Annual Report for the Heath Band 1[st] January to 31[st] December , 2023
The Heath Band is a community, non-contesting brass band which provides musical entertainment at concerts and local events. The Heath Band also has a training band for all ages and abilities. Our training band is free of charge.
Aims and Purposes
To operate an amateur brass band which will provide the music for concert performances and local events.
To promote, develop and maintain people’s enjoyment, appreciation and understanding of brass band music.
To facilitate the musical education of band members, people learning to play and the public via rehearsals, performances and our training band.
Activities
This year the Heath Band celebrated its 90[th] birthday with a bring-and-share party for band members and their families.
Our engagement schedule went ahead as planned. This included summer bandstand events, fetes, remembrance services and seven Christmas engagements. Particular highlights were our spring concert for which we teamed up with a local community choir. Our ‘Poppy Prom’ (another joint band and choir event) marked remembrance and was attended by our town mayor, and we were delighted to play at the town mayor’s Christmas charity concert.
We welcomed 3 new players to the Heath Band, and 6 new training band members.
For 2024
We would like to recruit more members to the band. We will be continuing to advertise for more players, particularly in our front-row cornet and low brass sections, and percussion. We would also like to recruit more people to the committee and to appoint a conductor to our training band.
Our diary is already very full; we are looking forward to our spring concert and summer events, and will be supporting the new ‘pop-up’ bandstand for Linslade organised by the local council.
Finance summary (please see attached report for details)
We have been able to make a small surplus this year largely due to two joint concerts held with the Grand Union Community Choir. We are also very grateful to our MD who gives his time for free.
A grant from Leighton-Linslade Arts Forum allowed us to purchase summer uniforms for which we are very thankful.
Administrative Information
The trustees met regularly throughout the year.
Two of our trustees changed roles in 2023. The Chair role is currently shared amongst the
Trustees.
Trustees and roles at end of 2023
-
Kathryn Faulkner (Librarian)
-
Kath Mowbray (Secretary, Training Band)
-
Dave Mowbray (Stores, assets, membership)
-
Linda Johnson (Treasurer)
Adviser to Trustees – Kathy Gifford
Musical Director’s Report
This has been a really fruitful and enjoyable year including some excellent concerts and jobs, with great enthusiasm and playing.
Highlights for me included the Poppy Prom where I conducted the largest band ever, along with the Grand Union Community Choir; this made for an exceptional and sell-out performance.
Huge thanks again to all those involved with the training band which has gone from strength to strength and is now feeding some great players into the main band.
We now need to press on into another year of jobs and our Spring Concert.
Thanks to all the helpers and volunteers who continue to support this wonderful organisation.
Heath Band Accounts
1st January 2023 to 31st December 2023
INCOME EXPENDITURE
| Subscriptions | £2592 | Running Expenses |
|---|---|---|
| Rehearsal/concert | ||
| venue costs 2088.73 | ||
| Concerts1490.79 | Other concert costs | |
| 260.64 | ||
| Insurance | ||
| 1666.23 | ||
| Engagements2591.98 | Brass Bands England | |
| 140.40 | ||
| £4082.77 | Performing Rights | |
| Licence 159.88 | ||
| **Grants and Donations ** | Muzodo | |
| 41.33 | ||
| Leighton Linslade | ||
| Arts Forum 500.00 | ||
| £ 4357.21 | ||
| Amazon Smile 32.97 | ||
| Stripe 1.58 | ||
| £534.55 |
Equipment | |
| £ | 7209.32 | Music |
| 74.85 | ||
| Uniform | ||
| 1110.00 | ||
| Mute | ||
| 50.40 | ||
| £1235.25 | ||
| Other | ||
| Website | ||
| 216.00 | ||
| Safeguarding | ||
| training 65.00 | ||
| Stationery | ||
| 55.94 |
Refreshments birthday celebration 100.00
£ 436.94
£6029.40
Bank balance@31.12.22 £8638.87 Bank balance@ 31.12.23 £9818.79 Cash in hand@31.12.22 £ - Cash in hand@31.12.23 £ - £15848.19 £15848.19