2023-12-31-accounts - Farnham Sinfonia (CIO)

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FARNHAM SINFONIA (CIO) REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

The trustees of Farnham Sinfonia CIO (the Charity) present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023. These comply with the governing documents of the Charity, the relevant Statement of Recommended Practice (the Charities SORP 2015), Financial Reporting Standard 102 and the Charities Act 2011.

The Charity is registered with the Charity Commission in England and Wales as Charity 1197475 and at Companies House as CE027921.

1. OBJECTIVES OF THE CHARITY

The objectives of the Charity are to advance public education and appreciation of the art of classical music in Farnham, Surrey and surrounding areas. In particular, but not exclusively, we seek to provide:

Live concerts and recitals
Lectures, courses and masterclasses
Visits to schools and hospices
An annual grant to a promising student from the Yehudi Menuhin School of Music
Providing performance opportunities for young musicians seeking a music career
Sponsoring for new compositions
Sponsoring musical training

2. OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL REVIEW

The main sources of income for the Charity come from sponsorship, and donations from private individuals, charitable bodies and other local sources

Entry to all charity concerts is free to those under 18 years of age and to students A retiring collection is held for all others attending each performance with a suggested donation of £20 per person. However, all donations are subject to personal choice. People can give less or more than the suggested amount. All are welcomed, regardless of financial circumstances and abilities, and ethnic, gender, medical or religious considerations.

3. CHARITY OBJECTIVES

I. 2023 Achieved Objectives
Two orchestral concerts were held during in the calendar year, were held in March and October 2023, each providing soloist performance opportunity for young musicians, past and present Menuhin school students on the start of their professional careers (four violinists, plus piano, horn and guitar soloists)
A repeat grant from Fenton Arts was obtained
Overall audience numbers for the two concerts were 16% above the equivalent concerts in 2022
Regularly updated the charity’s website www.farnhamsinfonia.org.uk, making it the charity’s principal communications channel
Issued a second newsletter to all on its database

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II. 2024 Objectives

The trustees have set the following objectives for 2024

Return to holding three concerts in the year
Increase audience numbers by at least 15% above equivalent 2023 levels
Make four new grant applications in order to be successful on at least one
Provide solo performance opportunities for at least six young musicians at the start of their future professional musical careers, and also one premiere performance of a composition from a young composer.
Continue to develop and update the charity’s website.

5. GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

I. Governing Document

Farnham Sinfonia is a company limited by guarantee without a share capital and is governed by its memorandum and articles of association.

II. Trustees

For the purposes of company law, the trustees listed below are the directors of the company. Trustees retire automatically upon completion of their term of office but may be eligible for reappointment.

No director has any beneficial interest in the company. All directors are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of winding up. At 31 December 2023 there were four trustees:

Derek Carpenter - Chair Roy Waight - Treasurer Diana Martin Brian Martin

In addition to the trustees, regular meetings include an independent advisor on grant applications and also the conductor and leader of the orchestra.

New trustees may be added in the future and will be identified following a review of the skills and experience needed to oversee and develop the Charity. This process will consider potential conflicts of interest. Following appointment, any new trustees will receive an induction programme and will be given details of their responsibilities under the guidance of Charity law, using materials supplied by the Charity Commission.

Trustees serve for a three-year period after which they may be re-elected for a second term, normally for no more than three years. After a second term a trustee may be asked to continue, on an annual basis. The trustees meet at least three or four times a year and sub-committees are established to meet as often as necessary to examine specific issues and to make recommendations to the main body of trustees.

The Charity’s trustees also receive the additional, regular support and involvement from the principal orchestra conductor and lead violinist in developing suitable concert programmes, determining necessary orchestral membership to meet performance requirements and to select soloists. It also receives valuable voluntary help in identifying potential sources of grants and donations and in the compilation of grant applications.

III. Trustees’ & directors’ responsibilities in the preparation of financial statements

The trustees (who are also directors of the Charity for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure for that period.

In preparing those financial statements, the trustees and directors are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements, and
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue.

The trustees and directors are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information on the charitable company’s website.

IV. Reserves

At 31 December 2023, the Charity’s free reserves (there were no fixed assets and restricted funds) were £8,554. The trustees consider that this amount is adequate to meet the objectives set for 2024 but will need to be supplemented during 2024 to deliver all stated objectives for the following twelve months. If sufficient funds are not generated the programme of concerts and community support performances may need to be reduced.

V. Trustees’ indemnity insurance

The company has made qualifying third-party indemnity provisions for the benefit of its directors, volunteers and audience members during the year. These provisions remain in force at the reporting date.

VI. Independent examiner

The scale of the Charity’s activities and net assets is at a level that does not necessitate an independent audit of the financial statements.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies’ exemption.

By order of the board

Derek Carpenter

Chair

Roy Waight Treasurer

Date: 9th September 2024

Charity Name No (if any) Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period Period start date Period end date To from 01-Jan-23 31-Dec-23

Section A Receipts and payments

A1 Receipts	Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ - 3,857 8,481 3,864 2,186 - - - 18,388 - - - 18,388 9,621 213 - - - - - - - 9,834 - - - 9,834 8,554 - - 8,554	Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	Total funds to the nearest £ - 3,857 8,481 3,864 2,186 - - - 18,388 - - - 18,388 9,621 213 - - - - - - - 9,834 - - - 9,834 8,554	Last year to the nearest £
	-				-
Openingbalance	3,857				7,896
Donations	8,481				6,622
Concert donations 'at the door'	3,864				4,829
Other income	2,186				488
	-				-
	-				-
	-				-
*Sub total*(Gross income for AR)	18,388				19,835

A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table).
	-
	-				-
*Sub total*	-				-
*Total receipts* A3 Payments
					19,835

Concert expenditure	9,621				14,847
Other expenditure	213				1,131
	-				-
	-				-
	-				-
	-				-
	-				-
	-				-
	-				-
**Sub total **	9,834				15,978

A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table)
	-
	-
**Sub total **	-				-
*Total payments* *Net of receipts/(payments)* A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end *Cash funds this year end*
					15,978

	8,554	-	-	8,554	3,857
	-	-	-	-	-
	-	-	-	-	-
	8,554	-	-	8,554	3,857

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B1 Cash funds	Details None Details *Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) None Current account with Lloyds Details Details None Details None Signature	Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 8,554 - - - - - 8,554 - OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name	Endowment funds to nearest £
			-
			-
			-
			-
			OK
			Endowment funds to nearest £
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			Current value (optional)
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			Current value (optional)
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			When due (optional)






			Date of approval

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)