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2022-03-31-accounts

1

Annual Report of the Trustee Executive Committee of Rising Voices Wessex – May 2022

The Executive Committee of Rising Voices Wessex Community Choirs presents its annual report, covering the period from May 2021 to April 2022 and the accounting year ending March 2022.

The past year for Rising Voices Wessex has continued to be dominated by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the steps taken to adapt and keep the choirs and the long-term project sustainable. Happily, these efforts have so far proved successful but the next year or two will pose a challenge, especially financially, to the choirs as they look to recover from the pandemic effects

The changes adopted at the close of the previous year continued. The Musical Director and her Associate used Zoom technology to keep members involved in singing “virtually”. Each week some 30 – 40 members engaged with the Zoom sessions on either of the rehearsal evenings – maintaining both musical and social contact.

Sara Schwetze-Kemp, a local businesswoman and professional musician, was appointed at the AGM in May 2021 as a Trustee in keeping with the aim of ensuring an appropriate range of professional and musical skills are represented on the Trustee board. Dr Suzi Caesar and Sarah Cully stood down from the board and we thank them for their work over the past few years.

Wendy Morrow was appointed as Choir Director at the beginning of 2021 and took over at the end of March 2021 following the planned retirement of Ali Sharpe. Wendy will be supported by Mark Anstead who is continuing his association with the choirs as Musical Codirector.

Music has the power to communicate with individuals at times of difficulty – music making has benefits for many chronic medical conditions thus Rising Voices Wessex choirs were established to support people whose lives have been affected by cancer - patients, carers and those bereaved through cancer.

Singing aids recovery of confidence, mental health and social interaction, as well as promoting the concept of living well with and after cancer. Most members of Rising Voices Wessex choirs come from the communities in the Bournemouth-Christchurch-Poole (BCP) conurbation.

Rising Voices Wessex Annual Report 2022. Registered Charity 1165053

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th Rising Voices Wessex was launched on the 8 January 2013 and became a registered charity in January 2016. Rising Voices Wessex is a member of Arts and Health South West and The National Council for Voluntary Organisations and the Community Action Network.

Public performances are a key objective and are important in the following respects:

Some key public performances and highlights since the choirs’ formation include:

https://www.facebook.com/RisingVoicesChoir.

Prior to pandemic restrictions Rising Voices Wessex has performed at various charity events in the conurbation, especially those associated with cancer - further promoting singing for health and wellbeing as a means of living well with or after cancer. Importantly they also demonstrate the power of singing to build and improve mental health Resumption of such events is a priority following relaxation of Covid

Rising Voices Wessex resumed live rehearsals in July 2021 but had to suspend them over the Christmas & New Year period in line with Covid risk concerts and government advice.

Rising Voices Wessex continues to appreciate the support of St John’s Church, Parkstone, Poole and The New Church, Tuckton, Bournemouth where it meets for rehearsals

Monday evenings - The New Church, Tuckton, Bournemouth – 7.00 – 9.00 pm

Tuesday evenings - St Johns Church, Ashley Road, Parkstone – 7.00 – 9.00 pm.

The social interaction over tea, coffee or a soft drink creates a supportive environment offering peer support. This was compromised during pandemic restrictions but the choirs adapted by having online social events such as quiz nights – utilising social media, WhatsApp and Zoom. A supportive “Phone Friends” network was also established. In these ways the ethos of the charity has been sustained through this difficult period.

Rising Voices Wessex Annual Report 2022. Registered Charity 1165053

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Rising Voices Wessex has managed to recruit new members during the past year – word of mouth, informal social networking websites and social media presence have all contributed to maintaining a profile for the choirs enabling recruitment of new members.

Music director’s report 2021-22

I took over as Musical Director in April 2021. I felt welcomed and encouraged by Choir members as I found my own feet in a new role in the midst of a challenging time for everyone.

The past year has seen the choirs go through many challenges, with the Covid 19 pandemic affecting rehearsals quite unpredictably. We did manage to sing live at Ringwood's Eco Fair in the spring of 2021 which was a highlight in 2021.

The Choir has persevered in spite of the challenges of zoom rehearsals, low numbers at live rehearsals due to the understandable hesitancy of our vulnerable members to socialise, wearing masks and visors whilst singing and social distancing. These challenges included the cancelling of our Christmas concert due to rising cases of Covid. An event which the choirs had worked extremely hard towards. All those involved took it with good grace and we ended up with a Christmas online singalong instead.

The technical expertise of our co- director, Mark Anstead, and online assistant, Lucia Sanchis, enabled the online sessions to run and also connect those who were unable to attend live rehearsals to the choir via a zoom link - a lifeline for those stuck at home.

I am pleased to say that the Choir has not only survived the challenges but it has grown from them and we are now reaping the benefits of having supported each other through a crisis. We are now relaxing our protocols in line with government guidance for those who feel able to and we have seen the number of attendees rise once again alongside a renewed enthusiasm in our live rehearsals.

We have just performed our Spring Concert live at the Freemasons Hall, a collaboration between the Choir and well-known local musicians, who gave their time for free to support and raise our profile. The concert was a huge success. Not only did we sell out of tickets but the feedback from the audience was overwhelmingly positive and this has given a real boost to the Choir.

The excitement of our recent Spring Concert is still palpable. The current mood of the Choir is jubilant and positive; we now look forward to performing at Ringwood's Eco Fair, the Wimborne Allendale Centre, the Poole Dolphin Shopping centre and our autumn Apollo 5 workshop and concert.

Each week we see members returning to us as they feel more confident to sing “live” - this has given a new lease of life to everyone. It has been such a joy to witness this and is a testament to the commitment of core members and Trustees such as Noeline and Jean who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly. Our music printers, Jacky and Adrian, attend almost every rehearsal in spite of their own life challenges and commitments in order that we have spare copies for everyone. It is this kind of dedication that keeps the choir steadfast and reliable for all involved, which is extremely important when members are facing personal or health challenges.

I have really enjoyed being able to share my love of live music performing and my local connections to give the Choir a new direction this year. I hope to expand upon this in the coming year and bring the choir back into the heart of the local musical community so that it

Rising Voices Wessex Annual Report 2022. Registered Charity 1165053

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is both visible and accessible to those who may need its support.

Many thanks to all those who support the choir from their various diverse roles, be they big or small.

Wendy Morrow, Musical Director, Rising Voices Wessex.

How Rising Voices Wessex makes a difference:

The overall project strategy continually aims to try and capture the benefits of being part of the choir. Rising Voices Wessex has contributed questionnaire data to research run by Tenovus Cancer Care on the benefits of music and singing for people affected by cancer. Current resources are insufficient to fund formal peer-reviewable research

Annual Survey Monkey questionnaires are utilised by Rising Voices Wessex to obtain feedback and an assessment of how much members benefit from being part of the choir – results from the surveys are available on the website at - - ( https://www.risingvoices.org.uk/about us/governance documents) – key findings from the survey include the following:

There are also some key findings from the survey of the benefit of the choirs. It is also clear from the questionnaires that the personality and approach of the Musical Directors is very important to the success of the choirs.

Quotes and observations from choir members taken from the spring 2022 Survey

2022 (Spring) Annual Survey Results show the benefits on both mental health and wellbeing from attending the choirs and include:

Rising Voices Wessex Annual Report 2022. Registered Charity 1165053

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As a registered charity Rising Voices Wessex is managed at a strategic level by a Board of Trustees drawn principally from the community. The Board encompasses a range of professional backgrounds - clinical, musical and financial – appropriate to the needs of the charity. The Chairman and other Trustees are appointed (and may be re- appointed) at the Annual General Meeting.

The skill mix of Trustees is subject to review to enable succession planning and optimum balance of expertise. There are currently two unfilled Trustee vacancies which are advertised on the website and locally; the Trustees may also approach suitable skilled and qualified individuals to become Trustees - obtaining new Trustees with the right skills and understanding of the work of Rising Voices Wessex is a priority as the board looks to securing its long-term sustainability and ongoing development.

Rising Voices Wessex Annual Report 2022. Registered Charity 1165053

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Executive Trustee Board members are:

Rising Voices Wessex is grateful to the Trustees for all the work they do to keep the choirs running.

Operational management and administration

This is undertaken by a Steering Group that consists of two of the current Trustees with volunteer choir members, capitalising on the range of skills that members can offer. The Steering Group meets monthly and reports to the board of Trustees. The Choir Director and Co-director are also part of the Steering Group.

Rising Voices Wessex aims to present a professional image that highlights its identity in public performance. Members wear black clothing with royal blue accessories for formal evening performances; for informal events members wear Rising Voices Wessex labelled polo shirts and fleeces.

Members pay a reduced price to Rising Voices Wessex for these garments; members on joining also receive a folder for music and song lyrics in the choirs’ repertoire.

FINANCIAL SUMMARY 2021-22:

During the pandemic restrictions Rising Voices Wessex has experienced drop in income of around 67% through loss of regular weekly donations that contribute to running costs – see financial report below. Presently overall donated income is around 30% of normal levels mainly due to loss of the regular weekly member contributions at rehearsal sessions. Recovery of retrospective gift aid and funeral donations has offset some this reduction helped also by having no venue hire costs while the choirs have been meeting online.

The current suggested members’ donation of £4.00 goes towards running costs and would normally be collected at live rehearsals and some members have continued to support the choirs via Just Giving and online banking.

Following initial funding in 2012 by the Dorset Cancer Network Rising Voices Wessex has sought and received ongoing financial support from a number of sources, these include:

Rising Voices Wessex Annual Report 2022. Registered Charity 1165053

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The successful National Lottery Community Fund - Reaching Communities Application from May 2021 has continued to provide critical support during the pandemic restrictions.

The award is an ongoing contribution towards running costs over a 5-year period – in this past year it has ensured the survival of Rising Voices Wessex during the pandemic restrictions and will greatly help to re-establish in-person rehearsals and a return of associated social activities as and when pandemic restrictions permit.

Finance Report

The graph below indicates the income for Rising Voices Wessex over the past year. The orange line represents the cash balance including the Lottery grant. The Lottery Grant has two further years to run, but at an annually decreasing rate. The grey line indicates the cash balance from donations, which has decreased significantly due to the covid pandemic.

Rising Voices Wessex Annual Report 2022. Registered Charity 1165053

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Looking forward to 2022 - 2023

The Trustees are fully aware of and recognise the current challenging financial circumstances that Rising Voices Wessex is experiencing; while optimistic that there will be a gradual return to a more normal environment that, in turn, will enable and encourage new members to join and previous members to re-join they are working on strategies to manage the charity’s finance and generate income appropriately during the next year in keeping with its strategy of achieving long-term sustainability.

Rising Voices Wessex Annual Report 2022. Registered Charity 1165053

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Thanks, and acknowledgments:

Thanks are due to all those who continue to support the choirs – many have done so since its foundation; the additional commitment of members ‘old and new’ is so important to the ongoing existence of both choirs. Help with fundraising, support at venues, performances and events, are examples of the terrific support given by members.

Thanks also for the administration for the day to day running of the choirs by the Steering Group.

The Trustees thank Musical Director, Wendy Morrow, and co-director, Mark Anstead, for their musical and technical support.

Thanks, are also due for the ongoing technical support of Lucia Sanchis in the organisation and administration of the Zoom rehearsals, social events on Zoom, editing and refining the online virtual choir recordings, social media and website support.

Rising Voices Wessex Annual Report 2022. Registered Charity 1165053

Charity Name No (if any) Rising Voices Wessex 1165053 Receipts and payments accounts For the period Period start date Period end date To from 01-Apr-21 31-Mar-22

CC16a

Section A Receipts and payments

Unrestricted Restricted Endowment funds funds funds to the nearest to the nearest £ to the nearest £ £

Total funds Last year to the nearest £ to the nearest £

A1 Receipts

A1 Receipts
funds
to the nearest
£
funds
to the nearest £
funds
to the nearest £		 Total funds
to the nearest £		 Last year
to the nearest £
Choir contributions 8,100 - - 8,100 5,030
Other donations 666 - - 666 2,112
Grants 16,500 - - 16,500 19,000
Oher activities - - - 3,460
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total(Gross income for
AR)		 25,266 - - 25,266 29,602
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
A1 Receipts
funds
to the nearest
£
funds
to the nearest £
funds
to the nearest £		 Total funds
to the nearest £		 Last year
to the nearest £
Choir contributions 8,100 - -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 8,100 5,030
Other donations 666 - 666 2,112
Grants 16,500 - 16,500 19,000
Oher activities - - 3,460
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total(Gross income for
AR)		 25,266 - 25,266 29,602
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).		 -
-		 -
-		 -
-
- - -
-		 -
- - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts
A3 Payments
- 25,266 29,602
Professional Costs 21,341 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 21,341 15,674
Premises Expenses(Venues) 950 950 846
Stationery& Printing - -
Admin Expenses 3,185 3,185 7,194
Function Expenses(BS) - 32
Premises Costs(Storage) 1,006 1,006 -
Purchase of Merchandise - -
- - -
- - -
**Sub total ** 26,482 26,482 23,746
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- -
-
-		 -
- -
**Sub total ** - - -
Total payments
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end
- 26,482 23,746
- 1,216 -
- 1,216		 5,856
- -
-		 - -
17,744 17,744 11,888
16,528 - 16,528 17,744

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

30/01/2023

1

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
B1 Cash funds
B2 Other monetary assets
B3 Investment assets
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
B5 Liabilities		 Details
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Details
Details
Details
Details
Signature		 Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Agreement Error
OK
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Print Name		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
OK
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
Date of
approval

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

30/01/2023

2

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of Rising Voices Wessex Community Choirs

On accounts for the year 31 March 2022 Charity no 1165053 ended (if any) Set out on pages 1 to 2 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)

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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) 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: 25/01/2023 Name: Bradley Hallett Relevant professional Chartered Accountant with ICAEW qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 60 Sandhill Road Leigh on Sea, Essex SS9 5BY

October 2018

1

IER

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

October 2018

2

IER