Stanmore Choral Society Annual Report 2022-23
Stanmore Choral Society
Registered CIO No. 1174548
Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements Year ending 31[st] July 2023
Trustees and administration
The Society is managed by a committee whose members constitute the Trustees of the charity.
The Trustees for 2022-23:
Frances Goldingay (Chair), re-appointed 14[th] October 2019 Cathie Nevin, appointed 2[nd] November 2020
Dagmar Steffelbauer, appointed 19[th] January 2022
Robert Stonehouse, re-appointed 19[th] January 2022
Judy Walker, appointed 26[th] September 2022
Bridie Williams, re-appointed 2[nd] November 2020
Musical Director
Alexander Turner
Management
The Stanmore Choral Society is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation governed by a constitution (Association Model having Members in addition to Trustees) and registered by the Charities Commission on 7[th] September 2017
The trustees are appointed by the membership, normally at the AGM, to serve for a fixed term of office as specified in the constitution.
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Stanmore Choral Society Annual Report 2022-23
Objectives
The objectives of the Stanmore Choral Society are the study and practice of choral music in order to foster the public knowledge and appreciation of such music by means of public performance.
- Performances of Choral Music during 2022 3
Saturday 1[st] October 2022
‘Come and Sing’
Franck Panus Angelicus Fauré Requiem
Sunday 11th Dec 2022 ‘A Winter’s Night’
McDowall A Winter’s Night,
Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols Carols with audience participation
Saturday 1[st] April 2023
‘Handel in Stanmore’
Handel Coronation Anthems
Handel O praise the Lord with one consent
Saturday 1[st] July 2023 ‘Songs from home’
Rutter A Sprig of Thyme Turner A Folk Song Sequence Paulus The Road Home
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Stanmore Choral Society Annual Report 2022-23
Activities and achievements for the year
The 2022-3 season was a chance for the choir to return to a settled period, after the Covid epidemic and the change of musical director. Alex’s leadership provided a fresh start, with some interesting programming and a look at what different venues could contribute.
The first performance of the year was an informal concert after a day of music workshops at the Come and Sing event. This was well supported by the choir. Two soloists, the soprano Eleanor Sperling and baritone George Cooke took solo roles in Fauré’s Requiem, and contributed solos of their own.
The Christmas Concert featured the baritone soloist Samuel Morton-Morris in a programme which included McDowall’s A Winter’s Night and Fantasia on Christmas Carols by Vaughan Williams. There was also a good selection of Christmas carols and the chance for the audience to join in.
The spring concert, Handel in Stanmore, drew a large audience of Handel enthusiasts to St Lawrence’s Church in Little Stanmore, where Handel wrote the Chandos anthems. His period as composer in residence at the nearby stately home, Cannons, meant a real sense of connection to the composer. James Mooney-Dutton played the restored Handel organ, supported by the Brydges Trio on strings. Tenor Charlie Hodgkiss and Bass Samuel Morton-Morris provided solos, and Kirsty O’Neill was much admired for her soprano solo. The church is a historic gem in its own right, which provided a beautiful setting for a very successful concert.
Next was a return to St Mary the Virgin Kenton, where the choir always has a warm welcome. The programme of traditional songs from around the British Isles, ably supported by soprano soloist Lydia May Ward included some well-known songs, and a few newcomers. Summer refreshments contributed to a party atmosphere for an enjoyable summer concert.
The choir appreciated the musical skills of accompanist James Mooney-Dutton, and enjoyed Alex’s musical leadership in his first full year as Musical Director.
Weekly rehearsals continue to be held in the Church Hall at St William of York, and the hospitality, initially of Rev Canon Michael Munnelly followed by Fr Jonathon Goodall, was appreciated.
The choir was pleased to welcome some new members during the year, and hopes to continue this trend. A few fund raising events were held, supported by those who seemed very willing both to bake cakes and to eat them. The hard work of many members and former members on concert days is always appreciated, and the committee thanks them all.
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Stanmore Choral Society Annual Report 2022-23
Financial Review
2022-23 was the first year post-Covid during which all concerts and fund-raising activities resumed. With the membership standing at around 35 members, the income from subscriptions has covered the cost of rehearsals. This was achieved partly through the willingness of our Music Director and Assistant Music Director to cover both roles when required without receiving any extra remuneration. In recognition of the increased workload in such a situation, the committee has agreed an extra fee to be payable from next year if one of them covers both roles at rehearsals.
Two performances were held in the Autumn term. The Come and Sing in October was wellattended in terms of participants – most of the choir with a few extras - though the audience was small. We gained one new member but made a deficit of over £440. It was therefore decided to look at alternative methods for recruiting new members in the future. The Christmas concert was popular and with a ticket price of only £10 still made a surplus of over £100. The Spring term concert ‘Handel in Stanmore’ - the financial as well as the musical success of the year - was sold out enabling us to make a surplus of over £1100. The Summer term concert also made a surplus of over £100. Overall, the concerts made a surplus for the first time since 2016.
Gift Aid was claimed on eligible donations made within the financial year 2022-23, with the aim of giving an accurate reflection of the choir’s income for the year. For some of the previous years, Gift Aid was claimed retrospectively making it more difficult to assess the impact of Gift Aid on the choir’s income in a particular year. Unfortunately this year, there was a Gift Aid overpayment of £1302 so an accurate picture at year end was still not achieved.
In addition to the usual rehearsal raffle and refreshments fund-raisers, our fund-raising activities this year included cake and plant sales. The committee intends to investigate expanding further the range of fund-raising events next year.
Starting from a low of £3122, the end of year balance was £6575. Even with the Gift Aid overpayment of £1302 disregarded, the balance has still increased by over £2000. This is the largest surplus for at least 6 years. This was achieved by the concerts making an overall surplus compared to deficits of between £1600 and £2400 in the years from 2016 to 2022 (excluding 2020-21 when no concerts were held).
So thanks must go to the members for their generous donations, ticket-selling and fund-raising efforts and to our Music Director for the year’s interesting programming, which contributed to the popularity of the concerts. Thanks also go to Alex and James for their support in many ways throughout the year.
It was agreed to raise subscriptions and our musicians’ fees by 6% for next year, which is just under the rate of inflation - 6.7% as at August 2023.
Declaration
Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by Frances Goldingay, Chair.
Signature: Date: 2 November 2023
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Stanmore Choral Society Annual Report 2022-23
| Statement of Financial Activity | Statement of Financial Activity | 1st August 2022 to 31st July 2023 | 1st August 2022 to 31st July 2023 | 1st August 2022 to 31st July 2023 | 1st August 2022 to 31st July 2023 | 1st August 2022 to 31st July 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts | Note | 2022-23 | 2021-22 | |||||
| restricted | unrestricted | total | restricted | unrestricted | total | |||
| Subs | - £ |
6,045 £ |
6,045 £ |
- £ |
6,229 £ |
6,229 £ |
||
| Donations | - £ |
548 £ |
548 £ |
- £ |
- £ |
- £ |
||
| Friends | - £ |
110 £ |
110 £ |
- £ |
- £ |
- £ |
||
| Gift Aid | 1 2 |
- £ |
2,657 £ |
2,657 £ |
- £ |
1,983 £ |
1,983 £ |
|
| Fund raising | - £ |
332 £ |
332 £ |
- £ |
74 £ |
74 £ |
||
| Concert ticket sales | - £ |
6,224 £ |
6,224 £ |
- £ |
3,610 £ |
3,610 £ |
||
| Concert other | 3 | - £ |
487 £ |
487 £ |
- £ |
- £ |
- £ |
|
| Music sales | - £ |
- £ |
- £ |
- £ |
150 £ |
150 £ |
||
| Uniform sales | - £ |
65 £ |
65 £ |
- £ |
- £ |
- £ |
||
| Bank interest | - £ |
11 £ |
11 £ |
- £ |
- £ |
- £ |
||
| HMRC | - £ |
- £ |
- £ |
- £ |
200 £ |
200 £ |
||
| Total Receipts | - £ |
16,479 £ |
16,479 £ |
- £ |
12,246 £ |
12,246 £ |
||
| Payments | Note | 2022-23 | 2021-22 | |||||
| restricted | unrestricted | total | restricted | unrestricted | total | |||
| rehearsal venue | - £ |
990 £ |
990 £ |
- £ |
1,338 £ |
1,338 £ |
||
| rehearsal music director | - £ |
3,325 £ |
3,325 £ |
- £ |
3,500 £ |
3,500 £ |
||
| rehearsal accompanist | - £ |
1,774 £ |
1,774 £ |
- £ |
1,996 £ |
1,996 £ |
||
| concert venue | - £ |
600 £ |
600 £ |
- £ |
550 £ |
550 £ |
||
| concert conductor | - £ |
1,488 £ |
1,488 £ |
- £ |
1,083 £ |
1,083 £ |
||
| concert accompanist | - £ |
1,212 £ |
1,212 £ |
- £ |
588 £ |
588 £ |
||
| concert musicalprofessionals | - £ |
2,010 £ |
2,010 £ |
430 £ |
2,210 £ |
2,640 £ |
||
| concert other | 4 | - £ |
491 £ |
491 £ |
- £ |
445 £ |
445 £ |
|
| website charges & development | - £ |
287 £ |
287 £ |
- £ |
305 £ |
305 £ |
||
| Insurance and PerformingRights | - £ |
210 £ |
210 £ |
- £ |
183 £ |
183 £ |
||
| bank charges | - £ |
61 £ |
61 £ |
- £ |
98 £ |
98 £ |
||
| professional fees | 5 6 |
- £ |
260 £ |
260 £ |
75 £ |
75 £ |
||
| miscellaneous | - £ |
27 £ |
27 £ |
- £ |
55 £ |
55 £ |
||
| music hire/purchase | - £ |
291 £ |
291 £ |
450 £ |
450 £ |
|||
| HMRC | - £ |
- £ |
- £ |
- £ |
200 £ |
200 £ |
||
| Total Payments | - £ |
13,026 £ |
13,026 £ |
430 £ |
13,075 £ |
13,505 £ |
||
| Net receipts/ (payments) | £0 | £3,453 | £3,453 | -£430 | -£829 | -£1,259 | ||
| Total Funds brought forward | £80 | £3,042 | £3,122 | £510 | £3,871 | £4,381 | ||
| Balance at end ofyear | £80 | £6,495 | £6,575 | £80 | £3,042 | £3,122 | ||
| Notes for 2022-23 | ||||||||
| 1. Includes overpayment of £1302 | ||||||||
| 2. Raffles,refreshments,cake andplant sales at rehearsals | ||||||||
| 3. Programme sales,refreshment donations,Xmas raffle | ||||||||
| 4. Advertising, programmeprinting,refreshment expenses, piano tuner,musicians' music hire,musicians'gifts | ||||||||
| 5. Independent examiner and accountant's fees | ||||||||
| 6. Xmas social refreshment expenses, padlock for storage unit. |
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Stanmore Choral Society Annual Report 2022-23
| BALANCE SHEET As at: 31 July 2023 31 July 2022 ASSETS Current Assets Cash at bank and in hand £6,575 £3,122 Net Current Assets £6,575 £3,122 RESERVES Represented by: Unrestricted fund £6,495 £3,042 Restricted fund £80 £ 80 Total reserves £6,575 £3,122 |
BALANCE SHEET As at: 31 July 2023 31 July 2022 ASSETS Current Assets Cash at bank and in hand £6,575 £3,122 Net Current Assets £6,575 £3,122 RESERVES Represented by: Unrestricted fund £6,495 £3,042 Restricted fund £80 £ 80 Total reserves £6,575 £3,122 |
BALANCE SHEET As at: 31 July 2023 31 July 2022 ASSETS Current Assets Cash at bank and in hand £6,575 £3,122 Net Current Assets £6,575 £3,122 RESERVES Represented by: Unrestricted fund £6,495 £3,042 Restricted fund £80 £ 80 Total reserves £6,575 £3,122 |
|---|---|---|
| 31 July 2023 £6,575 |
31 July 2022 £3,122 |
|
| £6,575 | £3,122 | |
| £6,495 £80 |
£3,042 £ 80 |
|
| £6,575 | £3,122 |
Notes to the accounts
1. Accounting Practice These accounts have been prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis in accordance with the Charity Commission’s guidance for small charities.
2. Policy on Reserves The Society’s policy on reserves is to maintain a balance which is sufficient to preserve the financial viability of the Society in the event that one of its concerts is a failure due to unforeseen circumstances. This is currently set at £3000.
3. Restricted Fund In 2019, the choir received donations for the purpose of hiring an organ to accompany the Spring Concert. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown the Spring 2020 concert was cancelled and the donated fund was carried forward. Part was used for a similar purpose at a subsequent concert. The donors have consented that the remainder can be (i) used for a similar purpose at a future concert or (ii) transferred to the General Fund.
| 4. Concert financial analysis Income |
Come & Sing | Christmas | Spring | Summer | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket sales | 705 | 1,200 | 3,042 | 1,277 | £6,224 |
| Programme sales | - | 62 | 92 | 50 | £203 |
| Refreshment donations | - | 27 | 83 | 66 | £175 |
| Other | - | 128* | - | - | £128 |
| Total Income | £705 | £1,416 | £3,217 | £1,392 | £6,730 |
| Expenditure | |||||
| Conductor | 372 | 372 | 372 | 372 | £1,488 |
| Accompanist | 303 | 303 | 303 | 303 | £1,212 |
| Venue | 150 | 150 | 150 | 150 | £600 |
| Soloists & Musicians | 300 | 200 | 1,090 | 220 | £1,810 |
| Bumper | - | 100 | - | 100 | £200 |
| Programmeprinting | - | 16 | 29 | 19 | £64 |
| Advertising | 27 | 51 | 33 | 33 | £144 |
| Refreshment expenses | - | 20 | 7 | 65 | £92 |
| Other | - | 103^ | 90** | 18^^ | £211 |
| Total Expenses | £1,152 | £1,315 | £2,074 | £1,280 | £5,820 |
| GRAND TOTAL | -£447 | £102 | £1,142 | £113 | £910 |
- Christmas concert raffle ^Piano Tuner, soloists' gifts **Musicians’ music hire, soloists' gifts ^^Soloists gifts
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Stanmore Choral Society Annual Report 2022-23
5. Financial Management The Society’s financial governance policies and procedures require that:
(i) all committee members sign the HM Revenue & Customs “Fit for Purpose Declaration Form”;
(ii) no person can be one of the two signatories on a cheque for which they are the payee;
(iii) online payments require authorisation by two people;
(iv) the committee see the up-to-date bank statement at each committee meeting;
- (v) the Chair and the Secretary have online access to the Bank account at all times.
Independent Auditors’ Report to the Members of Stanmore Choral Society (Registered CIO No. 1174548)
Opinion
In my opinion, the Stanmore Choral Society financial statements:
-
give a true and fair view of the state of the charity’s affairs as at 31 July 2023; and
-
have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.
I have audited the financial statements included within the Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements, which comprise: the balance sheet as at 31 July 2023; the statement of financial activity; and the notes to the financial statements.
Basis for Opinion
I conducted the audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (“ISAs (UK)”) and applicable law. I believe that the audit evidence I have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for my opinion.
Independence
I remained independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to my audit of the financial statements in the UK, which includes the FRC’s Ethical Standard, as applicable to other entities of public interest, and I have fulfilled my other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements.
I have not provided no non-audit services to the charity in the period under audit.
Activities and Achievements for the year and Financial Review
In my opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit, the information given in the Activities and Achievements for the year and Financial Review for the year ended 31 July 2023, is consistent with the financial statements and has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, I did not identify any material misstatements in the Activities and Achievements for the year and Financial Review.
Responsibilities of the Trustees for the financial statements
The Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the applicable framework and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view. The Trustees are also responsible for such internal control as they deem necessary, to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
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Stanmore Choral Society Annual Report 2022-23
Auditor responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
My objective is to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditors’ report that includes my opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but, is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists.
Use of this Report
This report, including the opinions, has been prepared for and only for the charities trustees as a body in accordance with Part 8 Chapter 1 of the Charites Act 2011 and for no other purpose. I do not, in giving these opinions, accept or assume responsibility for any other purpose or to any other person to whom this report is shown or into whose hands it may come save, where expressly agreed by my prior consent in writing.
Paul Marriner (FCCA) 11 Franklyn Road Walton-on-Thames Surrey, KT12 2LF Date: 25 October 2023
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