## **Annual report 2025 to the Charity Commission from St. John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus**
## **Report of the trustees for the year ending 31[st] August 2025**
The Trustees of St John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus present the annual report and accounts for the year ending 31[st] Aug 2025, which have been independently scrutinised, and the report is attached.
## **Charity’s Structure**
The choir adopted Making Music’s Model Constitution for use by unincorporated associations in 2015. Originally established in 1997 and run by the local vicar and his musical family, it was free to join, and no charges were made for the performances. In 2008, the vicar retired and moved away. The members were keen to carry on but realised they had to pay a professional to conduct. Subscriptions were introduced for choir membership, with three levels: standard, reduced (50%) rate and concessions (25%), but no one should be excluded on financial grounds, and these bands remain in place.
Supported by Making Music, we became a registered charity in 2017. Gift Aid has allowed us to flourish and keep our concerts free to all.
We are run by a committee of nine choir members with a chair, a secretary and a treasurer. Each member has a designated role in the management of the choir. We meet twice a term and have an AGM in October/November.
**Our purpose** is 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, including through the presentation of public concerts and recitals.
## **Our Activities**
To achieve our purpose as widely as possible, all our concerts are free. We request a donation for those who can afford it as they leave the concert.
Our choir is open to all without audition. Our membership fees are matched by similar choirs in our area, but no one is excluded on financial grounds.
We perform at least two concerts a year, one in the autumn and one in the spring, with a full orchestra, professional soloists and a professional conductor. In the summer, we hold workshops for the choir to improve their technique, which are similarly open to all and conducted by professional musicians.
We run social activities, such as Ceilidhs, Burns Nights and Quizzes, that raise funds for the choir to advance its purposes.
We have also established a link with two choirs in Hackney's twin town of Suresnes, near Paris and over the years, since 2005, we have performed joint concerts with them. As well as the social and cultural benefits of this link, we have also been able in recent years to meet up roughly every two years and perform larger works now that we are twinned with a bigger choir in Suresnes. which runs on similar lines to our own'.
We have moved our rehearsal venue from St John of Jerusalem Church, which was cold and ill-lit, to Hampden Chapel nearby, which is warm and well-lit. The move has been welcomed by all. Our conductor is pleased he can now easily see and hear everyone. Our concerts continue to be staged at St John of Jerusalem church.
We generate income by selling advertising space in our programmes, and raise money by selling programmes, refreshments, snacks, at our concerts and through exit collections.
## **Annual report 2025 to the Charity Commission from St. John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus**
Our choir has a rolling but steady membership of about 65 to 70. We were keen to attract a younger and more diverse membership. A questionnaire to members in September 2024 showed very positive results. However, newer members mentioned difficulties in finding us when they moved into the area: web searches had not revealed us. As a result of the questionnaire, we took a vote on a new working name for the choir at our AGM[1] , which overwhelmingly voted to change our ‘working name’ to _Hackney Festival Chorus,_ hoping that ‘Hackney’ as the initial word in our title would score more hits when people searched on the web. This produced an immediate effect, with a younger, more ethnically diverse group joining, who engaged in the choir and quickly became committee members.
## **Financial Performance**
We made a profit of £3,000 this year, due mostly to our social activities. Our working capital was above £7,000.
## **Financial Position**
We aim to enter the autumn and winter terms with reserves to cover the cost of rehearsals and the concert for that term of at least £7,000.
This year, we carried forward £10,811, more than we have done since the lockdown years, when our expenses were low as we were unable to perform publicly, while members still paid subs.
Extract from The AGM October 2024 with relevant text highlighted.
It explains the decisions to change our rehearsal venue and to change our name.
Report on questionnaire to choir- Rosemary Sales 5.1 Main findings were positive
- We love singing
- We sing to a high standard
- We have a great musical team
- We enjoy the social aspect of the choir.
- 5.2 We have taken on the issue of finding an alternative for rehearsals. 5.3 **Discussion about new name. -Suggestions provided in report**
- 5.4 **St. John of Jerusalem implies we are part of the church.**
- 5.5 Because hackney is at end of our name it doesn’t come up in searches.
- 5.6 Discussion points raised
- Keep Hackney in the title
- Festival is part of our name, keeps it simple on website
- Choral Society might sound off putting
- New member thought we were called Hackney Festival Chorus
- Would we lose connection with the church?
- 5.7 Vote took place on new name. **Hackney Festival Chorus** had the overwhelming majority of votes.
> 1 See attached, the minutes of our AGM; paras 5.1 to 5.7 are included at the bottom of the main text above.
Treasurer's report for 2025 AGM
,liaint J()hn nfJeru,qalcm
Annual accounts
Statement of Financial
Activity [SoFA]
estiv81 Chorui
Year to 31 Aug
Year to 31 Aug
2025
2024
Comments on variation in between years of more thanlO%
Incoming resources
Subs
Collections
Programme Sales
Bartakings
Adverts in programmes
Fund raising
l. Worksho
2. Ceilidh/Burns Night/Quiz
3. Donations
3.Table Top Sale
4. Carol Singing
GiftAid + GASDS
Purc
ases
rom FC
Scores
Refunds
French meal in Apri12025
Total incoming resources
Resourcesexpended
Rehearsals
Performers at concerts
Workshops
Church Venue costs
Hire of loos & chairs
Music hire
Print Fl ers/Posters/Pro
Fundraisin
ex
enses
Website
Wine forthe bar
an tunin
Sundries
Insurance
Donations
Caro
singing
SCF
Total resources expended
Net chan
ein
unds
Gross transfers between funds
Totsl funds brought forward
Totsl funds carried forward
10,606
2,024
448
1,887
1,450
10,136
2,572
258
1,237
1,350
Exit ca r
onations wor
Bettersa
es system
Louisa's internet boosterworking well in the interval
ing
ess we
int
e crus
to get out
409
3,782
826
383
484
2,476
95
535
2,115
629
More income
rom Burns Nig
tt
More c
oir mem
er
onations
ancei"
411
2,467
Nearly all by card payments now, encourages donations
So
wine stoc
s&SJJta
etopsa
26
75
1,580
26,448
No French meal last year
21,811
5,090
8,805
460
1,790
1,163
606
296
2,558
123
333
4,500
8,315
683
3,530
1,128
476
490
934
53
558
245
181
323
411
21,827
-16
Cost of 2 extra rehea rsa Is
Fewer wor
opst
is year
Two years paid in 2023
24
Increased costs
Fewer copies printed
I ncrease, matc
y increase
I ncrease
costs
Previous year's cellar carried over
income
253
718
483
22,678
3, 770
I ncrease
ue to turnovergoing up an
reac
ing £21,000
7,042
7,057
10,811
7,042
Signed
Signed
LizTaylor
Chair
Paul Julian
Treasurer
Dated 16/11/2025
Date 16/11/2025
(HARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLANO AND WALES
Independent examiner's report on the
accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner's Report
Report to the trustees
St John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus
On accounts for the year
ended
3118125
Charity no
(if any)
1175007
Set out on pages
3to4
l port to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 31108 12025.
Responsibilities and
basis of report
As the charity's trustees, 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 I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have
examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me
cause to believe that in, any material respect..
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130
of the Charities Act; or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or
the accounts did 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:
Date:
1411126
Name:
David Gareth Richards
Relevant professional
qualificationls) or body
Ilf any):
None
Address:
19 Constance Street, London E16 2DQ
IER
Oct 2018
## **Section B Disclosure**
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
**Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** .
2
**Oct 2018**
**IER**
|**St John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus**|**St John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus**|**St John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus**|**St John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus**|**St John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus**|**St John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus**|**St John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus**|||**1175007**|**1175007**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Section A Receipts and payments**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Endowment**
**funds**
**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**to the nearest £**
**to the nearest £**
**to the nearest £**
**A1 Receipts**
**Receipts and payments accounts**
**01/09/2024**
**31/08/2025**
**To**
**For the period**
**from**
**e**e
e
ee|||||||||||||**Last year**
**to the nearest £**
**CC16a**|||
|**Subscriptions**
**10,606**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**10,606**|**10,606**||**10,136**|**10,136**||
|**Collections**
**2,024**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**2,024**|**2,024**||**2,572**|**2,572**||
|**Programme sales**
**448**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**448**|**448**||**258**|**258**||
|**Bar takings**
**1,887**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**1,887**|**1,887**||**1,237**|**1,237**||
|**Adverts in progrmmes**
**1,450**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**1,450**|**1,450**||**1,350**|**1,350**||
|**Fundraising: Workshop**
**408**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**408**|**408**||**-**|**-**||
|**Fundraising: Ceilidh/Burns Night/Quiz**
**3,782**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**3,782**|**3,782**||**535**|**535**||
|**Fundraising: Donations**
**826**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**826**|**826**||**2,115**|**2,115**||
|**Fundraising: Table Top Sale**
**383**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**383**|**383**||**629**|**629**||
|**Fundraising: Carol Singing**
**483**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**483**|**483**||**-**|**-**||
|**Gift Aid + GASDS**
**2,476**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**2,476**|**2,476**||**411**|**411**||
|**Purchases from FC**
**95**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**95**|**95**||**2,467**|**2,467**||
|**Scores**
**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**|||||**-**|**-**||
|**Refunds**
**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**||**26**|**26**||
|**French meal in April2025**
**1,580**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**1,580**|**1,580**||**75**|**75**||
|**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_**26,448**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**26,448**|**26,448**||**21,811**|**21,811**||
|**A2 Asset and investment sales,**
**(see table).**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**_Sub total_ -**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**_Total receipts_**
**26,448**
**-**
**-**
**26,448**
**21,811**
**A3 Payments**
**Rehearsals**
**5,090**
**-**
**-**
**5,090**
**4,500**
———~~——~~||||||||||||||||
|**Performers at concerts**
**8,805**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**8,805**|**8,805**||**8,315**|**8,315**||
|**Workshops**
**460**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**460**|**460**||**683**|**683**||
|**Church Venue costs**
**1,790**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**1,790**|**1,790**||**3,530**|**3,530**||
|**Hire of loos & chairs**
**1,163**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**1,163**|**1,163**||**1,128**|**1,128**||
|**Music hire**
**606**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**606**|**606**||**476**|**476**||
|**Print Flyers/Posters/Prog**
**296**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**296**|**296**||**490**|**490**||
|**Fundraising expenses**
**2,558**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**2,558**|**2,558**||**934**|**934**||
|**Website**
**123**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**123**|**123**||**53**|**53**||
|**Wine for the bar**
**333**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**333**|**333**||**558**|**558**||
|**Organ tuning**
**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**||**245**|**245**||
|**Sundries**
**253**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**253**|**253**||**181**|**181**||
|**Insurance**
**718**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**718**|**718**||**323**|**323**||
|**Donations [Carol singing] SCF**
**483**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**483**|**483**||**411**|**411**||
|**_Sub total_ 22,678**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**-**|**-**|**-**||**22,678**|**22,678**||**21,827**|**21,827**||
|**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**_Sub total_ -**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**_Total payments_**
**22,678**
**-**
**-**
**22,678**
**21,827**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**3,770**
**-**
**-**
**3,770**
**- 16**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**-**
**- -**
**-**
**-**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**7,041**
**- -**
**7,041**
**7,057**
**_Cash funds this year end_**
**10,811**
**-**
**- 10,811**
**7,041**
———~~——~~
==~~=>~~||||||||||||||||
Page 3
|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at**|**the end of the period**||
|---|---|---|---|
|**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**|Signature
**Details**
**Details**
Bank
**Details**
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
**Details**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**10,811**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**10,811**
**-**
OK
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**|
||||**-**|
||||OK|
||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Current value**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Current value**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**When due**
**(optional)**
Date of
approval|
Page 4