## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period**
**From 8 November 2021 To 31 August 2022**
## **Charity name: Stafford Sinfonia**
## **Charity registration number: 1196465**
## **Objectives and Activities**
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|THE OBJECT OF THE CIO IS 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
TRUSTEES SEE FIT, INCLUDING
THROUGH THE PRESENTATION OF
PUBLIC CONCERTS AND RECITALS.|
|Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|Four public concerts of orchestral music
held on 13 November 2021, 19 March
2022, 2 July 2022 and 10 July 2022 in
Staffordshire.|
|Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|The trustees have regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity Commission on
public benefit.|
## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|Stafford Sinfonia does not make grants.|
|Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|Stafford Sinfonia does not make social
investments.|
||Para 1.38|Stafford Sinfonia is supported by
volunteers other than its trustees. Five
individuals volunteered their time to|
Stafford Sinfonia Trustees Report for the period 2021-22
|Contribution made by
volunteers||support Stafford Sinfonia during the
reporting period, undertaking tasks such as
preparing refreshments at concert
intervals, publicising concerts and assisting
with box office duties at events.|
|---|---|---|
|Other||N/A|
## **Achievements and Performance**
||SORP reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|After an absence due to the COVID-19
pandemic, Stafford Sinfonia returned to
concert-giving in 2021-22 with three
programmes, performed to large and
receptive audiences in Stafford. One
programme was repeated in a new
partnership with Eccleshall’s Holy Trinity
Church, providing Eccleshall’s residents
with orchestral music for the first time in
many years. The season saw Stafford
Sinfonia performing works by the well-
known composers Handel, Mozart,
Beethoven, Haydn, Wagner, Strauss, Elgar
and Mendelssohn as well as lesser-known
pieces by Amy Beach and Emilie Mayer.
Stafford Sinfonia also performed Mahler’s
First Symphony, specially arranged for the
ensemble by Music Director Jack Lovell-
Huckle. The orchestra were delighted to be
joined by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Orchestra horn player Stephen Nicholls to
perform Strauss’Concerto for Horn.|
## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
|Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|Stafford Sinfonia budgeted for a loss of
around £1,000 in 2021-2022, due to
inflationary pressures, lower orchestral
membership (and therefore fewer
individuals donating subscriptions) and
smaller audiences post-COVID. Through
careful management, a targeted
recruitment campaign to fill vacancies and
with large concert audiences (including the
new collaboration with Eccleshall church)
the trustees are delighted to report a
smaller loss of £685 during the period.|
|---|---|---|
|Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|Stafford Sinfonia undertook a recruitment
campaign for playing members and
restructured its supporter scheme (Friends
of Stafford Sinfonia). Whilst the number of
Friends is not as great as prior to the
pandemic period, a number of individuals
gifted one-off donations, and the|
Stafford Sinfonia Trustees Report for the period 2021-22
|||recruitment campaign has increased
membership donations during the period.|
|---|---|---|
|Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|Stafford Sinfonia does not make
investments.|
|Other|||
## **Financial Review**
|**Financial Review**|||
|---|---|---|
|Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|Stafford Sinfonia is in a good financial
position, with sufficient reserves and with
only a small loss in this financial year.|
|Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|Stafford Sinfonia holds reserves to cover
the costs associated with a need to cancel
activity at short notice as happened in the
COVID-19 pandemic. The Trustees have
determined reserves should be set at 2
concerts’worth of lost income: £1,800.|
|Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|£2,866.87.|
|Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|N/A|
|Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|N/A|
|Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|The trustees are satisfied that Stafford
Sinfonia is a going concern, with sufficient
funds and reserves to plan future activity.|
## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
|The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|Earned income: concert tickets, programme
sales and programme advertising.
Donations: member musicians and Friends
of Stafford Sinfonia|
|---|---|---|
|Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|Stafford Sinfonia does not make
investments.|
|A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|The main risk to the charity is an inability to
give concerts, or to hold rehearsals, due to
COVID-19 restrictions in future. The
trustees consider this a medium risk and
monitor the situation carefully.
A low risk is that the Music Director may
resign from Stafford Sinfonia. Such a|
Stafford Sinfonia Trustees Report for the period 2021-22
situation may lead to a fall in playing standards. The Music Director has occasionally been unavailable for rehearsals but a suitable deputy has been engaged. A low risk is that of losing key musician members, for example the leader or wind principals. During the absence of activity due to COVID-19, some musicians decided not to re-join Sinfonia on its return. Sinfonia has now recruited excellent musicians to all positions and has implemented a deputy list where, should a musician need to be absent or resigns their position, deputy musicians of a high standard are ready to join the orchestra. N/A Other
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
|Description of charity’s
trusts:|||
|---|---|---|
|Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|
Para 1.25|Constitution|
|How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|CIO|
|Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|As described in article 13 of Stafford
Sinfonia’s constitution (“Appointment of
Charity Trustees”):
a. At every annual general meeting of
the members of the CIO, one-third
of the charity trustees shall retire
from office. If the number of charity
trustees is not three or a multiple of
three, then the number nearest to
one-third shall retire from office, but
if there is only one charity trustee,
he or she shall retire;
b. The charity trustees to retire by
rotation shall be those who have
been longest in office since their last
appointment or reappointment. If
any trustees were last appointed or
reappointed on the same day those
to retire shall (unless they otherwise
agree among themselves) be
determined by lot;
c. The vacancies so arising may be
filled by the decision of the
members at the annual general
meeting; any vacancies not filled at
the annual general meeting may be|
Stafford Sinfonia Trustees Report for the period 2021-22
filled as provided in sub-clause (e) of this clause; d. The members or the charity trustees may at any time decide to appoint a new charity trustee, whether in place of a charity trustee who has retired or been removed in accordance with clause 15 (Retirement and removal of charity trustees), or as an additional charity trustee, provided that the limit specified in clause 12(c) (Charity trustees) on the number of charity trustees would not as a result be exceeded; e. A person so appointed by the members of the CIO shall retire in accordance with the provisions of sub-clauses (b) and (c) of this clause. A person so appointed by the charity trustees shall retire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting after the date of his or her appointment, and shall not be counted for the purpose of determining which of the charity trustees is to retire by rotation at that meeting.
## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
|Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction
and training of trustees|Para 1.51|Trustees must read Stafford Sinfonia’s
constitution and affirm they are legally
permitted to act as a trustee of Stafford
Sinfonia.|
|---|---|---|
|The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|The members of Stafford Sinfonia appoint
the trustees. The trustees appoint the
Music Director. The members also appoint
among themselves officers as desired,
including publicity officer and librarian.|
|Relationship with any
related parties|Para 1.51|The chair of Stafford Sinfonia is married to
the Music Director, who is a paid freelancer
who provides conducting services to the
CIO. The chair is not permitted to be
present when discussing the Music
Director’s contract, including whether the
Music Director’s contract may be extended,
the fees and expenses due to the Music
Director or whether to terminate the Music
Director’s contract.|
|Other||N/A|
Stafford Sinfonia Trustees Report for the period 2021-22
## **Reference and Administrative details**
|Charity name|Stafford Sinfonia|
|---|---|
|Other name the charity uses||
|Registered charity number|1196465|
|Charity’s principal address|22 Copeland Drive
Stone
ST15 8YP|
|||
## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
|1
2
3|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Sebastian Lovell-
Huckle|Chair|Whole year|N/A|
||Simon Coombs|Secretary|Wholeyear|N/A|
||Kerensa Guest|Treasurer|Wholeyear|N/A|
## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others**
|Description of the assets
held in this capacity|Stafford Sinfonia does not hold funds on behalf of others.|
|---|---|
|Name and objects of the
charity on whose behalf the
assets are held and how this
falls within the custodian
charity’s objects|Stafford Sinfonia does not hold funds on behalf of others.|
|Details of arrangements for
safe custody and
segregation of such assets
from the charity’s own
assets|Stafford Sinfonia does not hold funds on behalf of others.|
## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**
Jack Lovell-Huckle: Music Director
## **Exemptions from disclosure**
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
**N/A**
Stafford Sinfonia Trustees Report for the period 2021-22
**Other optional information**
**N/A**
## **Declarations**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
**Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees**
|**Signature(s)**
**Full name(s)**
**Position (eg Secretary,**
**Chair, etc)**
**Date**|||
|---|---|---|
||Sebastian Lovell-Huckle|Kerensa Guest|
||
Chair|Treasurer|
||17 April 2023||
||17 April 2023||
Stafford Sinfonia Trustees Report for the period 2021-22
## **Stafford Sinfonia Accounts 08/11/2021 - 31/08/2022**
|**Money In**|Subs|£2,407.50|
|---|---|---|
||Door(incprogrammes)|£3,406.95|
||AdvertisingRevenue|£405.00|
||Friends of the Sinfonia|£45.00|
||Social Events|£407.29|
||Donations|£131.67|
||**Total Money In**|**£6,803.41**|
||||
|**Money Out**|Hire of Rehearsal Venue|£1,160.00|
||MD's fees|£3,141.10|
||MakingMusic Membership|£141.00|
||Publicity|£152.26|
||Hire of Concert Venues|£1,575.00|
||Payments to Players|£730.00|
||Refreshments|£17.48|
||Programme Printing|£187.46|
||Social Events|£355.00|
||Misc|£29.99|
||**Total Money Out**|**£7,489.29**|
||||
|**Opening Bank Balance 08/11/21**
**£3,552.75**|||
||||
|**Closing Bank Balance 31/08/22**
**£2,866.87**|||
||||
|**Surplus for Year**
**-£685.88**|||