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WARE CHORAL SOCIETY CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION

(A Registered Charity No 1169375)

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED

15 JULY 2023

WARE CHORAL SOCIETY CIO

(A Registered Charity No: 1169375)

6 Scotts Road, Ware SG12 9JG

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 15 JULY 2023

The Trustees present their report for the year ended 15 July 2023.

PRESIDENT: Lesley Garrett CBE

VICE PRESIDENTS:

Mr Julian Williamson Mr Graham Warby

TRUSTEES

Those who served during the year are as follows:

Mr David Horner Chair Mrs Diana Perkins Clerk to the Trustees Mrs Lesley Godfrey (from 24May 2023) Treasurer Mr Keith Wilson Dr Colin Brookbanks Mrs Pauline Preston Mrs Anne Shearman Mrs Eleanor Jardine (from 24 May 2023) Mrs Elizabeth Sweetman (from 24 May 2023)

GENERAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Those who served during the year are as follows:

Mr Colin Brookbanks Chair Mr Eddie Hunt Concert Management Mrs Mary Pick Secretariat Mrs Gill Woolgar Membership Secretary Mrs Anthea Bickmore Librarian Mrs Sue Quelch Communications Mrs Mary Pick Booking Secretary Mrs Jo Sundman Website Mrs Sheila Knowles and Mrs Mary Pick Assistant Librarians Mrs Jenny Brown and Mrs Jenny Scott Social Secretaries Mrs Theresa Casbard Finance Administrator

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

Mr David Pattman

BANKERS

CAF Bank Limited, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ.

GOVERNING DOCUMENT

The Charity is regulated by the Charity Commission and was registered on 27 September 2016. It is governed under the Constitution adopted on 14 September 2016.

MANAGEMENT OF THE CHARITY

The charity is managed by a Board of Trustees and organised in accordance with its Constitution. The Board delegates their powers to the General Management Committee to undertake the day to day management. At each meeting of Trustees the Treasurer reports on the current financial position. The Trustees usually meet at least three times a year. The Management Committee meet when required.

CHARITABLE OBJECTS

There are two charitable objects:

1 The study and practice of choral music in order to foster public knowledge and appreciation of such music by means of public performance and such other ways as the Society through its charity trustees shall from time to time decide.
2 To further such purposes as are exclusively charitable in accordance with the laws of England and Wales as the trustees may from time to time decide by making grants to charities registered with the Charity Commission from funds raised at public performances of choral music.

PUBLIC BENEFIT STATEMENT

The trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission. In pursuing the objects of the Society the Trustees believe that the Choir conforms to the requirements of the Charity Commission to provide public benefit through its public concerts, weekly rehearsals of members and other endeavours as set out below.

SAFEGUARDING

The charity has a written policy in place for the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. Our designated safeguarding person is Mrs Carol Taylor and we are very grateful to her for performing this important role.

MUSIC DIRECTOR

Sadly our Music Director, Harry Sever, resigned during the course of the year. His career had developed exponentially during the time he was with us and he needed more time to devote to major projects and international commitments. We are grateful to Harry for the contribution that he made to the Society. The Trustees undertook an extensive campaign to recruit a new Music Director and a number of well qualified candidates were asked to audition with the choir. I’m delighted to report that in June Rosie Howarth, an exceptionally talented and experienced conductor and singer, was appointed as our new Music Director.

PERFORMANCES

Our Christmas concert this year was Handel’s Messiah, performed with professional soloists and accompanied by the internationally renowned baroque ensemble, the Brook Street Band. This was followed in March by a highly successful performance of Brahms German Requiem Finally our summer concert was a performance of Donizetti’s comic opera, L’Elisir d’Amore with some wonderful soloists.

All concerts were well attended.

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

The accounts of the Society for the year in question are presented separately. It will be seen that the Society remains in a strong financial position.

GRATITUDE

As ever we must express our gratitude to our accompanist, Barbara Manning, another wonderful musician who has given us the benefit of her talent over many years.

Finally the Trustees extend their grateful thanks to the members of the Management Committee, without whose hard work nothing could be achieved.

Signed on behalf of the Trustees

October 2023

David Horner

Chair of Trustees

WARE CHORAL SOCIETY CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION

(A Registered Charity No 1169375)

ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED

15 JULY 2023

WARE CHORAL SOCIETY CIO

(A Registered Charity No: 1169375) RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 15 JULY 2023

Receipts £ Subscriptions 17,945 Gift Aid 3,289 Donations 886 Interest 91 Social activities 657 Concerts 10,690 _ Payments Professional fees 7,245 Hire of halls 1,998 Fees/insurance 811 Bank charges 98 Promotions 457 Sundry expenses 534 Social activities 226 Concerts 27,376 _ Deficit for the year STATEMENT OF MONETARY ASSETS AS AT 15 JULY 2023 Note Cash at bank 3 Represented by: Accumulated Fund 16 July 2022 Deficit for the year Approved by the Trustees on 4thOctober 2023 Mrs Lesley Godfrey – Trustee and Hon Treasurer	£ 33,558 38,745 _ £ (5,187) _ £38,395 43,582 (5,187) £38,395	£ 33,558 38,745 _ £ (5,187)

The notes on page 2 form part of these financial statements.

[2]

WARE CHORAL SOCIETY CIO (A Registered Charity No: 1169375) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 15 JULY 2023

1. Accounting Policies

a) The Accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis.
b) It is the policy of the Society to retain at least £20,000 in reserve

2. Collections for Charity after Concerts

£ 1,040.54 for Isabel Hospice

3. Assets

In addition to cash at bank and in hand which are unrestricted funds, the following assets were transferred from Ware Choral Society.

Cost: 2002/2003 Back cloth curtains 2003/2004 Chair trolley 2006/2007 Additional back cloth curtain 2011/2012 Conductor’s podium Donated by the family of Mr Robert Vivian: 2001/2002 Petrov upright piano Donated: 2016/2017 Electronic keyboard	£ 2,876 88 430 890
	£4,284
	£4,159
	£600

4. Trustees’ Remuneration

No trustee received any remuneration or reimbursed expenses for their work as trustees during the year under review (2022: £Nil).

[3]

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF WARE CHORAL SOCIETY CIO

I report on the accounts of the Organisation for the year ended 15 July 2023.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The Charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under Section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

examine the accounts under Section 145 of the Charities Act;
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the Charities Act; and
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also included consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below:

Independent examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements:
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or
(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

D R Pattman 1 Tower House Hoddesdon EN11 8UR

[4]

WARE CHORAL SOCIETY CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION

(A Registered Charity No 1169375)

ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED

15 JULY 2023

WARE CHORAL SOCIETY CIO

(A Registered Charity No: 1169375) RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 15 JULY 2023

Receipts £ Subscriptions 17,945 Gift Aid 3,289 Donations 886 Interest 91 Social activities 657 Concerts 10,690 _ Payments Professional fees 7,245 Hire of halls 1,998 Fees/insurance 811 Bank charges 98 Promotions 457 Sundry expenses 534 Social activities 226 Concerts 27,376 _ Deficit for the year STATEMENT OF MONETARY ASSETS AS AT 15 JULY 2023 Note Cash at bank 3 Represented by: Accumulated Fund 16 July 2022 Deficit for the year Approved by the Trustees on 4thOctober 2023 Mrs Lesley Godfrey – Trustee and Hon Treasurer	£ 33,558 38,745 _ £ (5,187) _ £38,395 43,582 (5,187) £38,395	£ 33,558 38,745 _ £ (5,187)

The notes on page 2 form part of these financial statements.

[2]

WARE CHORAL SOCIETY CIO (A Registered Charity No: 1169375) NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 15 JULY 2023

1. Accounting Policies

a) The Accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis.
b) It is the policy of the Society to retain at least £20,000 in reserve

2. Collections for Charity after Concerts

£ 1,040.54 for Isabel Hospice

3. Assets

In addition to cash at bank and in hand which are unrestricted funds, the following assets were transferred from Ware Choral Society.

Cost: 2002/2003 Back cloth curtains 2003/2004 Chair trolley 2006/2007 Additional back cloth curtain 2011/2012 Conductor’s podium Donated by the family of Mr Robert Vivian: 2001/2002 Petrov upright piano Donated: 2016/2017 Electronic keyboard	£ 2,876 88 430 890
	£4,284
	£4,159
	£600

4. Trustees’ Remuneration

No trustee received any remuneration or reimbursed expenses for their work as trustees during the year under review (2022: £Nil).

[3]

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF WARE CHORAL SOCIETY CIO

I report on the accounts of the Organisation for the year ended 15 July 2023.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

It is my responsibility to:

examine the accounts under Section 145 of the Charities Act;
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the Charities Act; and
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner’s report

Independent examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements:
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or
(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

D R Pattman 1 Tower House Hoddesdon EN11 8UR

[4]

2023-07-15-accounts