THE PURCELL SINGERS Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 2021
Charitable objects
The objects of the choir are:
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to advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of the art and science of choral music in all its aspects, by the presentation of public concerts and recitals and, if possible, by the making of recordings;
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and other solely charitable objects as defined by The Charities Act 2006, or any subsequent Act as determined from time to time by the Trustees of The Purcell Singers and delivered for the public benefit.
The Trustees of The Purcell Singers have the responsibility of working with the Founding Musical Director, Mark Ford, and Conductor, Jonathan Schranz, in promoting the objects of the choir.
Achievements and Performance
Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, 2020-2021 saw a quiet year for the choir. Nonetheless, the Board was able to have useful reflective discussions and to work towards reemerging from its forced silence in a stronger position. The year started with plans for performances in October and December; although in the summer the Board discussed potential mitigations that might allow the October concert to go ahead, ultimately these events were reluctantly cancelled. Early in the summer, choir members were invited to submit videos for a virtual recording of Parry’s ‘Crossing the Bar’, which was completed in early July. Later in the summer the Board met and had a useful strategy day discussion, wherein we agreed to particularly focus moving forward on procuring commercial recordings and gigs, and building a sense of belonging and loyalty in the choir’s membership, promoting diversity and being as inclusive as possible.
Costs to the choir for musical events and administration, as evidenced in the accounts, totalled £1,186.49.
Financial Review
The choir opened the year with funds of £9,723.03.
The choir’s expenses over the year were minimal, and in addition we received a generous anonymous donation of £3,000 (additionally Gift-Aided), and so the choir ended the year with a surplus of £3,652.86.
Funds carried forward at 31 March 2021 were £13,375.89.
Policy on reserves
The Trustees aim to maintain reserves at not less than £10,000.
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the choir always has sufficient funds to support its roster of routine UK concerts.
Should the choir wish to carry out a large London concert with orchestra (such as at the Queen Elizabeth Hall), reserves would need to be at c. £30,000 and for a single ACT tour of similar scale to Rouen or Amiens (without recourse to a loan facility) then c. £40,000.
Structure, Governance and Management
The Purcell Singers is governed by a “Foundation” model constitution as a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) which was registered on 29 July 2016. The activities of the choir are determined and agreed by the Trustees in consultation with the Musical Director.
The Trustees have been using a rolling 3 year Strategic Plan as the touchstone against which to take decisions on behalf of the choir.
The Strategic Plan covers:
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Performance Standards
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Performance Repertoire
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Recordings
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Profile
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Membership
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Governance
The Trustees review the Strategic Plan every year: in the 2020-2021 financial year this was at the trustee Away Day in August.
Training for new Trustees consists of invitations to concerts (where they are not already involved with the choir); discussion with the Chair and Founding Musical Director about role and responsibilities; review with the Treasurer of the last Accounts and Trustees Annual Report; access to minutes of prior Trustee meetings; and invitations to attend one or more Trustee meetings.
Day-to-day administration of the choir’s activities is carried out by the Choir’s Events and Administration Manager, Eleanor Dale.
Public Benefit Statement
In carrying out their work the Trustees have had regard to the public benefit offered by the choir.
Membership of the choir is open to new singers, subject to audition and confirmation by the Founding Musical Director and Conductor, whose opinions are final.
Administrative Information
The Purcell Singers is registered with the Charity Commission under number 1168508.
The principal office is at 108 Gosberton Road, London, SW12 8LQ.
Trustees who have served for all or part of the period from 1[st] April 2020 until 31[st] March 2021:
Mary Clayton-Kastenholz (Appointed trustee 06/09/2018; Appointed Chair 14/03/2019) Ben Norman – Hon Treasurer (Appointed 01/11/2001) Frances Birch (Appointed 12/01/2017) Emily John (Appointed 04/09/2017) Jennifer Lambert (Appointed 17/01/2019) Wayne Jones (Appointed 30 March 2020)
Ex officio members of the Trustee Board during this financial year were:
Mark Ford – Founding Musical Director Jonathan Schranz – Conductor (appointed 23[rd] June 2017) Eleanor Dale – Events and Administration Manager (appointed 24[th] September 2017)
Conclusion
While the year for the choir was of necessity quiet, the Board was not inactive, and at March 2021 was ready to re-emerge with renewed focus.
Acknowledgements
The choir is grateful to Mark Ford, the Founding Musical Director, for his vision and constant support for the choir, to Jonathan Schranz, Conductor, and to choir members and friends for their dedication and hard work.
Particular thanks to Eleanor Dale for her work as Events and Administration Manager, and to all committee members for their hard work and dedication.
Approved by the Trustees on 20[th] January 2022
Signed on behalf of the trustees by Mary Clayton-Kastenholz, Committee Chair
INDEPENDENT ELIMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF ThE PURCELL SINGER I rep)rt on the altsc1d accounts of the Purcell Singers for the year ended 31".MaTch. 2021. Res tive re n1)llItieS of TTUStees aThl Exami The ChaTity's TnteeS are respOnsi]e for the preration of the accounts. The ChaTity's TTheeS onsider that an audit is not required for this year under section 43(2) of the Ckwities Act 1993 (the 1993 Act) and that an inden¢ examination is needed It is my resnsIbl11ty to. examine the awounts under section 43 of the 1993 ACL to follow the predu[eS laid down in the General Directions giv¢n by the ChaTity Commission under section 43{7Xb) of thc l993 Act: and to stste whether rcular mattct5 hav¢ ¢om¢ to my atttiOn. Basis of Ind ent Examiner's My exarnination w&$ carried out in [dance with the Genernl Directions given by the Charity Commission. An emminalion includes a Thi¢w of the accounting Tecords kept by the Charity and a comparison of the )Unts presented with those records. It also includes considerdtion of any unusual items OT disclosures in the accounts. and seeking explanations from you as TThtees concerning any such matters. The pro¢edures undertsken do not provide all the evidence that woutd be required in an audit. and consequendy no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a and fair VIC and thc rcp)rt is limited to those lltte[S set out in the statem( b¢low. de in¢r'5 Statcment tn connection with my examinalioo no rnatt¢r ¢om¢ to my attention: (i) which YeS me reasonable ouse to IKli¢v¢ that in any nterial respect the r4uirements: to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the 1993 Act" and to prepar¢ accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requir¢Enents of the 1993 Act have not been meL or (li) to whicK in my optnioiL attention should be drawn in order to enable a pro understanding of the accounts to bc reachc ILILFORD. BROOK HOUSE. MAIN SfREET. BECKLEY. Nr.RYE. EAST SUSSEK TN316RL DATE: eJaDuaryi 2022.
THE PURCELL SINGERS Balanee Sheet at 311312021 Assets Cash Cutrent Account Deposit Accounts 9. 13.366.86 13.375.86 Accrual of income: interesi (March 2021) 0.03 Llabllitks (none) 13.375.89 Funds blf11412020 9.723.03 Surplus from general a¢count 3.652.86 Funds clf 311312021 l3,375.89 Trustee TrSurer Date: January 2022
Purcell ers- Income & Ex nditure Account 2020121 FY General Accnt 202(Y21 Memn ilLrn-. 20191211 Ineome Donaiions Gift Aid Income from royalties Invesirneni income Musical events CD sales 4.320.(MJ 747.99 489.IX) 5.70 1,140_IK) I,(Mkn_22 12,202.55 5562.69 16,.S.l.i.18 Expenditure Adtninistration Musical events Subscripiion & Insurance Marketing IiDcI. website) styagy work Sundri¢s Bank fees {654.)) {532.491 (243.(K)} (207.27) (111.39) (91.68) 70. (4.(A)y.tx)I {18.IIU.E*21 12_11.(X)I 11.159..5?1 {89.691 (I,W).83) (24,411.411 (D¢fLClt) I Surplus 3,652.86 (7,t4Y6.2_1)