CHAIR’s REPORT FOR THE 8[TH] ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, reviewing our 2023 24 period, OF CLASSICAL MUSIC ROCKS ON 19/11/24 at 4pm ( for circulation to Trustees, donors, supporters, sponsors, schools, community organisations and musicians)
The Trustees
2023/24 has been a period of tumult within the charity, marked by resignations of several Trustees. We have just begun to recover but recognise that the age of our managing group leaves us highly vulnerable to closure. We need to replace our Chair as a priority and must look ahead to changing our long serving Treasurer within a year or two, whilst enlarging and widening our group to include more women and locally based members, reflective of the community we serve. It is concerning that that our committee has no representatives from the school sector. Readers of this report may have suggestions to make.
The growing burdens of running CMR means that it is no longer possible for the Chair to carry out the bulk of the administration and organisational detail without assistance. To this end the Trustees recently appointed Julie Atkins as our Project Manager. Her prior involvement with CMR over several years suits her well for her role. Julie’s training has already commenced and she will take up her freelance role in the near future
The Achievements of CMR
After 8 years it is important to reflect on our achievements since 2016. This is our case for continuing!
From the small number of children reached at our inception, our brilliant team of 12 musicians now perform approximately 30 days of visits per annum. Our Introductions to Classical Music have been enjoyed by 30,000 children mainly in West Norfolk. We expect to achieve 9 - 10,000 child contacts each year, subject to funding. All without cost to schools
Repeat visits to schools have been highly successful in enabling children to enjoy classical music which, by and large, they have not heard before. Our experience is that children tune into classical music with ease and anticipate our visits with a sense of excitement.
Teachers appreciate our visits too. Many years of downgraded music education has led to a serious neglect of 500 years of classical music, leaving most people with little experience of this very important genre.
Alongside our school visits,we have also managed to create a programme of concerts in the community with the aim of reaching those who would not normally attend. These have occurred twice per year from 2017 until 2023 when we endeavoured to continue the outstanding work of the Kings Lynn Music Society with more concerts in the Town Hall, St Nicholas’ Chapel and Snettisham Parish church. However, in the post covid era attendance was low and we had decreasing success in reaching children and young people. The Trustees closed the series.
An important benefit of this decision was a refocussing on one of our objectives – to provide free concerts for children. This was achieved this year with two splendid “shows” in which our musicians performed 6 concerts for an audience of 280 children on each occasion, nearly 1,700 in all! The fabulous St George’s Guildhall in Kings Lynn was the venue, perfect for the many children who had never experienced a real concert before.
Zooming
During the devastating period of lockdown, CMR musicians adapted to zooming into individual schools and more recently have had several successful on line performances for 1,500 children or more. But there is strong growing evidence of weariness with screens. We are now likely to concentrate more on our in person visits to schools.
Our partnership with the Norfolk and Suffolk Music Hub
Norfolk Music Hub has been a key funder of CMR from the outset. In recent years we have appreciated the advantages of being partners with the Hub, which has recently expanded to combine in one Regional Hub for the whole of Norfolk and Suffolk. Very recently, CMR has just made its first bookings with a school in Haverhill, Suffolk.
Safeguarding
The safeguarding of children is a key policy for CMR. We reconsider our procedures each year. All our musicians are DBS checked, have an enhanced check and receive training provided and required by the schools they are attached to. I am pleased to report that in our 8 years of existence there have been no safeguarding incidents of any kind. Musicians perform for audiences of 80 – 150 children and have no individual contact with children. Pictures on our website are of musicians and not children.
We are in contact with Gemma Hampton of the Safer Norfolk Programme to overhaul our policy for the New Year.
Funding
Raising money for CMR has been a stressful and anxiety provoking task from the outset. Our success has depended on being able to book our busy musicians a long way in advance, so we are compelled to gamble that we will raise the money to pay them. Planning programmes has been problematic. To date CMR has been successful through applications to external national charities, though the awareness that usually it is necessary to make 4 applications to achieve one success is burdensome. Apart from funding by the Music Hub, CMR has been largely unsupported by organisations and public bodies in West Norfolk, though in recent days we have been informed of success with the charity, West Norfolk Lives. We have raised over £100,000 over our 8 years. The Music Hub initially funded us with commissions for £5,000pa and more recently for £8,500. Our audience of children has quadrupled. Regrettably the hot house atmosphere over funding has necessitated the withdrawal of the Chair from this demanding activity.
It is now necessary for public bodies to decide whether CMR should be supported in the long term. Our programme of 30 days of visits, giving 90 Introductions to Classical Music costs £45,000, or approximately £5 per child contact.
The CMR constitution and a need to reconsider our structure
The CMR constitution was given to us by the Charity Commission in October 2019 when we gained charitable status. ( no. 1185672). It included our objects: to enable the children of Norfolk to experience classical music and to attend free or low cost concerts in the community.
However, it is not entirely suited to our needs. It was a convenient template. We must revisit this document to make it more relevant to our purposes, including consideration of membership issues. This will be reviewed in the coming months.
The Trustees will also need to consider whether being a charity is still the most appropriate vehicle for supporting our activities. The anxiety caused by fundraising from Charities leads to questions about the viability of continuing with this modus operandi. It is an activity which no one volunteers for and is now almost beyond me. We started life in 2016 as a not-for-profit organisation and there is no reason for not returning to this model though we would rely solely on public bodies to ensure that we have sound finances.
The Future of CMR
Overall, it is clear that, due to the hard work of Trustees and the wonderfully creative contribution from our committed musicians, a great deal has been achieved, providing a platform for further growth in Norfolk and Suffolk. What has been developed since 2016 is ripe for extending elsewhere . CMR has demonstrated conclusively that if children are given the chance to hear classical music, they love it! Let us ensure that as many children as possible can benefit.
After a very successful but challenging first 8 years, the Chair will be choosing to step down from this increasingly stressful role during 2025, planning to remain a Trustee in a purely advisory role, but passing on all administration to our new Project Manager, who will take on much detailed work, liaising with schools and musicians. 2025 will be a crucial year with our new paid freelance staff member helping CMR to become a more cohesive organisation and without dependency on an ultimately unviable volunteer model.
Please do circulate this AGM report which may be of interest to many people and organisations. And do bear in mind that we need support from new Trustees, someone with financial expertise to sign off our accounts and a new Chair.
Many thanks to our inspirational team of musicians, to schools whose participation has been crucial and to many others who have shown an interest,
PETER BARKER Chair Classical Music Rocks (2016-2024) 7/10/24
Accounts for CMR 0104 23 to 3103 24 CASH rocel TOTALS Fund £ Fund £ fite donors- monthly 1.938.(K¢ 1.938.IXI grant Norfolk Music Hub from Foyle Foundation HMRC gift atd ts¥ relief grants from arts organisations from Norfolk Community Foundation Restricted Funds for perfom)ance in St Georg¥s Guildhall, 2024 r3nts from choritie5 POSt code places lottery Revenue from concerts ricket sales sundry income TOTAL recei CASH payments artistic dlrettor honordrium Admin and mkting dIttor honorarium School events: payment to artistes feesltravellexpense5 artiste'5 subsistence li provided by CMRI milea e and subsistence for ChairlCMR hel IT website ieafiets ublici Insurance 9,085.CO 6,(M)O. 520.99 2343.36 9,085.00 6.(XKI.00 520.99 2,343.36 5.830.00 5.830.00 25.11.00 25.(W. 997.86 89.44 997.86 89.44 45,974.65 5.830.00 51.804.65 2.480. 500. 2,480.CM) 500.(XI 17.260.20 1,382.75 285.87 1,189.64 248.04 17.260.20 1,382.75 285.87 1.189.64 248.04 concert8: Venue hire and concorts: sund offKe hwe nses 2.412.61 194. 2A12.61 194.13 52.68 nse5 52.68 travel" for chair 38.85 26.04Q77 Defi£tt lsurplus for year 19929.88 OPEMNG BALANOI/23 b/f 3,549.88 us for23f24 19329.88 25,759.88 CLOSING BALAIICE311W24 0*1 23 479.76 29.30A76 These accounts are certified to be a true and fair account 8nd were presented to trust8e8 and approved atthe Classical Music Rocks ICMR}AGM held on 1911112024. CMR holds no assets. fixed or otherwise, otherth8n atthe bank as shown above. and has no liabiLities carryingover. Allfunds. otherthan as indicated 8bove. are forthe charty's aims of bringin emu "¢ to young people and are unrestriGted beyond that. 38.85 26.¢JXTI 25.759.88 5,830.00 signed: Signed: Peter Barker C AE I(As£trI rfIALCIJLrf M CM c.e.F.A
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Exaffliner's Report Report to the trustees CLAssicRL thJsii eocrfs On accounts for tho year ended Charity no (if any) Set out on page8 I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the TNSV) for the year ended Responslblllties and basis of report As the charitys trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Acr). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Ad and in Carrying oul my examination, I have followed all Ihe applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{51(b) of the Act. Independent tThe charilvs gross income exceeded £250.000 and l am quali examlnerfs ststement undertake the examination b be er [insert name of ete I I If not applicable. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no materlal matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below ') which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act- or Ihe accounts did not accord with the accounting records. or the ac£ounts did not comply with the applicable requirements nceming the form and content of accounts set out in the Chartties {Awour71s and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no COnrnS 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. . Please delete the words in the braGkets rf they do not apply. Slgned: Dat•". 2oZ Name: .YltkcoLrf] HOTr)cD Relevant professlonal quallflcationls) or body CMnlLfiQ IJSfiTff rf eJ6iC f AcctsJafthL IER Oct 2018
(If any): Address: Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight mateiial matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Give hero brlef detalls of any items that the examin&r wishes to disclose. vlo IER Oct 2018
Acroujtts for CMR 0104 23 to 3103 24 CASH rocel General Fund £ Restri¢t¢d Fund £ TOTALS rivate donork monthly 1,938.00 1.938.(K) grant Norfolk Music Hub from Foyle Foundation HMRC gift aid tax relief grants from art5 organisations from Norfolk Community Foundation Restrlcted Funds for performance in St George's Guildhall. 2024 grants from charities post code places lottery Revenue from con¢erts rid¢et sales sundry income TOTAL recei CASH payments artistic dlrector honorarium Admin and mkting directof honorarium School events: paymentto artistes feesltravellexpenses artiste's subsistence lif rovided by CMRI mi e and subsistence for ChairlCMR hel IT website ie8ft&ts ublici insurance 9,085.IX¢ 6,OtK).00 520.99 2343.36 9,085.(K) 6,0(K). 520.99 2.343.36 5,830.00 5.830.00 25.000.00 25,O.(*J 997.86 89.44 997.86 89.44 45,974.65 5,830.00 51,804.65 2,480.(X) 500.00 2,480.00 500.(XI 17,260.20 1,382.75 285.87 17,260.20 1,382.75 285.87 1,189.64 248.04 ers 1,189.64 248.04 2,412.61 194.13 concerts" venue hire and Concerts: sund enses office tti enses 2.412.61 194.13 52.68 52.68 travel. for chair 38.85 TiJfAL payment5 26AI44-77 De'firlt}lsurplu$ for year 19.929 OPENING BAL4NCESQU04/23 b/f 3,549.88 Su lus for 23r24 19,929.88 5.830.00 CLOSING BALANCE 3113r24 c/1 23.479.76 5,830. These accounts are certified to be 8 true and fairaccount and w8r8 presented to trustee$ and approved 8tthe Classical Music Rocks ICMRI AGM held on 1911112024. CMR holds no assets, fixed or otherwise, otherthan atthe bank as shown above, and has no li8bilities Carrying over. All funds. other than 88 indicated 8bove, are for the charty's aims of bringin emu ic to young people and are unrestricted beyond that. 38.85 26.077 25.759.88 5,830.00 25 759.88 Signed: Signed: ,Icc-Z Peter Barker C 14,ts NI JLlbd c.e.F.A Efjtl rfIAL<r)Lrfl H EY4MJitr C(fift