**GROBY SINGS (Registered Charity No. 1180490)**
## **ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for year ending 31 JANUARY 2025**
**Approved by the Groby Sings’ board of trustees on 1 October 2025**
## **CONTENTS**
## ANNUAL REPORT
Establishment and objects
Structure, governance and management Review of developments, activities and achievements Testimonials from singers Financial review
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES
## **ANNUAL REPORT**
The Trustees present this report and the financial statement of Groby Sings for the period ended 31st January 2025, in accordance with the Charities Act 2011.
## **Establishment and objects**
Groby Sings was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO, Foundation model) on 30 October 2018, No. 1180490. Its charitable object is for the public benefit to advance, improve, develop and maintain public awareness in, and appreciation of, the art and science of music in all its aspects by any means the trustees see fit, including through the establishment and operation of a fully socially inclusive community choir and the presentation of public concerts.
The Trustees have given due consideration to the Charity Commission’s published guidance on the Public Benefit requirement under the Charities Act 2011. The main activities undertaken to further Groby Sings’ purposes for the public benefit in the period were related to the promotion and performance of music as described in the review of developments, activities and achievements section.
## **Structure, governance and management**
Groby Sings is governed by its constitution adopted on 11th October 2018. The Trustees consist of elected Officers and other members. The Trustees meet twice a year, plus extra meetings as necessary.
The routine management of Groby Sings is the responsibility of a Management Team who, as per the constitution (section 14, paragraph 1), have delegated powers, the terms of which are determined by the Trustees.
The key personnel during the year under review were as follows. Changes made during that year are in **bold** .
## Trustees, in order of date of (re-)appointment
(Trustees are appointed for a 3-year term and can be re-appointed at the end of that term.)
|STEPHEN GEORGE|Re-appointed 17 May 2021|
|---|---|
||**Resigned 16 April 2024**|
|LOUISE ROSS|Re-appointed 17 May 2022|
|NICOLA BASHFORTH|Appointed 13 June 2022|
|HAYLEY HOWLETT|Appointed 2 March 2023|
|CLIFF ASHBY|Re-appointed 17 May 2023|
|ANDREW SCOTT|Appointed 12 July 2023|
|PAUL COX|**Re-appointed 17 May 2024**|
|KEITH WIGNALL|**Appointed 26 May 2024**|
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## Management Team, in order of date of appointment
(Members of the Management Team are appointed by the Trustees. At least one member of the Management Team must be a Trustee.)
CLIFF ASHBY (Trustee) Appointed 17 May 2018 JANE COX Appointed 17 May 2018 ANDREW SCOTT (Trustee) Appointed 12 July 2023 GEMMA SPURLING Appointed 29 Jan 2024 LOUISA DE SOUZA **Appointed 30 April 2024** TERRIE DODDS **Appointed 2 June 2024**
The address for correspondence to the Charity is:
GROBY SINGS 18 PYMM LEY LANE GROBY LEICESTER LE6 0GZ
## **Review of developments, activities and achievements**
The spring/summer season saw the number of adult singers rising, with past singers returning and new recruits joining the choir. The youth choir also expanded; some new faces joined the youth rehearsals whilst some older singers opted to attend with their parents in the evening.
As it was the 21[st] season, a variety of songs was selected on the theme ‘ _Groby Sings Comes of Age_ ’, reflecting the large age range of the singers. They included songs we grew up with, some telling of life's journey to adulthood, some we sang as youngsters, some favourites from past seasons and the choir’s first ever rap performance.
Nearly all singers decided to take part in the concerts in June. As none of the previously used venues were available, the Management Team decided to try Brockington College’s school hall. This cut costs and enabled the tickets to be reduced in price. Those who chose not to sing in the concerts supported the choir by buying tickets to listen, and all singers encouraged friends, neighbours and family to come to hear the glorious singing that the musical director coaxed out of the choir. The choir sang to capacity audiences and costs were met by the ticket sales.
The autumn season of songs was chosen from different European countries both traditional and modern in style and was titled ‘ _Groby Sings European Tour_ ’. Once again, the numbers of singers attending grew. Due to the new venue being in use for school exams, the choir returned to the excellent facilities at English Martyrs School’s auditorium. It was felt to be the right decision to return there despite a financial loss being made. The concerts were well attended with nearly all singers choosing to perform.
Over several seasons, funding from grants has enabled us to maintain and expand our adult choirs. New singers have included older people, those with memory loss and their carers, and people who were socially isolated. It has been heart-warming to hear people tell us how much they look forward to Wednesdays, how it’s a break from routine, how it gets them out
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of the house, and how much better they feel after singing. People expressed the feeling that this is a highlight of the week for them, where they can meet old friends and make new ones. (In the Easter and summer breaks, they have been able to keep in touch with others at the weekly gatherings at the local library for tea and cake.) The choir continued to support the needs of those singers who have dementia and their carers who attend with them. The Management Team has also explored ways of supporting the SEN children within the choir including simple adaptations such as printing words booklets on coloured paper.
As always, we are very grateful to Groby Club, who allow us to use their premises for our rehearsals, and to the many local businesses and individuals who support the choir.
## **Testimonials from singers**
_I like the friendship and laughter._
_I have fun and meet friends. It makes me go out in the evening. It improves my mental health. I like all of this season’s songs - they’re all good in different ways. And I’ve found Simon’s conducting very helpful._
_Simon’s style of teaching is excellent. He makes it fun and has a great knack of teaching us technical stuff without it feeling hard work. I am amazed by his musical ability, to teach us songs when a lot of the choir do not have the score._
_I’ve enjoyed my first full season singing in the men’s section of the choir._
_I joined Groby Sings when my child was an infant. Some years later, my daughter now really enjoys being part of the youth section. Groby Sings has given both of us a sanctuary from other daily pressures over the years and that's all thanks to the kind, inclusive volunteers. It's rewarding to be part of Groby Sings and part of the joy._
_We love the rehearsals and the concerts._
_Thank you for everything you all do for the children’s choir and all your hard work! My child loves it._
_The atmosphere at rehearsals and at the concerts seems to get better and better every year, and the chats in breaks convince me that we are learning and improving with every season that passes._
_The concerts were a total triumph and it was a delight to see such a brilliant turnout._
_Still buzzing from the weekend and telling lots of people about it._
_Congratulations on your organisational skills in producing such an amazing event last weekend. You thought of everything and it all ran like clockwork. It was a wonderful experience, and I thank you and all your volunteers for the hard work that you put into it._
_Just a great big thank you to everyone who works so hard to make Groby Sings such a great place to come!_
## **Message to singers from Groby Sings’ Music Director, Simon Lubkowski**
After the concert weekend in November 2024:
_What a fabulous time we all had this past weekend - such a joy from start to finish!_
_The quality of the singing was outstanding, and the fact that I could see you all so well made it so much more enjoyable - scanning smiling faces as you realised just how great you sounded was amazing. There are too many song highlights to mention, but the quality of the harmonies being sung was excellent - rich, full, warm and just like a big hug – well done!_
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_I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did - the audience were very engaged throughout, and the comments from them during the interval and afterwards show that they were just as enthralled as I was by your singing and performing - even Halfway Rap was good, and that's something I had not foreseen in my MD's crystal ball!_
_Thanks as ever to you as singers for being such a dedicated and appreciative group of people to work with - I love spending time with you all, and really do feel that whilst fun (and cake!) is still at the heart of what we do, we are adding in some real singing prowess to the mix as well._
## **Financial review**
## General
The year to the end of January 2025 was a financially stable year for Groby Sings.
## Income
Our income from all activities was £18,963 (in 2023/4: £16,299). Of this, £10,747 came from various donations with a £500 grant from Hinckley and Bosworth BC. In addition to this, we received recovered Gift Aid (including GASDS) of £2,154 (2023/4 £1,893) on donations from 2023 up to the end of the first half of 2024. The other major source of income was the sale of performance tickets which amounted to £3,379 (2023/4 £3,650). The sale of music, CDs and pencils was £1975 (2023/4 £1,567).
## Expenditure
Total payments for the period were £15,254 (2023/4: £14,905). The largest single portion of this continues to be the cost of conductor and musicians, £7,881 (2023/4 £6,725). Performance costs, £2,559 (2023/4: £4,890), were reduced due to the use of Brockington School venue at a much-reduced cost to our previous venue. Rehearsal venue costs for the year were £1,100.
## Closing bank balance
The closing bank balance for the period was £12,742, an increase of £3653 over the previous year.
## Other assets
The charity owns a number of assets which it retains for its own use and for which we have shown cost but to which we have assigned no current value.
## Reserves policy
Groby Sings aimed to maintain the accumulated fund at a minimum balance of £4,870. This level of reserves, in conjunction with Groby Sings’ insurance policy, would ensure that Groby Sings could cover the costs of any concert abandonment should the need arise. This level has now been reviewed and increased to ensure adequacy in the face of rising costs.
## Financial statements
The statutory financial statements of Groby Sings are attached. They comprise a Statement of Financial Activities, setting out the income and expenditure for the year, both from concert activities and from Groby Sings’ general activities. The financial statements conclude with a Balance Sheet summarising Groby Sings’ financial position.
Annual Report signed on behalf of the Trustees:
## **Andrew Scott**
Chair
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## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
## **for 12 month period ended 31 January 2025**
**(all amounts to nearest £)**
|Income and spending||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to 31/01/25**
**(£)**||
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to 31/01/25**
**(£)**|
**Total funds**
**to 31/01/25**
**(£)**|Total funds
to 31/01/24
(£)|
|**Income**||||||
|Donations andgrants|11,247||
**-**|
11,247|
9,009|
|Sales(CDs, music,pencils)|1,975||
**-**|
1,975|
1,567|
|Performance refreshments|178||
**-**|
178|
181|
|Performance ticket sales|3,379||
**_-_**|
3,379|
3,650|
|Recovered Gift Aid(incl. interest)|2,154||
**_-_**|
2,154|
1,892|
|Licence Refund|30|||30|
-|
|||||||
|**Total income**|
**18,963**||
**_-_**|
**18,963**|
**16,299**|
|||||||
|**Spending**||||||
|Conductor and musicians|7,881||
-|
7,881|
£6,725|
|Rehearsals|1,110||
-|
1,110|
1,606|
|Music, licences,printing|2,995||
-|
2,995|
909|
|Admin., insurance, misc.|609||
-|
609|
471|
|Performance costs
(includingticket refunds)|2,559||
-|
2,559|
4,890|
|CDs|100||
-|
100|
304|
|||||||
|**Total spending**|**15,254**||
**-**|
**15,254**|
**14,905**|
|||||||
|**Net of income /(spending) **|**3,709**||
**-**|
**3,709**|
**1,394**|
|Cash funds||||||
||**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**at 31/01/25**||
**Restricted**
**funds**
**at 31/01/25**|
**Total funds**
**at 31/01/25**|Total funds
at 31/01/24|
|**Cash at bank**|£12,742|||£12,742|
£9,089|
|Assets retained for the charity’s own|use|||||
|**Details**||**Original Cost(£)**||||
|Solta TA-Sub Sound Array||2,200||||
|LaneyMonitors(4)||585||||
|QSC Touch Mix 8 Mixer||692||||
|Roland FP-80 Keyboard||1,500||||
|Systor 1-7 CD Duplicator||485||||
|Other miscellaneous equipment||1,350||||
Statement of financial activities signed on behalf of the Trustees: _Andrew Scott_
Treasurer
## **SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Basis of accounting**
Charities registered in England and Wales that are not companies are allowed under section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Charities Act’) to prepare receipts and payments accounts provided the charity’s gross income is not over £250,000. As such we are not required to prepare accounts on an accruals basis and the Trustees have opted not to do so. In addition, as the gross income does not exceed £25,000, we have opted not to subject the accounts to independent examination.
## **Funds and reserve policy**
At the year end, all the charity's funds are unrestricted. Groby Sings aims to maintain the accumulated fund at a minimum balance of £4,870. This level of reserves, in conjunction with the Groby Sings insurance policy, would ensure that Groby Sings could cover any concert abandonment costs should the need arise.
## **Designated and Restricted reserves**
The charity has received no restricted donation nor has designated any specific funds and hence has no such reserves.
## **Income**
All income is accounted for on a receipts basis.
## **Expenditure**
All expenditure is accounted for on a payments basis.
## **Cash at bank and in hand**
All cash is banked in total upon receipt and no cash floats or banking receipt residual are now kept. All such funds during the period in question, were banked as of the end of the financial year.
## **Creditors and provisions**
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably.
## **Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis**
The trustees consider there are no material uncertainties about the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern. The review of our financial position, reserves levels and future plans gives the Trustees confidence that the charity remains a going concern for the foreseeable future.