2020-08-31-accounts - Orchestra For The Earth

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			Trustees' Annual Report	Trustees' Annual Report	Trustees' Annual Report	Trustees' Annual Report	Trustees' Annual Report	Trustees' Annual Report	Trustees' Annual Report	Trustees' Annual Report	for theperiod	for theperiod	for theperiod	for theperiod	for theperiod
			From	Period start date						T o	Period end date
				1st		Augus t		2019			31st	August			2020

Section A				Reference and administration details

			Charity name				Orchestra for the Earth

Other names charity is known by							OFE

Registered charity number (if any)							1180771

		Charity's principal address					21 Nethercote Road
							Tackley
							Kidlington
							Postcode						OX5 3AW


	1 2 3 4 5 6	Trustee name			Office (if any)				Dates acted if not for whole year					Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee(if any)
		Alycia Jewes			Chair
		Ben Kimberley			Trustee
		Benjamin Cartlidge			Trustee
		Miranda Davies			Trustee
		Phoebe Potter			Trustee
		Thea Waxman			Trustee
		Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members John Warner (Founder & Artistic Director)
		John Warner (Founder & Artistic Director)

TAR

May 2021

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document

[Constitution ]

How the charity is constituted CIO

Trustee selection methods All trustees appointed at the time of incorporation remain in position. Future potential trustees will be appointed and elected by the board.

Additional governance issues

In our second year as a CIO we have continued to work hard to uphold existing, and further implement policies appropriate for our activities.

The below list details the policies we follow, all of which are complementary to our Constitution and objects contained therein.

Safe-guarding policy; Accounts Policy; Policy on ensuring sufficient artistic and educational merit; Privacy Policy (including GDPR); Programming policy; Reserves policy; Job descriptions for volunteers (ad hoc). Diversity & Inclusion Policy (drafted Jun 2021).

We note that in lieu of particular specific policy, our Constitution and more generally the Charity Commission guidance is consulted directly.

The trustees partner closely with the Founder and Artistic Director, John Warner, in all aspects of the charity’s administration and aims/goals. The trustees remain convinced that he continues to be the best person for the job given his expertise, commitment and personal alignment to the CIO’s objects.

OFE began discussions w.r.t new/additional trustee appointment protocols this year, as well as contingency clause in case of trustee removal. Constitution amends to this effect were implemented with full trustee support.

TAR

May 2021

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects	The objects of the CIO are: 1) To advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of the arts, and in particular but not exclusively the art of music, by any means the trustees see fit, including through the presentation of public concerts, recitals, lectures, workshops, open rehearsals and exhibitions. 2) To advance education for the public benefit in the subjects of protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment worldwide (including conservation of the natural environment and the promotion of sustainable development) in particular by the organisation and provision of public events and lectures. 3) To further such charitable purpose or purposes as the trustees in their absolute discretion shall think fit but in particular through the making of grants and donations.
	In our second incorporated year, the Orchestra for the Earth has presented a strong calendar of events, despite prevailing conditions (COVID-19), each of which firmly chime with our charity’s objects. Events from the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 were either virtual or socially distanced, firmly in line with the contemporaneous government regulation. Select examples include, but are not limited to: The Eden Project Arts Weekend.OFE was invited to curate and perform a weekend of performances and activities for young families, bringing together music and nature. The results showed the OFE’s commitment to public education (for all ages), with extensive interactive sessions where children and adults could engage with the orchestra, its musicians, and the surroundings of the Eden Project’s Mediterranean Biome. Earth Hour 2020 The pandemic forced us to cancel our live performance of_Dido and_ _Aeneas_for Earth Hour 2020 at very late notice, so we made a very early venture into the world of multitrack recordings that would form the backbone of our pandemic creative activities. Helen Stanley, who was cast to sing Dido, recorded the famous Lament alongside OFE musicians, all playing/singing from self-isolation and mixed together in the post-edit. It made for a powerful performance in the circumstances, and allowed us to engage audiences with Earth Hour online as well as raising funds for WWF. OFE had to adapt swiftly to the prevailing COVID-19 situation. Sadly, we had our July Alpine Tour, Waterloo Festival, Earth Hour, and King’s Place performances all postponed due to the pandemic. However, we have been lucky to have no financial liabilities put at risk by the pandemic, and been relatively adaptable in finding ways of continuing to make music, support relevant causes, and spread our message to audiences old and new. We hope this step into the virtual and online world of music-making will continue to form an important part of our work going forwards, primarily as an enhancement of our live events when they begin again. We have had an ongoing fundraiser to support our musicians through this time.

Summary of the objects of the
charity set out in its governing
document
Summary of the main activities
undertaken for the public
benefit in relation to these
objects

The objects of the CIO are: 1) To advance, improve, develop and
maintain public education in, and appreciation of the arts, and in
particular but not exclusively the art of music, by any means the
trustees see fit, including through the presentation of public
concerts, recitals, lectures, workshops, open rehearsals and
exhibitions. 2) To advance education for the public benefit in the
subjects of protection and improvement of the physical and natural
environment worldwide (including conservation of the natural
environment and the promotion of sustainable development) in
particular by the organisation and provision of public events and
lectures. 3) To further such charitable purpose or purposes as the
trustees in their absolute discretion shall think fit but in particular
through the making of grants and donations.

In our second incorporated year, the Orchestra for the Earth has
presented a strong calendar of events, despite prevailing conditions
(COVID-19), each of which firmly chime with our charity’s objects.
Events from the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 were either
virtual or socially distanced, firmly in line with the contemporaneous
government regulation.
Select examples include, but are not limited to:
The Eden Project Arts Weekend.OFE was invited to curate and
perform a weekend of performances and activities for young
families, bringing together music and nature. The results showed the
OFE’s commitment to public education (for all ages), with extensive
interactive sessions where children and adults could engage with
the orchestra, its musicians, and the surroundings of the Eden
Project’s Mediterranean Biome.
Earth Hour 2020
The pandemic forced us to cancel our live performance of_Dido and_
_Aeneas_for Earth Hour 2020 at very late notice, so we made a very
early venture into the world of multitrack recordings that would form
the backbone of our pandemic creative activities. Helen Stanley, who
was cast to sing Dido, recorded the famous Lament alongside OFE
musicians, all playing/singing from self-isolation and mixed together
in the post-edit. It made for a powerful performance in the
circumstances, and allowed us to engage audiences with Earth Hour
online as well as raising funds for WWF.
OFE had to adapt swiftly to the prevailing COVID-19 situation. Sadly,
we had our July Alpine Tour, Waterloo Festival, Earth Hour, and
King’s Place performances all postponed due to the pandemic.
However, we have been lucky to have no financial liabilities put at
risk by the pandemic, and been relatively adaptable in finding ways
of continuing to make music, support relevant causes, and spread
our message to audiences old and new. We hope this step into the
virtual and online world of music-making will continue to form an
important part of our work going forwards, primarily as an
enhancement of our live events when they begin again. We have
had an ongoing fundraiser to support our musicians through this
time.

TAR

May 2021

Finally, it should be noted that the Eden Project, which was in Sept 2019 (after the end of the FY 2018/19), should have been classified in this TAR not the 2018/19 one. Please refer to previously submitted TAR for more details.

Additional details of objectives and activities

OFE has received volunteer assistance from Ju-Vern See with the preparation of annual accounts and Orchestra Tax Relief claims. JuVern is an experienced accountant, former member of the High Growth team at KPMG, and current co-founder and COO of Quantico Financial Management.

Section D Achievements and performance

TAR

May 2021

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

Despite prevailing conditions (COVID-19), OFE is pleased to report a strong calendar of events for the reporting period.

Video with Millie Dubin

This was a collaboration with two young creative climate activists: poet Milli Dubin and composer Adam Possener. Milli attracted international attention when she read out her poem, ‘Pinpricks in the Sky’, at a climate march in Piccadilly Square in 2018. We commissioned Adam to write a piece for flute, harp, and viola to accompany Millie reciting this poem for a special video, aimed at engaging young audiences in particular with our work. We worked with sound engineers Beastly Studios and environmental film makers The Big Blue Blueprint to create a unique video of this musical version of Milli’s poem.

Video for Concertgebouw Mahler Festival

In lieu of another cancelled performance, this time our visit to Amsterdam and the Concertgebouw Mahler Festival, we acquired a small grant from the Mahler Foundation to create a virtual performance of Mahler’s song ‘I am lost to the world’—a beautifully appropriate and poignant piece for that point in the pandemic, when we were all still strictly confined to our homes. We worked with mezzo-soprano Rosalie Warner and the musicians who would have played on the Amsterdam tour.

Video for Waterloo Festival

We were due to perform three concerts, one for children, at the Waterloo Festival in 2020, collaborating with comedian Tony Hawks to raise awareness and funds for the World Land Trust. After the pandemic made live performance impossible, we put together a special video to be presented as part of the Online Waterloo Festival on World Environment Day. This involved our principal bassoonist, Patrick Bolton, as soloist in Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto, with an introductory video by the World Land Trust featuring Sir David Attenborough.

We also began working with the Self-Isolation Choir, though the events themselves will be categorised within the TAR 2020/21 as the performances themselves were all from Nov 2020 onwards.

Section E Financial review

TAR

May 2021

	In 18/19 TAR, the trustees and CIO senior management considered a
Brief statement of the	£1,000 reserve limit to be a reasonable and prudent figure given the
charity’s policy on reserves	estimated expenditure of the CIO in coming months and year(s).
	Any intention to dip into this £1,000 reserve figure (e.g. unforeseen
	expenditure, emergency funding) will require board majority approval.
	Our reserves have been further strengthened through astute financial
	planning, management and events despite prevailing COVID-19. It is
	likely that reserve policy will be re-assessed to further strengthen our
	position financially as we come out of the other side of the global
	pandemic and start to see more certainty on live events and ticket
	sales respectively.
	Not applicable. The trustees are pleased to report that astute financial
Details of any funds	planning and management, as well as pro-active adaptation to the
materially in deficit	prevailing COVID-19 conditions (e.g. pursuing online opportunities) has
	ensured no deficit for theperiod August 2019to August 2020.
Further financial review details
	The CIO’s principal sources of funds include box-office sales (in-
	person and online), private donations, trust grants, local authority
	funding, and hire fees (where the orchestra is hired for events that
	align with the CIO’s core objects).
	Any funds raised over this period have either gone directly into event
	costs, assigned to future events, or contributed to continuing to build
	the CIO’s reserves.
	As a CIO, Orchestra for the Earth (OFE) holds a business (charity) bank
	account with Lloyds Bank and one secondary bank account with
	Transferwise for overseas transactions as they occur, to ensure more
	economically prudent FX rates and fees.
	OFE maintains a cash box for in person box office needs (e.g.
	supplying change etc.). This includes GBP and other foreign
	currencies.
	CIO funds are not invested at this time, and given the short term
	needs of the CIO’s funds no plans are made to invest any of the CIO’s
	funds.

TAR

May 2021

Section F Financial Statements

Receipts and Payments account: year ended 31 August 2020

PROFIT & LOSS	TOTAL
Income £
Donations	731.11
Tickets	(30.00)
Gift Aid	353.97
Events	5750.00
Total Income	6805.08
Expenditure
Artists	(5135.00)
Equipment	(165.00)
Travel	-
Venue	-
Loan	-
Insurance	(137.00)
Performance Rights	-
Marketing	(145.50)
Total Expenditure	(5582.50)
Profit / (Loss)	1222.58

Notes:

The accounts have been prepared on a payments and receipts basis as is appropriate for a CIO with gross annual income of less than £25,000.[1]

Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31 August 2020

Assets £	Assets £
Bank	9301.37
Cash	183.94
Orchestra Tax Relief	-
Total Assets	9485.31
Liabilities
Payables	-
Total Liabilities	-
Net assets / (Liabilities)	9485.31

1 See Section 4.1.1 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charity-reporting-and-accounting-the-essentialscc15b/charity-reporting-and-accounting-the-essentials#specific-reporting-requirements-for-different-types-of-charity [accessed 20 May 2021]

TAR

May 2021

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

----- Start of picture text -----
Signatures
Full names Ben Kimberley Alycia Jewes
Position Trustee Chair of the Board of Trustees
Date 5th July 2021
----- End of picture text -----

TAR

May 2021