Sevenoaks Music Club 2024-25 Annual Report
Charity reference information
Charity name: Sevenoaks Music Club Charity registration number: 1181364 Correspondence address: Eaves Solefields Road Sevenoaks Kent TN13 1PF Trustees as at date of report: Mr Charles Hebert – Chairman Mr Paul Bidder – Treasurer Mr Matthew Timms – Secretary Mr Malcolm Todd – Concert Planner Mr Rob White – Concert Manager Mr Chris Dance – Webmaster
Structure, governance and management
Sevenoaks Music Club is governed according to its constitution as adopted on 27 December 2018. Sevenoaks Music Club is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Trustees are elected by Sevenoaks Music Club members at the Annual General Meeting.
Reserves policy
It is Sevenoaks Music Club’s policy to hold some 120% of annual turnover in reserves for contingency purposes, this being based on covering all commitments that could be outstanding at any one time.
Objectives and activities
Objectives
As stated in the charity constitution, Sevenoaks Music Club’s objects are:
To promote and develop public education and appreciation of chamber music through public performances, talks, competitions, recitals and such other means as the trustees deem appropriate.
The giving of public concerts ensures that the benefits are available to the public. The concert ticket prices are such that these are not prohibitively expensive and reductions are available through a subscription scheme, and reduced price tickets and subscriptions are available to students in order to encourage their attendance.
The programme notes available at each concert go beyond those normally provided at recitals, and are designed to further audiences’ understanding and appreciation of the music being performed.
The Club is run entirely by volunteers, who undertake all the administrative work associated with engaging and looking after the artists, publicity, and producing concert programmes.
Sevenoaks Music Club 2024-25 Annual Report
Activities
Sevenoaks Music Club promotes the appreciation of chamber music primarily by arranging recitals by renowned musicians at Walthamstow School in Sevenoaks. Admission by ticket is open to anyone, and discounted tickets are available, primarily through a season ticket scheme. Reduced price concert and season tickets are available to students in order to encourage development of an interest in classical music.
The Club also provides a financial contribution and a recital opportunity for two Sevenoaks Young Musician Competition participants each year as an encouragement to young performers.
Achievements and performance
The Club has continued to succeed despite the rather difficult economic environment, and achieved a small surplus while maintaining ticket prices at the same level as the previous season. This is due in no small measure to the generosity of a number of our supporters, which is in turn a reflection of the value which the Club is seen to bring to the local community. It is a matter of pride that Sevenoaks Music Club has been able to maintain audience numbers without in any way diluting our offering of serious chamber music recitals.
The number of members – people buying season tickets – has been creeping up. This is healthy; although the income from the purchase of individual concert tickets is greater than from that from a comparable number of season tickets, the continuity of income is valuable, and evidence of commitment to our cause.
The decision to put on an extra concert each year has clearly paid off. It enables us to bring a bit of extra variety to our concerts while maintaining the number of concerts offering ‘core repertoire’ of string ensembles and piano recitals.
The use of social media has continued to increase, and we believe the effort going into getting copy into many of the free local magazines has been helpful rasing awareness of the Club’s activities.
The biggest challenge to Sevenoaks Music Club is to increase its resilience. The number of committee members and their robustness is a serious concern that must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Signed on behalf of the trustees
Charles Hebert
16 September 2025
SEVENOAKS MUSIC CLUB Incom• and Exp•ndIr0 Account for th• Y•ar 1•t July 2024 to 30th Jun• 2025 2023124 2024125 INCOME 10,901 Annual Subs(¥ptK>ns 3,175 Concert Tthfs 2,305 DonatKin8 935 Bank InteTr8t 331 RefrgshThnl8 O Artlst Subshjy 10,989 2,419 6.130 1,239 421 650 17,647 Totsl InGorn• 21.848 EXPENLXTURE 12,814 Artl8ts 2,940 HaN Hlre 1,098 cOnrt Support 302 OffKe pthitNIg & m8rt18r coThNnk8tknn 1,104 Pubhcty & Adverti8inglWebslle e7 Perfomthg Ryhls S¢Kaety 323 Mertjernhl) and Ingur8nc• 170 Prizes + donoth)n8 283 Bar Supples 165 StrT>elSumUp Fees (for ra s819•) 11,636 3.664 837 292 1.068 870 337 100 199 160 19,261 Tolal Expgndltyr• 18,982 1,619 DEFicrr 3URPLUS 2.886
SEVENOAKS MUSIC CLUB 01 Qul 2024 B•lanc• S1 at 30th June 2025 BANK and CASH BALANCES 28,043 Bank & Buiklkng Sougty Depostts 14,713 CuThenl Accounts 103 Pelly Ca8h O Doblors and Prep8yftnts ,283 Cre¢Yhorn ond unpahy Invoko 40.782 1.976 100 .396 34.576 37,462 GENERAL FUND 34.576 G8nernl Fund at 01 Juty 2024 34.576 2,888 SURPLUS 34.576 37,462 Paul L BKldof Hon. Trn88urer INDEPENDENT EXAMINEFfs Report to the of SEVENOAKS MUSIC CAU8 I have exaMed the a(x0Un have beon prepared kn awrdan¢a with the accnunting record8. In the uJur8e of ry 8xamknallon nothkng has com lo my attenth)n to rry opni)n, attenn shouhj bo for a pn)per undotstsndwig of the 8(thunts. Pei8r Knapton Ind8pondonl Exankner