2024-12-31-accounts - Decibellas

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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to Ihe tTUSteesl members of Decibellas On accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024 Charlty no (rf any) 1197363 Set out on pages 3&4 I r8POrt to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (-the Trusf) forthe year ended 31112 12024. Responsibililies and As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are responsible for the preparation basls of report of the accounts in accordance wtth the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {Yhe AcV)- I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under sedion 145(5)(bl of the Act. I have completed my examination. I ctjnfirm that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ') in connection with the examination which gives me (zuse to believe that in. any material respect: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the acLounts (Jo not acrd with the accounting records Independent examinerfs statement I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examinalton to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. . Please delete th8 words in the brackets rfthey do not apply. Signed: Date: 23 January 2025 Name: Dr A W t)owen Relevant professlonal qualification{s) or body (If any): Address: 17 Brookside Ashton Hayes Chester CH3 8BZ IER October 2018

Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidan for examiners). Give here brief delalls of any items that the examlner wlshes to dlsclose. IER October 2018

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR FNGIANO AND WALES Charity Name DÈttibella$ No (if arryl 1197363 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a Forthe period Pemd Start dale Pemd end dale 01ffj112024 3111212024 Section A Receipts and payments UntrIcteI fund$ Restricted funds Endowrnent lund$ Total lunds La$tyear to tr reSt £ toll £ A1 Recel ts Meners subscn Gill Kjns 11650 2.743 12,650 2.743 1Z49S tk9sse5 Sund IDlefesl Gr8n15 and donÈtiis PÈrfonnsnce Choir r.oncert risims concert 140 12 14 69 5$ 395 20 3.292 3,795 3,139 sy fr thtIrS pLy & rour 18.522 ZD.059 27.919 ht retumed Paid into rostrict ¥c(wl eOr 10 Sub total(Gross income forAR) 1&589 44.197 41883 A2 Assgt and invostment salo8, (see tabS81. 58le of sheet music Sub total "zaza 101 25,709 18.589 44.298 48,883 A3P ments Mu51C Clractor & ALe(ry13t 1.9 1,950 1502 140 CA3Sts of CO9rtS cert Iickel relun 140 St ol other 8V8nts 1,379 4,500 176 Chanlaye graDI£ In5uran¢e CLrtar StY & tlt5. ZQ Sheet nsIC Bank charps Payffwt lor sprty IlerNs ugh1 then relum Perf0MnCe choir costs rL8er 51(Kag Sundry rÈfunds to rr@ 183 133 401 471 3.471 66 13 85 9S9 Tour payTrEnt5 on of nErrbers Tour fund b tr 18.815 18,815 2448fr Pthr5 Tour nY returned 1,200 Sub total 44213 45,213 51.502 A4 Asset and invèstment purchaso5,150e table) Sub total Totalpayments 45213 45.213 51.602 Netofrece+Wpaym8ntsJ A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds thls y•arend CCXX Rl a<rounls ISSI 19.504 91 6,191 6.679 18.589 9t5 2.719 3.260 9.452 12,171 9,452 1,858 8,537 Pft 3.

Section 8 Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period UnrestrKted funds rwrost £ R95tncted funtls to rÈaret £ Endowm•ni funds to rknveBt £ ries Details B1 Cashfunds Cash at cl 79.fy) LFN)Sit acc(xv)t Tour ¥ct (rrt. rruwl Totalcash fiNxts 6,679 1,858 OK Endowment funds Unvestricted funds tr)Tmrqst £ Restricted funds tr• rearest £ Dotalls )ThJart £ Details coBt11> Cwrert valu2 B3 Investment assets Cast ILVILWl (Xrrerd valu Details B4 Assets relained for the ¢harity's ¢)wn use resincied tncied LfrtsinciEd F In-l to liaTrAlity rÈlalos Dgtails B5 Liabilkns reslricl&1 Lrf musi Svjnèd by onè Or Itustggs ¢ behom of al the ITU5tee5 Priit Name DatB of approval 3/1 / s 2310112025 CCXX R2 acr#unt8 ISSI

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date 01 01 2024 31 12 2024

From

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1197363 Charity's principal address 7 Goosebrook Close

Decibellas 1197363 7 Goosebrook Close Comberbach Northwich, Cheshire Postcode CW9 6BX

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

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Dates acted if not for whole Name of person (or body) entitled
Trustee name Office (if any)
year to appoint trustee (if any)
1 Joan Mason Chair
2 Gwyneth Struthers Secretary 01.01.24 – 07.03.24
3 Jaki King Secretary 07.03.24 – 31.12.24
4 Amanda Moran Treasurer
5 Deborah Jowett Vice Chair 01.01.24 – 07.03.24
6 Anne Pover Vice Chair 07.03.24 – 31.12.24
7 Jacqueline Turner Music Librarian 01.01.24 – 07.03.24
8 Rosie Hudson Music Librarian 07.03.24 – 31.12.24
Helen Arnold Fundraising &
9
Sponsorship
10 Elizabeth Robertson Events
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12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
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Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

March 2012

TAR

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser	Name	Address




Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document

Constitution adopted on 3[rd] March 2022

(eg. trust deed, constitution)

Unincorporated association How the charity is constituted

(eg. trust, association, company)

Trustees are appointed or reappointed at the Annual General Meeting Trustee selection methods held in the spring term for a two year term of office

(eg. appointed by, elected by)

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

The choir was granted charity status on 6[th] January 2022

You may choose to include additional information, where Membership of the choir is open to all adults who sing soprano or alto and relevant, about: are able to attend rehearsals in Tarporley, Cheshire.

policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;

The choir is a member of the National Association of Choirs

the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
relationship with any related parties;
trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.

Section C Objectives and activities

To promote the enjoyment of music through public concerts
To use music to improve people’s wellbeing

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

To support other charitable organisations through the provision of grant funding

March 2012

TAR

In planning our activities for the year we kept in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

The choir held a number of public performances during 2024:

Three performances in churches in Sicily
A summer concert in St Boniface Church, Bunbury, in July
A Light up a Life service at St Luke’s Hospice, Winsford
A performance at an event organised by our lead sponsor, Clear Cut Financial Planning

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)

A Christmas concert at St Boniface Church, Bunbury
Carol singing at The Rising Sun, Bunbury.

Decibellas continued to provide training and support to an up-and-coming Music Director, Olivia Westhead, engaging her to attend choir rehearsals under the guidance of our Music Director Marcus Williams. She continues to work with the choir and conducts specific pieces at our concerts and competitions.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

policy on grantmaking;
policy programme related investment;
contribution made by volunteers.

March 2012

TAR

Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

In February 2024, the choir competed at the Mrs Sunderland music festival in Huddersfield, receiving excellent feedback. In April 2024 the choir visited Sicily and gave three well-attended performances in local churches. In July and December 2024, we held concerts in our local venue, St Boniface Church, Bunbury, each of which attracted audiences of over 200.

Decibellas raised over £4,000 from ticket sales and sponsorship from its two concerts in 2024. With the proceeds, the committee invited a small number of local charities working to provide support for those living with dementia and their carers, to submit applications for a small grant. Only one of the charities submitted a grant request for £500, which was awarded in full. The charity Decibellas supported was:

Dementia Together Wirral – a charity providing social support and friendship to those people living with dementia and their carers and former carers.

Decibellas’ members had also invited Older People Active Lives (OPAL) and Snow Angels (CIC) to hold bucket collections at the July and December concerts, respectively. At the July concert OPAL raised £970 towards their carers and dementia service; and in December Snow Angels, who are a Chester-based social enterprise which supports older people to continue to live independently and keep well, raised £920.

March 2012

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Section E Financial review

Cash at bank at 31[st] December 2024 was £8.5k of which £6.7k is Brief statement of the unrestricted. charity’s policy on reserves £1.5k represents members music deposits which are refunded when they leave and return their music to the choir. This sum is shown as restricted funds.

Around £0.3k of funds are amounts deposited by members held for their use in funding a future choir tour. This money is also shown as restricted funds.

The balance is retained for working capital and unforeseen circumstances.

Details of any funds materially in deficit

Not applicable

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;

Our main source of funds is membership subscriptions, which are used to fund the cost of rehearsals – rent of rehearsal room and payment to the Musical Director and Accompanist, and also to purchase new music to expand the choir’s repertoire.

We also raised money through our July and Christmas concerts (through ticket sales and sponsorship) which enabled us to share our pleasure in singing with local audiences and to award grants to nominated charities.

investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

Section F Other optional information

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Amanda Moran Full name(s) Joan Mason Position (eg Secretary, Chair Treasurer Chair, etc) Date

March 2012

TAR