CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WAIES Trustees. Annual Report for the period From 1st November 2021 To 31*t October 2022 Charlty name: HARMONY INSPIRES OXFORD LADIES BARBERSHOP CLUB Charity registration number. 1157497 Objectives and Activities Surnmary of the purFoses of the charity as set cmjt in tts governing document 11 To advan education of members and the public in the barbershop style of 4-part harmony singin& through hearsats, education courses, competition and shows 21 To lurther such charitable purposes Icharitabk under English law) as the Trustees, from time to time, think fit. In pursuing our aim5 for the public benefrt, the chorus believes it impacts on people's lives in several ways. We involve people in a creative. enjoyable and fulfilling educational activity, providing members with the opportunty to develop friendships, vocal technique and musical pertOIre. Open "Learn to Sing" Coue5 also give this opwrtunity to non-members. For audiences. we present excitin8. innovative and high quality performantes providing a pleasant and entertaining cultural experience. but also educating them extending their musical knOwBe, espe¢ialty in the genre of BarShOP 4-part ck)se harmony sin8in& Summary ofthe main activities in relation to tFThe pUr[s for the public benefit, in partrcuiar, the activities, projects or servi$ identified in accounts. There are no restrittn5 on membership of Harmony Inspires_ anyone can become an Associate member. althoLbgh Full Membership 15 restrKted to those who sing wrth a female voice and have passed a vocal assessment. In addition to the public educational benefrts to participants and audience members mentioned alx)ve, the Trustees are conscious that its activities must be affordable. The Trustees have the dscretK)n to redu membership subscription payments and financial support is offered in cases of hardship to those wishing to join the chorus in competition The trustee5 have complied wrth the duty in section 17151 of the Charities Act and the Charities (Accounts and Rewrtsl Regulations 2¢J)8 to have due regard to public benefrt guidance published by the Charity Commssion. Stalemenl confimiing whether the tTUStees have had regard to the guidarKe issued by the Charity Commission on public benefrt
Financial Review Rewew of the charty's financial posttion at the end of the period a¥Jb Funds as at 31 October 2022 amounted to £9.223, a decrease of £7.115 over the previous financial year. Reserves accumulated during the Covid pandemic because of being unable to meet in person were used to invest in a new set of risers, new perfomiance costumes and additional chorus coaching. As costs are expected to increase over the course of the coming financial year it is proposed to increase rnber5 subscription5 from l January 2023. The trustees consider that HarrTbony Inspire5 requires a reserve fund to enable the club to operate rfthere should be an unexpected drop in income or increase in expenditure. The main risks are considered to be: al A drop in membership, causing a svAnfficant drop in subscription income bl An unforeseen emergency or other unexpected need for funds The trustees propose to malntsin the reserves at a level. which woukl cover payment of OLrtstanding hall hire bills and allow time to develop new sources of income or to cut back on expenditure cover wssible troughs in cash flow As the club is funded largety by the rnember5. the trustees a150 Consider that there should be an upper limit to the reserves held. Current u statement explaining the policy for holding reserves statiThJ why they are held er and lower limits are £20.(XXJ and £2,(. Addltlonal InfcKmation onal The charTty'5 principal source of funds were= Member subscriptions Iless LABBS subscriptions) indudlng gfft The charity's principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) The majority of income applied to the costs of running the club. The primary e¥penses are hire of rehearsal rooms. ¢ost of music larranger5 fees, COright. teh tracks), travel costs for our Musical Director, software licence fees. fees for guest instructors and costumes and other props for performances. Structure, Governance and Management Type of goveming document Constitution date 11 June 2014 (updated 8 December 20211 Charrtsble In[porated Organisation ICIOI How is the charity constituted? Trustee selection methcAJs including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or b(Mty entiued to appoint one or rrw)re trustees Elected by members or appointed by Trustees
Additional infomiatsn {optional) The club is run entirety byvolunteers. without whose valuable contributions, the Club would not function. We are. in particular. indebted to our Musical Dirertor who provided her seNices for free. not only running rehearsals, It spending many hours on preparation. Contribution made by volunteers Achievements and Perfonnance After 2 years, during which our activtiies were severely curtailed by Covid-19 restrIctns. thi5 year the Club has focussed on"a return to normall and rebuilding singing skills. Precautions such as the wearing of masks and standing apart in a well- ventslated room were gradually removed. with the support of our members. We have returned to singing on risers, but continue to nK)nitor the situation. with member well-being our forenSt consideration. Summary of the main achievements ofthe chariiy. identfying the dtfference the tharty's work has made to the circumstances of tts beneficiaries and any wider benefits to Sety as a whole. Members ceiVed coaching and instruction frorn the Mu%ital Director and spent 3 weekends with an external vocal coach. The aim, a5 alw, is to improve singing technique and the preparation of son8s for perfomiance to a WKler audience. Performances: Performance opportunrties have been fewer than before the pandem, but we We delighted to sing at the wedding of one of our chorus members. Cunpetltlons: Competing agalnst other choruses 15 a very effectNe way of focussing on improvement. We had entered the Oxford Music Festival in Jan 2022, but it was cancelled due to the spread of Omicron. However, we were able to sing at the Wantagè Music Festival in June and the year culrninatèd in our successful perforniance in October at the flrst LABBS Convention held since 2019.
Additional inforniation onal Harmony Inspi is a member of the national Ladies Association of Barbershop Singers ILABBSI which provides advice and guidance, educational opportunitie5 for club membew5 and directors and hosts competttion5 which lead to thè promotion and improvement of singing in the Barbershop style. The charity Is also a member of Making Music. All Trustees give their time voluntarity and recelve no remuneration or other ber The charity's organisational structure 2nd any wider network with which the charty works Reference and Administrative details Cha name other name the char uses islered chari number Charty's principal address HARMONY INSPIRES LADIES BARBERSHOP CLUB HARMONY INSPIRES 1157497 2 Elmfield Gardens, Speen Lane. N&¥bury RG14 IWA Names of the ¢harlty trustees who manage the charlty Name of person lor body) entled to appolnt tru$tsg Ilf Trnstee name Offiee Ilf any) Dates acted If notfor Who year Elizabeth Cookson Chr Julie Thakker Chair Lesley Maitland Michele Steele Joanna Murray Rebecca Todd Rachel Buglass se¢tary To1 Feb 2022 From 11 Apr 2022 Chorus Manager Membership Seuetary Public Relalions Offir Declarations The trustees declaro that they have approved the trustees, report above. Slgned on behalf of the charity's trustoes Signature(s) Full name(s) Posltlon leg Secretary. Chabr, etc) Le££c cPrt I* 2012
Han(YkPIrE1 1157497 Receipts and ents accounts To Di-P4ty- 31W2 Section A Receipts and payments T¢tal fuDds LastyA3r A1 Re¢eipts Kw.rnember& 7J15 E4 Fnd totsl(GrossiJJccfflg fyAR) Subth A3Pa L1tion 18@to LA P8rfDTmgncq costs C(theniion (¢51S ratl1 frm¢r(&ers'.tsAÉAnd 2.741 Gitts and nal> 714 LO¥¢ 10 SI Dex E¥ML% HÈtd5hp1ud ln A4As50tand inv4StMt urthasm. 1•tw r rfsers. CIY2 mothtor seetab ea#h Lgty•ar
Section B Statement of assets and liabilitie5 at the end ofthe period Dètsiig B1 Cathfundb Toialwh funds t)8tsi15 Detshls 10.151 iir B5 LiablltO88 DLfi D8to of i&h 1811111