2022-07-31-accounts - Chester Orchestral Society

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Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod
From	Period start date			To	Period end date
	1	Aug	2021		31	Jul	2022

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Chester Orchestral Society

Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) Charity's principal address	Chester Philharmonic Orchestra	Chester Philharmonic Orchestra
	1181355
	c/o Mrs Susan Taylor
	77 Mill Lane
	Upton
	Postcode	CH2 1BS

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
Mr Gordon Kennedy	Chairman	To 15 November 2021	Members of Society
Mrs Diana Anderson	Chairman	From 15 November 2021	Members of Society
Mrs Alex Stubbs	Secretary		Members of Society
Mrs Susan Taylor	Treasurer		Members of Society
Mrs Susan Smale	Librarian	To 15 November 2021	Members of Society
Mrs SallySlater	Librarian	From 15 November 2021	Members of Society
Prof Paul Middleton	Chair, Music Committee		Members of Society
Mrs Marjorie Jones			Members of Society
Mrs Eunice Moss			Members of Society
Dr James Warwick			Members of Society
Mrs Jemma Clark			Members of Society
Mrs Jane Holmes			Members of Society

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

	Name	Dates acted if not for whole year
	N/A

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address
Independent financial examiner	Mrs Alison Raynes, January 2017	13 Hallside Park, KNUTSFORD, WA16 8NQ

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) N/A

TAR- COS

Oct 2022

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Constitution

Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) Charitable Incorporated Organisation - Association How the charity is constituted

(eg. trust, association, company) Elected by Society members at AGM or appointed by Trustees. Trustee selection methods

(eg. appointed by, elected by)

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
relationship with any related parties;
trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.

Chester Orchestral Society is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation that runs Chester Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Trustees of the Society are the members of the Main Committee, all of whom have signed that they are eligible to be charity trustees under current regulations. The Trustees meet regularly, usually 4 times a year, to discuss, implement and approve actions related to Society business. The Main Committee members are all elected by Society members at an Annual General Meeting held in late November. To assist in the musical activities of the Society, the Main Committee appoints a separate Music Committee with members chosen from the Society who have particular, relevant knowledge or expertise with respect to musical repertoire. The Chairman of the Music Committee is also a member of the Main Committee to ensure good communication. All operational aspects of the Society, including reporting, finance, membership, ticket sales, publicity and concert management are the responsibility of the Main Committee.

New Trustees are generally trained by former post-holders who in past years have generally remained playing members of the Society. The Chairman takes overall responsibility for ensuring that Trustees are aware of their Charity Commission obligations.

All Trustees and committee members give their time freely and on a voluntary basis.

The Society is a member of Making Music, a national organisation that represents and supports over 2,900 voluntary and amateur music groups throughout the UK.

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

The object of Chester orchestral Society 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 that the trustees see fit, including through the presentation of public concerts and recitals.

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Oct 2022

The Society runs Chester Philharmonic Orchestra, a non-professional orchestra drawing its members, aged from 18 to 70+ from the North West of England and North Wales. Members pay an annual subscription to the Society and rehearse weekly from September to June. The orchestra performs 4 main concerts a year, open to the paying public. In addition, the orchestra collaborates in joint concerts with other local amateur music organisations. We aim to perform music that is both interesting and challenging to players and audiences alike, with a mix of familiar and unfamiliar works.

The Trustees consider that the aims and activities of Chester Orchestral Society fulfil the public benefit requirement of the Charities Act, 2011.

The activities of the Society provide the following main public benefits:

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)

An orchestra with the opportunity for people to be involved in a creative, enjoyable and fulfilling educational activity by rehearsing and performing concerts whilst developing orchestral repertoire and musical technique.
Orchestral concerts for people to be presented with exciting, high quality performances that are a pleasurable experience but will sometimes challenge and educate them by extending their musical knowledge.

The Charity’s beneficiaries are all those in the Chester region and elsewhere who wish to experience its activities as performers or audiences.

The following people specifically benefit from Chester Orchestral Society:

Non-professional orchestral players who join as members of the Society and rehearse and perform in concerts.
Any member of the public who attends concerts mounted by the Society.

In addition, young professional musicians benefit from the opportunities provided by the orchestra for them to gain exposure and educational experience as soloists and conductors.

Opportunities to benefit as players and audiences are promoted by ensuring that subscriptions and tickets are priced only to ensure that the Society does not incur financial loss and are subsidised wherever possible by other donations and fundraising activities. There are discounted playing membership rates for students and instalment options by agreement with the Treasurer for playing members experiencing financial hardship. Reduced ticket prices are available through an Associate Membership subscription scheme and heavily discounted tickets provided for all students and children.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

policy on grantmaking;
policy programme related investment;
contribution made by volunteers.

Members, including Trustees, contribute freely of their time in relation to Society playing activities and volunteer to undertake additional tasks connected with running the orchestra, including providing refreshments for members at rehearsals, ticket selling, promotion of events, more formal committee tasks and concert management. In addition, a number of friends and relatives of members provide additional voluntary support, including programme and ticket selling and clearing up after concerts. Without such volunteers, to whom the Society is very grateful, the orchestra could not function.

Other volunteers include extra non-professional players for concerts who, although not members of the Society, perform in concerts for no fee.

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Oct 2022

Section D Achievements and performance

Our first full “post Covid “ concert was a performance of Mahler’s 4th Summary of the main symphony with Richard Howarth conducting and April Frederick as achievements of the charity soloist in November 2021 . The concert also included some of during the year Canteloube’s songs of the Auvergne and there was a good player and audience support. We were pleased to welcome back most of our previous members as well as several new players. We performed in two Christmas concerts in late December run by Chester Music Society Choir and Graham Jordan Ellis. These were less well attended than normal due to ongoing Covid concerns and other events in Cathedral in the same period. The March 2022 concert included a performance of Sibelius’ 2nd Symphony and Dvorak’s cello concerto with David Chatwin and Findlay Spence and had an average sized audience The Spring concert in April 22 was badly affected by Covid with our soloist, several players and many audience members all having to pull out after contracting the virus. Despite this we gave a good performance of Malcom Arnold’s English Dances and Elgar’s Enigma variations under the guidance of Daniel Parkinson. Due to Duncan Anderson’s incapacity Bartok’s viola concerto had to be replaced at the last minute with a performance of Beethoven’s quintet for piano and winds. CPO is fortunate to have a quintet that was able to present a polished performance of this work at very short notice and the response from the rather small audience was very positive. In June 22 we had a much anticipated concert featuring Sheku KannehMason playing the Haydn cello concerto in D. The orchestra is very grateful to Lionel and Mary Clarke for their initial contact with Sheku and his family, and their generous sponsorship of the concert which also featured a very good performance of Brahms 4th symphony. Unsurprisingly we attracted one of our largest ever audiences . Overall the 2021-22 season was a successful one for CPO with a high playing standard maintained and a number of new members joining the society .

Section E Financial review

The Society seeks to have sufficient income to cover expenditure during Brief statement of the a given playing season. Due to the variability and uncertainty of audience charity’s policy on reserves numbers, we aim to maintain a reserve sufficient to cover the next three to four planned concerts. Annual budgets are prepared to inform financial planning and decisions made by the Trustees over the use of reserves to support activities. Any funds surplus to requirements are held in an interest bearing deposit account and are reviewed on a regular basis. Details of any funds materially No funds were in deficit at any stage during the financial year. in deficit

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Oct 2022

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

Funds are raised mainly by member subscriptions (which help offset the costs associated with running regular weekly rehearsals), ticket sales (including the Associate Membership scheme), donations (from members and sponsors), fund-raising (from concerts with other organisations and member activities) and Gift Aid on eligible donations. In 2021/22, credits for some Associate tickets were used that had been carried forward from 2019/20 when we were unable to run a full programme due to Covid-19.

All expenditure was related to mounting orchestral rehearsals and concerts with professional soloists and conductors and the associated administrative tasks required. These activities all fell within our charitable aims of furthering education and the public appreciation of music so were appropriate usages of our funds.

Despite uncertainties over the year connected with Covid-19 that resulted in variable audience numbers and player availability for our concerts, overall the Society maintained a heathy financial position. Thus, we have been able to continue to plan a full season of concerts for 2022/23 whilst being aware that the ongoing effects of Covid require careful monitoring and vigilance in order to react where necessary to changing circumstances and remain financially secure.

Section F Other optional information

Section G Declaration

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

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s)

Susan Margaret Taylor Full name(s) Diana Mary Anderson Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Chairman Treasurer etc) Date 25 Oct 2022

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Oct 2022

Charity Name No (if any) Chester Orchestral Society 1181355 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period Period start date Period end date To from 01-Aug-21 31-Jul-22

Section A Receipts and payments	Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts	Unrestricted funds to the nearest £	Restricted funds to the nearest £	Endowment funds to the nearest £	Total funds to the nearest £	Last year to the nearest £
Ticket &programme sales	18,325			18,325	-
Concert fees	1,000			1,000	-
Member subs	6,704			6,704	-
Associate member subs	2,815			2,815	-
Bank interest	20			20	3
Gift Aid	1,181			1,181	-
Fund raising	1,147			1,147	-
Miscellaneous	100			100	-
Ear-marked donations	85			85	-
*Sub total* A2 Asset & investment sales *Total receipts* A3 Payments	31,376	-	-	31,376	3
				-
	-	-	-	-	-

	£31,376	£0	£0	£31,376	£3
	9,456 11,654 1,260 2,940 2,441 210 193 98 259			9,456 11,654 1,260 - 2,940 2,441 210 193 98 259
Professional artists: conductors/soloists/extras	9,456			9,456	1,834
Concert Hall costs	11,654			11,654	-
Rehearsal Hall costs	1,260			1,260	1,068
Instrument costs				-	-
Music costs:hire/postage	2,940			2,940	134
Printing& advertising	2,441			2,441	230
Fund raising	210			210	-
MakingMusic subscription & insurance	193			193	497
Bank fees	98			98	81
Miscellaneous	259			259	300
**Sub total **	28,511	-	-	28,511	4,143
A4 Asset & investment purchases *Total payments* *Net of receipts/(payments)* A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end *Cash funds this year end*				722 29,233 2,144 - 33,681 35,824
	722	-	-	722	-
	29,233 2,144 - 33,681 35,824	- - - - -	- - - - -
					4,143

	2,144	-	-	2,144	- 4,140
	-	-	-	-	-
	33,681	-	-	33,681	37,821
	35,824	-	-	35,824	33,681

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Cash account Gold account Uncleared cheques Details	Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 5,256 30,538 -	Restricted funds to nearest £ - -	Endowment funds to nearest £
Cash account	5,256	-	-
Gold account	30,538	-	-
Uncleared cheques	-
Unbanked cash	30	-	-
Details Details Details *Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))	35,824	-	-
	OK Unrestricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs	OK Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional)	OK
			Endowment funds to nearest £
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			Current value (optional)
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			Current value (optional)
Music	Unrestricted	-	48
Double Bass & bow	Unrestricted		161
Staging& conductor's stand	Unrestricted	-	130
Timpani/percussion	Unrestricted		798
Keyboard amplifier(Jan 2019)	Unrestricted		346
Percussion instruments(Oct 2021)	Unrestricted		262
Bass drum trolley (April 2022)	Unrestricted		460
		-	-
Note: 10% depreciationperyear		-	-
		-	-
Details	Fund to which liability relates	Amount due (optional)	When due (optional)
Creditors
Conductor,Wind July	Unrestricted	200	Paid Aug22
Librarian expenses	Unrestricted	64	Paid Aug22
Provision(Invoices notyet received)	Unrestricted	4,190
Income in advance for Oct 2022	Unrestricted	85	Received Jul 22
*Total Creditors*		*4,538*
Debtors
Gift Aid from donation		250	received Aug22
Provision(Income notyet confirmed)		100
*Total Debtors*		*350*
Signature	Print Name Diana Anderson, Chairman Susan Taylor, Treasurer
			Date of approval
	Diana Anderson, Chairman		25-Oct-22
	Susan Taylor, Treasurer

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Chester Orchestral Sociery On accounts for the year ènded 31st July 2022 Charity no (if any 1181355 Set out on pages 1and2 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity Ilhe Trusf> for the year ended 3110712022. Responslbllltles and ba8is of report As the chartys trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the a¢untS in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Ad 2011 ('the Acr) I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts Carried out under secbon 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Di¢t10n$ given by the Charity Commission under sectson 145(5)(b) of the Act. Independent I have completed my examination. l confim) that no material matters have examlnorfs ststement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any matenal respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance wrth section 130 of the Chartties Act.. or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records,. or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requiremènts conceming the fomi and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a Irue and fair, view which is not a matter consKJered as part of an independent examination. I have no conM$ and have come across no other matters in connection wrth the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. . Please delete the w0S in the brackets rfthey do nol apply. Slgned: Date: 26110122 Name: Alison Raynes Relevant professional qualificatlon{s) or body (rf any): Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountsnts in England & Wales Address: 13 Hallside Park Knutsford IER Oct 2018

Cheshire, WA16 8NQ Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight matenal matters of conrn (see CC32. Independent examination of charty accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examlner wlshes to disclo80. IER Oct 2018