## **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
- 3
# **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**
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]