2021-01-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] January 2021

Macclesfield Brass

A charitable incorporated organisation, also known as MB.

Charity registration number 1167452

Principal address

30 Howey Lane Congleton CW12 4AE

Trustees

The following trustees were reappointed at the AGM on 27 May 2020 : Elan Paton (Chair) Karen Allgood (Treasurer) Jenny Birtwistle Elizabeth Hudson Jenny Lyons (Health and Safety officer)

Trustees are appointed by the members at the annual general meeting. Appointments of trustees at other times may be made by the members or trustees. All appointments are held until the next general meeting at which the trustees retire and are eligible for reappointment.

This year has been dominated by the response to the Covid-19 global pandemic. The positive outcome is that throughout this period Macclesfield Brass has demonstrated that the band has the collective skills, talents and enthusiasm to get through this difficult time and this report focuses on just how this has been achieved.

Strategy

The trustees’ strategy was to nurture the band during this period of restrictions so that when they were over the return to band activities would be as comfortable as possible. We aimed to achieve this by :

• Keeping players playing and in touch

• Providing opportunity for social interaction

• Running rehearsals when possible

Keeping players playing and in touch

Music was sent out a weekly basis when rehearsals have not been possible, ensuring that every player had plenty of material to work on and feels part of the band team.

Two lockdown videos were created and news shared with all players by email.

Social interaction

Players met regularly over Zoom to take part in a range of different activities. These have included Bingo Bongo quizzes, versions of a whole range of TV and radio panel games and re-creations of 1970s TV favourites. They have been light-hearted sessions which have lifted spirits during some of the grimmest times.

Rehearsals

Throughout this year supporting the physical and mental health of our players has been a priority. It was clear from the start of the first lockdown in March 2020 that holding any form of band rehearsal would be impossible unless covid restrictions lifted considerably.

The trustees kept a close eye on guidance issued by the government via the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). We also kept abreast of updates sent by Brass Bands England (BBE). As lockdown restrictions eased we aimed to create as safe an environment as possible for band activities following DCMS guidelines. Thanks are due to the trustees for putting together detailed and comprehensive risk assessments for our rehearsals and guidance for players so that those who wanted to take part could do so. These became increasingly more important as the year went on and government guidance changed from being advisory to being statutory.

In July 2020 we offered rehearsals as groups of six in outdoor spaces and then in September as a full band outdoors.

The weather stepped in and thwarted some of these plans. Indoor rehearsals became an option later in September. We arranged to rehearse at a covid-secure venue which could offer the facilities required. About half of our band members took part in these in-person rehearsals.Tighter restrictions were imposed in December 2020 and rehearsals were stopped.

The trustees took the decision of whether or not to run rehearsals very seriously and it has been a credit to the players who have taken part that they have been conscientious in following the guidance and have always been willing to help keep things running smoothly. We fully understood that not everyone wanted to take part and look forward to when conditions are such that unrestricted rehearsals can resume and all players can be welcomed back.

Finances

Our running costs have been radically reduced this year and we continue to enjoy a healthy financial position.

Going forward

We are in a good position to adjust to changing covid restrictions and look forward to being able to play together again when it becomes possible.

Thanks

This has been the most challenging year we have experienced as trustees. We have had to assimilate a lot of new information very quickly and accurately and make informed decisions based on it. Our strategy has meant that we have kept several balls in the air. Fortunately, we have been up to the task and, as chair, I want to put on record my thanks to my fellow trustees for all they have done this year.

Declarations

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

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

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Signature(s)
Full name(s) Elan Mair Paton
Elizabeth Hudson
Position (eg Chair Trustee
Secretary, Chair, etc)
Date
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No (if any) 1167452

Macclesfield Brass

Receipts and payments accounts

For the period Period start date Period end date To from 2/1/2020 1/31/2021

Section A Receipts and payments

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Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds
funds funds funds
to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A1 Receipts
Subscriptions 1,226 - - 1,226
Gift aid 967 - - 967
Fundraising - - - -
Donations - - - -
Collections - - - -
Performance - - - -
- - - -
- - - -
2,193 - - 2,193
Sub total (Gross income for AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total - - - -
Total receipts 2,193 - - 2,193
A3 Payments
Rehearsal and meeting costs 1,346 - - 1,346
Training day and gen. training 400 - - 400
Gifts, donations, misc 214 - - 214
Subscriptions 125 - - 125
Insurance 91 - - 91
Muzodo 38 - - 38
Whit Friday, Newcastle - - - -
Instrument rents and repairs - - - -
Harnesses, trolley, lyres etc - - - -
Sub total [ 2,214 ] - - 2,214
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
Instruments and equipment 524 - - 524
Music 106 - - 106
Sub total [ 630 ] - - 630
Total payments 2,844 - - 2,844
Net of receipts/(payments) - 651 - - - 651
A5 Transfers between funds - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 6,672 - - 6,672
Cash funds this year end 6,021 - - 6,021
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

			Unrestricted		Restricted
Categories	Details		funds		funds
B1 Cash funds	Bank	Total cash funds	to nearest £ 6,021 - - 6,021		to nearest £ - - - -
	(agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))		OK	OK
			Unrestricted		Restricted
			funds		funds
B2 Other monetary assets	Details None		to nearest £ - - - - - -		to nearest £ - - - - - -
B3 Investment assets	Details None		Fund to which asset belongs	Cost (optional) - - - - -
B4 Assets retained for the	Details		Fund to which asset belongs	Cost (optional) -
charity’s own use	Instruments Equipment Music		Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted		- - - - - - - -
			Fund to which		Amount due
B5 Liabilities	Details None		liability relates		- - - - - (optional)
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees		Signature	Print	Name

Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees

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CC16a
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Last year

to the nearest £

6,612 1,435 2,144 525 127 10 - - 10,853

822 - 822 11,675

1,910 132 82 89 91 40 547 339 249 3,479

5,634 297 5,931 9,410 2,265 - 4,407 6,672

Endowment funds

to nearest £ - - - -

OK

Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - -

Current value (optional) - - - - -

Current value (optional) - - - - - - - - - When due (optional)

Date of approval