2025-07-31-accounts - The Stanmore Choral Society

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Stanmore Choral Society Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25

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Stanmore Choral Society

Registered CIO No. 1174548

Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements Year ending 31[st] July 2025

Trustees and administration

The Society is managed by a committee whose members constitute the Trustees of the charity.

The Trustees for 2024-25:

Frances Goldingay (Chair), second re-appointment 20[th] November 2023 Dagmar Steffelbauer, appointed 19[th] January 2022

Robert Stonehouse, second re-appointment 2[nd] December 2024 Judy Walker, appointed 26[th] September 2022

Bridie Williams, second re-appointment 2[nd] December 2024

Lucy Wei, appointed 20[th] November 2023

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.

Stanmore Choral Society Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25

Objectives

The objectives of the Stanmore Choral Society are the study and practice of choral music in order to foster public knowledge and appreciation of such music by means of public performance.

- Performances of Choral Music during 2024 25

Saturday 26[th] October 2024

‘Feel the Spirit’

Bernstein (arr. Thomas) Medley from West Side Story Gershwin (arr. Huff) A Gershwin Portrait Arr. Britten O, Waly, waly McLachlan Angel Burleigh Spiritual arrangements Arr. Price Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen Arr. Rutter Feel the spirit

Saturday 14[th] December 2024

Christmas Concert

Holst Four Old English Carols

Carols with audience participation

Saturday 5[th] April 2025

‘Handel in Stanmore’

Handel O, come let us sing unto the Lord Pepusch O, praise the Lord Handel Foundling Hospital Anthem

Saturday 28[th] June 2025

‘A Land without Music?’

Elgar From the Bavarian Highlands Lehmann Music, when soft voices die Smyth A Spring Canticle & Sleepless Dreams Clarke Infant Joy & Cradle Song

Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs

Stanmore Choral Society Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25

Activities and achievements

In an enjoyable 2024-25 season, the choir has explored a variety of musical genres and included in its repertoire some rarely heard composers. Our Musical Director’s imaginative planning has followed a variety of themes, exploring music history and linking with Stanmore’s musical past.

The first concert of the season, Feel the Spirit, included some favourite melodies from West Side Story and an arrangement of Gershwin’s lively songs. There was a very moving set of spirituals, with solos beautifully taken by Rachael Best-Babayeju. We enjoyed a warm welcome from Father Richard at St Mary the Virgin, Kenton, our usual concert venue.

The Christmas Concert remains very popular with our loyal supporters. The choir performed Old English Carols by Holst in honour of his 150[th] anniversary. We were pleased to be joined by some young singers from Kids Choir Harrow, who along with junior members of the audience, gave us a lovely rendering of Jingle Bells . Everyone got a chance to sing some favourites, and with mulled wine and mince pies at the interval, we felt that our Christmas celebrations had started in style.

The spring concert had a special feel to it as we returned to St Lawrence Whitchurch, where Handel was once composer in residence, and where he composed the Chandos anthems. In addition, we sang O, Praise the Lord by Pepusch, another musician who held the same role for James Brydges, the first Duke of Chandos. The church was a beautiful setting for these pieces, accompanied by the Brydges Players, James Edgeler, the tenor soloist, and James Mooney Dutton playing Handel’s organ. With the Hallelujah Chorus to finish, we felt that we were bringing history to life.

The summer concert featured a variety of music influenced by the rich German heritage of the nineteenth century. Elgar and Vaughan Williams both took up the mantle of showing that English music accepted German influences but interpreted them in different ways. Elgar’s travels in Bavaria inspired his set of songs, including the rhythmic sound of The Marksmen. With Five Mystical Songs , Vaughan Williams set to music the poetry of the metaphysical poet George Herbert finishing with a triumphant anthem in praise of God. The soloist was the baritone Harrison Robb, whose voice was much appreciated.

Stanmore Choral Society’s members appreciate the work and energy which Alexander puts in to leading us through such a rich variety of music. We enjoy getting to know musicians from our local history and finding out about composers we’ve not met before. We look forward to our next season of musical exploration under his baton. Weekly rehearsals continue to be held in the Church Hall at St William of York, where we continue to appreciate the hospitality of Father Jonathan Goodall.

Stanmore Choral Society Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25

Financial Review

In 2024-25, there were 32 members compared to 30 the previous year, though as some only joined for part of the year total subscriptions were equivalent to approximately 29 full members. This income almost covered the cost of rehearsals, which includes the fees for the rehearsal venue, the Musical Director, the Assistant Musical Director and music hire.

For each of the two Autumn term concerts, St Mary’s fee for using the church was again at the higher rate of £220 to cover increased energy costs. The first concert, ‘Feel the Spirit’, unfortunately did not attract a large audience and so incurred a deficit of over £200. The Christmas concert was popular as always – many ticket sales being made on the night – and, even with a ticket price of only £10, still made a surplus.

The Spring concert, ‘Handel in Stanmore’, was well attended. The soloists and string quartet contributed greatly to the concert’s musical success but also to the cost, which resulted in the concert incurring a deficit of over £400. The Summer term concert, ‘A Land without Music?’, made a small deficit as two ‘bumpers’ were required. It is worth noting that all the concerts incurred a cost to cover ‘bumpers’ due to the low numbers in one or more sections.

Overall, the concerts incurred a deficit of £600

Income from fund-raising activities was lower than the previous year as only one major fund-raising event was held in 2024-25, compared to two in 2023-24. In addition to the usual fund-raisers - raffle and refreshments at rehearsals, cake sales and Harrow Wins – making nearly £400, the quiz night made over £300.

Tax was reclaimed through Gift Aid on eligible donations made within the financial year 2024-25, which provided another valuable source of income.

Despite the revenue challenges, the Society generated a surplus of £509 by managing costs well. The 13% decrease in costs compared to last year was driven largely by a reduction in rehearsal costs, with the Society benefitting financially from Alexander and James generously continuing to cover both rehearsal roles when required for a small extra fee. Also, our Musical Director was able to reduce the total number of rehearsals.

Thanks go to the members for their generous donations, ticket-selling and fund-raising efforts and to our Musical Director for keeping costs low whilst providing a year of interesting concert programmes.

It was agreed to raise subscriptions and our musicians’ rehearsal fees by an average of 3.4% for next year, which was the average CPI for March to August 2025.

Declaration

Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by Frances Goldingay, Chair.

Signature: TEPHepa

Date: 5 November 2025

Stanmore Choral Society Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25

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 agreed that the remainder be (i) used for a similar purpose at a future concert or (ii) transferred to the General Fund, which was done in 2024-25.

4, Concert financial analysis Autumn Christmas Spring Summer Total

Ticket sales 1,039 1,090 2,002 1,242 £5,373 ~~es~~
Programme sales 32 0 58 39 £129 ~~LG~~
Refreshment donations 53 66 40 91 £250 Other 23# 122 - - £145 Total Income £1,147 £1,278 £2,100 £1,373 £5,898* ~~LG~~ ~~LD~~ ~~QO~~ ~~es~~ ~~es~~ ~~GO~~
Conductor 394 394 394 394 £1,576 Accompanist 320 320 320 320 £1,280 Venue 220 220 150 150 £740 Soloists & Musicians 320 120 1,310 535 £2,285 Programmeprinting 23 0 40 24 £87 Advertising 29 34 34 35 £132 ~~enGG~~ ~~PpO—(CisY~~ ~~PpO—(CisY~~ ~~PpO—(CisY~~ ~~PpO—(CisY~~ ~~POC~~
Refreshment expenses 15 16 0 0 £31 ~~LG~~
Other 45^ 45^^ 278 - £368** ~~DQ~~
Total Expenses £1,366 £1,149 £2,525 £1,458 £6,498 TOTAL -£218 £128 -£425 -£85 -£600 ~~es~~ ~~es~~ ~~GO~~ ~~a~~ ~~es~~ ~~es~~ ~~Gs~~ ~~GO~~
# Donation, * Christmas raffle, ^Piano Tuner, ^^Piano tuner, **Musicians' music hire

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.

Stanmore Choral Society Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25