**CHAIR’S REPORT FOR 9[th] AGM OF CLASSICAL MUSIC ROCKS on TUESDAY 18[th] NOVEMBER 2025 (4pm)** ## **Julie Atkins** **The single most important event of 24/25 was the appointment of Julie Atkins as Project Manager to take over most of the burdens of the Chair. After a gradual period of orientation during 2025, Julie has shown herself to be a highly capable administrator quickly gaining the respect of schools and musicians. The transfer has been almost seamless. She is a superb communicator and brings skills in diplomacy to this stressful role. Her thorough engagement with the task has enabled CMR to survive, coming out the other side of a very difficult period when closure of the charity seemed almost certain.** **For this reason we have been able to deliver another splendid year of the CMR schools programme which included our most successful Big Zoom to date with 80 schools tuned in. Julie managed the whole process. In 2026/27 Julie will lead the organisation. I will continue to offer advice and support with such frequency as is required. I will not be in a supervisor role and Julie will be accountable to the Trustees.** ## **Trustees** **It is important that Trustees offer Julie support on a regular basis thus ensuring that she is not isolated in coping with the complexities of CMR. Willingness to attend certain important meetings by zoom with key stakeholders would be much appreciated.** **We have made valuable appointments in both Jo Rust and Fiona Mc Govern who bring formidable experience to their role. Many thanks to our departing Trustees, including our superbly reliable and committed Treasurer, Adrian Cosker ( leaving April 26) and Hugh Hawkins ( November 25) who helped to keep us above water in 24/25. Meanwhile our long serving journalist, classical music commentator and Alderman, Andy Tyler, is staying on board. We need to rebuild our team in 2026 so that we remain a team of 6. A new Treasurer is a priority.** **We need a current Trustee to move into the largely symbolic role of Chair.** **Due to banking procedures and convoluted bureaucracy, it is quite likely that there may be a need for residual assistance from departing Trustees until we are 100% sure we can pay our musicians.** ## **Funding** **CMR has continued to be precariously funded as a direct result of West Norfolk as a whole not being prepared to offer more than minimal support. The expansion of the Norfolk Music Hub to include Suffolk has not led to any improvement in the size of our commission which remains at £9,000 pa. As a result we are now in a degree of conflict with managers who keep a low glass ceiling in place. News next year I hope.** **Nevertheless, our direction of travel has to be to make modest moves into areas outside West Norfolk and into Suffolk, ( see strategy document already issued) which will result in a shift away from our valued main base. A reduction to two visits to selected schools will also take place from April 26.** **However, due to continued efforts by CMR to maintain income we can confidently say that our funds at bank will help us to deliver our full programme until April and beyond. Our 10[th] AGM is a strong possibility! I will continue to assist Julie in regard to fund raising if needed.** ## **Ambitions to expand** **As noted above, expansion geographically is a necessity, whilst building on the success of our recent zoom is a top priority. We also aim to create a trial high quality recording of a CMR duo, to be made available to all schools on a private YouTube channel. This may be achievable late in 2026. The high cost of £6,000 will require specific funding, but not at the expense of live visits to schools.** ## **Musicians** **No annual report is complete without praising our exceptional team of 12 musicians. Yu-Wei Hu, a stalwart since 2017, has excelled in her performances as a baroque flute soloist, though her work with Johan Lofving (theorbo) has also been a real delight. Siobhain O’Higgins (piano) and Kio Blonz ( flute), also recruits from 2017, continue to enthrall children…and teachers. New musicians include Philippa Mo ( violin), Emma Purslow ( violin) and Sarah Williamson ( our newest recruit, clarinettist and former Young Musician of the Year performs in February)** ## **Children** **Our informal feedback from schools remains excellent though we have now put to one side our requests for detailed information. Schools are just too busy. It would be good if somehow we could hear the voice of the child. Ideas welcome!** ## **The Place of CMR in the UK** **Since the creation of CMR in 2016, I have long wished to find a more mature version of our charity, or even a baby CMR just starting. This would have greatly helped us to plot our path through the numerous difficulties we have faced. But sadly, rather like the Earth, we are a lonely planet! Thus it is all the more extraordinary that potential funders ignore us. Possibly this is due to increasing ignorance about classical music as reflected in the lack of under 70 year olds attending classical concerts.** **CMR’s great strength since 2016 has been its support by volunteers. Setting up a CMR on the basis of paid staff would cost £20K pa, a fact entirely unrecognised by doubtful funders. We really do tread a lonely path.** ## **PETER BARKER** ## **AGENDA** **1. Apologies for absence.** **2. Minutes of last meeting** **3. Matters Arising** **4. Elections/Confirmation of Trustees and Officers – PB will continue to chair the meeting.** **5. Chair’s Report** **6. Financial Report by Adrian Cosker** **7. Report by Project Manager, Julie Atkins** **8. News from schools – Fiona McGovern** **9. Safeguarding – comments by JA. Sharing of any concerns.** **10. Local government changes – insights from Jo Rust** **11. Observations about the media ( Andy Tyler)** **12. Suggested dates for meeting in 2026. : 24/02, 12/05, 08/09, 10/11 AGM - TBC.** CMRAccounts Summorypreparedfvr24ft5AGM ondfvrsubmlsslon to Choritie5 Commlsslon (l Apnl 2024 to 31 March 2025). Clas5icoI Music Rocks chorityno 1185672 2 Pages Filename: accounts to Si8n 24 25 updated 19 1125 General Restrirted TOTALS CASH RECEIPTS actual private donors- monthly grant Norfolk and Suffolk Music Hub HMRC ift aid tax ￿lief other donations/grants: sundry income 7 and 9 24 guildhall shows+25126 yr Norfolk Comm'y Foundation restrlrted funds 150(X) received ft)r 2516 year 3992.98 rec and spent in 24125 for guildhall PLUS 5830 clf from 23124 see below bal c/fl TOTAL RECEIPTS actual CASH PAYMENTS artual artistic director honorarium Admin and mkting director honorarium School events: payment to artiste5 fees/travel/expenses artiste's subsistence lif provided by CMRI mileage and subsistence for ChairlCMR hel rs IT websit818afléts insurance accommodation concerts: inG artiste's fees coach hire venue hire and ex sund ex enses KLFS onsorshi travel,. for chair TOTAL ACTUAL PAYMENTSlbl Iverticallyl 654.00 654.00 9,0(X).tKJ 530.93 750.00 9,000.CIO 530.93 750.00 £ 15,000.00 15.0(Kl.00 3,992.98 3,992.98 10.934.93 £ 18,992.98 £ 29,927.91 810.00 1,000.00 1,810.00 16,258.68 729.29 626.83 16,885.51 1,007.44 278.15 ublicit 514.63 397.37 514.63 397.37 aid directl b uildhall cmr 3,340.00 3810.00 3,340.00 3,810.00 768.00 enses 768.00 65.00 65.00 527.00 527.00 £19,301.97 GENERAL 9,822.98 RESTRicfED E 29.124.95 TOTAL OPENING BANK BAL 01104124 b/f 23,479.76 5,830.C(J £ 29,309.76 PLUS RECEIPTS LESS PA YMENTS BALANCE to clf into 202516 fln yr ie closing bank balance 3113125 of which 15,000 is restricted tobos ent 2516 NET IDEFICIT) ISURPLUS FOR YEAR Signed: actual £ 10,934.93 £ 119,301.971 £ 18,992.98 19,822.981 £ 29,927.91 £ 129,124.951 £ 15,112.72 £ (8,367.04) Signed: £ 15,000.00 9,170.QO £ 30,112.72 802.96 Peter Barker Chair CMR DATE: Adrian CoskerTreasurerCMR DATE. CMRAccounts SummorypreparedAor24/25AGM ondforsubmlsslon to Charftles Convnission (l Aprf12024 to 31 Morth 20251 These accounts are certified to be a tru8 and fair a¢¢ount and were presented to trustees on 16 Sept and have been prepared for approval 8t the Classic81 Muslc Rocks ICMRI AGM to be held on 18 November 2025, then to be submitted to the External Examiner in Pfeparation for submission to the Charities Commission. CMR hoLds no assets, fixed or otherwlse. otherthan atthe bank ss shown 8bove, and has no liabilities carrying over. All funds carried forward. other than as indicated above, are for the charity's aims ot bringing live musi¢ to young people and. apan from timing of usage. and are unrestricted beyond that. The accountswere approved byTrustees attheAGM 18111125 andthis was minuted. Slgned: Signed: Peter Barker Chair CMR DATE: 21111115- Adrian Cosker Treesurer CMR DATE. 71 Countersigned by external examiner: MALfaLffJ H CMRAccountsSummarypreparedfvr24/25AGM andfvrsubmlssion to Churftles Commlsslon (l Apri12024 to 31 Mar¢h 2025). aasslcol Musl¢ Rocks chorltyno 1185672 2 Page5 Fllename: accounts to sign 24 25 ated 19 1125 G•neral Restricted TOTALS CASH RECEIPTS actual private donors- monthl grant Norfolk and Suffolk Music Hub HMRCgift aid tax rel￿f other donationslgrants- sundry income 7 and 9 24 guildhall shows+25126 yr Norfolk Comm'y Foundation re5trirted fvnds 150CKI receNed for 2516 year 3992.98 rec and spent in 24125 for guildhall PLLIS 5830 c/f from 23124 Isee below bal c/fl TOTAL RECEIPTS actual CASH PAYMENTS actual artiStlc dlrector honorarium Admin and mktin director honorarium Schtx>I events: payment to artistes fees/travel/expenses artiste's subsisten￿ lif provided by CMRI mi￿age and Subsisten￿ for ChairlCMR 654.00 9,(K)O.00 530.93 654.00 9,0(J).iJ) 530.93 750.(X) 750.00 £ 15.000.(J) £ 15.000.(K) 3.992.98 3,992.98 10,934.93 £ 18,992.98 £ 29,927.91 810.00 I,000.cx) 1,810.00 16.258.68 729.29 626.83 16.885.51 1,007.44 278.15 IT website leaflets ubli insurance accommodation concerts: inc artiste's fees coa¢h hire venue hire and ex sund ensès KLFS onsorshi travel- for chair TOTAL ACTUAL PAYMENTSlbl {verticallyl 514.63 514.63 397.37 397.37 aid direGtI b uildhall ¢mr 3.340.00 3810.00 768.00 3,340.00 3,810.00 768.CKt nses ex 65.00 527.00 65.00 527.00 £19.301.97 GENERAL 9,822.98 REsfRicfED £ 29,124.95 TOTAL OPENING BANK BAL 01104124 blf £ 23,479.76 5,830. £ 29.309.76 PLUS RECEIPTS LESS PA YMENTS BALANCE to clf Into 202516 fin yr ie Glosing bank balance 3113125 of which 15,(100 is restrictsd tobes nt 2516 NET IDEFICITI ISURPLUS FOR YEAR Slgned: actual £ 10.934.93 19,301.971 £ 18,992.98 £ 19,822.98) £ 29.927.91 £ {29.124.951 £ 15,112.72 £ 18.367.04) Signed: £ 15,000.00 9,170.00 £ 30.112.72 802.96 Peter Bark r C DATE: Adrian CoskerTreasurer CMR DATE. 111111 5 fl W12024 to31 l¥lurch2025A Th88e accounts are ¢èrtlfiodto beatweondfair accountandworn presentedto truth6on 16 Sept8nd have baan preparedfor 8pprovÈl at tho Cts6sI¢81 Musl¢ Rocks (CMRIAGM to be held on 18 Novembgr2025. then trj b&submitted to the Extgmal Ex8minerin WEp8ratloTr for 8ubmls8ion tothe Charities Commisslon. CMR holds no as¥et$, fixed orothenvisg. Qtlwrthan atthebank 88 ¥hown gbovq and h88 no liabilitigs carylng over. ALLfund8 earAei1 forward. other than as indf¢ated 8boH are lortha chartty8 aims of bringlng live mysic toyoun8 people an 4P8rtfrom tlmlngof usage, and aro unrgStri¢tsd boyond that. The accounts werè approved byTnJ8tses 8ttheAGM 18111125 andthis was minuted. Slgnad". Ir CMR DATE: ?Ilii/ li- Adrian Cosker TreasurerCMR OATE. Countsrsigngd byextemolexaminer. VÉ,4JETbl fflALcOiiYJ rnidÉR Rf ftJR1 .. ,,Jd C e ((J4q b_ Lk6l- I 2*aid25 qee = ty¥MJi fE<5Jfe q4 4)(."G Ikk 05:(. &4f4e3 qre GwQf< 4 kk.. GA4yJo VIW LY ffoL￿ , tbJ 4hQ .22 ,