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2026-01-31-accounts

Polymnia

CIO 1181422

Trustees’ Report

1 February 2025 – 31 January 2026

Trustees’ Report

The Trustees present the Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements for the period from 1 February 2025 to 31 January 2026. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies and comply with the charity's constitution and applicable law.

Administration details

The principal address of the charity is currently 43 Monellan Crescent, Caldecotte, Milton Keynes, MK7 8NA.

The Trustees

Paul North (Chair)

Gina Johnson

Sophia Farrell-Reed (Treasurer)

Brian Coulstock

Chris Crispus Jones

Kate Atalay

Perry Williams

The management committee

The Trustees together with Jessica Norton (Musical Director).

Accounts Examiner

David Johnson

Structure, governance, and management

Polymnia was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 4 January 2019 and is governed by a constitution adopted on 20 January 2019. Trustees are elected or reelected at each Annual General Meeting and are eligible for re-election. At every annual general meeting of the members of the CIO, one-third of the charity trustees must retire from office.

Objectives

The objectives of Polymnia are 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 the trustees see fit, including through the presentation of public concerts and recitals.

Activities

Polymnia is a mixed chamber choir, rehearsing and performing mostly in Milton Keynes and the surrounding area. The choir enjoys considerable critical acclaim and typically performs several concerts a year. The choir of about 22 singers performs a wide-ranging repertoire. The requirements for prospective new members are good sight-reading skills, sufficient

confidence to hold a line with only a small number of singers, and the opportunity to work on the music at home. There is an informal audition for all new members, and voice reviews may be conducted from time to time for the whole choir. Periodic rehearsals take place on occasional Friday evenings, usually at the Bow Brickhill Community Hall.

The success of Polymnia is underpinned by a committed membership with a range of musical expertise, a professional Musical Director and the support of family and friends. The choir is accordingly able to undertake exciting and ambitious choral programmes.

Membership

At the beginning of the year, the membership of the choir was 23 singers and at the end of the year it was 25 singers.

Musical Director

Jessica Norton was appointed Musical Director in October 2021 and remains in post.

Achievements and Performances

Our first concert of the year, “The Lark Ascending” was performed at St Mary and St Giles, Stony Stratford on 5 April. We were delighted to be joined by the amazing virtuoso violinist Fenella Humphries and 3 of her colleagues to make up a string quartet. We had long wanted to sing with a string group and Jessica programmed some great pieces including Whitacre’s Five Hebrew Love songs. Fenella’s playing of The Lark was accompanied by the choir using an arrangement by Paul Drayton giving us the challenge of singing at the very bottom of our dynamic range. This concert attracted our largest audience (over 150) for a good few years.

This was our last concert in our old “end-of-term” pattern and having made the decision to change our schedule to concerts just before half-term, Jessica programmed a “Polymnia Gold” a cappella concert for 14 June to fill in the extended gap before October. This was a great mix of music we had performed over the years that had become firm favourites with either the choir, or audience, or both. These included Monteverdi’s Cantate Domino, Gjeilo’s Ubi Caritas and Billy Joel’s And So It Goes.

In a new venue for us, we performed our “Haunting Harmonies” concert in the Sky Room at MK Gallery, joined by members of the MK Youth Choir. We probably spent as much time rehearsing the fiendishly tricky Daemon Irrepit Callidus by Orbán, as we did the rest of the programme. On the day, we pulled off a great performance to much satisfaction. Other highlights were the medley from Phantom of the Opera, and a surprise visit from “Michael Jackson” as we performed Jessica’s excellent arrangement of Smooth Criminal. Defying Gravity from Wicked, gave a great solo opportunity to one senior member of the Youth Choir, whom we promptly recruited.

On 6 December a small group of us again went carol singing in John Lewis in the Milton Keynes store. We were well looked after by a staff member and collected donations for the Unity MK homeless shelter.

Following the success of last year’s Christmas concert, “Angelsong”, we returned to St George’s, Wolverton on 7 December for “Angelsong 2”. Jessica programmed a combination of reflective music for Advent along with some more upbeat festive fare, again performed

by candlelight. This included a variety of pieces for the whole choir, part choir, solos, duets, quartets - the choreography was challenging! The concert ran in a single movement with Jonathan Kingston playing some wonderful improvisations on the piano that accompanied each new formation of performers in the key and style of the next piece.

Public benefit

The Trustees have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance in deciding on the activities which the choir undertakes. Activities for the public benefit have been demonstrated by:

Financial review

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the choir. Finances are discussed at all meetings. This enables the Trustees to ascertain the financial position of the choir and to ensure that the accounts comply with the Charities legislation. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The choir finances itself by membership contributions, payable on an annual basis and agreed at an annual general meeting, and concert proceeds from sales of tickets and programmes. Other sources of income usually include:

The choir’s direct income funds the full cost of running the choir and contributes towards covering the net cost of concerts in the event of a loss.

Income for the period from 1 February 2025 to 31 January 2026 totalled £16,364. Expenditure amounted to £13,859. Surplus for the year was £2,505. On 31 January 2026, Polymnia had a cash balance of £4,924 held in the MetroBank Polymnia account and £265 in petty cash.

For the first time in many years, we generated a Surplus from each concert, mostly due to increased ticket sales which we think are largely related to a much higher social media presence and the choir thanks Kate Atalay for her sterling work in this area.

As part of our 20 years celebrations, we have decided to commission a new choral work. A crowd funding programme was launched and together with the Surplus generated in the financial year we have committed to progress the commission in 2026 for premier at our October concert.

Reserves policy

Reserves are held to help fund major concerts and to acquire and maintain assets.

Risk management

The Trustees have a responsibility to identify, assess and manage risks. They keep abreast of legislation which may affect charities through the Charities Commission website and through the ‘Making Music’ organisation to which the choir is affiliated. They ensure that the choir complies with copyright and performing rights law. The choir’s insurance is arranged through ‘Making Music’.

Policies

The choir has policies regarding Safeguarding and Data Protection. Policies are reviewed annually and current policies may be viewed on the choir’s website www.polymnia.org.uk.

Future Plans

The new concert schedule of concerts just before half-term and at 4pm seems to be working well.

The 2026 schedule includes:

16 May: Regrets and Reflections at St Mary and St Giles, Stony Stratford with guest Musical Director Laura Bailie

17 October: Premiere concert at St Mary and St Giles, Stony Stratford, with Craig Greene (piano)

6 December: Christmas concert in St George’s Wolverton, with Jonathan Kingston

Approved by the Trustees on 20 March 2026

Commercial in Confidence #

POLYMNIA FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - 2025/26 Financial Year

Charity number: 1181422

BALANCE SHEET

Notes
Current Assets
Bank
Cash in hand
9
Debtors and prepayments
Current Liabilities
10
Creditors and Accruals
Net Assets
Represented by:
Unrestricted Funds
General Fund		 as at 31
January
2026
4,924
265
1,796
6,985
1,757
5,228
5,228		 as at 31
January
2025
3,469
80
316
3,865
1,142
2,723
2,723

The notes on the attached pages form part of these accounts

Paul North - Chair

Sophia Farrell-Reed

Date: 19/03/2026

Date: 19/03/2026

For and on behalf of the Board

Commercial in Confidence #

Charity number: 1181422

POLYMNIA FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - 2025/26 Financial Year

Statement of Financial Activities

Notes
Income - Unrestricted Funds
2
Donations and legacies
3
Charitable activities
4
Other trading activities
Total Unrestricted Funds
Income - Restricted Funds
5
Other receipts
5
Other Donations (Restricted)
Total Restricted Funds
Total Income
Expenditure
6
Raising funds
7
Charitable activities
8
Other
Surplus / (Deficit)
General fund b/fwd
General fund c/fwd		 2025 / 26
5,537
8,307
0
13,844
1,035
1,485
2,520
16,364
0
11,964
1,895
13,859
2,505
2,723
5,228		 2024 / 25
6,449
4,718
0
11,167
12,494
0
12,494
23,661
90
10,712
12,402
23,204
457
2,266
2,723

The notes on the attached pages form part of these accounts

Commercial in Confidence#

POLYMNIA FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - 2025/26 Financial Year

Charity number: 1181422

Notes to the Accounts

1 Accounting Policy

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards and the Statement of Recommended Practice on Accounting by Charities (FRS 102, second edition)

INCOME
2
Donations and legacies
Member subscriptions
Other donations and legacies
Gift aid recovered
3
Charitable activities
Ticket and Programme Sales
4
Other trading activities
Rehearsal refreshments
5
Other receipts - Restricted Funds
Members purchases:music
Members purchases: tour facilities - Edinburgh
Members purchases: tour facilities - Mantua
Members Purchases: Other Social Activities
Other Donations and Legacies (Restricted)
EXPENDITURE
6
Raising funds
Publicity
7
Charitable activities
Rehearsal and concert expenses
Fees
Venue hire
Programmes and other
Alina concert loss sharing payment
Administration costs
}
Corporate subscriptions
}
8
Other
Purchases on behalf of members: tour facilities
Purchases on behalf of members: music & clothing
Purchases on behalf of members: Other
BALANCE SHEET
9
Debtors and Prepayments
Rehearsal Venue
Other Prepayments
Subscriptions due
Music purchase due
10
Creditors and Accruals
Donations in Advance
Accruals		 2025 / 26
4,432
1,105
0
5,537
8,307
8,307
0
1,035
0
0
0
1,485
2,520
0
8,927
2,191
349
0
133
365
11,964
0
1,895
0
1,895
293
1,299
204
0
1,796
328
1,429
1,757		 2024 / 25
£
3,705
1,489
1,255
6,449
4,718
4,718
0
852
0
11,535
107
0
12,494
90
7,440
2,126
466
0
230
450
10,712
11,513
802
87
12,402
238
15
63
316
115
1,027
1,142