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2021-07-31-accounts

Annual Report & Accounts

of the

Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra

for the financial period

1 August 2020 to 31 July 2021

The Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra

The WSO has been performing in Leamington since 1940, and as the Leamington Orchestral Society before that. Its players are drawn from all over the county and beyond. The Royal Spa Centre was the orchestra's regular venue following its opening in 1972 with a concert given by the WSO. More recently the orchestra has played in Warwick Hall and in the churches of St. Mary’s, Warwick and All Saints, Leamington Spa. Over the years the orchestra has worked with many illustrious soloists such as Janet Baker, Julian Bream, Peter Donohoe, Leon Goossens and Tasmin Little. Guy Woolfenden, permanent conductor from 1972 to 2012, succeeded a line of distinguished past conductors, and enhanced the WSO tradition of achieving the very highest musical standard. Roger Coull is the orchestra’s Principal Conductor, and Paul Leddington Wright its Associate Conductor.

The WSO is proud of its association with Coventry Cathedral Chorus of Coventry Cathedral, the Royal Leamington Spa Bach Choir, Collegium Warwick and The Choirs of St. Mary's Church, Warwick, with which it has performed several major works, including Holst's The Planets, Berlioz' Te Deum, Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony and Verdi's Requiem.

Since July 2002 the orchestra has taken part in the Leamington & Warwick Festivals, performing Walton's Belshazzar's Feast, Berlioz' Messe Solennelle, Dvorak's Requiem, Tippett's A Child of Our Time and Respighi's The Pines of Rome. In July 2008 the WSO took part in the prestigious International Church Music Festival at Coventry Cathedral, and in March 2009 and May 2012 performed joint concerts in both Warwick & Paris with the Choeur Josquin des Pres of Villebon.

Conductors Principal Conductor: Roger Coull Associate Conductor: Paul Leddington Wright

Leaders

George Ewart Alistair Kennedy

Trustees

Trustees
Chairman &
Raymond Joyce Media Manager Amanda Laidler
Secretary
Treasurer Peter Scott Ticket Secretary Diana Billington
Librarian Shauna Kelham Gardner Assistant Secretary Sara Coldicott
Venue Manager Jenny Maynard Trustee Anne Ransford
Assistant Treasurer Dilys O’Driscoll Trustee Patrick Hinks
Programme Planner Chris Voss

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The Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra

Chairman’s statement

The orchestra met for a playday on Saturday 17 October 2020 which was a welcome occasion after the restrictions of the Covid regulations. The orchestra was unable to meet again due to Covid restrictions until the strings’ rehearsals on 26 May and 9 June 2021. The full orchestra met for a play day on 12 June 2021, which was effectively the last rehearsal for a concert on 26 June 2021, as part of the Warwick and Leamington Spa Music Festival. The programme included Beethoven’s Egmont Overture and his Romance for Violin and Orchestra in F major in which the soloist was George Ewart, and finished with Brahms’ 4th Symphony. The concert at All Saints Leamington Spa was well attended with nearly 200 in the audience.

One of the features of the lock downs was the WSO’s recordings of Prokofiev’s Troika from Lieutenant Kije’s suite and Strauss’ Radetzky March which have been watched on YouTube more than 5,000 and 3,000 times respectively. The British Library has now accepted into its archive the original recording of the Radetzky March. Through our recordings we have reached a massive audience and kept the players together and our name and reputation in the public eye.

The WSO’s Board of Trustees, made up of 11 committed players and non-players continued to meet virtually throughout the remainder of the season to keep the public restrictions under review and plan for the orchestra’s participation in the Warwick and Leamington Spa music festival. All the trustees have pulled together magnificently in making a great effort to handle all the ramifications of cancelled concerts and last minute changes to the orchestral schedule. The result was a successful playday, concert and rehearsals, carefully planned to be as safe as possible, bringing the orchestra back together again as the pandemic began to recede.

Raymond Joyce Chairman

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Treasurer's report

This report covers the 12 month financial period from 1 August 2020 to 31 July 2021 - the first full 12 month financial period since the orchestra changed over to be a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). This is because the CIO commenced operation on 1 January 2020, and so the first CIO financial period had to be a short one (January to July 2020) in order to bring the financial periods back into alignment with the normal WSO concert seasons.

Within this second CIO financial period now being reported on, there were two Play Days (October 2020 and June 2021), the Troika video, and the Warwick Festival concert in All Saints (26 June 2021). In terms of financing this activity, the Trustees had previously agreed to carry forward £1,340 into this year to assist the funding, in recognition of the cancelled June 2020 summer concert. The Trustees were keen to encourage the return of players in 2020/21, and so rather than request further players’ subscriptions, it was decided to fund the remaining funding shortfall (just over £2,000 as it turned out) from our reserves. Over recent years we had raised the level of reserves somewhat to cope with unforeseen circumstances – and it seemed that this was therefore an entirely appropriate use of those reserves.

The end result financially is that we had an orchestral deficit of £2,046 for the 2020/21 financial year, with the orchestra’s reserves now standing at £43,531. In the Statement of Financial Activities below, these figures are shown in the first column. The second column shows the status of the Malcolm Rowson Fund. As previously stated, the intention is to use this fund as a basis for an award for young talented double reed players, as a tribute to Malcolm’s memory. Last year the fund stood at £1,520, and it has since been enhanced by further donations, and notably by a £2,000 bequest from Malcolm Rowson’s estate received just over a year ago. This brings the new total to £3,715, and progress is now being made on bringing this scheme to fruition.

In conclusion, our finances are still in good shape, and the orchestra is beginning to recover to its former strength, back to a more typical season of concerts. The increased number of players is a good indication of the success of our strategy, and signifies a return towards normality for us.

Peter Scott Hon. Treasurer

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Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra

Statement of Financial Activities for the Period Ending 31 July 2021 (12 month financial period 1 August 2020 to 31 July 2021)

INCOMING RESOURCES
Ticket income
Other concert income
Membership subscriptions
including Gift Aid
Sponsorship & Donations
Malcolm Rowson Fund
income (inc. legacy)
Rehearsal refreshment
income
Misc. & bank interest
Total incoming resources
RESOURCES EXPENDED
Charitable Activities:
Direct concert expenditure
Rehearsal costs
(inc. Play Days)
Printing & general
expenses
Depreciation
Total resources expended
Net incoming/(outgoing)
Resources
Total funds brought
forward
Total funds carried
forward		 Unrestricted
Designated
Last year
Funds
Funds
TOTALS
(7 month
period)
£
£
£
£
936

936
1,868
-

-
2,521

1,490
-
1,490
2,392
-
-
647

2,195
2,195
1,520
-
-
-
89
40
-
40
95
2,466
2,195
4,661
9,132








840
-
840
2,959
2,561
-
2,561
3,552
761

761
961
350

350
204
4,512

4,512
7,676




(2046)
2,195
149
1,456
45,577
1,520
47,097
45,641
43,531
3,715
47,246
47,097

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Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra

Balance Sheet as at 31 July 2021


FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors & prepayments
Cash at bank and in hand
Total current assets
Creditors
Net current assets
Total assets
FUND BALANCES
Unrestricted Funds
Designated funds
Total Funds		 This Year
£
Last year
£


1,896
2,246


1,239
1,072
44,767
45,703
46,006
46,774
(656)
(1,924)
45,350
44,851
47,246
47,097


43,531
45,577
3,715
1,520
47,246
47,097

Notes on the Financial Statements for the Period

1. Trustees Expenses

The Charity meets the expenses of Trustees and Committee members properly incurred on behalf of the Orchestra. No Trustees or Committee members, nor anyone connected with them, have received any remuneration from the Charity's funds.

2. Depreciation

A set of timpani drums and trailer were acquired at the end of 2016 for £3,500, and this asset is being depreciated over a period of 10 years, calculated on a monthly basis.

Signed Peter Scott Hon. Treasurer

Signed Raymond Joyce Chairman

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Independent Examiner’s Report on the Accounts

Report to the Trustees of the Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra on the accounts for the Period Ending 31 July 2021

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An 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 the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

  1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:

  2. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and

  3. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act

  4. have not been met; or

  5. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed: Geoff Griffiths Independent Examiner

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