Drybrook & District Silver Band | 2023 Trustees’ Report | DDSB-223
Drybrook & District Silver Band
2023 Trustees’ Report
DDSB-223
This Report covers the period from Start of February 2022 to End of January 2023 .
Charitable Incorporated Organisation Details
Name : Drybrook & District Silver Band Registration Number : 1154033
Contact : Mr David Harding
Contact Address : 41 Hollywell Road, Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire, GL17 0DL
Trustee Names as of 31/01/23 : Rosemarie Butson, Elizabeth Forster, David Harding, Lesley A. Harding, Hugh M. James, Thomas M. James, Andrew C. Jones, Hannah L. Macmillan.
Charitable Incorporated Organisation – Structure & Management
The CIO is structured in two layers…
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Charitable Trustees : the group of individuals who manage the organisation, govern finances, maintain the requisite documentation and define rules for the smooth running of the band. Appointments to the Officer Roles of Chairman, Treasurer, Charity Secretary, Contest Secretary & Engagement Secretary are made within this group.
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Members : the wider membership who contribute to and benefit from the running of the organisation and who elect the Charitable Trustees in accordance with the CIO Constitution.
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As of the End of January 2023, Membership stood at 23 individuals with a further 2 Trustees who were not Members.
Activities & Objects
The following Activities & Objectives are listed on the Charity Commission website.
Activities ( as listed on the Charity Commission website )
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Provision of regular rehearsals, musical tuition and instrument hire in support of musical learning and enjoyment.
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Provision of concerts, local events and participation in contests for enjoyment of players and audiences.
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Active role in furthering local brass banding, through the organisation of an annual contest and summer concert series.
Objects ( as defined in the Constitution & listed on the Charity Commission website )
The objects of the CIO are to advance the education and appreciation of the public in the art and science of brass band music, in particular but not exclusively by the presentation of concerts and similar activities.
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Drybrook & District Silver Band | 2023 Trustees’ Report | DDSB-223
Performance (February 2022 – January 2023)
The Band’s Trustees assess the progress of the band against five strategic focus areas...
“WE ARE OPEN & FRIENDLY” : We are an organisation that players want to be a part of and would be pleased to invite their friends to join. We are supportive and sociable both internally and with neighbouring bands.
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Throughout the year many of our players supported other local brass bands by playing at their engagements. At the same time, we have welcomed and been supported by players from local bands at our engagements and contests. A demonstration of such support involved members stepping forward at short notice to support Ross on Wye Town band play at the proclamation of King Charles III in September 2022. Such networking allowed us to support the banding community and sustain the local brass band tradition. Moving through the year we have been pleased to welcome new players and their families into the organisation.
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We maintained our Social Media presence on Facebook and the website was kept up to date with news, recordings and a diary of future events to keep friends up to date.
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Social events are regularly organised for players and their families, this year the band had a quiz evening alongside the annual awards evening. Band members enjoy frequent opportunities to socialise together at band engagements and after rehearsals. The closed Facebook group is used to share details of these opportunities to ensure all are welcome.
“WE ARE VALUED BY OUR COMMUNITY” : We are well known in our local communities, support local causes and engage with neighbouring musical organisations to sustain our musical heritage.
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The COVID-19 pandemic continued to restrict the number of local appearances by the band during the year. The charity has been able to support local organisations with event planning by making the band available and accepting that events may be cancelled. Over this year the band have enjoyed supporting the Fownhope Village Walk in Herefordshire, a jubilee concert hosted by Longhope Parish Council, performances at Pershore Mid-Summer brass festival and Ross band stand.
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- A new opportunity arose in December 2022, with the band and Drybrook and District Ladies Choir hosting a joint Christmas concert at Mitcheldean Church, this partnership looks to continue with a future concert being planned for September 2023. Alongside the concert the band were able to support Christmas community events in Drybrook and Mitcheldean in the run up to Christmas.
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Throughout the year, our Band Room facilities continued to be made available to our fellow local music group, the Drybrook and District Ladies Choir, for their rehearsals and regular fundraising and social events. The Band Room is also made available as an election polling station and the local parish council meet regularly at the band room for their meetings. During August 2022, the land surrounding the band room was landscaped to prevent weed growth, making the outside space more useable.
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The Band took on responsibility for organising Ross-on-Wye Town Council’s “Bands in the Park” Summer programme once more in 2022, arranging for bands and other groups perform at Ross Bandstand on Sunday afternoons throughout the summer.
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The band also maintained its membership of the Gloucestershire Brass Band Association, which organises events in the region and represents local bands on the West of England Council of Brass Band Associations, the band were pleased to take part in the association contest in November 2022.
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Drybrook & District Silver Band | 2023 Trustees’ Report | DDSB-223
At this year’s event David Harding, the band chairman was awarded for his long service to brass playing and the banding community.
“WE ARE FOCUSED ON SUCCESS” : We engage in regular competition and work hard to win prizes through high-quality rehearsals and commitment from our players and Musical Director, supported by good facilities and equipment.
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The band continued to fund the provision of expert Musical Direction for the enjoyment and improvement of players. Additionally, regular ‘sectional rehearsals’, focusing on smaller groups, were held prior to the contest performance. Attendance and focus in rehearsals remained high with members keen to return to banding. In addition, the trustees arranged a music workshop for the cornet section run by a professional tutor. This proved very popular, and the intention is to repeat such experiences for other sections in the band. As in previous years, the band has funded focussed rehearsal days were players and the musical director benefit from the support of a visiting professional as part of the November and March contest preparation.
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Band-owned instruments continued to be utilised by a proportion of the Band members.
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The Band Room, which the organisation is fortunate to own, remained a key enabler for high quality provision. Other venues were also hired as required, to support contest preparations.
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In order to improve the equipment available for our percussion players the band has invested in a large concert drum and a Tam Tam, these instruments will support the progressive journey of the band through the sections.
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The band competed in several contests in this period.
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February 2022 Welsh Open Brass Band Entertainment Championship , Newport Gwent, 11[th] place out of an entry of 13 bands
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April 2022 – West of England First Section Area Finals, Cheltenham, 3[rd] Place out of 15 bands.
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June 2022 – West of England Bandmen’s Festival – First Section, Bugle Cornwall, 2[nd] place out of 5 bands
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November 2022 – Leicestershire Brass Band Association Open Contest – First Section, Loughborough Leicestershire, 5[th] place out of 8 bands.
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November 2022 – Gloucestershire Brass Band Association Open Contest – Open Sections, Quedgeley, Gloucester. 1[st] overall in the test piece and march competition from a field of 7 bands ranging from the Championship to the 4[th] Section.
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World Rankings – up to January 2023, the band is ranked 131[st] in the world rankings.
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Drybrook & District Silver Band | 2023 Trustees’ Report | DDSB-223
“WE ARE ACTIVE IN FOSTERING TALENT” : We support efforts to bring new players into brass banding and ensure safety and security in our own settings. We actively promote young players within our organisation.
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Each year the band organise and host the Bailey Lane End music festival, the 52[nd] event ran in July 2022 at Five Acres High School. Many young people from across the banding community in the Forest of Dean came together to compete. The event was adjudicated by local professional musician Emily Harding.
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While the band are currently unable to offer tuition to those wishing to learn brass playing, we are keen to offer younger players opportunities. We currently have 2 young players being supported in their playing careers in the cornet section. One such player has this year received a music bursary from Forest Singers a local community choir and has completed his Grade 7 ABRSM Cornet examination with distinction.
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As part of the bands commitment to safeguarding, the trustees have reworked and updated the Safeguarding policy with support, training and guidance from Brass Band England’s BandSafe service. The band has now appointed a safeguarding officer to ensure that the updated policy translates into quality practice.
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Drybrook & District Silver Band | 2023 Trustees’ Report | DDSB-223
“WE ARE FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE” : We are financially secure due to prudent spending and the support of our players and local sponsors, who support our aims. We are legally compliant and transparent in our management.
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The band were once again fortunate to receive sponsorship from A. W. Parker Coal Merchants. Our longstanding relationship with this local company has been a key enabler for the achievement of many recent successes.
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As a charity, the Trustees are capitalising on the Gift Aid process to reclaim additional funds against Member subscriptions and donations received.
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The band is currently in a financially secure position, largely due to members paying monthly subscriptions to cover rehearsal costs. The band was also fortunate to receive government support grants during the pandemic.
Financial Report (to Year ending 31[st] January 2023)
The Financial Report for the Year ending 31[st] January 2023 is provided separately (DDSB-224) and contains points of interest from the Treasurer.
Report Acceptance
This report was accepted by the Charitable Trustees at a meeting via messenger 28/05/23 (DDSB-225).
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A W PARKER(DRYBROOK) BAND
| 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts | ||||
| Instrument Sales | - | - | - | - |
| Sponsorship | 3,750.00 | 3,600.00 | 3,600.00 | 3,600.00 |
| Playing Fees & Carolling | 1,247.60 | 572.95 | 250.00 | 2,690.77 |
| Members Subscriptions | 4,610.00 | 4,705.00 | 4,890.00 | 5,430.00 |
| Use of bandroom | 1,165.00 | 1,300.00 | 1,000.00 | 1,920.00 |
| Grants & Donations | 2,998.44 | 17,319.21 | 11,334.00 | 10.70 |
| Gift Aid | 1,355.49 | 997.50 | 1,357.03 | 1,147.19 |
| Contest Prize Monies | 500.00 | - | - | 400.00 |
| Concert Promotion | 5,346.88 | 4,420.96 | - | - |
| Social & Fundraising Events | - | - | - | 610.00 |
| Lea Bailey Contest Income | 159.43 | - | - | 234.45 |
| Torquay Hotel Payments | - | - | 1,757.00 | 3,260.00 |
| National Tickets Money Received | - | - | - | - |
| National Final Photos Received | - | - | - | - |
| Miscellaneous Income | - | 200.00 | - | 497.50 |
| Total Receipts | 21,132.84 | 33,115.62 | 24,188.03 | 19,800.61 |
| Payments Conductors Fees Insurance Uniform Contest Expenditure Concert Expenditure Concert Promotion Expenditure Bandroom Improvements Instruments & Equipment Bandroom Costs Music Instrument Repairs Lea Bailey Contest expense Subscriptions & Memberships Miscellaneous Torquay Hotel National Final Photos Paid National Tickets Money Paid |
8,832.00 1,038.84 259.67 5,694.84 - 3,750.00 365.78 4,656.35 1,388.20 250.27 135.00 227.50 436.05 2,767.50 750.00 - - |
6,625.00 720.26 171.76 995.00 - 2,454.95 185.96 1,028.99 664.76 368.60 - - 194.40 502.03 - - - |
2,300.00 716.52 - 491.77 - - 6,632.00 504.46 1,364.68 35.00 - - 306.44 51.02 1,785.00 - - |
6,060.00 676.52 132.73 2,910.00 68.40 - 990.00 1,885.06 1,276.06 800.30 1,390.00 220.53 100.11 825.94 3,229.00 - - |
| Total Payments | 30,552.00 | 13,911.71 | 14,186.89 | 20,564.65 |
| Surplus/Deficit for Year Balance at Start of Year |
(9,419.16) 37,631.92 |
19,203.91 18,428.01 |
10,001.14 8,426.87 |
(764.04) 9,190.91 |
| Balance at End of Year | 28,212.76 | 37,631.92 | 18,428.01 | 8,426.87 |
21/01/2024