Walsall Symphony Orchestra (Charitable Incorporated Organisation Reg. No. 1173311)
- AGM 5[th] December 2022 - Trustee’s report
Our last AGM was delayed until 21[st] March 2022. The delay related to restarting rehearsals after covid.
We have decided to return to holding the AGM in December, partly because it follows more closely the financial year end.
Trustees
Current trustees are: Ian Sumner, Caroline Moore, Ros Jacom and Rosemary Cripps. These trustees can be re-elected this year in accordance with the rules specified in the CIO governing document.
Trustees are also committee members so that committee meetings automatically are trustee meetings.
People
Thanks are due to all the committee for their hard work in concert organisation and the overall running of the orchestra.
Clive Allsopp continues to support us as conductor (for more than 20 years)
We thank Andrew Birkbeck for continuing to provide an annual review of the accounts.
Committee meetings
Zoom committee meetings were held on 4[th] May 2022 and 29[th] September 2022.
Change of rehearsal venue
In the summer of 2021, we were informed that Forest Arts Centre was no longer available as a rehearsal venue
(in particular: because it would be closed on Mondays).
The committee looked at two new rehearsal venues. Both of these were viable alternatives.
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Bluecoat academy in Walsall had a room available at a cost of £37.50.
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The Wolverhampton University Performance Hub in Walsall had a rehearsal room at £50.
We chose the Performance Hub and used it for the 2021/2022 season’s rehearsals. The Hub’s management were very helpful and enthusiastic.
We were able to store timpani and music in a very adequate storage cupboard in the rehearsal room.
We had access cards to the building.
Regular rehearsals restarted on 27[th] September 2021 (after a 20 month covid shutdown).
On 19[th] August 2022 we received an email from Saiqa Andleeb saying that the Performance Hub would no longer be available to us. (The reasons for this related to reorganisation, staffing cutbacks and reduction in opening hours.)
This was very short notice for our rehearsal season which was due to begin in early September.
The Bluecoat academy had in the summer of 2021 already been assessed as a suitable rehearsal venue.
It was still available to us and we decided to move there. Rehearsals began on 12[th] September.
Rehearsal start time was changed from 19.45 to 19.30 because we have to vacate the room by 21.30.
It has so far proved to be a very good rehearsal venue with very positive comments from the members.
We would like to express our thanks to our treasurer, Caroline Moore who negotiated the move to Bluecoats and managed the moving of timps and music from the Performance Hub to Bluecoats. Other committee members were unable to help because of holidays. In particular, the chair, Ian Sumner was in Australia until 23[rd] September.
Membership
Membership numbers are as follows:
2019 -2020 35 paid up members
2020 – 2021 No paid up members (Because of covid)
2021 - 2022 For the year of this report (1[st] Sept 2021 to 31[st] Aug 2022 we had 29 paid up members.
The projection for 2022- 2023 is 30 paid up members.
Concerts
1 2[th] March 2022 at Streetly Church – this was the first concert in 27 months. (Discussed in last year’s report.)
18[th] June 2022 at St Martin’s Church , Daffodil Rd, Walsall
The repertoire was:
Smetana: Vlatava, Broadway Tonight, Mozart: Marriage of Figaro Overture, Titanic, Gershwin by George, Pirates of the Caribbean, Johann Strauss: Die Fledermaus. The church was an excellent venue with good facilities and enthusiastic support for the orchestra.
We had a good audience (approx. 80 people)
(We were well looked after and even served tea and coffee at the rehearsal break!) We hope to return there in the near future.
Future concerts
26[th] November 2022 at All Saints Church, West Bromwich
11[th] March 2023 at All Saints Church Streetly
17[th] June at St James Church, Brownhills
Ian Sumner
Walsall Symphony Orchestra Chair 10[th] November 2022
Account Summary 1st September 2021- 318t August 2022 Moneymarket Account 50752568 Balance 31.08.21 5646.79 / Interest 0.57/ Balance 31.08.22 5647.36/ (expected interest of £51 .39 Feb. 23 to go in 22123 accounts) Deposit Account 61471627 Balance 31.08.21 Interest Balanc8 31.08.22 1417.42/ 0.51/Statement nos. 369-380 incl. 1417.93/ Current Account 61471619 Balance 31.08.21 Income Expanditure Balance 31.08.22 1758.43/ 3526,25/ 3656.33/ 1628.35fitatement nos. 359-372 incl. Total funds at 31.08.22 8693.64 5647.36/ 1417.93/ 1628.35/ Expenditure breakdown 2021122