THE EASTER ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY
TRUSTEES. ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE PERIOD ending
31Bt December 2023
Charity Name and Number
Easter Orchestral Society
Charity number: 1153970
Principal Registered Contart
Easter Orchestral Society, clo 72 Cranley Gardens, London N10 3AJ
Trustees at 31st December 2023
Quentin Maxwell-jackson
Calum Kennedy
Paul Dyson
John Best
Chair
Secretary
Brass representstive
Treasurer
Philip Austin
Greg Place
Jennifer Davies
Librarian
Assisiant librarian
Assisiant secretary
Committee member
Daniel Regan
Structurei governance and management of the charity
Governing document
Constitution.
How the charity is constituted
Association.
Trustee selection
The Committee of the Orchestra is eletted by members of the society at
the annual AGM. All committee members are required to be trustees.
4. Additional governance issues
The society is governed by its Constitution as amended at the AGM held
on 30th May 2021.
The management of the society is undertaken by the Committee/Board of
Trustees which is responsible for all matters of administration and
management. The trustees meet at least twice a year
There were no serious incidents that require reFrf)rting.
Summary of the Objects of the charity
The objects of the society are to advance, improve, develop and maintsin public
education in and appreciation of the art and science of music in all of its aspects by any
means the trustees see fit, including through the presentation of the annual rehearsal
orchestral programme providing instruction in orchestral playing. Non-playing members
are also welcome.
Summary programmes undertaken by the Easter Orchestral Society
The societys main activity is the provision of an annual residential orchestral
programme which is open to applications from experienced and able orchestral
instrument players. The trustees engage a Musical DIttOr, Assistant Musical Direttor
and Leaders of the Orchestra who are professional musicians. The aim is to achieve a
high standard of orchestral playing within a supportive and fun environment. The
week-long programme is held during the Easter holidays and the final informal run-
through session is open to the public, at no cos¢ to further enhance the objectives of
the society.
The society also holds, in the autumn of each year, a Brass Ensemble weekend for a
limited number of players.
The trustees are committed to equal opportunities and provide several fully funded
scholarships, 500/0 bursaries and reduced subscriptr'ons for players under 30 for the
annual residents-al week.
Summary of achievements
The annual Easter Orchestra week took place from 31 March to 6 April 2023. The
Brass Weekend took place 27 ottober - 29 October 2023. Both were held at Ellesmere
College in Shropshire.
Financial summary (figures rounded to the nearest £1)
The Society received income of £4,933 (plyr £7,318) in sundry donations
and Gift Aid claims from the previous year.
The total surplus generated was £5,360 (plyear £6,634).
The society held funds of £60,354 (plyr £57,591) at the year end, of which
member fees paid in advance was £13,610 (plyr £16,136). The level is
sufficient to cover several yearfs deficit if recruitment should fall significantly
and any cancellation fees which May be incurred.
The trustees regularly review planning and reseprfe wlicy.
All expenditure is used solely to fijrther the objectives of the society in the
hire of venues, printed music, professional musicians and instrument hire as
required for each annual programme.
Expenditure and income is detailed in the annual accounts available
with this report at the Charities Commission website.
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the Tnjstees. Annual Report.
Quentin Maxwell-Jack4on
Chair
Date: Xjuly 2024
zG/p/z
## **EASTER ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY**
|Income and Expenditure for the year ended
**Income**
note|Income and Expenditure for the year ended
**Income**
note|31-Dec-23|||31-Dec-22|31-Dec-22|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||Easter week
Apr-23
Brass weekend
Nov-23|||||
|Total course members||85|17||83|16|
|Subscriptions
Donations
# 1
Gift Aid
Interest on savings account
Other income||41,943.00
3,820.00
585.00
0.00
4,100.10
248.30
1,200.68
20.38
**47,849.16**
**4,068.30**|||||
||||||37,739.50|3,200.00|
||||||3,151.74|50.00
527.51|
||||||3,589.11||
||||||180.37||
||||||5.00||
||||||||
||||||**44,665.72**|**3,777.51**|
||||||**48,443.23**||
|**TOTAL INCOME**||**51,917.46**|||**48,443.23**||
|**Expenditure**
Course accomodation
Music hire and expenses
MD fees
Assistant MD fee
Leader’s fee
Instrument hire
Other fees and expenses
Other course costs
# 2
Making Music sub & insurance
Brochure, website and marketing
Other committee expenses
# 3
Secretary’s expenses
Other expenses||33,051.80
2,529.00
3,786.91
373.10
1,650.00
450.00
1,550.00
1,150.00
500.00
350.00
532.62
634.00
0.00
**43,205.33**
**3,352.10**|||||
||||||30,102.22|2,805.00|
||||||2,333.98|246.92|
||||||||
||||||1,500.00|0.00|
||||||1,400.00||
||||||1,000.00||
||||||375.00
440.00
550.00
270.00
586.26
0.00||
||||||**38,557.46**|**3,051.92**|
||||||**41,609.38**||
|**TOTAL EXPENDITURE**||**46,557.43**|||**41,609.38**||
|**Surplus on the year, per activity**||**4,643.83**
**716.20**|||||
||||||**6,108.26**|**725.59**|
||||||**6,833.85**||
|**TOTAL SURPLUS**||**5,360.03**|||**6,833.85**||
Notes
Donations
Donations # 1 Members donatiions help to offset the cost of scholarship places. The 2022 figure was boosted by several members who donated their fees after being unable to attend due to covid or other reasons. The 2022 figure also includes donations to Maggie Holter's leaving collection. Other course costs # 2 Purchase of additional sound baffles Committee expenses # 3 2022 figure includes gifts for Maggie Holter, mostly covered by donations as noted above
## **EASTER ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY**
Statement of Net Assets
|Barclays current account
Savings account (Barclays)
Savings account (Saffron BS)
Total bank balances
Deduct
Income in advance
Other creditors
Add
Payments in advance
**Net Assets**
Add surplus for the year to
31-Dec-23
**Net Assets**|Carried forward
31-Dec-23||Brought forward
01-Jan-23|
|---|---|---|---|
||8,555.16
3,037.62
48,761.44
60,354.22
(13,610.00)
(660.00)
3,025.00
bfwd
**49,109.22**
cfwd||1,993.01
8,000.00
47,598.38|
||||57,591.39|
||||(16,136.00)
(610.00)
2,903.80|
||||**43,749.19**|
||||5,360.03|
||**49,109.22**||**49,109.22**|
## **EASTER ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY**
## **Treasurer's report for the year ended 31st December 2023**
2023 was an excellent year for the society with an orchestra of 86 players and a full Brass weekend course (17 players up from 16 last year).
|Strings incl leader
winds
horns & brass
percussion & harps
paying members,
(bursaries = 0.5)|2023
58
12
11
+4 guests
5
+1 guest
86
73.5|2022
54
12
12
6|
|---|---|---|
|||84|
||||
|||73.0|
||||
The Income and Expenditure account again has a healthy surplus for the year of £5,360, with Gift Aid and donations of £5,523. The increase in bank rate provided interest earnings of £1,200.
Cost increases are pretty much as budgeted - professional fees increase in line with inflation, and a much increased spend on music hire in line with the budget for increasingly varied repertoire.
At December 2023 we are holding advance subscriptions of £13,610 which brings the total cash
reserves to £60,354, an increase of £2,763.
This level of reserves means we are able to continue the programme of scholarships and to introduce the bursary scheme for under-30 year olds; to make the course attractive to new as well as returning members; and to offer a musically and socially rewarding week of playing.
John Best Treasurer March 2024
## A note on budgeting and settings subscription levels.
We have traditionally based the budget on 65 paying members to allow a cushion against a lower sign-up and unforeseen costs. This means the surplus is boosted when membership rises above that number.
Given the surpluses made in recent years and the actual number of paying members (shown above) remaining at a higher level we have amended the budgeted number to 71 for 2024. With anticipated accomodation cost increases in the pipeline and our continued commitment to keeping subscription increases to the minimum feasible we expect the 2024 and 2025 results to be closer to breakeven.
## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Easter Orchestral Society**
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31[st] December 2023.
## **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 for this year (under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act)) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts (under section 145 of the 2011 Act)
- to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act)
- 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 next statement.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
- (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act, and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met, or
- (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Richard Mansfield
25 Ridgeway Gardens London N6 5XR
- 15[th] March 2024
Signed
_______________________________