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2021-06-30-accounts

Entered on the Register of Charities on 10[th] June 2020

Registered Charity: 1189871

Charitable Incorporated Organisation - “Lancaster & District Schools’ Singing Festival”

2021 Trustee’s Annual Report

Objectives of the charity

To educate the public in the art and science of music and in particular in choral singing for school children through their participation in the Lancaster & District Schools’ singing festival, its affiliated choirs, competitions and related musical events. The Charity works in close partnership with the Lancashire Music Hub to achieve its objectives.

Activities and achievements in 2021

Background to the Singing Festival Charity

The Lancaster & District Schools’ Singing Festival (LDSSF) started over 70 years ago, with a legacy bequeathal for the festival to use the Ashton Hall at Lancaster Town Hall for one week a year. In 2014 community music organisation, More Music engaged with the Festival to develop the event alongside the Lancashire Music Hub as part of their on-going development of a countywide vocal strategy. The Hub began a rejuvenation of both the organisational and artistic elements of the festival using the existing committee of a local school teacher, a primary Head and a schools music coordinator alongside the Hub’s Singing Leader, the Strategy Co-ordinator, professional musicians and the team at More Music.

Over a period of five years, the festival team changed the LDSSF model to reflect current best practice: clarifying and streamlining committee roles; creating teacher training opportunities; providing digital resource packs; recording tracks and performing with a live band and school workshops. After the event schools provide feedback digitally, helping to shape the future of the festival; both in its musical content and organisation.

There has been a significant increase in the number of schools and children engaging with the Festival – in 2020 1420 children from 30 primary schools were due to take part, and the increase in numbers would have been accommodated via an additional KS2 concert on Friday afternoon. The schools involved represent the diverse geographical and social groups within our area; from small rural schools, to large, challenging, urban primaries. There is also have participation of SEND students from a specialist school within the community. The festival would have featured performances from local KS4 and KS5 soloists in the intervals (including musicians from LMS County

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Ensembles, local secondary schools and the Lancashire Youth Vocal Ensemble), which gives the children an aspirational insight into the potential future development of their instrument or voice.

2020 activities

Due to COVID pandemic the 2020 Lancaster & District Schools’ Singing Festival (LDSSF) which was due to run from 19th-23rd March with 1420 children from 30 primary schools at the Ashton Hall in Lancaster was cancelled on 16[th] March 2020. Although it was not possible to hold a singing Festival in March, many of the schools and individual children from participating schools took part in a Virtual Big Sing in June 2020, with materials (warm-ups, rehearsal and instruction videos from the Lancashire Music Hub Vocal Leaders) made available for free on YouTube in advance.

2021 activities

The LDSSF organising committee booked the Ashton Hall in Lancaster Town Hall for the 15-19[th] March 2021, however they were advised by the Lancashire County Council team in October 2020 that the Lancaster Town Hall was going to remain closed until at least May 2021, and therefore the festival booking was cancelled.

Given the ongoing COVID restrictions in 2021 preventing large gatherings or singing events, the charity trustees worked closely with the Lancashire Music Hub Vocal Leaders and supported their initiative to develop instructional videos, songs, warm-ups and vocal games on the LMS You Tube channel at no cost to schools or individuals. The trustees actively promoted the LMH “Jump Up and Join In” project to all the primary schools in their area (see feedback noted below).

2022 projects

The LDSSF organising committee are working with Emma Williams and the LMH Singing Strategy Group to develop possible virtual “Big Sing” opportunities during the 2022 as COVID guidance means in-person large singing performances are still limited. Again, they are using the financial support from LMH to fund these projects. They also continue to engage with the Lancaster Town Hall team to continue the legacy of using the Ashton Hall for the festival and they have booked dates for March 2023.

Feedback from LDSSF schools who engaged with the “Jump Up and Join In” project

Episode 1 (24/2) – 1,572 views

Hi, I just wanted to let you know we have had some really positive feedback already and our children are having lots of fun with it! Sam Smith

Ryelands Primary School

Thanks for this! We'll be there! Hannah Burgess Arkholme Primary School 🙂

Hi, thank you for this. It is great that we can use the link for children in school as well as home learners.

Thanks Sam

Sam Belshire

Scotforth St Paul’s Primary School

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Episode 2 (3/3) – 1,018 views

Hello

I wanted to email to let you know that my Year 2 class have completely loved the jump up and join in sessions. They have enjoyed the range of songs and revisiting songs. We have often participated in sessions a few times each week when we have had some extra time.

We saw that next week is the final session and I said I would contact you to see if you intend to visit schools in the future? We would really love a session with you or Tim, if that is something you do?

Best wishes and we look forward to working with you in the future. Thanks

Emma Ingham

Overton St Helens Primary School

Episode 3 (10/3) – 535 views

Episode 4 (17/3) – 382 views

Episode 5 (24/3) – 370 views

Episode 6 (21/4) – 331 views

Episode 7 (28/4) – 230 views Episode 8 (5/5) – 237 views Episode 9 (12/5) – 232 views

Episode 10 (19/5) – 173 views

Financial Review

The Charity is engaged with the Lancashire Music Hub (LMH) in the development and delivery of the Singing Festival. LMH make an annual allowance of £3000 to the festival, which is used to cover the professional fees of the Singing Leader for the music service who oversees the festival programmes and delivery, delivers vocal workshops in schools and conducts the KS2 and assists with the KS1 concerts. The allowance also contributes to the cost of the live band both for recording the programme and playing at the concert rehearsals and concerts themselves, as well as covering the majority of the time cost for the Festival Secretary for the year. In addition, the Festival charges schools a flat £2.50 fee for all pupils registered to take part; the Festival charges £4 for concert tickets and there is a retiring collection at the end of the concert.

During 2021 the LMH did not make the allocation of £3000 to the festival as it could not take place. Instead, the LMH funded its vocal leaders and social media team to prepare, record and produce all the videos for the “Jump Up and Join In” project for the benefit of the LDSSF participating schools.

Following the cancellation of the 2020 singing festival, a financial overview was prepared by Ms Nicky Donnelly (Charity Trustee) and audited by Mrs Caroline Lindsay, School Business Manager at Slyne-with-Hest School and the closing balance concurred with the Festival bank statement dated 12[th] June 2020 of £9,663.81. The Lancaster & District Schools’ Singing Festival was entered on the Register of Charities on 10[th] June 2020.

During 2021 there was no revenue nor debts incurred by the charity and the bank balance remains the same at £9,663.81.

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Structure, governance and management

The LDSSF singing festival is run by a very small organising committee – 4 people (three of whom are trustees of the charity – Mr Paul Bowden, Mrs Debra Pilkington and Ms Nicky Donnelly and the Vocal Leader of the Lancashire Music Hub, Mrs Emma Williams) – with the focus being on the development and delivery of a high standard singing festival which is inclusive for diverse geographical and social groups within our area.

In addition, the charity has two more trustees – Mrs Sarah Griffiths (a teacher) and Mrs Elizabeth Wheildon, who review the overall annual plans and provide valuable comments.

All trustees who have direct contact with children are employees of Lancashire County Council and as such, complete annual training and certification in Child Safeguarding

Administrative Information

Lancaster & District Schools’ Singing Festival is registered at Slyne-with-Hest, St. Lukes CE Primary School, 2 Arden Close, Slyne, Lancaster LA2 6JN

Due to the COVID pandemic trustee meetings were held via zoom meetings with full trustee attendance:

The Charity Trustees are as follows:

The 2021 Annual Trustee Report was approved at the zoom meeting on 1 February 2022

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LANCASTER & DISTRICT SCHOOLS’ SINGING FESTIVAL

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021

RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

Item 2021 Income 2020 Expenditure 2020 2019 2018 2017
Registration fees 0 3,420 2,902 2,546 1,827
Ticket sales 0 651 7,764 6,252 5,919
LMH support 0 3,000 3,000 3,000
Retiring
collection		 1,119.21 958.10 195.46
TOTAL 0 £4,071 £13,829.21 £12,756.10 £10,941.46
Ridge – refund of
registration		 50
Coach hire 0 4,445 5,832.05 5,025
Photographer 0 150 200 300
LMH vocal leader
–
programme
design, recording,
school visits &
concerts		 1,271.95 690 Incorporated
into MM
costs		 Incorporated
into MM
costs
Nicky
Donnelly:
project
management
(over LMH hours)		 Incorporated into
LMH support
(MM)		 472.60 Incorporated
into MM
costs		 Incorporated
into MM
costs
Debra Pilkington
– KS1 school visits
and concerts		 578.02 685.34 700 700
Concert
programmes		 660
More
Music
(MM)
festival
expenses
Studio & Mixing
Sound tech
Band
arrangements
Compositions
PA for concerts
Hall decorations		 265.78 3,416.10 4,281.69 4,088.93
Tiered seating 480 350 420 420
Hire of Ashton
Hall
(Friday
at
discount)		 0 350 0 0
SingUp 0 0 100 306
St
John’s
Ambulance		 0 414.72 353.28 198.72
PerformingRights 0 0 0 187.78
Sundries 0 49.27 73.91 55.81
Business legal –
setting up charity
15/11/19		 480
Business legal –
final payment for
setting up charity
10/6/2020		 470
TOTAL 0 £4255.75 £11,033.03 £11,960.93 £10,902.24

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STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

31 December 2021 12th June 2020
Cash – opening bank balance
1/7/2019		 £9,848.56
Cash funds – bank balance as at 12th
June 2020		 £9,663.81 £9,663.81
Other monetaryassets 0 0
Liabilities 0 0

Following the cancellation of the 2020 singing festival, a financial overview was prepared by Ms Nicky Donnelly (Charity Trustee) and audited by Mrs Caroline Lindsay, School Business Manager at Slyne-with-Hest School and the closing balance concurred with the Charity’s bank statement dated 12[th] June 2020.

During 2021 there was no revenue nor debts incurred by the charity and the bank balance remains the same at £9,663.81.

APPROVED BY THE CHARITY TRUSTEES AT THE ZOOM MEETING ON 1 FEBRUARY 2022

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