June 2024
Trustees’ Annual Report 2022-2023
OVERVIEW
Once again the financial year 2022-2023 offered fewer opportunities for our musicians to perform live as a result of the continuing reluctance of the public to attend mass events while there were still Covid-19 infection cases being reported.
We ended the financial year £4,143 in credit as a result of prudent management of costs. Although there appears to be a surplus, there were deferred fees which had to be adjusted within the accounts.
As the new financial year 2023-2024 began, bookings for our orchestra started to pick up again, including:
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A concert with the Croydon Philharmonic Choir and the Basingstoke Choral Society at Croydon’s Fairfield Halls.
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An opera about the Bronte sisters
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A performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Southampton Philharmonic Choir at Southampton.
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Verdi’s Requiem [where?]
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The Sea Symphony at Portsmouth {with choir?]
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A recording with patron Mike Batt [of what?]
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Participation in the Thames Festival
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A Film Night concert at St Anne’s Limehouse
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“The Snowman” at Christmas.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The musical director and Trustees continue to work hard to achieve the aims and objectives set out in the orchestra’s constitution, namely to promote, develop, improve and maintain:
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a) A high-standard orchestra in the East London area.
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b) High-quality concerts and events for the cultural benefit of the local community.
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c) Inspire local children to enjoy classical music and to take up playing classical instruments.
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d) A showcase for new compositions by British composers and for innovative musical collaborations.
PATRONS AND FRIENDS
Docklands Sinfonia remains indebted to our supportive Patrons, Admiral Lord West and composer, producer and musician Mike Batt.
We would also like to thank supporters of the orchestra who pay a £20 annual fee to become a Friend of Docklands Sinfonia. Many have been Friends since the orchestra launched in 2009 and continued their support during the restrictions.
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
Our income from six live events was £17,080, down from £75,570 the previous year. These included:
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A memorial service at St Anne’s Limehouse for our Trustee Gordon Warren, which incurred a deficit of £440 which Docklands Sinfonia was happy to fund.
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Remembrance Day Service on HMS Belfast.
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A concert with pop star Olly Murs, which incurred a small deficit of £20.
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A performance with our Patron Mike Batt at Bush Hall, Shepherds Bush.
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A concert with the Southampton Philharmonic Choir, which generated income of £8,760, resulting in a small surplus of £197 after payments of £7,799 to our musicians, who are paid in accordance with the fee rates set by the Musicians’ Union.
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A performance at the Canary Wharf Festival 14, for which we were paid £3,000.
Donations and membership fees increased from £308 to £2,553 which included donations by Trustee Clare Walker of her fees from a number of talks she gave during the year.
The charity holds a total of £22,180 in uncommitted funds carried forward from the previous year’s accounts.
The net funds moment including interest was £10,775 adjusted down to a negative £479 reflecting a small net deficit when taking into account all the live events.
ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
Expenditure included £800 to hire our tubular bells for an unrelated gig.
There are no liabilities. However, we continue to hold funds previously accumulated for a CD of music from our Epic Persia concert and for a planned second Epic Persia concert. These monies are noted in the summary of annual accounts as committed funds.
GOVERNING STRUCTURE
Our six trustees normally meet a minimum of three times a year with extra meetings as required to discuss specific areas such as PR/Marketing, Strategy and Fundraising. The conductor/musical director is also in attendance to advise and contribute ideas. Trustees also present reports and attend the AGM, which our musicians are encouraged to attend.
TRUSTEES
Kathryn Lewis, Chairman (PA Consulting)
J. Kirsty Walker, Deputy Chairman (Vice President/Director of Media, University College London)
Harold Sim, Accountant (Wells Fargo)
Phil Sizer (Ensembles, Programming & Instrument Manager, Guildhall and Orchestral Manager, Docklands Sinfonia)
R. Clare Walker (Clare Walker Associates; joint founder and former Treasurer of the orchestra)
Lesley Balding (London Link Properties/Vice Chair Limehouse Community Forum)
Signed: …………………………………………… Kathryn Lewis, Chairman
…………………………………………… Harold Sim, Accountant
Date: …………………………………………….
Accountant's Report: Docklands Sinfonia 2022/23
Bank balances
| k balances | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Community account Savings account Total |
31-Aug-22 | 31-Aug-23 | Movement |
| 6,139 | 16,808 | 10,669 | |
| 25,231 | 25,337 | 106 | |
| 31,370 | 42,145 | 10,775 |
Funds available for use:
| BANK ACCOUNTS | BANK ACCOUNTS | BANK ACCOUNTS | BANK ACCOUNTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current | 16,808 | ||
| Savings | 25,337 | ||
| Total Funds | 42,145 | ||
| Less committed funds: | |||
| Fundingfor Epic Persia CD | (16,965) | ||
| Fundingfor Epic Persia Concert II | (3,000) | ||
| Advance fee for Bronte Opera September 2023 | (11,254) | ||
| Total Committed Funds | (31,219) | ||
| Uncommitted funds carried forward | 10,926 |
Income and Expense analysis for the 12 months ending 31-Aug-23
| Event incomes and expenses | Net | Income | Musicians | Hire / Mktg / Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon Warren memorial service St Annes | (440) | 391 | (750) | (81) |
| HMS Belfast | 0 | 1,000 | (1,000) | |
| OllyMurs | (20) | 2,200 | (2,220) | |
| Mike Batt@Bush Hall | (22) | 1,179 | (1,201) | |
| Mike Batt rehearsal | 50 | 550 | (500) | |
| Southampton Philharmonic Choir | 197 | 8,760 | (7,796) | (767) |
| CanaryWharf Festival 14 | 0 | 3,000 | (2,940) | (60) |
| EVENTS SUB-TOTALA | (235) | 17,080 | (16,407) | (908) |
| Other incomes and expenses Donations,Gift Aid,Membership,Friends etc 2,553 Grants 0 Instrument hire income: tubular bells to Piltdown 800 Savings account interest 106 Monthlyemail costs (76) Printingcosts(ink cartridges) (138) Other costs (484) Net oth inc/exp B 2,761 Net movement of fundsA+B 2,526 Prior year expenses Angel Studios 11th August 2022 (3,005) Income received in advance Bronte Opera September 2023 11,254 Adjusted movement of funds including prior year and future year income and expense 10,775 |
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| Adjusted movement of funds including prior year and future year income and expense |
10,775 |
Notes
1: The Gordon Warren memorial service was partially supported by donations; the rest of the costs were taken from Docklands Sinfonia funds
2: The payments to Spencer Down have been distributed as equitably as possible across HMS Belfast, Olly Murs and the Mike Batt gigs
3: The charitable donations were all made by Clare Walker, including £17 from her sign-up to the Amazon donation scheme
4: Docklands Sinfonia's tubular bells were hired out for a unreleated gig: DS was not involved in the performance of this
5: Due to the rise in interest rates the deposit account attracted a sizeable amount of interest income
6: The monthly email costs are due to Google Cloud hosting charges
7: The printing costs included printing of various orchestral parts
8: Other costs included instrument insurance of £405
Annual Accounts for 2022-2023 EXAMINER'S REPORT I confim that I have examined the Docklands Sinfonia Annual Accounts for 2022-2023 and that I believe them to be an accurate statement of the charty's financial performance during that year. I have been given access to the charity's detailed accounts and have also had meetings with the charity's Treasurer. I have been associated with the orchestra since its foundalion in 2009 as a Friend of Docklands Sinfonia and have known the joint founders for many yea. As a result of my experience as a Company Director, Company Secretary and Accounts Administrator Sin 1972,1 was asked to act as examiner of the orchestra's accounts. Signed.. Mrs Valerie B. Cahill Date.. lQ_ Q&- 2 02 Ifr..................