IPSWICH GILBERT & SULLIVAN SOCIETY
TRUSTEES REPORT – 21st June 2021 to 20th June 2022
Trustees’ Report
The Trustees present the Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements for the period from 21st June 2021 to 20th June 2022. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies and comply with the charity’s constitution and applicable law. (financial year runs 1[st] April to 31[st] March)
Administration Details
The principal address of the charity is currently Paddock Hill, Grundisburgh Road, Great Bealings, Woodbridge, IP13 6PE
The Trustees – elected at and after 2021 AGM
Angela Randall Chairman (October 2021)
David Hayhow General Secretary (November 2021)
Debbie Rogers Membership Secretary
Becca Kirby Concert Secretary & Social Media Officer
Gwen Haxell Treasurer
Sara Bucknall Fundraising Officer & Social Events Officer
Louise Cockerill Publicity Officer
Mareth Bassett Committee member
Paul Armstrong Committee member
Sylvia Towell (resigned during the year)
Sue Wightman, Musical Director also participates in trustee meetings for appropriate agenda items.
Structure, Governance and Management
Ipswich Gilbert & Sullivan Society was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 3[rd] January 2016 and is governed by a constitution adopted on 18[th] April 2016. Trustees are elected at each Annual General Meeting to serve until the close of the next Annual General Meeting and are eligible for re-election.
Objectives
The objectives of Ipswich Gilbert & Sullivan Society are to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in the appreciation of the art and science of musical theatre, and in particular the music of Gilbert and Sullivan, as well as choral music in all its aspects by the presentation of public concerts and by such other ways as the members, through the trustees, shall determine from time to time.
Activities
Ipswich Gilbert & Sullivan Society is a musical group which performs charity fund-raising concerts during the summer months across Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex, with a mixed repertoire ranging from classical music and excerpts from G&S operettas to folk, pop and songs from the musicals. In the autumn of each year the Society puts on a fully staged production of one of the Gilbert & Sullivan operettas.
There is an informal audition for all new members. Rehearsals take place weekly on Monday evenings from 7.30 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. at Chantry Methodist Church Hall, Pheasant road in Ipswich. Rehearsals move to twice weekly in the run up to the annual stage production.
Achievements and Performance
During the period covered by this report, the Society was obliged to cancel the planned concerts for the year as well as the annual stage production, due to the restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rehearsals at the hall had also been cancelled due to the pandemic, but some members continued to rehearse on line over Zoom. Eventually live rehearsals were able to restart in September 2021, but social distancing was maintained, and initially mask wearing was encouraged. As the situation improved, gradually the precautions were dropped. Unfortunately there was a slow return to rehearsals and several members have not yet returned, some because of worries about the pandemic.
At the end of November our Musical Director, Andrew Burke resigned, sadly to the regret of all the Society’s members. He is greatly missed. However, in March, the society was fortunate to secure a new Musical Director, Sue Wightman, and she is very welcome indeed. During the interim period Rob Rogers kindly stepped in to take rehearsals for which the Society was very grateful.
In the meantime, the Trustees have continued to meet virtually via Zoom to monitor the situation and plan for the future.
Public Benefit
The Trustees have paid due regard to the Charity Commissions’ guidance in deciding on the activities undertaken by the Society. In normal circumstances (outside the pandemic situation), activities for the public benefit can be demonstrated by:
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Supporting local charities by performing at fundraising concerts
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Publicising the charity concerts via the Society’s recently revamped website and social media
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Discounted membership rates for members in full time education and reduced price show tickets for children
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Lending of music scores to other musical groups
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Participating in Ipswich Music Day which is organised by Ipswich Arts Association
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Performing the work of contemporary composers and arrangers, most of whom are local people.
Financial review
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Society. The Trustees are also responsible for
safeguarding the assets of the Society and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Society finances itself by a number of methods:
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Through membership subscriptions agreed annually. There are two categories of fees: a. Concert fees
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b. Show fees
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From ticket sales from the annual stage production
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Through appearance fees paid by the charities for performing a concert
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By putting on a concert specifically to raise funds for the Society
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Through sales of photographs and DVDs of the annual stage production
Other sources of income come from:
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Gift aid from donations and from members’ contributions
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Contributions from patrons
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Advertising revenue in the show programme
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Revenue from hiring our scores to other choirs / societies
The Society’s direct income funds the full cost of running the Society and makes a contribution towards covering the net cost of the stage production in the event of a loss.
NB : given the cancellation of most of the Society’s activities due to the pandemic, the Trustees took the decision to cancel the requirement for members to pay subscriptions for this year. Members were invited instead to make voluntary donations to the Society, Gift Aided where applicable.
Income for the period from 1[st] April 2021 to 31st March 2022 totalled £3099.87
Expenditure amounted to £3759.28
Loss for the year was £659.41
On 31st March 2022, the Society had a cash balance of £32,471.45 held in the following account(s):
Cash in Hand £0
Current Accounts £25,511.22
Deposit Accounts £6,960.23
A summary of the accounts is provided at Appendix 1.
Reserves policy
Reserves are built up to fund the annual stage production and to acquire and maintain assets.
Risk Management
The Trustees have a responsibility to identify, assess and manage risks. They keep abreast of legislation which may affect charities through the Charity Commission website and through Ipswich Arts Association to which the Society is affiliated. They ensure that the Society complies with copyright and performing rights law. The Society’s insurance is arranged through Ageas Insurance Limited.
- (i) Financial risks
Trustees’ responsibilities in relation to accounting are stated above. The Trustees ensure that any stage show which may make a loss can be financed through Society funds.
(ii) Health & Safety
For rehearsals at Chantry Methodist Church Hall, the Society complies with the health & safety policy and the policy in the event of a fire as laid down by the Chantry Church Hall Committee.
For concerts, the Concert Secretary checks the venue in advance to assess risks. At the concert itself, an official from the charity hosting the concert makes an announcement at the beginning of the concert.
For the annual stage production, the Society complies with the health & safety policy of the Seckford Theatre. In addition, the Society provides a stage manager who is responsible for health & safety of the cast and backstage crew and does visual checks each night for potential hazards. The Society provides front of house staff, one of whose duties is to be responsible for the health & safety of the audience and to assist in evacuating the building in the event of a fire.
Once the decision was taken to resume live rehearsals, the Trustees undertook a full risk assessment to ensure the risks to members and others due to transmission of the covid virus is minimised as far as possible.
Future Plans
The Society’s plans for concerts and the annual stage production for 2021 were put on hold in mid-March 2020, with the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic. No in-person rehearsals were held from March 24[th] 2020 until they were resumed in September 2021.
The first concert this year was held at Felixstowe on May 28[th] 2022 in aid of the Worldwide Polio Eradication Programme as supported by Felixstowe Rotary Club and the concert raised £2724 for their charity cause. In October 2022 the Society will stage the Mikado at the Seckford Theatre in Woodbridge.
Now that we have a musical director in place and have begun performing regularly, the strategy for our future revolves around recruitment to build our core numbers via strong marketing and PR efforts.
Key decisions taken during this time:
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The Trustees decided to engage a new Music Director, Sue Wightman, following the resignation of Andrew Burke.
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Live rehearsals were reinstated in September 2021.
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The Trustees decided to move to a new permanent rehearsal venue Chantry Methodist Church Hall.
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The Trustees decided to change from HSBC to Cooperative Bank due to banking costs, and to implement dual authorisation for all financial transactions, particularly those carried out online.
Approved by the Trustees
IPSWICH G&S 2021/2022 Profit Loss
| 2021/22 | 2020/21 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| INCOME | INCOME | ||||
| Concert Income | £825.00 | Concert Income | £1,190.00 | ||
| Patrons | £1,064.00 | Patrons | £419.00 | ||
| Gift Aid | £631.44 | Gift Aid | £246.02 | ||
| Fund Raising | Fund Raising | ||||
| Amazon Sm | £46.05 | Amazon Sm | £41.98 | ||
| Donations | £250.00 | Donations | £250.00 | ||
| Member Do | £265.00 | ||||
| £561.05 | £291.98 | ||||
| Show | £0.00 | Show | £0.00 | ||
| Sundry | £17.47 | Sundry | £0.00 | ||
| Bank Interest | £0.91 | Bank Interest | £2.89 | ||
| Other | £0.00 | Other | £0.00 | ||
| TOTAL | £3,099.87 | TOTAL | £2,149.89 | ||
| EXPENDITURE | EXPENDITURE | ||||
| Concert | £2,948.99 | Concert | £207.98 | ||
| Show | £0.00 | Show | £0.00 | ||
| Insurance | £723.81 | Insurance | £723.81 | ||
| Lottery Licence | £0.00 | Lottery Licence | £0.00 | ||
| NODA & IAA | £25.00 | NODA & IAA | £97.00 | ||
| Admin | £46.48 | ||||
| Bank charges | £15.00 | ||||
| TOTAL | £3,759.28 | TOTAL | £1,028.79 | ||
| Year Profit/Loss | -£659.41 | Year Profit/Loss | £1,121.10 |