**1** ## **Easingwold Town Band** ## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the year 1 August 2021 to 31 July 2022** The Band was registered by the Charity Commission as a CIO (no 1194820) on 16 June 2021. The unincorporated charity (no 1101841) will remain in existence until asset transfer is complete. ## **Structure, Governance & Management** The President of the Band is Mrs Kay Riley The Trustees of the Band are John & Sarah Barber, Bill Cleghorn (chairman) Amanda Prosser & Simon Rose. The Officers of the Band are: Bill Cleghorn (chairman) Duncan Law (vice-chaiorman) Geoff Nield (treasurer) David Senior (secretary) The Executive Committee of the Band are: the Trustees and Officers listed above, plus: Alistair Shipman (Musical Director) Peter Freer (Safeguarding representative & membership secretary) Sarah Barber (engagements secretary) John Barber Ivor Knott (Band Sergeant & Librarian) Amanda Prosser Kyle Sherwin (Beginners Group & Development Band tutor) Simon Rose is Health & Safety representative. ## **Administration** The Trustees met 3 times during the year to review the work of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee met 10 times during the year (mostly via ZOOM on account of Covid precautions). . The Band’s policies and procedures were kept under review. The Executive Committee received no reports of incidents or expressions of concern in relation to Health & Safety and Safeguarding. Modifications were made to a doorway and lighting in the bandroom, and a carbon monoxide detector was fitted, to conform with fire safety regulations. Annual safety checks were carried out on the portable electrical equipment.kept or used in the bandroom. The fire extinguisher was checked and serviced.. At the Annual General Meeting on 17 October the treasurer’s annual financial statement and the Independent Examiner’s report were received and approved by the meeting The accounts showed a deficit for the year of £6480, mainly attributable to the expenses of contesting at a national level(see below), which included coach hire, overnight accommodation and purchase of a concert xylophone required for the test piece. The Band’s assets at the year-end were £74,467, including a positive cash balance of £31,057. As the CIO’s first trustees, the trustees retired at the AGM as required by the constitution, and were re-elected by the Band members present. **2** ## **Objectives and Activities** The Band’s activities as a CIO continue to meet its charitable object, as stated in its Constitution, viz. to further the study, practice and appreciation of brass band music through performance, education and training. ## **Achievements and Performance** Following the severe disruption of the Covid pandemic from March 2020 onwards, the Band has started to rebuild its schedule of rehearsals, public performances, recruitment & training activities. The Band played 12 times in public during the year, including concerts, a summer bandstand performance in Filey, Christmas events, and 3 recruitment events. The Band competed on 19 September 2021 at the postponed 2020 Finals of the UK National Brass Band Championships in Cheltenham – a first for the Band in its 120-year history. On 19 March 2022 the Band competed again in the North of England Regional Contest in Durham. New items of music were purchased, and new instruments – in addition to the concert xylophone – were purchased for the Band’s young learners. ## **Looking Ahead** After 13 years as Musical Director, Alistair Shipman announced in July that he intended to step down and leave the Band in September 2022. He will be departing with the warm appreciation and good wishes of everyone in the Band, having led us with flair and dedication. The Executive Committee is already beginning the search for a successor.. With an eye on its medium- & long-term future, the Band is aiming to develop its training and recruitment activities, building on contacts with the local schools. This, and the Band’s other activities, will in due course be furthered by our plan to build a new bandroom to replace our existing (freehold) building, which is in poor condition. Built on open ground in 1950 (by Band members), it is surrounded by later housing, with roads and pavements at a slightly higher level. In heavy and prolonged rain, water collects around the bandroom and gets into it. A flood-resistant front door and a rear-door flood barrier limit water ingress but cannot prevent it. We have decided against further half-measures, proposing instead to replace the existing building with a modern, versatile, energy-efficient, disability- and child-friendly building suitable for community musical and other activities across the age spectrum – mother-and-toddler groups, choirs, history and language study groups, music recording sessions. We have engaged architects to create a design appropriate to the neighbourhood, for which we will seek planning consent. In due course we will undertake a fundraising campaign to pay for it. Signed: W H Cleghorn, chairman Date: 10 February 2023 _____________________________________ ##