ANNUAL REPORT 2023-2024 Charity number 1162618
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2023-2024
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 2023/2024 | 6 |
| Meeting our charitable aims | 7 |
| Weekly rehearsals | 7 |
| Shows and performances | 7 |
| Coaching and education | 8 |
| Special events | 8 |
| Financial position 2023/24 | 8 |
| Summary | 8 |
| Expenditure | 8 |
| Reserves | 8 |
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2023-2024
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 over 80 members from all over the East Midlands ranging in age from 14 to 80+. 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 eight 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 2011, Las Vegas in 2015 and St Louis in 2018 and most recently in Kansas City 2024, where we ranked 9[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 and donations.
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2023-2024
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Board of Trustees (Management Team)
Table 1: Board of Trustees / Management team for the period April 2023 to March 2024:
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Deborah Pollard | Team Coordinator / Chair of Trustees |
| Angela Dickson | Secretary |
| Eleanor Blackeby | Musical Director / Trustee |
| Liz Clunie | Treasurer / Trustee |
| Carole Bowman | Trustee |
| Heather Ankers | Trustee |
| Sara Grant | Trustee |
| Lynn Woods | Trustee |
| Sue Wheeldon | Trustee |
Directing Team
Table 2: Chorus Directing Team for the period April 2023 to March 2024:
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Eleanor Blackeby | Musical Director |
| Helen Abbott | Assistant Director / Choreographer |
| Jo Bird | Assistant Director |
The team are supported by a Music Team consisting of Section Leaders and Assistant Section Leaders.
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2023-2024
Page | 4
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.
Member decisions
Most decisions are made by a simple majority vote including the appointment of Trustees.
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2023-2024
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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 2023/2024
Our priorities for the year included:
-
To strive for excellence in everything we do, whether in rehearsals, performances, competitions, show planning, rehearsals, music learning and section work.
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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.
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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.
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To enhance our members’ own skills by encouraging attendance at regional educational workshops.
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To build our reputation and increase our target audience.
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To strengthen our finances.
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2023-2024
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Meeting our charitable aims
Weekly rehearsals
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.
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Section rehearsals facilitated by section leaders during which section unity is developed. Section rehearsals are also part of the process for learning new songs.
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Teaching and practicing visual plans for selected repertoire and competition songs.
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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.
Shows and performances
In May 2023 we were thrilled to win our regional competition with a groundbreaking ‘Fosse’ set featuring 1920s costumes and front row choreography incorporating dancing on chairs! As a result, the chorus qualified to represent the UK and Netherlands at the international championships in Kansas City in October 2024.
Performances during the year included fundraising events for the Air Ambulance, Nottingham Pride and the Museum of Timekeeping in Upton. We also spread Christmas cheer at local businesses (Experian and Specsavers) and at community events at Woodthorpe and Southwell. We ended 2023 with our Christmas Show ‘Joy’.
Also, during 2023, we introduced our ‘singing in the community’ events with a small group of singers entertaining residents at local residential care homes with communal singing of popular songs. These events continue regularly as a high point of the month for residents and staff.
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2023-2024
Page | 7
Coaching and education
We bring in a variety of coaches every year to help us develop our skills and understanding of our music. We continued to work with our regular coach, Nicky Salt in April 2023 and again in January 2024. We welcomed David Sangster, director of Forth Valley Chorus for a weekend in November 2023 to help develop our music in preparation for the International Competition the following year.
Special events
The opportunity to build relationships and work well as a team were strengthened this year by holding a chorus retreat in Derbyshire where members were able to get to know each other better and to attend workshops to develop their vocal and visual communication skills.
In September we held our first ‘scratch quartet’ contest bringing together members of other local choruses to compete for the prize of most entertaining ensemble. This was a great opportunity for individuals to build their performance confidence and as a result several new quartets were born.
Financial position 2023/24
Summary
Our total income for the year was £49,977, which was an increase on the previous year. Fundraising income increased significantly as we started to build up towards the chorus's trip to the International Competition in Kansas City in October 2024.
£22k of the income came from subs. We received £4k in donations and around £10.5k in various strands of fundraising, including Easyfundraising and our bonus ball competition. We had also received nearly £9k from members as deposits for convention costs for May 2024.
Expenditure
Expenditure was £34,924. This was a fall from the previous year. This was mostly due to a much lower cost recorded for the convention hotel than had shown in the previous year. This also reflects the increased income from members' contributions for the convention.
Many of our other costs had increased such as rehearsal venue, regional and Sweet Adelines dues.
Reserves
Our reserves increased from £18k to £33k due to fundraising income being held until it was needed for the International Competition in October 2024.
Lace City Chorus Annual Report 2023-2024
Page | 8
(HARITY COMMISSION
FDR IN(iLANO AND WALES
Lace City Chorus
1162618
Receipts and
ayments accounts
0110412023
To
3110312024
CC16a
Foi
Scctioii A Recpii)tS
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SL'Ction B Slatement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unr••lAGd R•¥trl¢tsd d• Endowrn•nl D•tl 81 Ca•h lund• 3JlOP P•tyc .107 fund FwbiaiDMN¢h Oota.'15 b910 84 A{• r¢t•in•d ftth• oh•rlty'• own Fwnd lOt&h Dtrt411E 6 Uabllh DA1• ol ov95 th• CCXX ISSI
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examlnerfs report on the accounts Scctioi) A Indepeiidcnl Exaii?iner's Report R•port to th• trusta•sl m•mlJ•r• of LACE CITY CHORUS On a¢v)unts for the ytar 31 MARCH 2024 Charlty no Ilf ry} 1162618 S•t out on pg•• I report to the trustees on my examination of the aceouni8 of the ai¥Jve charity (Yhe Trusf) for the year ended 3110312023. R••ponlbllltl•s and the charlty biJ8tees of the Trust, you ara responsIe for the preparation baslg of r¢port of the accounts in ac¢(Kdan¢ ¥th the requiremefts of the Chariti98 Act 20111lh? Acr). I réptjrt in regpoct ol my examination of the Trust's COurt1 rrIed out undgr section 145 cf the 2011 Ad and in rying out my examination, I hjve followed the #p1¢bI6 Dlrnclion8 given by the ChArrty Commission under 88ctlon 145lSllbl of tr A I have Completed my examin'on. l ¢onfiftn that no material matters have ¢ome to my attention loth8r than that disclosed telow'l in the examination whlth gives me Gause to beliwe that in, any material Indgp•ndont •xamln•r'8 8tatom•nl acCorj racords npt kopt in acccKdance with $erti(M 130 of theOr th• aGcourts do not accord wilh accounting rery)rd• I hav• no cmcems and h8¥e eorno acrotss no other matters in connotJity7 WTlh exarnination to which lention should b& drwwn in 8nabl• proper understanding ol the accounts to bè re8thl. ' Please d@t* thè in Iho bTrGkels If they do nol ap. 81gned: R•l•y4nt prof•vlon•l quallftcatlonlg) or body (If any): AddrM•: SLclioii B D15cIosLire Only complet8 rf the examingr need5 to htrJhligtrt rnattors of conGem {see CC32, Independonl examinalKJn of Ghanty accounts.. dirv¢tion8 and guidance for OX8mln8r8). IER Octob•r 2018
Glve here brfel detsll• any Items that thfr •x•min•r wi•hw to di•GIo8•. IER O¢tob•r 2018