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2023-12-31-accounts

THE PICO PLAYERS

CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION CHARITY NO. 1163760

REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

THE PICO PLAYERS ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

THE PICO PLAYERS

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2023

The Trustees are pleased to present their annual report together with the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31 December 2023. This report pertains to the period from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023.

Registered charity number 1163760 Trustees Philippa Fawcett David Richard Elizabeth Harris Mary-Rose Wintour Patrick Massey Patrick Wintour William Massey Principal address: 113 Wakehurst Road, London SW11 6BZ Independent Examiner David Owen-Conway Appointment of Trustees Every Trustee must be appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the Trustees. Governing document The Charity is a Charitable Incorporated Association and is governed by its Constitution (current version dated 9 September 2015)

Charitable purposes The objects of the Charity are:

  1. to advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of music in all its aspects by any means the Trustees see fit, including through the presentation of public concerts and recitals; and

  2. to further such charitable purposes as the Trustees in their absolute discretion shall think fit but in particular through the making of grants and donations.

Structure The Charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, with no associated / subsidiary entities.

Charity Commission The Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the guidance Charity Commission on public benefit.

THE PICO PLAYERS ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

PART 1. SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES DURING THE PERIOD

Summary

2023 was a busy year for the charity. The orchestra put on three season concerts and a Christmas Concert. The season concerts raised £12,195 for charitable causes (before matching) (2022: £6,800).

In addition, in 2023 the orchestra’s concerts:

2023 also saw a firsts for the orchestra, notably:

The Spring concert raised funds for The Listening Place. The Autumn concert took place at St James’ Piccadilly and raised funds for Move Against Cancer.

Audiences for all three of the season concerts were very healthy.

The orchestra also contributed a quartet towards an event hosted by one of the charities supported (The Listening Place), charging a small amount which went towards the running of the orchestra.

Unfortunately the Charity was unable to find a date that worked to put on a Conduct Us event this year, but at the time of writing this report (October 2024), we are pleased to note that two Conduct Us events were put on in 2024.

Conducting continues to be shared between Patrick Massey, Wil Hooker and Leo Geyer, with Leo taking the Spring and Summer seasons, and Will taking the Autumn season. The rotation appears still to be received favourably by the players.

The Charity mounted a Christmas Concert, which occurred again at St Gabriel’s, Pimlico. This involved a medium sized orchestra and the Pico Singers, with the money raised going towards the running of the Charity. The Christmas Concert is becoming a well-loved tradition among the players and the singers, and receives an enthusiastic following from our audiences.

Although costs continue to increase (particularly in the areas of percussion hire, sheet music hire and venue hire), the financial statements look strong compared to the prior year.

THE PICO PLAYERS ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

The Orchestra Committee continues to communicate regularly in order to ensure that players have a say in the running of the Orchestra. There are between 10 and 15 members of the Orchestra Committee at any one time. No member of the Orchestra Committee receives any remuneration for their services but may apply for reimbursement of out of pocket expenses.

Fundraising for charitable causes

Over the course of the year the Charity raised £12,195 (prior to matching) for charitable causes from its concerts (FY 2022: £6,800). The significantly increased amount on last year owes a lot to the amount which St Jude’s Proms were able to raise for the summer concert from their audience base (£6,695). As this amount was retained by St Jude’s Proms from ticket sales (rather than paid by the Charity) it does not appear in the Charity’s financial statements. It should also be noted that it is not a comparable figure to the donation for a typical concert, which represents the gain on ticket sales and subscriptions (subs) net of related costs.

The amounts ultimately received by the charities were increased by £5,097 (with further matching hoping to be obtained in relation to the Autumn 2023).

Concert
(2023)		 Charity for which
funds raised		 Raised (£) Matched
(£)		 Total raised (£)
Spring
Summer
Autumn*		 The Listening Place
St Jude’s Proms
MOVE Against Cancer
TOTAL		 3,500
6,695
2,000		 1,750
3,347
[-]		 5,250
10,042
2,000
12,195 5,097 17,292

The Autumn donation was made only in 2024 so is reflected not in the 2023 cash-based accounts but only in the accruals-based figures for 2023 below..

Policy on grant making

Net proceeds of ticket sales from concerts are donated to charitable causes selected by the Charity. Nominations for charitable causes are put forward by members of the Orchestra, and are then voted on in an anonymous poll by the Orchestra Committee. In the event of a tie between two charitable causes, those who have voted on other charities are invited to recast their vote between those two. In certain circumstances where agreed to by the committee, the charity which came “second” is made the charity for the following season.

Instrument hire

Occasionally the Charity will fund the hiring of instruments for players who would otherwise not have the means to obtain them. For instance, the Orchestra has on occasion offered to hire more inaccessible instruments such as percussion, timpani, harps, double bass and contrabassoon. The Orchestra currently has on hire a double bass for use by amateurs for whom getting a double bass to rehearsals is a problem.

PART 2. FINANCIAL REVIEW

THE PICO PLAYERS ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

The Charity’s financial statements for the period appear in the Annex to this report, summarised according to funds received and paid out during the year. An alternative summary on an accruals basis is shown herewith to aid understanding of performance.

Attributable Receipts
Payments
Surplus / (deficit)
Donations to charitable causes
Net surplus / (deficit) for the year
Principal Sources of funds		 2023
(Accruals
based)
£
2022
£
35,421
39,687
(29,387)
(27,888)
6,034
11,799
(5,500)
(6,800)
534
4,999

The principal sources of funds are:

Receipts and payments

Overall figures for receipts and payments of the Charity are broadly similar to the prior year. The receipts of the Charity were £32,485 (accruals basis: £35,421; FY 2022: £36,306). Ignoring donations to charitable causes, the Charity made payments of £26,315 (accruals basis: £29,387; FY 2022: £27,555).

Income for the year consisted mainly of players’ subs from the three seasons and concert ticket sales (see Voluntary contributions from players below).

The costs of hiring sheet music, instruments (notably percussion) and concert venues continues to increase. This is broadly in line with the higher inflationary economic environment, though some of the increases in costs for percussion hire and sheet music hire can be attributed to the Orchestra increasingly playing more modern classical music, which is in copyright (often leading to higher music hire fees) and often requires a larger array of instruments.

It should be noted that the Charity has not yet made gift-aid reclaim for 2021, 2022 or 2023 (the last one having been made in 2020). The Charity intends to do so during 2024 and thereafter on at least an annual basis. By way of example, the Charity expects to be able to reclaim Giftaid amounting to roughly £2,000 for 2023, with broadly similar amounts in relation to 2022 and 2021 (the latter likely to be reduced due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic).

The material outgoings for the year were:

THE PICO PLAYERS ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

The Trustees do not envisage having to raise ticket prices materially in the near future despite the inflationary pressures on the Charity’s costs. Schemes such as the 50% discount for Pico Pals (friends of the Pico Players) and, where the venue suggests, tiered pricing for certain areas of the venue are all expected to continue. See further under Part 3: Risks Facing the Charity .

Voluntary contributions from players

Members of the orchestra and choir are generally requested to donate ‘subs’ per season (being a period of 4 months). Player subs for 2023 remained at £60. Choir subs (for the Christmas Concert) are currently set at £40. The current amount of subs is deemed to be reasonable and is continually evaluated to ensure the Orchestra has sufficient funding.

Discounted levels of subs are available to students, senior citizens and unemployed.

THE PICO PLAYERS ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

PART 3: RISKS FACING THE CHARITY

COVID-19 Pandemic

The orchestra has not felt direct disruption from the COVID-2019 restrictions since late 2021 and audiences appear to have returned in decent numbers since then. However, the advent of any further variants or other outbreaks, triggering similar restrictions on live rehearsals and performances, will impact the ability of the Orchestra and Choir to carry out their activities and raise funds through those concerts for charitable causes.

Cost of living

The UK continues to endure high costs of living and inflation. This continues to lead to increased expenses for the Charity, not least in venue costs, music hire costs and the costs of hiring professional players. It may also lead to reduced ticket receipts if the public look to save on expenses for non-necessities. These risks have to be born in mind in the setting of (1) player subs levels and (2) ticket costs.

Players leaving

The Orchestra players are crucial to the success of the Charity. Not only are they the primary reason why the Orchestra has had good audience numbers to date and therefore good ticket sales, they also represent the primary source of the Charity’s income through the subs they pay. The Charity’s aims would be hampered should there be significant withdrawals of players.

There is an Orchestra Committee which exists to (i) ensure that players have a say in the running of the Orchestra and (ii) allow players to feel more involved and responsible for the Orchestra’s success. The Orchestra Committee, led by Lizzie Harris, takes proactive steps towards organising new and different activities for the Orchestra to keep things fresh.

Leaders of the string sections are rotated to offer the opportunity for those that like to lead to do so. It also means that each season, string players have new desk partners. Section leaders are given the responsibility of making sure their section members know the markings/part divisions. Regular surveys are done with the string section to ensure that players are able to speak up with any suggestions or comments and do not feel left out.

The Charity continues to promote social interaction among the players – each month one rehearsal ends 30 minutes early to allow the players to go for drinks together. Players are encouraged to bring new joiners along and meet someone new each time. Bespoke events like Conduct Us, as well as smaller events on request (weddings, parties) also aid the Orchestra to integrate socially and emphasise its charitable aims, which is something that the players respond well to. The Charity continues to increase the use of sectional rehearsals, which not only helps players to improve their playing but also helps to bond the sections of the Orchestra.

Similar risks and mitigants apply to the Pico Singers. The Christmas Carol Concerts have been a success; however, the choir has yet to develop into regular seasons. As a result, they are still run on an “ad hoc” rather than ongoing basis. Costs need to be monitored closely to ensure that sizable expenses are not undertaken by the Charity in relation to choir activity before a sufficient number of sub-paying singers is confirmed. The director of the choir is typically a paid professional choral director.

THE PICO PLAYERS ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

Reduced audience numbers

Aside from the risks associated with the cost of living crisis (see “ Cost of Living ” above), there remain general risks associated with not attracting large enough audiences. The Committee continues to consider the best approach for the Summer Concert, which tends to draw a lower audience and a slightly lower consistency of turn-out from the Orchestra at rehearsals due to summer absences. The ability to perform at the Proms at St Jude’s lent the Summer season a welcome novelty this year.

The programming of music for a concert is also decided by the Orchestra Committee, to ensure it is attractive to an audience while remaining interesting for the players. Players are strongly encouraged to promote the concert from an early stage during the season. The orchestra continues to look for new and affordable venues for the orchestra and choir to perform in.

PART 4: MISCELLANEOUS

Organisational structure

The Trustees are responsible for the running of the Charity. Management of the Orchestra and Choir is delegated to three Trustees: Rosie Wintour, Patrick Massey and Lizzie Harris. The Orchestra Committee exists to assist in the management of the Orchestra and to enable the players to be more involved in the direction the Orchestra takes. Lizzie Harris performs an active role in the administration of the orchestra and running that committee. The Committee in turn delegates a few key roles to players in the Orchestra, as follows:

A committee for the Choir’s activities is set up on an ad hoc basis to manage the events of the Choir. Treasury functions in relation to the Choir is included within the duties of the Treasurer set out above.

Relationship with any related parties

To date the Charity has generally received 50% matching on its concert funds raised from the Macquarie Foundation, because Patrick Massey is an employee of the Macquarie Group and contributes significantly to the organisation of the concerts. It is to be noted that this is entirely at the Macquarie Foundation’s discretion and there can be no assurance the matching will continue at this level, or at all.

THE PICO PLAYERS ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

Funds and property held

The Charity holds no funds on behalf of any third party.

The main non-financial assets of the Charity are music stands, sheet music and two contactless card payment machines. No Trustee currently holds any property belonging to the Charity. Stands are kept in rehearsal venues, and otherwise by one of the Committee. Sheet music which belongs to the Orchestra is looked after by the Orchestra librarian, and after the end of a season is kept by Patrick Massey. The card machines are kept by either the Treasurer, Patrick Massey or Lizzie Harris.

Declarations

The Trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the Charity’s Trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Patrick Massey Mary-Rose Wintour Position (eg Secretary, Trustee Trustee Chair, etc) Date

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31.10.2024
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Docusign Envelope ID: 05D8DA89-24E9-4757-B096-D36DC098950C

THE PICO PLAYERS ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 December 2023.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The Charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

The Charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Act and that an independent examination is needed.

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed: Date: 26.10.2024

Name: David Owen-Conway

Relevant professional qualification or body: Institute of Chartered Accounts in England and Wales (ICAEW).

9290783

Membership number: ………………………………

32 West Common, Gerrards Cross, Bucks, SL9 7RF Address: ……………………………………………………………

Annex

THE PICO PLAYERS

Financial Statements for the Charity for the period ended 31 December 2023

Summary of Receipts and Payments Account

Receipts
Payments
Surplus / (deficit)
Donations to charitable causes
Net surplus / (deficit) for the year
Funds brought forward
Funds carried forward		 2023
2022
£
£
32,485
36,306
(26,315)
(27,555)
6,170
8,751
(6,300)
(4,000)
(130)
4,751
7,068
2,318
6,938
7,068

All funds are unrestricted

THE PICO PLAYERS ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

Statement of Receipts and Payments for the period ended 31 December 2023

Receipts
Player subs
Pico Pal donations
Trustee donations
Other donations
Interest income
Sub total

Concert income
Ticket sales / concert donations
Concert sponsorship
Sub total

Total receipts

Payments
Sheet music hire costs
Hire of professional players
Hire of professionals for sectionals
Hire of professional conductors
Venue hire costs
Miscellaneous costs for events
Hire of instruments
Programme costs
Bank charges
Insurance
Website / email costs
Marketing costs
Media costs (video, photographer etc)
Sub total
Asset and investment purchases
Donations to charitable causes

Total payments

Net receipts
Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end		 2023
2022
Total funds
Total funds
(£)
(£)
9,680
12,710
1,333
1,162
600
4,000
1,025
-
14
5
12,652
17,877
18,311
17,228
1,200
1,200
19,833
18,428
32,485
36,306
3,192
1,477
8,445
9,940
1,470
950
1,390
3,080
5,479
5,805
1,656
1,139
3,565
3,110
547
744
77
81
(71)
456
492
143
73
31
-
600
26,315
27,555
-
-
6,300
4,000
32,615
31,555
(130)
4,751
7,068
2,318
6,938
7,068

THE PICO PLAYERS ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

Statement of Assets and Liabilities for the period ended 31 December 2023

Categories
Unrestricted funds
to nearest £
Cash funds
Total cash funds
6,938
Other monetary assets
Accrued Income
8,249
Investment assets
-
Details
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (£)
Current
value(£)
Assets retained for the Charity’s own use
Music stands
General
150
75
Purchased sheet
music
General
200
200
Sumup card readers
General
178
153
Details
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(£)
When due
Liabilities
Unrestricted funds
to nearest £
Accrued Costs
6,303		 Categories
Unrestricted funds
to nearest £
Cash funds
Total cash funds
6,938
Other monetary assets
Accrued Income
8,249
Investment assets
-
Details
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (£)
Current
value(£)
Assets retained for the Charity’s own use
Music stands
General
150
75
Purchased sheet
music
General
200
200
Sumup card readers
General
178
153
Details
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(£)
When due
Liabilities
Unrestricted funds
to nearest £
Accrued Costs
6,303		 Unrestricted funds
to nearest £
6,938
8,249
-

Current
value(£)

Liabilities
Accrued Costs
Unrestricted funds
to nearest £
6,303

THE PICO PLAYERS ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf

………………………………………… Date: Patrick Massey ……………………………………… Date:

……………………………………… Mary-Rose Wintour