.

Income from concerts performed over the year was £0 as audience payments for the online concerts were classed as donations rather than ticket sales. Concert costs were £12,150. Concert sponsorship was £3,000 which meant that concerts generated a deficit of -£9,150. Non-concert income was £22,277 and non-concert expenditure was £20,766 which generated a net surplus of £1,511 of which £89 was generated to support the Bradford Friendship Choir.

The Choir’s funds available at the end of the year were £43,027, of which £6,376 was restricted to support Bradford Friendship Choir. The total funds available to Bradford Festival Choral Society excluding Bradford Friendship Choirs funds at the end of the year were £36,651.

Details are in the Statement of financial affairs, balance sheet, income and expenditure accounts below.

The accounts have been independently examined by Malcolm V Walker of Walker Broadbent Associates and carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. Details are in the Independent Examiners Statement below.

Bradford Festival Choral Society Accounts

(Company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital)

Legal and administrative information

Year ended 30 June 2021

Company Number 07346050
Charity Number 1141596
Trustees Rob Voakes, Chair
Sue Hayton Company Secretary
Mark Clayton Treasurer
Joan Letocha
John Disken
Karen Jones
Liz Kingsley
Lucy Hennessy
Ivan Henderson
Sara Daniel
Sue Bennett
Zoe Callan
Registered Office 78 Sapgate Lane
Thornton, Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD13 3DY
Bankers Barclays Bank plc
Bingley
West Yorkshire
Independent Examiner Malcolm Walker
Walker Broadbent Associates Ltd
Lencett House
45 Boroughgate
Otley
West Yorkshire
LS21 1 AG

BRADFORD FESTIVAL CHORAL SOCIETY

YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2021

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT

This report on the accounts of the society for the year ended 30 June 2021 is in respect of an examination carried out under s.145 of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act").

RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES AND EXAMINER

The trustees are responsible for the preparation of accounts. The trutees consider that an audit is not required for this period under s. 144(2) of the Act, and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

(1) examine the accounts (under s.145(5)(b) of the Act);

(2) follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission

(3) 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 Commissioners under s. 145 of the Act. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the committee and a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also includes considering any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the committee concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S STATEMENT

(1) In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements

- to keep accounting records in accordance with s.130 of the Act; and

(2) In order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached I draw your attention to the paragraph at the foot of note 6.

Malcolm V Walker B Mus, FCA, CTA Walker Broadbent Associates Chartered Accountants Lencett House 45 Boroughgate Otley LS21 1AG 27 October 2021

Bradford Festival Choral Society

Statement of Financial Activities (including income and expenditure account)

for the year ended 30 June 2021

Note
Incoming resources
Voluntary income:
10
Subscriptions
Donations
Activities for generating funds:
10
Fundraising activities
Music hire
Investment income
Incoming resources from charitable activities:
3
Concerts & performance income
Grants
Sponsorship
Total incoming resources
Resources expended
Costs of generating funds:
Fundrasing activities
Charitable activities:
Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds
2020
Funds
Funds
£
£
£
£
13,350
-
13,350
18,048
907
7,017
7,924
8,144
-
-
-
994
-
-
-
251
3
-
3
37
-
-
-
7,688
-
1,000
1,000
-
3,000
-
3,000
6,000
17,259
8,017
25,277
41,162
-
-
-
-
Concerts & performance expenses
4
Rehearsal & other costs
4
12,150 )
(
-
12,150 )
(
(11,821)
12,477 )
(
7,929 )
(
20,406 )
(
(24,162)
Governance costs
Independent Examiner's fees
11
Total resources expended
Net incoming (outgoing) resources
Transfers between funds
Total funds brought forward
8
Total funds carried forward
360 )
(
-
360 )
(
(330)
24,987 )
(
7,929 )
(
32,916 )
(
36,313 )
(
7,728 )
(
88
7,640 )
(
4,849
-
-
-
43,120
7,547
50,667
45,817
35,392
7,635
43,027
50,666

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the period. All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities

Mark Clayton - Treasurer

Bradford Festival Choral Society

Company Number: 07346050

Balance Sheet

as at 30 June 2021

Note
Fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets
5
Current assets
Stocks
Debtors
6
Cash and bank balances
Creditors:amounts falling due in
less than one year
7
Net current assets
Net assets
Reserves
Unrestricted funds
8
Restricted funds
8
8
2021
£
£
£
£
-
5
71
71
7,470
11,070
40,411
40,190
47,952
51,331
4,925 )
(
(670)
43,027
50,661
43,027
50,666
35,392
43,120
7,635
7,547
43,027
50,666
2020

For the year ended 30[th] June 2021 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 480 of the Companies Act 2006.

No members have required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the period in question in accordance with section 476..

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting periods and the preparation of accounts.

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provision applicable to companies subject to small companies' régime and were approved by the board on 3 November 2021.

............................................. Rob Voakes, Chair

Bradford Festival Choral Society

Notes to the Accounts and Reports

Year ended 30 June 2021

1 Accounting policies

(a)Basis of accounting

The accounts are prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective January 2007) and follow the recommendations in Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice 2005.

(b)Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided on the straight line basis on tangible fixed assets, at rates calculated to write off each asset over its expected useful life at the following annual rates:

Equipment 10%

(c)Grant income

General purpose grants are credited to the income and expenditure account in the period received. Ear-marked grant income is matched to the associated expenditure and recognised in the accounts in the period when the performance expenses are incurred.

(d)Leasing

Rentals applicable to operating leases where substantially all of the benefits and risks of ownership remain with the lessor are charged to income and expenditure account as incurred.

**2 ** Net incoming resources 2021 2020
£ £
Is stated after charging:
Depreciation of tangible fixed assets owned by the company 5 65

Bradford Festival Choral Society

Notes to the Accounts and Reports (continued)

Year ended 30 June 2021

3 Incoming resources - charitable activities

2020
Unrestricted Designated Total Unrestricted Designated Total
£ £ £ £ £ £
Grants & sponsorship
D Holdsworth 3,000 3,000 3,000 - 3,000
The Emerald Foundation - - - 3,000 - 3,000
Income from concerts and performances:
Gross income from admission charges,
programme and refreshment sales - - - 14,179 - 14,179
3,000 - 3,000 20,179 - 20,179
**4 ** Analysis of expenditure on charitable expenses
2020
Concerts and Rehearsal & Total Concerts and Rehearsal & Total
performances other costs performances other costs
£ £ £ £ £ £
Musical director's & accompanists' fees - (9,543) (9,543) - (7,955) (7,955)
Conductor, musicians & soloists fees (8,095) - (8,095) (7,885) (910) (8,795)
Production expenses (4,030) - (4,030) (1,355) (2,123) (3,478)
Venue & facilities hire - (150) (150) (2,131) (2,207) (4,338)
Box office and front of house - - - - - -
Promotion & marketing (25) (198) (223) (450) (263) (713)
Bank charges - - - - - -
Depreciation - (5) (5) - (5) (5)
Other costs - (1,176) (1,176) - (1,715) (1,715)
Donations - (1,406) (1,406) - - -
Friendship Choir - (7,929) (7,929) (8,924) (8,924)
(12,150) (20,406) (32,556) (11,821) (24,102) (35,923)

Bradford Festival Choral Society

Notes to the Accounts and Reports (continued)

Year ended 30 June 2021

**5 ** Tangible Fixed assets Office Equipment &
musical instruments Total
Cost: £ £
At start of period 655 655
Additions - -
- -
Disposals - -
At end of period 655 655
Depreciation:
At start of period 650 650
Charge for the year 5 5
Eliminated on disposal - -
At end of period 655 655
Net book value
At end of period - -
At start of period 5 5
**6 ** Debtors & prepayments 2021 2020
£ £
Accrued income 7,000 10,600
Prepayments 470 470
7,470 11,070

Prepayments include a concert deposit of £470 paid to Leeds Town Hall in 2010 for a future concert, the recoverability of which is doubtful.

Bradford Festival Choral Society

Notes to the Accounts and Reports (continued)

Year ended 30 June 2021

7
Creditors:amounts falling due within
Trade creditors & accruals
Deferred income
8
Movement in funds
Restricted funds:
Transfers on incorporation:
Bullock Fund
Music Fund
Scholarship Fund
Friendship Choir
Total restricted funds
Unrestricted funds:
General funds
Designated funds:
Sponsorship
Total unrestricted funds
Total funds
one year
At start
of year
£
209
1,000
50
6,288
7,547
43,120
-
43,120
50,667
2021
2020
£
£
(4,925)
670
-
-
(4,925)
670
Movement in funds
At end of
Incoming
Outgoing Transfer
year
resources
resources
£
£
£
£
-
-
-
209
-
-
-
1,000
-
-
-
50
8,017
(7,929)
6,376
8,017
(7,929)
-
7,635
14,259
(24,987)
3,000
35,392
3,000
-
(3,000)
-
17,259
(24,987)
-
35,392
25,277
(32,916)
-
43,027

9 Guarantee

The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to £1.

Bradford Festival Choral Society Detailed income & expenditure account Year ended 30 June 2021

10 Income
Members' subscriptions
Gift aid tax relief
200 Club donation
Friendship Choir Donations
Friendship Choir Gift Aid
General Donation
Grants
Friendship Choir Grants
Interest received
Self-help & fund-raising
Performance fees
Friendship Choir Performance Fees
Come & sing - fees & Income
Learn To Sing
Music hire/sales
Gift aid Adjustment
Friendship Choir Gift Aid Adjustment
Concerts surplus/(deficit), per schedule
11 Expenses
Rehearsals/General
MD auditions fees
Choir MD
Accompanists fees
Voice coaching
Virtual Rehearsal Costs
Non concert performance fees/Costs
Come & Sing
Friendship Choir Support
Transfer from voice coaching fund
Room hire
Folders Purchase
Learn to Sing Course
Subscriptions
Music Scores Purchase
Music Library Costs
Printing,postage & stationery
Advertising/Promotion
Meeting Room Costs
Fund Raising Costs
Independent examiner's fee
Gifts & Sundries
Bank charges
Other Charges
Depreciation
Reduction in stock values
Website & Domain names etc
Gift aid debtor not recoverable
Choir Development
Donations
Net surplus/(deficit) for the season
£ £
£
£
9,773
15,348
2,657
2,700
-
245
5,151
6,399
900
1,500
907
-
-
-
1,000
-
3
37
-
354
-
345
-
1,719
-
296
-
-
-
251
920
-
967
-
22,277
29,193
9,150 )
(
148
-
135 )
(
6,008 )
(
4,590 )
(
3,465 )
(
3,230 )
(
70 )
(
-
294 )
(
-
-
910 )
(
-
925 )
(
7,929 )
(
8,924 )
(
-
-
150 )
(
2,207 )
(
-
-
-
-
497 )
(
497 )
(
-
1,170 )
(
-
75 )
(
-
103 )
(
-
150 )
(
-
80 )
(
-
-
360 )
(
330 )
(
-
28 )
(
-
-
135 )
(
163 )
(
5 )
(
5 )
(
-
-
198 )
(
10 )
(
-
-
250 )
(
900 )
(
1,406)
(
20,766)
(
24,492)
(
24,492)
(
7,640)
(
4,849
2021
2020
-

Bradford Festival Choral Society Concerts account

Year ended 30 June 2021

2020-21 Season Season
Road Home Autumn Xmas Haydn
Total
£ £ £ £ £
**12 ** Income
Ticket sales - - - - -
Programme/Other sales - - - - -
Sale of refreshments - - - - -
Raffle - - - - -
Gross income - - - - -
**13 ** Concert costs
Soloists ( 70 )
( 100 )
- ( 925 )
( 1,095 )
Organist/accompanist ( 250 )
( 350 )
( 150 )
( 1,200 )
( 1,950 )
Ensemble/Musicians - - - ( 1,725 )
( 1,725 )
Compere - - - - -
Chorus Singers - - - - -
Conductor ( 675 )
( 675 )
( 675 )
( 1,300 )
( 3,325 )
Instrument hire and tuning - - - - -
Soloists Gifts - - ( 135 )
( 154 )
( 289 )
Venue Hire - - - - -
Technical Charges - - - - -
Production Charges - - - - -
Online Production Charges ( 1,655 )
( 686 )
- ( 1,400 )
( 3,741 )
Music hire etc - - - - -
Box office charges - - - - -
Ticket Print Costs - - - - -
PRS - - - - -
Publicity Printing Costs ( 25 )
- - - ( 25 )
Programmes - - - - -
Refreshment Costs - - - - -
Hospitality - - - - -
Other Expenses - - - - -
Total costs ( 2,675) ( 1,811) ( 960) ( 6,704) ( 12,150)
Surplus/(deficit) before sponsors ( 2,675 )
( 1,811 )
( 960 )
( 6,704 )
( 12,150 )
Sponsorship:
Donald Holdsworth - - - 3,000 3,000
Emerald - - - - -
-
Net (deficit) surplus ( 2,675 )
( 1,811 )
( 960 )
( 3,704 )
( 9,150 )

Net (deficit) surplus