Trustees' Annual Report for the period
Period start date Period end date 01 July 2024 30 June 2025 From To
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name Oxford Orpheus Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1169023 Charity's principal address 1 Bedford Street Oxford Oxfordshire Postcode OX4 1SU
Registered charity number (if any) 1169023
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leonora Pitt | Chair | ||
| David Feeny | Treasurer | ||
| Ingrid Lunt | Minutes Secretary | ||
| Andrew Button | Administrator | ||
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year ~~———<—~~
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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Constitution
Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) Appointed by the charity (Oxford Orpheus) Trustee selection methods
- (eg. appointed by, elected by)
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:
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policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
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the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
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relationship with any related parties;
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trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
Section C Objectives and activities
The objects of the CIO are:
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
1. The promotion of the art of choral music for the public benefit through its study and practice and by public performance.
2. Such charitable purposes for the public benefit as are exclusively charitable according to the laws of England and
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Wales as the Trustees may from time to time determine.
The trustees having had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit, the main activities undertaken were:
1. Holding a whole day rehearsal workshop in November 2024 on Verdi’s Messa da Requiem. This was led by an eminent and inspirational conductor (Robert Dean, Professor of Voice at The Guildhall School of Music and former Principal Conductor of the Scottish National Opera). The workshop was attended by 136 singers and was considered a great success by all concerned.
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)
2. Holding a further whole day rehearsal workshop in February 2025 with Robert Dean, followed by a public performance of Verdi’s Messa da Requiem in Oxford Town Hall, featuring (in addition to the Oxford Orpheus choir) young professional soloists who are at the early stage of their careers. The concert involved 154 choral singers and a full orchestra. A grant was made to the Oxford Bach Choir Outreach programme, supporting choral music in local schools. There was a retiring collection in aid of the organization The Choir with No Name, to whom Oxford Orpheus also made a grant.
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
Charitable Donations Policy
- Trustees must agree, at their first meeting after the annual concert, the amount to be released to the Trust’s chosen charity taking into account the appropriate level of reserves.
You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:
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policy on grantmaking;
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policy programme related investment;
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contribution made by volunteers.
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The charitable donation amount agreed will always include the concert day collection; as well as any donations received by the Trust which are clearly intended to be passed to the chosen charity.
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To the extent that it can be achieved within the agreed financial reserves, revenue from the sale of concert tickets (except for those sold at a discount to members) should also be included within the charitable donation.
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Revenue from membership fees will normally be required to meet the Trust’s operating costs.
Both days activities were facilitated by a group of volunteers performing many ‘back of house’ supporting activities, including provision of refreshments, audience ticket sales for the concert and promoting the
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work of both the Oxford Bach Choir Outreach project and the Choir with No Name.
Section D Achievements and performance
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Section D Achievements and performance
Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year
The charity’s two main achievements were as follows:
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The staging of a highly successful workshop on Verdi’s Messa da Requiem and a subsequent workshop and concert performance to a sizeable audience of approximately 300 people, bringing musical education to approximately 195 performers over the two workshops.
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Having covered all our costs incurred in staging the workshops and the concert performance, we were also able to make charitable donations in the sum of £1,500 to the Oxford International Song Festival Schools Project and £3,800 to the Choir with No Name.
Section E Financial review
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Reserves policy
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Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves 1. The purpose of the reserves policy is to ensure the financial sustainability of Oxford Orpheus Trust.
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Assessing the appropriate level of reserves requires review of: forecasts for future levels of income, taking into account the reliability of each source of income;
forecasts for future levels of expenditure on the basis of planned activity, including any needed investment projects;
analysis of any identifiable risks and their potential impacts and consequences.
- The treasurer is responsible for providing supporting calculations to help trustees to agree the relevant level of reserves, which – at a minimum – should be set at 5% of annual operating expenditure plus any planned investment project costs.
Details of any funds materially in deficit
N/A
Further financial review details (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:
The main sources of funding are membership fees (including Gift Aid where appropriate) and ticket sales for the concert performance.
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the charity’s principal The main areas of expenditure are musician costs (Musical Director, sources of funds (including Accompanist and Soloists) and venue hire. These are both
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any fundraising); necessary to achieve the key objectives of: the promotion of the art
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how expenditure has of choral music through its study and practice and by public supported the key objectives performance and; supporting charitable purposes for the public of the charity; benefit.
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investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
Section F Other optional information
Section G Declaration
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) Leonora Pitt Andy Button ~~ee~~ Position (eg Secretary, Chair Administrator Chair, etc) ~~ee~~ Date 13 December 2025 ~~P|~~
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OXFORD ORPHEUS TRUST Charitable InCoorated Organisation - Registered Charity Number 1169023 ACCOUNTS I JULY 2024- 30 JUNE 2025 Income and Expenditure Account 2025 2024 Income Membership fees & concert income Donations Received Gift Aid on fees & donations 13,547.42 1,462.29 2,097.50 12,618.29 1,442.97 2.140.68 17,107.21 16,201.94 Expendlture Musicians Venue hire Marketing and administration Charitable Donations 3,909.24 4,584.60 2,316.89 5,300.00 4,275.04 5,442.47 2,675.92 2,200.00 16,110.73 14,593.43 Surplus/(Deflclt) for the year 996.48 1.608.51 Balance Sheet Current Assets Cash at Bank Debtors Pre-payments for 2026 Creditors 30-6-2025 2,868.13 30-6-2024 2,666.65 0.00 1,676.00 2,471.(K) Net Current Assets 5,339.13 4,342.65 Total A55et5 (increase of 996.48) 5,339.13 4,342.65 Approved Leo Pitt {Chair) David Feeny (Treasurer) I have examined the Income and Expenditure Account and the Balance Sheet, and am satisfied that they are in accordance with books, bank statements, and other information supplied to me. Adrian William5 MA FIA FIC CMC