HAMPSTEAD . CHORUS" HAMPSTEAD CHORUS Report and Accounts Year ended 31 August 2025 Charlty number 1174146
Hampstead Chorus Report and Accounts- year ended 31 August 2025 Reference and admlnlstratlv• Infomiatlon Trustees The following Trustees have served throughout the year eXpt as noted: Roger Pilgrim- Chair Max Elliman-TrÈasurer Mary Stokes- Secretary (retired and wlected on 28 February 2024) Andrea Morris (Resigned 12 February 2025) Judy Booth Address c/0 Music Department, Unlversity College Senior School Fro8n31 Hampstead London NW3 6XH Charlty Number 1174146 Bankers Barclays Bank Hampstead High Street London NW3 IQ8 Website www.hampsteadchorus,org.uk Email lnfo@hampsteadchorus.org.uk
Hampstead Chorus Report and Accounts-year ended 31 August 2025 Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 August 2025 The Trustee5 present their annual report and accounts of Hampstead Chorus {the "Chorus") for the year ended 31 August 2025. Strurturei governan£e and management The Hampstead Chorus, a community choir that is open to all singers irrespective of ability, was fornied to celebrate the centenary of University College School in 2008 and remains closely affiliated to the school. It is constituted as an unincorporated association and on 4 August 2017 registered as a charity with the Charities Commission in England & Wales. The Chorus is managed and administered by a committee of the following officers, who are members of the Chorus and the trustees of the charity: Chair Roger Pilgrim Treasurer Max Elliman Secretary Mary Stokes Committee Members Andrea Morris {Resigned 12 February 2025) Judy Booth Our tonstitution requires a minimum of three trustees, with no maximum number. One third of the Trustees must retlre by rotation at each annual general meeting. Max Elliman retired at the annual general meeting held on 12 February 2025 and was reelected as a trustee at that meeting. Judy Booth wlll retire at the annual general meeting to be held to consider these accounts and being eligible, offers herself for re-elettion. New Trustees will be appointed by the existtng Trustees as needed to complement the skills available to the Chorus. New appolntee5 are provided with information on their responsibilities as Trustees and are briefed on the areas of artlvity of the Choru5. Trustee meetings are held to discuss strategy, pollcy and the administration of the Chorus, Day-to-day administration, such as bookkeeping, finance and general administration is handled by the Trustees. All the Trustees give their time and are not paid. None of the Trustees has claimed any expenses nor are there any related party transactlons requirin8 disclosure. Artistic direction is provided by our inspiring Musical Director, Simon Walton, ably asslsted by accompanist and rehearsal coach, Edward Kemp-Luck. The Chorus is also Indebted to the dedicated volunteers who have helped run the choir, without whom it could not function, and to the support of University College School. Objectives and artivities for the publlc beneflt The objetts of the Chorus are to advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of music in all its aspects by any means the Trustees see fit, includin8 through the presentation of public concerts and recitals. The Chorus pursues it5 objectives by the holding of concerts and, In the process, provldin8 Chorus members with instruction in the perfonnance of choral music. The Trustees are aware of the guldance issued by the Charities Commission on public benefit. The Trustees have regard to this guidance in deciding what activities should be undertaken and consider that the activities of the Chorus have demonstrably been carried out for the public benefit.
Hampstead Chorus Report and Accounts-year ended 31 August 2025 Achievements and Perfom)ance The Chorus has rehearsed and perfomed a diverse range of chora5 music during the year 202415, with the usual full-scale concerts being held at the end of the Autumn 3nd Sprin8 Terms in the Great Hall at University College School,. and a smaller concen put on at the end of the Summer Term in the Music Lecture Theatre at the School. In the Autumn Term the choir 5an8 Gabriel Fauré's masterpiece Requlem as well as his ever-popular Cantique de Jean Racine, followed on by Cecilia MacDowall's Ave Maria Stella and Vaughn Williams, Fantasia on Christmas Carols. Simon Walton conducted the Centenary Orchestra and Edward Kemp-Luck on organ. In the Spring Term the choir perfomied Johannes Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem. This 15 a demanding work in which the chorus has an important role of communicating with the audience. We had 80 subscribers and 63 singers, the m05t that we have had since Covid. In the Summer Term the cholr set sail with nautically themed pieces by English composers, including Elgarfs song cycle of the sea'sea Picture, and sea related songs by Herbert Sumsion andjohn Ireland. Ourmusical Director, Simon Walton, also performed four solo songs by Rebecca Clarke, Samuel Coleridge Taylor, Benjamin Brltten and Aaron Cope13nd, accompanied on the piano by Edward Kemp-Luck. The concert was followed by a buffet supper on a sunny summerfs day. Overall, it was another musically successful year for the Chorus, due to the inspiration and hard work of Simon Walton, assisted by Ed Kemp-Luck. The number of singers has been steadily Incre3sin& and we have been attracting new members. We expect this to continue in 2026. The financial results on a cash basis are set out below on pages 7-10 in the form of a Statement of Flnancial Activities, prepared based on receipts and payments account, and a Statement of Assets and Liabllitie5. It shows a surplus of £10,020forthe year (2024: deficit £9SI}. It is the intention of the Trustees that, to operate on a sustainable basis, the Chorus should, so far a5 possible, generate a small surplus of receipts over payments. Overall, the accounts show that VenUeS in 2025 have increased by £10,971 from the previous year {not accounting ftjr the Away Day in 2024). This was due to a si8nificant increase In the number of subscribers in 2024/25 over the previous year plus the combined efforts of the Chorus to sell additional tickets for the concert performances. Concert and administrative expenses have increased by £742 from the previous year, though thls fi8ure is exaggerated by a partial early payment of venue rental for the Autumn term 2023, leadin8 to the excluslon of those costs in 2024 accounts las the accounts are prepared on a cash basisl. While concert costs are largely determined by choice of repertoire the Commlttee strives to cover the direct costs of performance through tlcket sale5. At the final Committee meetlnR of 2025 it was decided to sllghtly Increase the price of subscription to cover higher anticipated costs for both rehearsals and concert5. The reported surplus of £10,021 for 2024125 resulted in reserves of the Chorus increasing to £32,577 {2024.. £22,557). In view of the Chorus, healthy reserves, the Trustees, in consultstion wtth the Chorus, have considered to lower concert ticket pr15 for concerts performed in 2026. Reserves pollcy In running the Chorus as an unincorporated association, the Trustees have decided that, to ensure it remains as a going concern and $0 there can be confidence when planning future events, sufficient reserve5 should be on hand to at least cover the gross direct costs of concerts (costs of musicians, soloists, venue etc.) for one year. The Trustees periodically review the adequacy of reserves in the Ilght of our plans and other relevant Issues. Thou8h singer numbers have steadily recovered since the years affected by Covid, concert
Hampstead Chorus Report and Accounts- year ended 31 August 2025 costs have also increased. For the year 2025, the gross annual direct cost of our concert programme was £9,525. Our reserves are therefore well above the level to cover the gross direct C05t of concerts for one year, though we consider a higher level of reserves is justified given the financial uncertainties that the Chorusfaced in recentyears. The Trustees are, nonetheless, cognisant of the need to keep thi5 under regular review. Rlsk management The Trustees have considered the major risks to which the Chorus is exposed and satisfied themselves that Systems or procedures are established to manage those risks. The Trustees regard the major risks faced by the Chorus as being ftnancial and these are mitigated by careful financial planning and maintalning adequate levels of reserves and Insurance. Future Plans A challenging and popular repertoire of music has been selected for the 2025/2026 year, with concerts planned at the end of each term. Independent Examinatlon For the year ended 31 Au8USt 2025, the Chorus is required by the Charitieg Commisslon to have an independent examination as the annual income of the Chorus exceeded £25,000. Laurence Bard has carried out the examination, and his report Is on page 6. Trustees, responslbllitles in relation to the flnancial statements The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the accounts in accordance with applicable law. Approved by the Trustees on 2nd February 2026 and signed on their behalf by: Roger Pilgrim - Chalr
CHARITY COMMISSION . FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examlnerfs report on the accounts .Se¢tion A -. Independeiit Exaniiner's RepoFt. Report to th• trut• HthIS7Efti) On accounts for the ymr end•d Charfty no (If any> I report to the trustees on my examination oltho aGGounts ofthe above charlty rthe Tru8f) for the year ended R68pon8lbllldo• and basls of rnport A8 the charftys trusts, you are resporAlble for the preparatlon of the account8 In ac£ordance with ts requirwnents of the Charities 2011 I rer kn respera of my examinatson of the Tnrfs accounts carrfed ¢xrt urKler section 145 of ts 2011 Act and in caryiry out my axamination, I have followed all the applicatrAe DirethTh given by the Charity Commls8lon under 8•Lon 145(5)(b) of the ACL Ind•p•nd•nt •xamln•rf8 8tatsmont I have uxnpkntsd my examlrth. I corfflryn that rn materlal matters have come to my atterytkn kn c4)nnertlon tho examlnatson (other than that df8clo8ed tsa I whlch give8 mo cause to belkn that in. any materlal of tho Chariles A(& or the accounts did not aCd with the aceAmtiny rtord8' or th• accounts dld not comply wlth th8 applicable requlrnments concmlng the fonn and content of accourts set fxrt In tho Chariti68 (Accounts and Rp> Regulations 2008 other than any requlrement that the accounts give a true and fairf view which 18 not a matter as part of an independent exwninatlon. I hav8 no rnncem8 and have come au088 no other matter8 In connectlon with the eXanatIon to which attention 8hould be drawn in th18 report in order to enable a undor8tanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Hease det0 the worf8 in the brnckats Kthey not appty. Slgn•d: Nam•: Relovant prof•8•lonal quallficallon(8) or body ER Oct 2018
Hampstead Chorus Report and Accounts-year ended 31 August 2025 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (based on receipts and payments) Year ended 31 August Rehearsals and general actlvlties Rehoarsal receipts Subscriptlons and other reIpts Rehearsal payments Conductor and accompanist fees Catering Costs Venue rental Other rehearsal and general payments 2025 2024 17,683 10,637 9,265 16S 1392 1,303 12,125 5,558 8970 92 835 1,047 10,944 {307) Net cash movements from rehearsals Recelpts of donatlons and Glft Ald Individual donations Gift Aid receipts 876 3,731 4,607 1,965 2,218 4,183 Concerts Concert recelpts Ticket sales Programme advertisin8 & corporate sponsorship Other concert receipts 9,380 5,543 Concert payments Soloists, fees Conductor fees Orchestra fees and related payments Catering costs Venue rental Other concert payments 9,380 5,543 950 900 5,332 507 1,368 468 9,525 (145) 1,600 900 5,051 467 720 429 9,167 (3.624) Net ¢ash movements from concerts Total cash movements from regular artivities Receipts for the Away Day (2024) Net Payments for the Away Day {2024) Receipts before 31 August 2024 relating to Autumn temi 2024 10,020 252 450 (1,403) 200 Transferred to reserves 10,020 {951)
Hampstead Chorus Report and Accounts-yearended 31 August 2025 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AcfiviTIES {ba5ed on receipts and payments) 2025 Unrestrlcted Income fund 2024 Unrestrlcted Income fund Fund brought forward on I September Rehearsal ceIptS Rehearsal and 8eneral payments Recelpts of donations and Gift Aid Concert receipts Concert Payments Net Payments for Away Day (20241 Fund carried forward on 31 Au8USt 22,557 17,683 (12,125) 4,607 9,380 {9,525> 23,708 10,637 110,9441 4,183 5,543 {9,167} 11,403) 22,557 3277
Hampstead Chorus Report and Accounts- year ended 31 August 2025 STATEMENT OF ASSET5 AND UABIUTIES Note 31 August 31 August 2024 2025 Current assets Cash at bank and in hand 32,577 22,757 Total current a$5ets 32577 22,757 Net current assets 32.577 22.757 Total assets les5 Current liabllltles 32.577 22,557 Net assets 32,577 22,557 The funds ofthe Chorus.. Unrestricted funds 32,577 22,557 Total funds 32,577 22.557 The Trustees acknowledge their sponsIblE1t[eS for complying with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 with respect to accountlng records and the preparation of accounts. These accounts have been prepared In accordance with the special provisions relating to smaller charities In the Charities Act 2011. The notes on page 10 form part of these accounts. Approved by the Trustees on 2nd February 2026 and signed on their behalf by: Roger Pil8rim - Chair
Hampstead Chorus Report and Accounts- year ended 31 August 2025 Accounting pollcies Basis of preparation The Trustees have elected to prepare a receipts and payments account and a statement of assets and liabilities pursuant to section 133 of the Charlties Att 2011 This means the accounts of the Chorus have been prepared on a cash basis (not the accruals basis). The financial staternents have been prepared under the historical cost convention. b) Fund structure and attivlties The Chorus has only one fund, an unrestricted income fund. The Trustees may, at their discretion, allocate any part of the fvnd to the purposes of the Chorus. Fixed asset investments The Chorus very occasionally makes expenditure on items which may have some enduring value {e.g. concert staging}. Such items are expensed in the year in which they are incurred. Relatsd Party transartlons and Trustees. remuneratlon The Trustees received no emoluments and reclaimed no expenses during the period. No related party transactions requiring disclosure occurred during the period. 10