Trustees Annual Report for the period 1 Jan 2023 to 31 Dec 2023
A) Reference & Administration details
Charity Name: The West Gallery Music Association
Other names the charity is known by: WGMA, West Gallery Music Association Registered Charity No. 1171664
Charity's principal address: 4 Grove Road, Shawford, Winchester, SO21 2DD Trustees
| Trustee name | Office if any | Dates acted if not whole year |
Name of person or body entitled to appoint trustee, if any |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bailey, Mike | Chairman | Trustees, AGM | |
| Flockton, Heather | Newsletter Editor | Trustees, AGM | |
| Guppy, Paul | From 10 Sep2023 | Trustees, AGM | |
| John, Pete | Secretary | Trustees, AGM | |
| Patten, Jacqueline | Data Control Officer | Trustees, AGM | |
| Percival, Richard | Treasurer | Trustees, AGM | |
| Seymour, Jean | Membershipsecretary | Until 5thAugust 2023 | Trustees, AGM |
| Wilson-Smith, Mike | Information Technologist | Trustees, AGM |
B) Structure, Governance & Management
Type of governing document: Constitution (PDF available on www.wgma.org.uk )
How the charity is constituted: Charitable Incorporated Organisation with voting members other than the trustees.
Trustee selection methods (Constitution Section 13): Trustees are appointed by the members or the
trustees. One third stand down each year in rotation.
The Constitution was amended in November 2019, changing the quorum at general meetings from 10% to 5% of the membership.
C) Objectives & Activities
Summary of objectives (extract from Constitution)
The advancement of education and the promotion of the arts in particular by:
-
promoting, sustaining, and increasing individual and collective knowledge and understanding of, the sacred and secular music and song of Britain and its colonies, with particular reference to what has become known as West Gallery music ...
-
advancing the education of the public in the sacred and secular music and song of West Gallery and allied traditions and their social and historical context in Britain and its
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WGMA 1 June 2024
Trustees Annual Report for the period 1 Jan 2023 to 31 Dec 2023
colonies; and
- supporting and encouraging a revival of interest in West Gallery music both nationally and internationally.
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit
The trustees having had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit, members of the WGMA continued to support rehearsals of regional choirs, group singing events, live concerts and workshops.
Activity was generally at a similar level to 2022.
Some online Zoom events continued fortnightly rather than weekly, with attendances around 20, including members and friends, to the end of the year.
Seven new performances were recorded, and added to those already published on the WGMA web site. These recordings are freely available to the public and are indexed for searching.
Events were publicised in the quarterly newsletter, on the WGMA web site, and by email. Reports of events were often included in the newsletter.
A few research reports and other editorial articles were included in the newsletter.
Publications including music CDs, music anthologies and text books are available through the web site. A third edition of “West Gallery Psalms & Hymns” (the Red Book) was completed and published. Reprints of the Green Book and Good Singing Still were ordered for stock.
Legacy Policies in effect, formally adopted 12 Jan 2018
Policy 140723 Grants to assist funding of workshops ( PDF on www.wgma.org.uk )
Policy 120801 Grants to assist attendance at WGMA events ( PDF on www.wgma.org.uk )
140616 Terms of Reference Research subcommittee
120613 WGMA Job Specification – Music Director ( PDF on www.wgma.org.uk )
D) Significant events, Achievements & Performances
The trustees congratulate the many members who contrived to spread the knowledge and enjoyment of West Gallery music.
Live events
About 50 members and friends went to Sidmouth for the Folk Festival from 4[th] to 11[th] August. We presented our music to the public in a preview concert, and each day in workshops and on the Esplanade.
The Annual General Meeting was held in the Methodist Church, Sidmouth, in the afternoon of 5[th] August, following the preview concert, in which many members had participated.
The WGMA and the Music Department of the University of Southampton jointly presented a workshop and concert in the Turner Sims Concert Hall of the University on 22[nd] October. It was attended by at least 30 instrumentalists and about 50 singers, from both the University music
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Trustees Annual Report for the period 1 Jan 2023 to 31 Dec 2023
department and local choral and instrumental ensembles. Music came from books and manuscripts in the Rollo G Woods Archive, now in the University Library, and from manuscripts in the possession of Professor David Owen Norris, who led the music jointly with Mike Bailey.
Zoom
Zooms continued fortnightly, with smaller numbers, but clearly meeting a need. Some new people joined. Many who stopped did so only because they were active again with their own choirs.
“With Cheerful Voice”
This is the name Phil Price has given to the continuing programme of live events and online projects which began as “Virtual Hymns” during 2021. During the year two live singing events and 5 online projects included a significant amount of West Gallery music together with later hymns. This “hybrid” approach will continue. All activities are open to the public.
Quire activity during 2023
Returns were received from all local quires, with six exceptions ( Thomas Clark Quire, London Gallery Quire, Greenwood, Village Quire, Washaway, and With Cheerful Voice ), generally reporting a gradual return to in-person rehearsals as anxieties concerning public health eased. An initial decline in active participation improved through the period, although not all groups had recovered in strength sufficiently to be able to undertake public performance as frequently as before the pandemic. Other than as a means of maintaining contact with members who might otherwise not be able to participate in activities the practice of meeting remotely [by Zoom] tailed off during the year, although periodic meetings of trustees continued to be held by this method.
The easing of restrictions enabled the Association to hold a General Meeting during the Sidmouth Folk Festival in August, a weekend singing event at Retford in October, and a one-day training course for conductors in Nailsea in February.
Summary from returns received:-
| Choir | Live meets |
Performances | Outreach participative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amber Valley | 2 | 1 | |
| Beaminster | Winding up, expected to be re-formed in 2024 as Broadwindsor Gallery Quire. |
||
| Bedford GQ | 1 | 4 | |
| Bristol Harmony | 6 | 2 [SWQD, with Crediton, + summer church tour] |
|
| CTBS | 2 | 1 [summer church tour] | |
| Chiltern | 6 | 1 | |
| Christminster Singers | none | none | |
| Gladly Solemn Sound | 6 | 1, plus outdoor singing in aid of local charities |
|
| Grace Darling | none | none | |
| Greenwood | 4 | none | |
| Immanuel’s Ground | 6 | 5 [inc. MSQD & Sing Birmingham] |
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Trustees Annual Report for the period 1 Jan 2023 to 31 Dec 2023
| Choir | Live meets |
Performances | Outreach participative |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Moore Quire | 6 | 1, plus outdoor singing in aid of local charities |
|
| Larks of Dean Q | 2 | none | |
| LGQ | |||
| The Madding Crowd (TMC) |
9 | 4 [inc. TQD & Halsway weekend] | |
| Marsh Warblers | none | 1 [TQD, with SH & TMC] | |
| Norfolk | Disbanded | ||
| Purbeck VQ | 4 | 3 [inc. summer church tour] | |
| Shropshire Harmony | none | 1 | |
| Sussex Harmony (SH) | 4 | 1 [Lewes Sacred Harp Day] | |
| Thomas Clark | |||
| Tranter’s Party | x | none | With local U3A group |
| Tuesday Occ. | 2 | none | |
| Village Q | |||
| Vital Spark | 10 | none | |
| Washaway | |||
| WGQ Crediton | 5 | 2 [inc. SWQD, with Br.H.] | |
| With Cheerful Voice |
Nearly all groups met for live rehearsals.
The Madding Crowd (TMC) outreach included workshops for the Folk Association of South Hampshire (FASH) and for Southampton University (which was a WGMA event).
South-West Quires Day (SWQD) is a regional event organised by local groups, and well attended.
Marsh Warblers is being wound up, but the leaders continue to organise a regional event, Three Quires Day (TQD), normally twice a year.
Mid-shires Quires Day (MSQD) is a regional event organised by local groups, and often oversubscribed.
Support
Over the 30+ years since the WGMA was formed, sound recordings have been made, and continued to be made, at workshop events and concerts by many people. Over 5800 tracks are available, of hundreds of distinct pieces. Tracks were shared between quires to help their recorded repertoires.
We thank the many people who applied skills to bring our music to the online audience.
The web site calendar was maintained throughout the year with notices of forthcoming events. We are grateful to Mike Wilson-Smith for his voluntary efforts as Webmaster, and for his further technical work.
The newsletter was published at the equinoxes and solstices, thanks to editor Heather Flockton and all the contributors.
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Trustees Annual Report for the period 1 Jan 2023 to 31 Dec 2023
E) Financial Review
The WGMA ran the Autumn event, again at Retford in October, funding the hire of premises and basic refreshments. Participants paid for music books which they kept, and for meals provided at Retford.
The WGMA funded printing of music for the workshop at Southampton University.
No funds are in deficit.
Principal income was from members' subscriptions, and from a small volume of sales of music anthologies, books and recordings.
We thank Richard Percival for his work as Treasurer and Zuzanna Forster-Fake for services as Financial Scrutineer.
F) Other optional information
A project for a new membership database was initiated, to consolidate the separate lists created for membership and subscriptions, directory of members, and newsletter and email communications. Membership increased from 378 to 380 (as of 15 Jan 2024).
G) Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees' report above.
Secretary Chair of Trustees
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The West Gallery Music Association Income Statement Year ended 31 December 2023
| Income Subscriptions Autumn weekend Retford Income Expense (Deficit)/surplus Southampton Income Expenses (Deficit) Net event income (deficit)/suplus Merchandise Sales Cost of sales Net merchandise surplus Interest on Deposit Accounts Total income/(net costs) Expenditure Web Site Newsletter and directory Paypal fees Public Liability Insurance Lanyards Photocopying Postage Meeting room Leaders courses Research meetings WGMA publicity & membership leaflet Total expenditure Surplus for the year |
Year ended 31 December £ £ 3,173.00 1,087.50 1,444.32 (356.82) 0.00 120.06 (120.06) (476.88) 614.94 400.46 214.48 311.46 3,222.06 31.87 642.84 13.73 80.00 0.00 0.00 446.34 - 288.60 - 0.00 1,503.38 1,718.68 2023 |
£ £ 3,542.00 2,795.00 2,776.25 18.75 0.00 0.00 0.00 18.75 1,366.24 614.98 751.26 4.52 4,316.53 - 725.25 9.84 80.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 260.00 - - 0.00 1,075.09 3,241.44 Year ended 31 December 2022 |
£ £ 3,542.00 2,795.00 2,776.25 18.75 0.00 0.00 0.00 18.75 1,366.24 614.98 751.26 4.52 4,316.53 - 725.25 9.84 80.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 260.00 - - 0.00 1,075.09 3,241.44 Year ended 31 December 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| (356.82) 0.00 120.06 |
18.75 0.00 0.00 |
||
| (120.06) 614.94 400.46 |
0.00 1,366.24 614.98 |
||
| 31.87 642.84 13.73 80.00 0.00 0.00 446.34 - 288.60 - 0.00 |
- 725.25 9.84 80.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 260.00 - - 0.00 |
||
| 4,316.53 1,075.09 |
|||
| 3,241.44 |
The West Gallery Music Association Balance Sheet 31 December 2023
| 31 December 2023 £ Inventory of books - Deposits for future events - Other debtors - Cash balances Current Account 10,636.28 Treasury Deposit 0.00 Business Saver A 30,421.10 Less income for future events 0.00 Total assets 41,057.38 Represented by: Accumulated fund brought forward 39,338.70 Surplus/(deficit) for the period 1,718.68 Accumulated fund carried forward 41,057.38 |
31 December 2022 £ - - - 9,229.06 0.00 30,109.64 0.00 |
|---|---|
| 39,338.70 | |
| 36,097.26 3,241.44 |
|
| 39,338.70 |
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of The West Gallery Music Association
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The West Gallery Music Association (the Trust) for the year ended 31 December 2023.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
-
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
-
the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: Zuzanna Forster-Fake
Address: 60, Hilltop, Bolsover, Derbyshire
Date: 18 May 2024