Bury St Edmunds Bach Society
Annual Report
2023/24
1. The Charity’s Aims
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1.1. The Bury St Edmunds Bach Society is registered with The Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Charity Number 1181842). It operates under the name Bury Bach Choir.
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1.2. The society is a choral society based in Bury St Edmunds Suffolk, dedicated to public performances of classical choral works, particularly those of JS Bach.
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1.3. The objectives of the CIO are the maintenance of the Bury St Edmunds Bach Society in the study and practice of choral music, and the promotion of musical performances both generally and for the benefit of such charitable purposes as the charity trustees may from time to time think fit.
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1.4. The Trustees have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
2. Governance
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2.1. The society is governed by a committee of trustees who meet regularly through the year to plan programmes and manage the affairs of the choir.
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2.2. Trustees are elected annually at the AGM and may be co-opted during the year, in accordance with the CIO’s Constitution, its governing document.
2.3. Trustees during the 2023/24 financial year were:
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Richard Chatham
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Linda Cleveley
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Jo Dekkers
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Richard Fletcher (Hon. Treasurer)
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James Heathcote (Vice Chair)
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Sarah Mansfield
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Mary-Clare O’Sullivan
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Julia Rance
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Stephen Ruthen
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Marian Rutherford
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Arland Shawe-Taylor
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Susanna Spall (Hon. Secretary)
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Janet Todd
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John White-Thomson
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Tessa Wright (Chair)
3. In Year Activity
3.1. The choir held three concerts during the year:
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Works by Bach and Martines on 2 December 2023 at the Apex. The choir was accompanied by The Geldart Ensemble (15 players) and soloists Hilary Cronin, Valerie Reid, Nick Pritchard and Benjamin Noble.
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Works by Bruckner on 9 March 2024 at the Apex. The choir was accompanied by The Tailleferre Ensemble and Ibex Brass (18 players).
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Works by Puccini on 25 May 2024 at St Edmundsbury Cathedral. The choir was accompanied by the Prometheus Orchestra (22 players) and soloists Alice Johnston, Samuel Moore and Tom Asher.
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3.2. The choir held 33 Wednesday evening rehearsals and three Saturday rehearsals at King Edward VI school.
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3.3. The Music Director throughout the year was Benedict Collins Rice and the rehearsal pianist was Anne Reece.
4. Income
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4.1. The choir received income from a number of sources:
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Subscriptions of £186 per annum were charged to singing members over the age of 30. There was an average of 80 singing members during the year.
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Ticket sales from the three concerts generated £23636. Ticket prices varied between £17 and £27 and a total of 1080 tickets were sold for the three concerts (Dec 408 , March 319, May 353).
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The choir receives both corporate and individual patronage. Major corporate sponsors during the year included Sofas and Stuff (£3500), Glasswells (£1000), Ridley Godfrey Foundation (£1000) and Wise Music (£1000).
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Gift aid is claimed from HMRC on singing members’ subscriptions and individual patronage, where they have made the necessary declarations.
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The choir receives quarterly income from the Jubilee Fund and surplus funds are deposited with Barclays and CCLA (Church of England) to generate interest.
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Ad hoc fundraising this year included a successful Easter raffle which raised £740.
5. Expenditure
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5.1. Rehearsal expenditure comprised the MD’s retainer, accompanist’s fees and hire of the school hall.
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5.2. The costs of putting on concerts comprise payments to instrumentalists, soloists and conductor, venue and instrument hire and staging. These vary according to the concert programme and venue. The costs for the three concerts this year were:
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Bach Martines - £11355
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Bruckner - £6492
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Puccini - £13384
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5.3. There are incidental costs associated with staging concerts including box office fees, publicity, performing rights fees, orchestral score hire, soloist accommodation and refreshments.
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5.4. The aim is to offset the expenditure on music for singers by income from singers. In some instances the choir subsidises the cost of music from general funds.
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5.5. General costs associated with running the choir include insurance, recruitment and voice checks, bank charges and officer’s expenses.
6. End of Year Position
- 6.1. The year ended with cash reserves of £38,266. This represents 62% of current year expenditure, which trustees judge to be a sufficient level of reserves.
Bury St Edmunds Bach Society
(Registered Charity Incorporated Organisation No 1181842)
Accounts for the 12 month period ended 31st July 2024
| Receipts Singing Members Subscriptions Fund-raising efforts Concerts Ticket salesdirect to choir, at door and other outlets Ticket sales at the box-office Sponsorship Supplying copies of music to singers Sale of programmes at concerts Advertisements in concert programmes Other concert income Patronage and Grants Corporate patrons Personal patrons Tax refunds on covenants Miscellaneous Patronage Trading Activities Social Events Miscellaneous trading Investment Income Bank Interest Jubillee Income TOTAL RECEIPTS Net Surplus (Deficit) for the year Cash and bank balance at 1st August 2023 Cash and bank balance at 1st August 2024 Increase (decrease) in year |
2024 2024 2023 17244 18134 1039 661 18,283 7979 9345 15657 22217 0 0 3860 2270 875 996 75 425 0 28,445 7120 8370 2305 2180 3721 3700 0 500 13,146 0 0 71 129 71 1361 731 1802 1795 3,163 £63,109 £1,324 £36,402 £37,726 £1,324 |
2023 Expenditure 2024 Rehearsing Conductors' fees 8037 Accompanists' fees 2599 Venues 3329 18,795 Concerts Conductors' fees 3000 Soloists' fees 5950 Orchestra's fees 12717 Hire of instruments and orch.scores 1069 Venues 6525 Staging and Lighting 3894 Handbills, Posters and banner 1125 Performing Right fees 176 35,252 Box-office commission 2437 Supplying copies of music to singers 5880 Concert programmes 601 Miscellaneous concert expenses 1597 Trading 14,750 General Publicity 326 Purchase or repair of Fixed Assets 0 Social Events/Training 408 129 Administration Conductors/Officers expenses and meetings 304 Making Music Subscription and Insurance 811 Bank Charges 48 2,526 Miscellaneous expenses 953 £71,453 TOTAL EXPENDITURE £4,593 |
2024 2023 7670 2875 3434 13,965 2865 6750 15155 2945 6034 4777 1122 396 3734 3121 868 2257 44,970 0 0 528 734 754 885 62 628 2,116 £61,785 |
2023 13,978 50,024 528 2,329 £66,860 |
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Accounts Examined by Mr Stephen Cook, Knights Lowe Accountants, Bury St Edmunds.
BURY ST EDMUNDS BACH SOCIETY
(Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation No 1181842)
ACCOUNTS
Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2024
Knighst Lowe Limited Eldo House, Kempson Way Bury St Edmunds IP32 7AR
BURY ST EDMUNDS BACH SOCIETY
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES
YEAR ENDED 31 July 2024
I report on the accounts of the Society for the year ended 31 July 2024 set out on pages 2 to 4.
RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES AND THE INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
As the charity’s Trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts; you consider that the audit requirement of Section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) does not apply and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act, follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act, and state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
BASIS OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission. An independent examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention :-
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which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements :-
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(a) to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 130 of the 2011 Act, and
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(b) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act
have not been met, or
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
James Knights ACA Knights Lowe Chartered Accountants Eldo House, Kempson Way Suffolk Business Park Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP32 7AR
Page 1
BURY ST EDMUNDS BACH SOCIETY
(Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation No 1181842)
Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2024
| Receipts and Payments Account Income Receipts Voluntary Sources Singing Members Subscriptions Fundraising efforts Concerts Ticket sales direct to choir, at the door & other outlets Ticket sales at the box office Sponsorship Supplying copies of music to singers Sale of programmes at concerts Advertisements in concert programmes Other concert income Patronage Corporate patrons Personal patrons Tax refunds on covenants Miscellaneous patronage Grants from Local Authorities Trading Activities Social events Miscellaneous trading Investment Income Bank Interest Jubillee income Total Receipts |
£ £ 17,244 1,039 18,283 7,979 15,657 0 3,860 875 0 75 28,446 7,120 2,305 3,721 0 0 13,146 0 71 71 1,361 1,802 3,163 63,109 2024 |
2023 | 2023 |
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| £ £ 18,134 661 18,795 9,345 22,217 0 2,270 996 0 425 35,253 8,370 2,180 3,700 500 0 14,750 0 129 129 731 1,795 2,526 71,453 |
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| 71,453 |
Page 2
BURY ST EDMUNDS BACH SOCIETY
(Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation No 1181842)
Accounts for the year ended
31 July 2024
| Direct Charitable Expenditure Rehearsing Conductors' fees Accompanists' fees Venues Concerts Conductors' fees Soloists' fees Orchestra's fees Hire of instruments and orchestral scores Venues Staging and Lighting Handbills, Posters and Banner Performing Rights fees Box Office commission Supplying copies of music to singers Concert programmes Charitable donation from concert Miscellaneous concert expenses Other Expenditure Trading General Publicity Social events Purchase or repair of fixed assets Administration and Management Conductors /officers expenses and meetings Making Music Subscription and insurance Bank charges Miscellaneous Expenses Awayday Expenditure Total Expenditure |
£ £ 8,037 2,599 3,329 13,965 3,000 5,950 12,717 1,069 6,525 3,894 1,125 176 2,437 5,880 601 1,597 0 44,971 326 0 408 734 304 811 48 953 2,116 0 61,786 2024 |
2023 | 2023 |
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| £ £ 7,670 2,875 3,434 13,979 2,865 6,750 15,155 2,945 6,034 4,777 1,122 396 3,734 3,121 868 2,257 0 50,024 0 0 528 528 754 885 62 628 2,329 0 66,860 |
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| 66,860 |
Page 3
BURY ST EDMUNDS BACH SOCIETY
(Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation No 1181842)
Accounts for the year ended
31 July 2024
| Net receipts for the period Cash and Bank balances at 1stAugust 2022 Cash and Bank balances at 31st July 2023 Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31st July 2023 Monetary Assets Cash and Bank Balances Current Account – Barclays Bank Business Premium Account – Barclays Current Account – HSBC Cash in Hand COIF Account Choir Fund Total Monetary Assets Debtors Liabilities Creditors PRS Soloist fee Total Monetary Assets, less liabilities Non-Monetary Assets Tangible Fixed Assets At cost |
£ £ 1,323 31,809 33,132 £ £ 403 12,945 0 54 23,000 36,402 120 0 500 500 36,022 £ 15,749 2024 |
2023 | 2023 |
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| £ £ 4,593 36,211 40,804 £ £ 4,749 3,892 0 168 23,000 31,809 0 0 0 0 31,809 £ 15,705 |
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| 31,809 | |||
| £ 15,705 |
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