The Highgate Choral Society trustees’ report 2020/21
Charitable objects
The objects of the charity are to educate the public in the arts and sciences and, in particular, the art and science of music by the presentation of concerts and other activities. The charity pursues its objects principally through holding public concerts, but we also undertake additional activities to support our local community and engage with other charities and schools in our area. The members of the committee, who are the charity’s trustees, are aware of the general guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. The trustees have regard to this guidance in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
Incorporation
The new constitution of Highgate Choral Society as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) was approved and registered under charity registration number 1191240 by the Charity Commissioners on 11[th] September 2020. Pursuant to a decision at a meeting of the trustees on 20[th] May 2021, on 28[th] May 2021 HCS.CIO inherited the assets of the old Highgate Choral Society charity registration number 265651 (Old HCS). On that date it also took over the running of the choir.
Musical activities
The final weeks of the 2020/21 season continued with rehearsals on line and no live activities. The zoomers wrapped up the season with a performance of the Bach Magnificat and Vaughan Williams’ Dona nobis pacem .
Plans were advanced to resume live rehearsals and concerts as from September 6th by when it seems likely that Covid restrictions will no longer prohibit us from doing so.
Governance
The administration of the charity is the responsibility of the trustees who are all unpaid members of the charity elected by its members in accordance with the constitution. The trustees in this inaugural year were the same as for Old HCS. They will all resign at the first AGM at which the annual cycle of elections
will commence whereby the third most long-standing trustees retire each year.
The trustees meet regularly among themselves and also with our music director. Our music director is not a member of the committee but is invited to attend its meetings. Until the end of the 2020/21 season, the trustees met online because of the pandemic.
In addition to future musical plans, the trustees considered: the financial position of the charity; the approval of the budget and season plan; reviews of membership; and operational risks.
Membership
All membership of Old HCS effectively expired on 31[st] August 2021 and most of them re-subscribed to become members of HCS.CIO as from 1[st] September 2021. Numbers going forward are somewhat reduced (approximately 14% fewer) mainly due to those more vulnerable among us wishing to stay protected during the latter stages of the pandemic. We hope in due course they will also return.
Finance
As noted above the assets of Old HCS were agreed to be transferred to HCS.CIO on 28[th] May 2021. By year end the sum of £55,241 General Funds and £16,131 of the designated Commissioning Fund had been transferred along with a large number of items of valuable equipment which had all been written down over many years’ use to nil book value.
During the remaining few weeks of the year we incurred net costs of £3,809, leaving us with a carried forward general fund balance of £51,432 to start off the new year. No changes to the inherited Commissioning Fund were made.
Independent examiner
We are very grateful to chartered accountant Richard Morris, our independent examiner, for all the support and advice he has given us throughout this transfer from Old HCS to HCS.CIO
Conclusion
We have ended our first year in the same rude financial health as we left Old HCS with money in the bank and a thriving
membership as a strong basis from which to rebuild our live activities next year when we hope to be able to plan new and varied repertoires for our coming seasons once we return to singing together live.
Julia Irvine Chair Highgate Choral Society 21[st] February 2022
CMAttlTY Comm1 Holyie CIKJrnI Sooety cio Accounts for the 11 th September 2020 Chanty N• 1191240 3151 August 2021 Section A Slalement of financial activities Totlll Tit•l Fur#J L••t Y••r S4•s rurnm• Mernberyh, SUDW tIL FA•rs Gift AJd Tu R•0 Raffl• N•1 Incom• Jurnbl• Nffl tlire Funds Transl•1 from HCS S%DOry IrKorrthi 578 16 131 7., 709 dlturn B•r C•• Mustc C4xl> amk & Caro C PRS Ro attJe8 InsurnE MLO¢ Artnu 12 12 24 Tour Co 4 146 4146 51 432 '.6 13. 67 563 51 432 16 131 67 563 Fund• bIg 67 $63
Seclion 8 8alance sheet To•1 [* 91437 lé IJ1 t• tJT 121
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ELAND MD WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the truste8sI members of The HvJhgate Choral Soci8ty On accounts for the year ended 31 st AuSt 2021 CharFty no (rf any) 1191240 Set out on pays l POrt to the trustees on my examinat of the a¢¢ounts of the aFJ)ve chartty (Ihe Trusf) for the year ended 3110812021. Responsibilibes and basis of report As the dFaritVs trustees. you are resp)nsible for the preparation of the accwnts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 rtrA I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under sedion 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have folloEd all the applicable Directions given by the Charty Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. Indepèndent I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material mattèrs have examinerfs statom•nt come to my attention in connection wlth the examination vthich gives me cause to believe that in. any material respect.. the accountirKJ records Vre not kept in accordan with section 130 of the Charities Ac; or the accounts dbd not ac(x)rd wrth the accourrting records., or the accounts not comply with the applicable requirements conceming the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Repts) Regulations 28 other than any requirement that the accounts gwe a Irue arKI fairf view which is not a matter consi(lered as part of an Ir examination. I have no cOnmS and have come across no other matter5 in Gonnection the examin ion to which attention should be drawn in this report in to enable oper understar)ding of the accounts to be reached. Slgned: 28 January 2022 Nam•: ard Morris Relevant professional qualificationlsl or body (rfany): Assooate member of the Instilule of Chartered Accourrtants in ErwJland arNJ Wales Address: 8 Holt CtO8e London N103HW IER O¢t 2018