2024-07-31-accounts - Chester Orchestral Society

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod	Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod	Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod	Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod	Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod	Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod	Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod	Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod
From	Period start date			To	Period end date
	1	Aug	2023		31	Jul	2024

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)	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
Mrs Jane Holmes	Chair, Music Committee	Members of Society Members of Society
Dr James Warwick
Mrs Jemma Clark		Members of Society
Miss Abbie Parr		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	Angela Moulton	3 Hareswood Close, WINSFORD, CW7 2TP

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

N/A

TAR- COS

Oct 2024

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. trust, association, company)
(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.

TAR- COS

Oct 2024

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.

TAR- COS

Oct 2024

Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

The 2023-24 concert season was entitled A Season of Postcards, and it proved to be another successful series of concerts both musically and financially. In March 2024 we collaborated in a performance of Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius with two local choirs. We had agreed to use some of our financial reserves towards this for the hire of choral staging and for payment of top professional soloists. In the event the concert attracted a large audience, and costs were well managed, meaning that we were able to give a larger share of the income than envisaged to the choirs, and only use a limited amount of our unrestricted reserves.

During the season the trustees have completed the updating of both the society’s policies and procedures, and key job roles, and these are now available for consultation by all members.

Following the retirement of Mr Edward Warren as COS’ President of many years, we were delighted that Dr Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason agreed to take on this role. In her introductory comments she said that she is a great advocate of community music making and she is very pleased to support Chester Philharmonic in this honorary role .

The November concert was marketed as “Postcards from the Seaside” and featured British music associated with the sea. Joyce Tinsley was the soloist in Elgar’s Sea pictures with other works being Bridge’s The Sea, Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, and the Fantasia on British Sea songs by Henry Wood. Artistic Advisor David Chatwin conducted this programme, for which he proposed a collaboration with a local art group featuring nautical themed pictures. These were provided by the Caldy Valley Fine Artist’s Group and displayed on easels in the Cathedral Nave for the audience to enjoy

We performed in one Christmas concert in late December, again run by Chester Music Society Choir and Graham Jordan Ellis. This featured Ian McMillan as guest presenter and orchestra, choir, and audience all enjoyed Ian’s poetry and impromptu improvisations with audience participation. The concert included carols with the cathedral Saturday Singing Club, a children’s choir who gain valuable experience performing with an orchestra and adult choir.

The March 2024 performance of Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius was a joint venture proposed by Chester Bach Singers and conducted by their music director, Martin Bussey. The Cantiones Choir of Oswestry, which Martin also conducts made up the choir of nearly 100 singers. This event required many organisational “zoom” meetings with all collaborators and, although all the performers only came together on concert day, it proved to be a memorable concert. The vocal soloists were Kathryn Rudge, Joshua Ellicott and James Platt, all well-established, experienced soloists well-suited to their demanding roles in this work.

The April postcard was from Spain in a programme initially devised by Jon Malaxetxebarria, but he was unable to conduct it due to securing professional engagements in Spain. We were fortunate instead to welcome Lauren Wasynczuk from Los Angeles, who guided us through Chabrier’s Espana, Ritmos by Turina, movements from Bizet’s Carmen Suite and Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole. This a symphonic work featuring a violin soloist and we were delighted to welcome young aspiring violinist Christian Granjer de Sa, who gave a dazzling performance with us.

TAR- COS

Oct 2024

Section D Achievements and erformance p

The final postcard was from the Danube and included music by Johann Strauss, Dvorak and Bartok. The viola concerto by Bella Bartok was performed by Duncan Anderson, violaist from the orchestra of English National Opera. The concerto was framed by two popular Strauss Waltzes and ended with Dvorak’s lyrical 8[th] symphony.

We believe the 2023-2024 season was a good example of Chester Orchestral Society’s ambition to offer well known music together with pieces which may “educate and challenge” some of our audience. Attendance at all our concerts was at or above expectation and we continue to revise our marketing and publicity offerings to ensure this continues.

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

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

The Society seeks to have sufficient income to cover expenditure during a given playing season. Due to the variability and uncertainty of audience numbers, we aim to maintain unrestricted reserves 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)

Funds were 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. Currently, all surplus income over expenditure goes into an Unrestricted Fund and we have no Restricted Funds.

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;

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.

investment policy and aims of furthering education and the public appreciation of music so were objectives including any appropriate usages of our funds. ethical investment policy adopted. As planned, our unrestricted reserves helped support the expenditure connected with the ambitious March concert, but due to the success of this concert, we used less of our reserves than budgeted for. Thus, overall, the Society maintained a heathy financial position. We have therefore been able to plan an interesting series of concerts for 2024/25 and not increase member subscriptions or ticket prices.

TAR- COS

Oct 2024

Section F Other optional information Section G Declaration The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees report above. Sloned on behalf of the eharlty's trustees Signatur•l81 Diana Anderson Dts.202410.17Q9.5J +D1 Full nam•l81 Posltlon leg S•cretary, Chalr, •tc) Diana Mary Anderson Ch81m)an Susan Margaret Taylor Tieasurer Dat? 15 October 2024 TAR- COS Oct 2024

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Report to the trusteesl members of Chester Orchestral Society On accounts for the year ended 31 July 2024 Charity no (if any) 1181355 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above chartty ('Ihe Trusf) for the year ended 3110712024 Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance w(th the requiremenls of the Charities Act 2011 ('Ihe Acr). I report in respect of my exarnination of the Trusys accounts carried out under section 145 ofthe 2011 Art and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5)(bl of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention ') in connection with the examination which gives mè cause to believe that in, any material respect: accounting records were not kept in aca)rdance with section 130 of the Act or the accourrts do not accord with the accounting records I have no COnmS and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please delete the words in the brackets rfth8y do not apply. Date: Independent examiner's statement Signed: ZI. 10 . ZoZ4- Name: Relevant professlonal qualification(s) or body (If any}: FCA Address: iNJ&w)k Qk¥ES*lIL& CLa7- J i P Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners), IER October 2024

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

October 2024

IER

	Charity Name Chester Orchestral Society	Charity Name Chester Orchestral Society	Charity Name Chester Orchestral Society	No (if any) 1181355	CC16a
	For the period from	01-Aug-23 Period start date	To	Period end date 31-Jul-24

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	17,482			17,482	15,705
Concertfees	500			500	500
Membersubs	7,691			7,691	7,587
Associatemembersubs	3,866			3,866	3,867
Bank interest	783			783	321
GiftAid	1,584			1,584	1,888
Fundraising	357			357	708
Miscellaneous	-			-	1,330
Ear-marked donations	-			-	-
A2 Asset & investment sales *Total receipts* A3 Payments	32,264	-	-	32,264	31,907
				-
	-	-	-	-	-

	£32,264	£0	£0	£32,264	£31,907
	10,803 12,761 2,181 144 2,155 2,587 - 543 63 1,950			10,803 12,761 2,181 144 2,155 2,587 - 543 63 1,950
Professional artists: conductors/soloists/extras	10,803			10,803	9,906
ConcertHallcosts	12,761			12,761	9,876
Rehearsal Hallcosts	2,181			2,181	3,002
Instrument costs	144			144	1,847
Music costs:hire/postage	2,155			2,155	2,196
Printing & advertising	2,587			2,587	2,636
Fundraising	-			-	105
MakingMusic subscription&insurance	543			543	508
Bank fees	63			63	60
Miscellaneous	1,950			1,950	179
**Sub total **	33,188	-	-	33,188	30,315
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*				- 33,188 - 924 - 37,416 36,492
	-	-	-	-	-
	33,188 - 924 - 37,416 36,492	- - - - -
			-	33,188	30,315

	- 924	-	-	- 924	1,592
	-	-	- -	-	-
	37,416	-		37,416	35,824
	36,492	-	-	36,492	37,416

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Restricted fufids Detalls funds to n•ar451 t 81 cash lunds cutaC JI.t04 Total cash funds 492 Unie$iricted fwds R&811icied fun Elidmen¢ funds Details to nparest t&npare5£ to npare5tE Fwdlo Curr•ntY4 L)eldilJ 83 Inv•stm•nt ass•ts Fwdto CMI loploMr Cwi•ntY4 84 Ass$ r•tsin•d for th• ¢harrty's own us• IluS¢ 39 Unr•sVW•d TimwnPcUm¢n rdam Jan 2019 PertsJSc InarumMs Oct 21 8ass drwr Irdl 120221 UnrMM•d UnmVW•d 3n ot•. wy•v Fundloh r•l¥l•¥ liYrtd YONI) 85 Llalltii•s Cré¢lOIS Prowg Inle8$t recwv As%w)le Incw¥ r9cw¥ed In thJnce Toi uethtor$ 2.9J9 36Q 3.Jf9 Debior• IhJsit hlreforrxt sea> 793 7JJ Total thbiors S91ur Piirt Name Diana Ande150n 1&0ci-24 an Ta0. Trul¢r