ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022 Charity number 1162618
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2021-2022
Page | 1
Contents
| Contents | ||
|---|---|---|
| About Lace City Chorus | 3 | |
| Our charitable aims | 3 | |
| Board of Trustees (Management Team) | 4 | |
| Structure, Governance and Management | 5 | |
| Membership of the CIO | 5 | |
| Eligibility | 5 | |
| Admission Procedure | 5 | |
| Duty of Members | 5 | |
| Membership Fees | 5 | |
| Member decisions | 5 | |
| Trustees | 6 | |
| Priorities for 2021/2022 | 6 | |
| Meeting our charitable aims | 7 | |
| Weekly rehearsals | 7 | |
| Coaching and education | 7 | |
| Shows, performances and special events | 8 | |
| Financial position 2021/22 | 8 | |
| Summary | 8 | |
| Income | 8 | |
| Expenditure | 8 | |
| Reserves | 8 | |
| Future fnance considerations | 8 | |
| Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2021-2022 | Page | 2 |
About Lace City Chorus
The only barbershop chorus for women in Nottinghamshire was founded in 1992 by a group of teachers and students at Arnold Hill Comprehensive School. After two years of lunchtime rehearsals at the school, there was a need to take it all rather more seriously and the Lace City Chorus was born.
The chorus now has 70 members from all over the East Midlands ranging in age from 14 to 78. Women of all ages, backgrounds and all musical abilities join together to sing, have fun and make lifelong friendships. Our members are from a variety of backgrounds and hold jobs such as sales manager, accountant, nurse, doctor, solicitor, chemist, social worker, student, executive director, and teacher - as well as being wives, partners, mothers, grandmothers and aunties.
These days the chorus is highly regarded as one of the premier barbershop choruses in Europe, having won the regional championships (UK, Ireland and the Netherlands) a total of six times. These successes have led to the chorus competing at the Sweet Adelines International Convention (the world championships of Barbershop) in Detroit in 2005, Calgary in 2007, Nashville in 2009, Houston in 2009, Las Vegas in 2015 and St Louis in 2018. At the International contests in 2015 and 2018 we were ranked 16[th] in the world.
Our charitable aims
Lace City Chorus is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with the Charities Commission as Registered Number 1162618. The Chorus is also a member of the Sweet Adelines International organisation with complementing governance arrangements.
Objectives
The objectives of the CIO are:
1) To advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of barbershop music in all its aspects by any means the trustees see fit, including through the presentation of public concerts and recitals.
2) To further such charitable purpose or purposes as the trustees in their absolute discretion shall think fit but in particular through the making of grants Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2021-2022 Page | 3
and donations.
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2021-2022 Page | 4
Board of Trustees (Management Team)
Table 1: Board of Trustees / Management team for the period April 2021 to March 2022:
----- Start of picture text -----
Name Position
Deborah Pollard Team Coordinator / Chair of
Trustees
Tasha King Chorus secretary / Trustee
Eleanor Blackeby Musical Director / Trustee
Liz Clunie Treasurer / Trustee
Carole Bowman Trustee
Heather Ankers Trustee
Hilary Rotheram Trustee
Maureen Walker Trustee
Sue Wheeldon Trustee
----- End of picture text -----
Directing Team
Table 2: Chorus Directing Team for the period April 2021 to March 2022:
Name Position Eleanor Blackeby Interim Musical Director Helen Abbott Assistant Director / Choreographer Following a period as Interim Director, Ellie Blackeby was appointed to the position of permanent Musical Director in May 2021. Ellie has been with the chorus since her early teens and has gained international renown as a member of the 2007 Rising Star quartet champions ‘Luminous’. Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2021-2022 Page | 5
Structure, Governance and Management
The Charity is governed by its chorus constitution which describes the charitable aims, how the chorus elects the trustees and how members are involved in the governance of the charity and chorus. The Constitution lays out the governance and decision-making powers the structures that sit beneath the Board of Trustees have. The Sub Teams are expected to report regularly to the Board of Trustees making recommendations for approval at Board meetings.
The Chorus is a member of an International Barbershop organisation called Sweet Adelines International. This membership requires the Chorus to be compliant with their respective governance rules and regulations largely translated for choruses into a document called the ‘Standing Rules’. When the CIO was established the leadership team ensured alignment between the two documents (Charity Constitution and Standing Rules).
Membership of the CIO
Eligibility
Membership of the CIO is open to women aged 14 and upwards interested in furthering its purposes, and who, by applying for membership, has indicated her agreement to become a member and acceptance of the duty of members.
Admission Procedure
The admission procedure is laid out in both the Chorus Constitution and the Chorus Standing Rules which contain the detail of the music and performance level that needs to be attained before admission is recommended to the Trustees.
Duty of Members
The duty of members is also laid out in both the charities governing documents (Constitution and Standing Rules). This is usually described in the Sweet Adeline International by laws as being in 'good standing’.
Membership Fees
The monthly fees are set by the Trustees and voted on by the CIO.
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2021-2022
Page | 6
Member decisions
Most decisions are made by a simple majority vote including the appointment of Trustees.
Trustees
The Board of Trustees is constituted by up to a maximum of 9 trustees. During the period of this report the Board was made up of 9 Trustees. Half of the Trustees stand down each year on rota by those longest standing on the board subject to re-election or substitution. Trustees are voted for at the chorus Annual General Meeting (AGM). The arrangements for the AGM and elections are detailed in the Constitution.
Priorities for 2021/2022
Our priorities were impacted by the Covid19 pandemic, which meant that the chorus was unable to meet in person for the first part of the year. The chorus used ‘Zoom’ to run weekly rehearsals and participate in educational events virtually until returning to in-person rehearsals in the Autumn. Our priorities, continued to be:
-
To strive for excellence in everything we do, whether in rehearsals, performances, competitions, show planning, rehearsals, music learning and section work.
-
To recruit excellent new members through singing courses and open evenings and to further develop a high-quality Public Relations function which makes full use of social media platforms.
-
To develop our skills by training our members in a variety of different ways (individual and collective vocal lessons, developing visual and performance skills including emcee work, blending rehearsals, and by developing and expanding the song evaluation process) and enlisting the help of high-quality coaches.
-
To enhance our members’ own skills by encouraging attendance at regional educational workshops.
-
To build our reputation and increased our target audience.
-
To strengthen our finances.
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2021-2022 Page | 7
Lace nnual Report 2021-2022 Page18
Meeting our charitable aims
Weekly rehearsals
Normally, our weekly rehearsals are held at the Colonel Frank Seeley school, Calverton, Nottinghamshire every Wednesday from 19:15 to 21:30. Rehearsals feature:
-
Physical and vocal warmups and mental check-in to prepare members for a productive rehearsal.
-
Song learning, although members are expected to use the learning media provided to learn the songs at home before rehearsals. During rehearsals the aim is to bring all the voices together into a well-blended unit.
-
Skills building (vocal, mindset and visual) during the development of songs for performance and competition facilitated by a team of in-house coaches and the director.
-
Section rehearsals facilitated by section leaders during which section unity is developed. Section rehearsals are also part of the process for learning new songs.
-
Teaching and practicing of visual plans for selected repertoire and competition songs.
-
Preparation (vocal, visual and mental) for performance and competition depending on where we are in the annual cycle.
-
Vocal and visual evaluations in the lead up to competition.
Coaching and education
We bring in a variety of coaches every year to help us develop our skills and understanding of our music. Two coaching weekends were held during the year with established coach, Nicky Salt on 6/7 Nov 2021 and 19/20 March 2022.
Many of our members also benefitted from personal vocal instruction from member Alyson Chaney, who is a member of the Sweet Adelines International Faculty, as well as from members of the music team.
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2021-2022
Page | 9
Shows, performances and special events
Following our successful virtual performance of ‘Can’t buy me love’ in support of local charity ‘Wish upon a Star’, the chorus were delighted that our first public performance since the pandemic was for this worthwhile charity. This took place in December 2021, at their Christmas Fair, and featured a selection of Christmas favourites.
Financial position 2021/22
Summary
A surplus of just under £2000 was generated during this financial year. Income was up by £2,200 on the previous year and payments also increased by £2,000. The impact of the pandemic continued to impact on both for the first part of the year. Members’ subscriptions were increased back to pre-covid levels from January 2022 as normal rehearsals resumed.
Income
Total income was just over £17,000. £14,700 of this was from subscriptions and visitors’ fees and a further £1,500 from Gift Aid. Some other income (£342) came from fundraising efforts. There was a repayment of £400 into the Angel Fund, which had been previously loaned to members to help fund convention expenses.
Expenditure
Expenses were £15k. Other than member subscriptions to our international organisation and regional dues (£6,340) our biggest expense related to compensation for our Musical Director (£3,300). We also spent £1,700 for rehearsal venue hire and riser set up and £1,700 on coaching. We spent £215 on new music and £660 to secure accommodation for upcoming competition in May 2022.
Reserves
The chorus has reserves of £19,427 at the end of the 2021-22 financial year. This will provide a good foundation for expenses which will be incurred now ‘normal’ activities have resumed, such as attending convention and planned Christmas performances in 2022.
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2021-2022
Page | 10
Future finance considerations
Appropriate use of the chorus reserves will be considered, such as, the purchase of new costumes, maintenance/repair our choral risers and to support attendance at convention.
----- Start of picture text -----
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2021-2022 Page | 11
----- End of picture text -----
Lace City Chorus
1
Receipts and payments acco
04/01/2021
For the period from
To
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted funds
to the nearest £
Restricted Endowment funds funds
to the nearest £
to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
----- Start of picture text -----
Members' Dues 13794 -
Donations 9 -
Grants -
Happy Birthday recordings -
Singing Course 0 -
Easyfundraising 161 -
Other Fundraising 56 -
Show Revenue -
Performances -
Funeral Singouts
Riser Hiring Out -
Visitors Fees 1084 -
Bonus Ball 125 -
Interest 4
Water Sales -
Sundry Income -
Social Events -
Angel Fund 400 -
Convention Hotel -
Annual Dinner -
Deposits -
Sundry -
SAI -
Sundry Creditors -
Gift Aid 1516 -
-
-
-
17,149 - -
Sub total (Gross income for AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
Costume Sales - -
- - -
Sub total - - -
Total receipts 17,149 - -
A3 Payments
Show Costs -
Publicity 150 -
UK Convention 52 -
Costume -
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
International Convention -
PRS Fees -
Website 390 -
Sundry Items 78 -
Gifts 141 -
Rehearsal Venue 1329 -
Risers Pay Men 380 -
Riser Transport -
Director Compensation 3300 -
Director Expenses -
Training & Education 1703 -
Music Purchase 215 -
Telephone/Internet 144 -
Printing, Stationery & Postage 31 -
Making Music fees 52 -
Social Events -
Annual Dinner -
Accountancy & Audit Fees -
Committee Meetings -
Charter 45
Regional Dues 1340
SAI subscriptions 5021 -
Accruals -
Convention Hotel 665 -
Prepaid -
-
Sub total 15,036 - -
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
Costume 157 - -
Equipment 37 - -
Sub total 194 - -
Total payments 15,230 - -
Net of receipts/(payments) 1,919 - -
A5 Transfers between funds - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 17,589 -
Cash funds this year end 19,508 - -
----- End of picture text -----
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of
| Unrestricted | ||
|---|---|---|
| Categories | Details | funds |
| B1 Cash funds | Nat West Petty Cash Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
to nearest £ 19,427 81 - 19,508 OK |
| Unrestricted | ||
| funds | ||
| B2 Other monetary assets | Details | to nearest £ - - - - - |
| Fund to which | ||
| B3 Investment assets | Details | asset belongs Fund to which |
| B4 Assets retained for the | Details Ofce equipment |
asset belongs |
| charity’s own use | Costumes | Fund to which |
| B5 Liabilities | Details | liability relates |
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees Signature Print N
162618
ounts
CC16a
03/31/2022
Total funds
Last year
to the nearest £
to the nearest £
----- Start of picture text -----
13,794 10,097
9 6
- -
- -
- 285
161 289
56 -
- -
- -
- -
- -
1,084 350
125 -
4 9
- -
- -
- -
400 460
- -
- 28
- -
- -
- -
- -
1,516 3,331
- -
- -
- -
17,149 14,855
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
- -
- -
- -
17,149 14,855
- -
150 636
52 -
- -
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
- -
- 150
390 380
78 68
141 157
1,329 -
380 -
- -
3,300 2,800
- -
1,703 200
215 1,063
144 240
31 8
52 48
- 28
- -
- -
- -
45 105
1,340 1,820
5,021 4,487
- 780
665 -
- -
- -
15,036 12,970
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
157 -
37 -
194 -
15,230 12,970
1,919 1,885
- -
17,589 15,704
19,508 17,589
----- End of picture text -----
the period
----- Start of picture text -----
Restricted Endowment
funds funds
to nearest £ to nearest £
-
-
- -
- -
OK OK
Restricted Endowment
funds funds
to nearest £ to nearest £
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Current value
Cost (optional)
(optional)
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Current value
Cost (optional)
(optional)
- 793
- 3,826
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Amount due When due
(optional) (optional)
-
-
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
-
-
-
Date of
Name
approval
----- End of picture text -----