## **UK Friends of Cape Town Opera Report of the Trustees for the year ending 31[st] December 2023**
The UK Friends have built up over the years a loyal following in Britain and Ireland generating considerable donations from a relatively small base and very supportive Trustees. The ability to host live Cape Town Opera musical events in London, Ireland and at the Buxton Festival, have been key to its past success. But the event of Covid, the restrictions on travel, and the very considerable costs over the last 3 years have limited our ability to expand the CTO following with live performances in Britain. However, the excellent communication and regular newsletters from Cape Town Opera, and the experience of many of our UK patrons who regularly visit Cape Town in the South African summer, have helped to keep the UK patronage and awareness of CTO alive and very supportive.
In February 2023, the success of the “Summer Soirée”, hosted by Chairperson Lady (Mary) Hatch and Peter and Lorna Rogan, in Peter’s beautiful home in Camps Bay, with outstanding performances by Cape Town Opera singers and presenters, was one of the highlights of the UK Friends’ 2023 activity, with a considerable number of the UK Friends and guests joining with CTO performers, management and staff and local CTO Friends. As in previous years, it generated significant funds directly for CTO and, significantly, through UK Friends’ contributions It also creates valuable contacts and “in kind” support, and lead directly to the sponsorship by Stanislas Yassukovich, a patron based in Cape Town and London, of the Opera Cinderella ( _Cendrillon_ ), which was performed in Cape Town in July 2023 and was a considerable success
In November 2023, coinciding with the World leading competition, Placido Domingp’s Operalia, celebrating its 30[th] anniversary in Cape Town, Lady (Mary) Hatch, Chairperson hosted a “winter Soirée” in her house in Camps Bay, with the outstanding support of Jennifer Renner, Head of Development, Cape Town Opera, and the wonderful CTO performers. It was a major success with guests, local and international, along with friends and CTO supporters representing a wider spread of UK and CTO followers who donated generously and introduced new patrons. One of the guests at this event, followed up by hosting a reception for CTO and his guests in his own house in Camps Bay.
The outcome of the UK Friends support in 2023 significantly strengthened the bonds between Cape Town Opera and its UK Friends, and made a considerable financial contribution to CTO during the year, 2023, the UK Trust remitted £42,000 to Cape Town Opera equivalent in Zar R950, 000
## **Lady (Mary) Hatch, Chairperson, UK Friends of Cape Town Opera**
## **Trustees: Lady Mary Hatch, Mr. Niall Gallagher, Mr. Ivan Fallon, Mr. Peter Rogan, Mr. Robert Silbermann, Mrs. Susan Smith**
**The UK Friends of Cape Town Opera is a registered charity in England and Wales. Number 1175984**
## **U.K. FRIENDS OF CAPE**
## **TOWN OPERA**
## **INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS**
## **Year ended 31st December 2023**
|**INCOME**
Donations
received
Gift aid tax recovered
Income from fundraising
**EXPENDITURE**
Remittances to Cape Town
Opera
Bank charges, fees and
commissions+ Interest
**(DEFICIT)/SURPLUS FOR THE**
**YEAR**
Funds held at 1st
January 2023
**FUNDS HELD AT 31ST**
**DECEMBER 2023**
Approved on 24thJanuary
2024
Lady (Mary) Hatch
(Trustee)
Signed.......yes............................
Niall Gallagher (Trustee)
Signed.......yes.............................
**UK Friends of Cape Town Opera**
**Registered Charity In England and**
**Wales. Number 1175984**|**31.12.2023**
£
26,940
5,632
NIL
**32,572**
42,000
95
**42,095**
**(9,523)**
**11,682**
**£2,159**
.|**31.12.2022**
£
22,420
Nil
Nil
**22,420**
14,000
125
**14,125**
**8,295**
**2,869**
**£11,682**|
|---|---|---|
l Teport on the accourts ofthe Chwityfortheparer•Jed 31. December 2023, vthlch are set out on
the attsched p
nSili1eS
The tharfrf5 trustee5 are responsible forthe prepar*ion of the ac£ourt& The Chari$ trustees
ronslderthataft audit is not required forthe ye¥under 5eciSon 1144(21 of the Charitye5 Art2011
(the 2011 Art); and that an Inde e¥aminatlon 15 needed.
It is rny re5ponslblllty to:
examlnethe accounts undersetdtyh 145 oftt* 2011 Atr,
to follow the wwethre lald down tythe genernl Drectio bythe Charfty Commlssion.
unds sec11on 145515Mb) ofthe 2011 A¢ and kn 5T*he1 yticular rnatter5 hrn corne tD
ml
My examlnatbon was carrkd out In aC[danCe T*ith 8eneral Directions by the Ch¥rty
Commission. An examln*ion indudes a revie* ofthe accourrtSTha records kept bythe charlty and a
comparison of the accounts presented with those recon& It also Indude5 conslderation of ary
unusual Items ordisclosure5 In the accounts and seekww eXpnatIOnS from you as tru#ee5 covering
any such matter& The procedures dertakeTh do not provide all the ¢dence that would be required
In an audit and consequently no opinlon is gl%fn a5 to whetherthe accounts pre5Wrt a *ue and falr
view" and the rewt is limited to those fflatt5 set out in the statement below.
mEn
In connecilon wlth my examinallon. no matter h35 come to nry atterftto
{1) Vlhlch me reasMable (ause to beUeb* that In ary Material re5pertthe u*ernertts:
to leep a(countin8 reconts in accordan with settion 130 of the 2011 Art and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounrFn8 records and P1V with the accounting
requirernents ofthe 2011 Art have not been rne( or
121 To which in rny opinlon, attention shwld be In onlerto enable woper of
the accounts io be reache
John Posgate KA
12 Remolds Road
Beacon5field. BuL*inthafftstrlre. HP9 2MI