2023-07-31-accounts - Chester Orchestral Society

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Trustees' Annual Report					for theperiod
From	Period start date			To	Period end date
	1	Aug	2022		31	Jul	2023

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Chester Orchestral Society

Other names charity is known by Chester Philharmonic Orchestra

Registered charity number (if any) 1181355 Charity's principal address 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)
Mrs Diana Anderson	Chairman		Members of Society
Mrs Alex Stubbs	Secretary		Members of Society
Mrs Susan Taylor	Treasurer		Members of Society
Mrs SallySlater	Librarian		Members of Society
Prof Paul Middleton	Chair, Music Committee	Until 14 November 2022	Members of Society
Mrs Jane Holmes	Chair, Music Committee (from 14 November 2022)		Members of Society
Mrs Eunice Moss		Until 14 November 2022	Members of Society
Dr James Warwick			Members of Society
Mrs Jemma Clark			Members of Society
Miss Abbie Parr		From 14 November 2022	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	13 Hallside Park, KNUTSFORD, WA16 8NQ

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

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Oct 2023

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 2023

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 2023

Section D

Achievements and performance

The 2022-23 concert season started with a performance of Saint Saens Summary of the main Organ Symphony, coupled with Soar, a concerto for Marimba and strings achievements of the charity by Roberto Oetomo . 2 contrasting pieces by Samuel Barber completed during the year the programme; the adagio for strings and Essay for orchestra no 1. Calum Huggan played the marimba and both the concerto and his very lively encore were enjoyed by the audience. Philip Rushforth , Chester Cathedral’s Director of Music, played the organ in the Saint Saens . Stephen Threlfall conducted this concert which is a typical example of CPO’s ambition to offer well known music together with pieces which may “educate and challenge” many of our audience. In October 2022 Chester Cathedral invited CPO to gave a performance of Beethoven’s Choral Symphony in aid of the DEC Ukraine appeal. This was prompted by an idea from James Warwick and was supported by the rest of the trustees. Steven Threlfall agreed to conduct and attracted some top soloists who were joined singers from Chester Music Society and Manchester Chamber choirs and St George’s singers , Stockport . All performers gave generously of their time for minimal fees and £5,600 was given to the Ukraine appeal from ticket sales and donations from audience members. We performed in one Christmas concert in late December run by Chester Music Society Choir and Graham Jordan Ellis. This event should have featured Roger McGough as guest presenter but he was unavailable on the night and his place was taken by Nick Fry of Chester Cathedral, who proved to be an excellent stand in. For our March 2023 concert we were again delighted to feature a member of the Kanneh-mason family with rising star Jeneba playing Rachmaninov’s 2[nd] piano concerto to an almost full Cathedral. Her playing was assured and lyrical and enthralled audience and orchestra alike . The evening opened with Sibelius’ Karelia Suite and ended with a stunning performance of Nielsen’s 4[th] Symphony , The Inextinguishable. The concert was conducted by Richard Howarth who’s rigorous rehearsing throughout the 7 week session moved the orchestra from general dislike of the symphony to a real desire to perform it to the highest possible standard ! Special thanks go to Phil Boukley and Rohan Shotton for playing the 2 sets of timpani that feature prominently in this symphony. The Spring concert in April 23 again featured some less will known music in the form Gliere’s harp concerto and Sibelius’ spring song coupled with Bruckner’s 4[th] symphony. Our regular orchestral harpist , Bethan Griffiths, played the concerto and it was lovely to hear her centre stage rather than at the back of the orchestra. Juan Ortorno returned to conduct after a 10 year absence and we enjoyed his singing in rehearsals as well as his conducting ! CPO’s summer concert was due to take place at Chester University but had to be moved to a new venue when our booking was cancelled. We were instead made very welcome at St Mary’s Handbridge where we performed an Italian themed evening including Rossini’s overture “The Italian Girl in Algiers” and Mendelsohn’s 4[th] ( Italian) symphony. Another Spanish conductor, Jon Malaxetxebarria , conducted the concert which also featured Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf with local 6[th] former , Philip Horsefield ,from Ellesmere Port Catholic High school , narrating the story. During the afternoon rehearsal we invited any family and friends of the society to bring children to listen and this was well supported.

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Oct 2023

Section D Achievements and performance

Overall the 2022-23 season was successful both musically and financially . In addition the Society’s policies and most job roles undertaken by the Trustees and others have been reviewed and updated These will be published on CPO’s website . A CPO mailing list has been revised with regular publicity updates being sent out and our social media offering has been overhauled . QR codes have been introduced onto posters and a publicity banner created for display in the cathedral on concert days . Meetings have been held with the Events team at Chester Cathedral to facilitate a good working relationship.

The Trustees consider that our activities have met , possibly exceeded, our stated objectives and we will continue to run the Society in a similar manner going forwards.

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

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. 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 2023/24, including a special concert with two local choirs budgeted to use some of our reserves. Meanwhile, we remain aware that the ongoing effects of Covid and higher rates of inflation require careful monitoring and vigilance in order to react where necessary to changing circumstances and remain financially secure.

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Oct 2023

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 29 Oct 2023

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Oct 2023

Charity Name		No (if any)
Chester Orchestral Society		1181355
Receipts andpayments accounts			CC16a
For the period from	01-Aug-22 Period start date	Period end date 31-Jul-23 To

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	15,705			15,705	18,325
Concert fees	500			500	1,000
Member subs	7,587			7,587	6,704
Associate member subs	3,867			3,867	2,815
Bank interest	321			321	20
Gift Aid	1,888			1,888	1,181
Fund raising	708			708	1,147
Miscellaneous	1,330			1,330	100
Ear-marked donations	-			-	85
A2 Asset & investment sales *Total receipts* A3 Payments	31,907	-	-	31,907	31,376
				-
	-	-	-	-	-

	£31,907	£0	£0	£31,907	£31,376
	9,906 9,876 3,002 1,847 2,196 2,636 105 508 60 179			9,906 9,876 3,002 1,847 2,196 2,636 105 508 60 179
Professional artists: conductors/soloists/extras	9,906			9,906	9,456
Concert Hall costs	9,876			9,876	11,654
Rehearsal Hall costs	3,002			3,002	1,260
Instrument costs	1,847			1,847	-
Music costs:hire/postage	2,196			2,196	2,940
Printing& advertising	2,636			2,636	2,441
Fund raising	105			105	210
MakingMusic subscription & insurance	508			508	193
Bank fees	60			60	98
Miscellaneous	179			179	259
**Sub total **	30,315	-	-	30,315	28,511
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
	30,315 1,592 - 35,824 37,416	- - - - -	- - - - -	30,315 1,592 - 35,824 37,416
					29,233

	1,592	-	-	1,592	2,144
	-	-	-	-	-
	35,824	-	-	35,824	33,681
	37,416	-	-	37,416	35,824

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

Creditors Signature Diana Anderson,Chairman Music costs Provision(Invoices notyet received) *Total creditors* Debtors Music hire for next season *Total debtors* Details Details Music Double Bass & bow Staging& conductor's stand Timpani/percussion Bass drum trolley (April 2022) Percussion instruments(Oct 2021) Keyboard amplifier(Jan 2019) Note: 10% depreciationperyear Details Details Cash account Gold account Uncleared cheques *Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details SIGN	Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 6,574 30,842 - 37,416 OK Unrestricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted Fund to which liability relates	Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 6,574 30,842 - 37,416 OK Unrestricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted Fund to which liability relates
	Unrestricted	35
	Unrestricted	2,959
		*2,993*


	Unrestricted	732
		*732*




SIGN
Diana Anderson,Chairman	Susan Taylor, Treasurer

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WAIES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustsesl members of Chester Orchestral Society On accounts for the yoar ended 31st July 2023 Charlty no lif any 1181355 Set out on pages 1and2 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {Ihe Trusf) for the year ended 3110712023. Responsibilltlos and basls of rnport As the chanty's trustees, you are sponsIble for the preparation of th6 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 carying out my examination, I have followed all thè applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under sedion 145{5}(b) of the Act. Independent I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have examlnorfs Btatement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in. any material respect: the ac¢ountiNJ records **re not kept in accordance with Section 130 of the Charrties Act., or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records,. or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements conceming the fonn 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 fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no conM$ and hav8 come a¢ros$ no other matters in connection wrth the examination to vAii¢h attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the a¢untS to be reached. ' Please delete the words in the brackets rfthey do not apply. Signed: Date: 6111123 Name: Alison Raynes Relevant professional qualificationls) or body (If any): Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants 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 material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of tharity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to di8clo80. IER Oct 2018