2025-12-31-accounts

Cornerstone Music CIO

Report of the trustees for the financial year ended 31[st] December 2025

The trustees present their annual report and financial statements and confirm that these comply with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011, the CIO constitution and the Charities SoRP (FRS 102).

Cornerstone Music is a Public Benefit Entity and not operated for profit.

Its objects are

• (1) 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 charity trustees see fit, including through presentation of public concerts and recitals;

• (2) To further such charitable purpose or purposes as the charity trustees in their absolute discretion shall think fit but in particular through the making of grants and donations.

The activities and accomplishments of Cornerstone Music are described in the report of the Director of Music which follows.

The Trustees are Dr David Chapman (chair), Dr Cathy Hampton, Rev Dr Margaret Goodall, Joy Chapman, Jonathan Rosewell and Adrian Yardley (treasurer). The address of the charity is 11 Burewelle, Two Mile Ash, Milton Keynes, MK8 8LS. Our Independent Examiner is C G Linford MCICM.

Charity number 1188707

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Cornerstone Music CIO

Report of the Chair of Trustees

There are four streams of events presented by Cornerstone Music: major orchestral and choral works, a cappella concerts of the New English Singers, recitals or smaller concerts with guest performers, and Adrian’s regular afternoon sessions ‘ Exploring Music ’ from his private CD collection.

2025 started with a fantastically successful ‘Concert for Peace’ performing Rutter’s Requiem and Karl Jenkin’s The Armed Man for Churches Together in Milton Keynes’s celebration of The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This raised £900 for each of CTMK’s designated charities ( St Mark’s Meals and Sieve MK Gateway ). As a contribution to Cornerstone’s Eastertide celebration in April we put on a performance of Bach’s St John’s Passion and in November there was a very special concert to celebrate the 80[th] birthday of Sir John Rutter with performances of Mass of the Children , Magnificat , Ecce Miraculum and Suite Antique .

There were six smaller performances organised for Saturday lunchtimes or early Wednesday evenings, including very successful collaborations with Prajna Indrawati’s Bel Canto and the Revive Trio. Performances by the New English Singers included the annual ‘Christmas Cracker’ concert of carols and other festive works. Adrian’s regular ‘ Exploring Music ’ series of illustrated talks continued both to entertain and educate.

Cornerstone Music is an independent charity that exists as an adjunct of the Church of Christ the Cornerstone. Its music contributes to the mission of the church, with most of the performed works being sacred music. The experience of live music of this quality is a spiritual experience and our concerts function as outreach, drawing in significant numbers of people who are not members of Cornerstone, and many of them not active members of any church. As in a church service, participation in the events as a musician or as volunteer helper is a special experience, and this year we were delighted by the contribution of (Muslim) Arif Master performing the role of Muezzin in The Armed Man and the choir of Cornerstone Young Voices for the Mass of the Children.

In addition to our own performances, Cornerstone Music provides a ‘reservoir’ of additional singers from which the Adrian Boynton draws to enhance the regular church choir at Evensong and for major church festivals in his capacity as Director Of Music for the Church of Christ the Cornerstone.

2026 will have a similar programme of music of the highest quality, starting with this year’s CTMK ‘Hope for the World’ concert of music by Mozart, raising money for the Camphill Community at Milton Keynes and for Bridgebuilder Trust MK.

David Chapman

Charity number 1188707

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Cornerstone Music CIO

Statement of Financial Activity

	Note INCOME Donations: Friends of Music Choir donations Other donations Gift Aid 5 EXPENDITURE Charitable activities: Ticket sales 6 Investment income Scores EXPENDITURE Charitable activities: Performers 7 Venue hire 8 Scores 9 Website 10 Conducting fee 11 Donations made 12 Funds brought forw Funds carried Net surplus / / Gain on investments 13 Funds brought forward Funds carried forward14	Year to 31 December 2025 £ 3,610 3,334 2,275 1,989 11,208 15,634 98 ___ 26,940 11,051 3,600 3,855 319 1,600 1,800 22,225 ___ 4,715 <274> 5,030 ______ £ 9,471	Year to 31 December 2024 £
			3,810 2,104 1,288 1,599
			8,801 7,041 124 ______ 15,966
			6,765 2,514 618 498 5,332 2,000
			17,727 ___ <1,761> 665 6,126 ___ £ 5,030

Charity number 1188707

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Cornerstone Music CIO

Statement of Financial Position

----- Start of picture text -----
As at As at
Note 31 December 2024 31 December 2023
£ £
Fixed assets
Investments 15 10,353 10,627
Current assets & liabilities
Debtors 250
Cash at bank 6,701 2,262
Liabilities 10 <7,833> <7,859>
<882> <5,597>
___ __
Net assets £ 9,471 £ 5,030
----- End of picture text -----

Notes

1. Cornerstone Music CIO is a Public Benefit Entity and does not seek profit. It is registered with the Charity Commission. Neither the trustees nor the independent examiner receive remuneration or expenses.

2. These financial statements comply with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SoRP) second edition October 2019, and report income and expenditure deriving from a programme of musical events put on during the financial year ended 31 December 2025.

3. Accounting bases: These financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis: that the CIO will continue with generous support, skilled knowledge and experience of the Music Director Adrian Boynton for the foreseeable future.

4. These financial statements have been prepared on the accruals basis: that unsettled (unpaid) costs appear as debtors or creditors at financial year end, which include the use of estimates where necessary.

Charity number 1188707

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Cornerstone Music CIO

1. The principal economic risks to CIO are: contagion that would depress ticket sales or prevent performers from attending; and rise in venue charges. The trustees are prepared to mitigate the consequences of risk.

2. Gift Aid is recovered from HMRC equivalent to 25% of donations. Donations received are treated as income upon receipt.

3. We performed three major concerts in 2025, whereas last year we performed only two (one of which was less well-known Haydn’s The Seasons and had attracted a smaller attendance than usual). This yielded a better financial outcome in 2025. Sales on the day exceed advance ticket sales online. Sales via card reader sales have grown so that are now 1/3 online 1/3 card reader 1/3 cash.

4. The Music Director calls on his extensive range of contacts to enlist excellent performers. Performer fees are paid to professional solo singers and expenses to the orchestra. Cornerstone Chamber Choir sing gratis.

5. Venue fees are levied by the City Church for performances.

6. Score expenditure includes hire of music scores, tuning the piano & organ prior to performance, PPLPRS charges for use of copyrighted material and printing of concert tickets.

7. Website expenditure is aggregated with minor other costs, such as 1.69% card reader commission; purchases of disposable cups and refreshment supplies. Website platform fee is currently £450 per annum, but we hope to reduce this significantly after moving to another Internet Provider.

8. In 2023, the trustees resolved to pay £700 conducting fee to Adrian Boynton per major concert with retrospective effect, increased to £1000 for 2025. As at 31[st] December 2025, payment is outstanding for nine major concerts.

9. Under the auspices of Churches Together in Milton Keynes , our performances in January 2025 of Sir Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man & Sir John Rutter’s Requiem raised net proceeds of £1,800 that were distributed to the charities St.Mark's Meals and SieveMKGateway .

10. We are vested in worldwide equities through two COIF charities funds managed by CCLA. During 2025 these fell by £274 equivalent to 3%. Overall £9,000 invested in 2022 has risen by 15% (2024: 18%). CCLA recognise this result was unrepresentative of global equity performance, and in February 2026 became a part of a larger group with a good record of fund management ( Jupiter Fund Management plc ).

11. Reserves Policy The Trustees are resolved to keep minimum level of reserves sufficient to mount a major concert, as a contingency if a concert should fail to cover its operating costs. Costs include venue, orchestra, solo singers and conductor fee; in total ranging from £5,000 to £7,000 per major concert. Most concert costs arise in the week before the event, and income the week after.

Charity number 1188707

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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Rèport to the Iru$t89 mom￿r5 of CORNERSTONE MUSIC On accounts for the y￿r ended 31 DECEM8ER 2025 Charlty no (If any) 1188707 Set out on pages 3to6 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the abov8 charty for the year ended 3111212025. Rospon•lbllllieg and bas1$ of rnport As the chanty's trustees, you are responsi1￿e for the preparation of the accounts In accordance wrth the requirements of the Charitie8 Act 2011 I'the Ad.). I report in respect of my examination of the charity's accounts Carried oul under section 145 ofthe 2011 A¢t and in carying out my 8xamination. I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Chanty Commi88ion under section 14515llbl of the Ad. Independent I have completed my examination. I confirni that no material matters have •xamlnor'$ Statement come to my attention In connection v￿h the examination which gives me cause to believe that In. any material re8￿ct.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Chanties Act. or the a¢count$ did not accord wrth the accounting records: or Ihe accounts did not comply wrth the applicable requirements conceming the fom arKI content of a¢¢ount8 set out in the Chariti88 (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a Irue and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an Independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection wrth the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to anable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Slgned: Date:. Name". C.G. Linfor(I R•l•vant profèssional quallflcationl$l or body lif any): MCICM Address: 13 Herdman Close. Greenleys. i Mitton Keynes MK12 6AD IER Oct 2018