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2025-07-07-accounts

Vox Urbane

(a Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

Financial Statements

For the year ended 7[th] July 2025

Vox Urbane CIO

CONTENTS


Administrative Information
Report of the Trustees
Independent Examiner’s Report
Receipts & Payments Accounts and Statement of Assets & Liabilities		 Page

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Vox Urbane CIO

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Trustees Helen Kihmm-von Preyss – Chair from 3[rd] July 2025 Poppy Kemp Rebecca Thomas – from 13[th] June 2025 Noel Williams – Chair until 3[rd] July 2025 Amena Zaman Charity number 1199588 Registered office 145 Marsala Road London SE13 7AE Independent Examiner Jacqueline Booker ACA (ICAEW) Bankers The Co-operative Bank PO Box 250 Skelmersdale WN8 6WT

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Vox Urbane CIO

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 7[th] July 2025

The trustees present their report together with the financial statements for the year ended 7[th] July 2025.

Vox Urbane is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission. The charity number, principal addresses and details of professional advisors are included in the administrative information on page 3.

Constitution, objectives and activities

The charity is operated under the rules of its CIO adopted 13[th] January 2022.

The charity’s objects are, for the public benefit, to:

To promote, maintain, improve and advance the education of the public in the arts, and in particular (without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing), the arts of choral and orchestral music, by:

Organisational structure

The charity is managed by the trustees who are appointed by existing trustees.

All trustees receive an induction pack containing the charity’s key documents and attend at least one meeting a year. Throughout the year, trustees receive regular updates on the activities of the charity. Trustees are also strongly encouraged to visit the projects themselves. The Trustees appointed Rebecca Thomas as a Trustee on 13[th] June 2025. Additionally, Helen Kihmm-von Preyss took over the role of Chair of Trustees from Noel Williams on 3[rd] July 2025.

Achievements, projects, performances/collaborations, and funding partnerships

Performances

In the autumn of 2024, Vox Urbane held its Inaugural London Season of concerts . The Season, Responses , comprised three concerts, in the boroughs of Croydon, Lewisham and Hackney. Each concert included a world premiere performance of music commissioned for the Season. The concerts and commissions were as follows:

23rd November, Stanley Arts, Croydon

New commission: Barbara Dudek, The Song of the Sirens

A fun new work, bringing together extended vocal techniques and electronics which immersed the audience in a multi-disciplinary mythical epic. A joyful and quirky response to an epic struggle.

24th November, Fellowship Inn, Lewisham

New commission: Emily Hazrati, THE TIME HAS COME...

A playful and eccentric response to time and place, featuring the peel of London bells, with the nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons interwoven throughout, and sparked by the phrase "The time has come...” from Lewis Carroll’s satirical poem The Walrus and the Carpenter.

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27th November, Hackney Church (formerly St John’s), Hackney New commission: Shiva Feshareki, Geometry of Echoes

Feshareki’s work for Turntables, Live Spatial Electronics, Choir and Organ was written specifically to be performed in John Pawson’s minimalist interior of Hackney Church. Based on medieval tuning systems Geometry of Echoes is a response to Lamentations by the 16th century London born composer Robert White. Both works focus on the spirituality of sound. The title and concepts of Geometry of Echoes are inspired by the book The Poetics of Space by Gaston Bachelard.

The Season offered a vibrant and eclectic musical response to an uncertain world. The concerts featured a curated selection of works included music by London based composers Lillie Harries, Tara Mack and Kerensa Briggs. The music responded to people, places, situations. Vox Urbane was particularly delighted to perform part of Caroline Shaw’s Partita for 8 Voices, the first ensemble besides Roomful of Teeth (for whom it was written) to perform this in London.

Embodying diversity through its line-up of outstanding artists, with professional singers also performing alongside the Vox Next Gen young artists across the three concerts, Vox Urbane celebrated and developed its mission to represent marginalised and under-represented voices in classical choral music and reflect the diverse cultural tapestry from which the ensemble has emerged.

Outreach

Vox Roots

Through school workshops and integrated performances, the Vox Roots programme engenders a passion for singing in school-age children who would not otherwise have access to inspirational music and musicians. We have continued to develop the programme, building on the achievements of the previous year. This year we worked with schools in Hackney and Essex, reaching 150 children, and delivering 30 workshops and 6 concerts. Concert venues included Rochester Cathedral, Hackney Church (St John at Hackney), the London office of a global bank located in Canary Wharf, as well as within the individual schools. School teaching staff were also involved in the workshops, ensuring that learnings can be sustained in the future.

Feedback from Mossbourne Federation Schools:

“Over the past two years, your workshops have been a consistent source of musical growth and inspiration across our schools. Both of our Hackney primary choirs, as well as Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy choir, have benefited enormously - not just in terms of vocal technique, but also in confidence, teamwork, and musical identity. You and your team's ability to connect with young singers and elevate their performance has been truly transformative.” Natasha Vock-Betton, Pan Federation Assistant Principal, Mossbourne Federation Schools.

“We were absolutely delighted to work with Vox Roots during the last academic year. The project made a huge impact on our Year 4-6 choirs at both MRA and MPA, culminating in some truly memorable performances…The children thoroughly enjoyed every session. They not only had fun but also gained valuable vocal and performance skills in the process… It was wonderful to see them grow in confidence, not just as singers, but as expressive, thoughtful performers...It was a pleasure to witness their development, and I truly believe this opportunity has laid a strong foundation for their continued musical growth.”

Naomi Martin, Primaries Music Lead, Mossbourne Federation Schools

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Vox Next Gen

Vox Next Gen is our training and mentoring initiative for emerging artists aged 18-25, specifically aimed at singers from disadvantaged and under-represented backgrounds. The programme is designed to remove barriers to working as a professional choral singer and is free at point of entry to successful auditionees. During the 1-year programme, the emerging artists learn invaluable skills and gain the experience and network essential for moving forward on their path toward being professional singers. 11 singers were selected for the 2024/25 programme, attending 30 workshops and rehearsals, and singing in 13 concerts with total audiences of c.2200.

The second cohort of Vox Next Gen has built on the success of the first year’s programme. There have been repeat invitations to perform with Hackney Singers and Lewisham Choral Society, and by a global bank as part of its Community Day in Canary Wharf with Vox Roots schools. An addition to the annual programme was Vox Urbane’s Inaugural London Season of concerts. Vox Next Gen worked alongside the professional singers over the course of the three concerts and were able to perform both as part of the professional ensemble, and as a standalone group. The repertoire was eclectic and demanded extended vocal technique and high levels of musicianship. The young singers grew in confidence, and the whole ensemble came together during the intensive rehearsal period for these concerts. Following on from this, the annual candlelit carols were a wonderful way to end the first term, attracting larger audiences than the previous year. In the spring, a new collaboration began with St John’s Chapel Choir, Oxford, kicking off with a collaborative concert as part of their Gibbons 400 Festival. Finally, the summer immersive singing week in France was hosted this year by Ferrandou Musique, who extended this invitation after being impressed by Vox Next Gen’s performances in the previous year. As part of the Ferrandou Musique summer festival, Vox Next Gen performed to capacity audiences. They also benefited from a masterclass with the festival director and leading British bass/baritone David Wilson-Johnson.

Feedback:

“Vox Next Gen is an extraordinary ensemble. It has a diverse and interesting group of young singers and a very welcoming feel, meaning that the extremely high quality of singing at every concert is an absolute pleasure. I would definitely recommend it to any young aspiring singers.” WBS, Vox Next Gen participant 2024/25

“It was such a pleasure to be on the Vox Next Gen scheme – not only to make wonderful music but also to meet other young people from a range of backgrounds and realise how widely the passion for choral music is shared.”

HE, Vox Next Gen participant 2024/25

“I had a fantastic time with Vox Next Gen this year. Next Gen is an amazing experience for anyone looking to develop their musicianship and meet some wonderful young musicians, who come from a range of backgrounds. Dan and Helen are fabulous directors and mentors, and the skill and diversity of the group means you don’t just sing - you make music.” SG, Vox Next Gen participant 2024/25

Funding

Building on the seed funding of £10,000 from Cockayne Grants for the Arts, we received further grant funding of £10,000 from the Postcode Society Trust and £1,000 from the Vaughan Williams Foundation towards the costs of the Inaugural London Season of concerts. Additionally, due to the excellent performances given by Vox Next Gen on their first mini-tour of France in August, we secured our first corporate sponsorship from Waste Mission, a leading business in sustainable waste management and recycling solutions. This will provide £20,000 per year for the coming three years.

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We are enormously proud of this arrangement, and deeply grateful to Christina Pepperell and Philip Newman for their wholehearted and generous support of Vox Urbane and our ongoing mission.

Additional grant funding has also been successfully sought from the Three Monkies Trust (£2,500) and Philip Bates Trust (£500) for the Vox Next Gen programme. We continued our Vox Roots work with Mossbourne Federation Schools, enabled by a grant of £7,050 from the Mossbourne Charitable Trust. We have also been awarded £1,500 by the Newcomen Collett Foundation for Vox Roots outreach work in Southwark (paid in 2025/26 financial year), and £2,000 per year over three years from Skinner’s Charity Foundation for work in schools in Hackney. Additionally, we were successful in raising £3,000 through the Big Give Christmas Campaign.

A summary of key events

Future Plans

Vox Urbane

Vox Next Gen

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Vox Roots

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Vox Urbane CIO

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 7[th] July 2025 (cont’d)

Financial review

Total income for the year amounted to £54,127. Expenses incurred for the trustees’ charitable activities of promoting and enhancing charitable work amounted to £58,275. This resulted in a deficit for the year of £4,148. This deficit should be viewed in the context that restricted cash reserves of £10,000 brought forward from the prior year were fully utilised during the current year for Vox Urbane’s Inaugural London Season. Cash funds at the end of the financial year were £7,953 all of which was unrestricted.

The trustees’ policy is to retain a level of reserves which will provide a stable base for its continuing activities while at the same time ensuring that funds are not accumulated.

Risk management

The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed and in particular those relating to the specific operational areas of the charity and its finances. The trustees believe that by ensuring controls exist over key financial systems and by examining the operational and business risks faced by the charity, they have established effective systems to mitigate those risks.

Trustees

The following trustees have held office during the year:

Noel Williams – Chair until 3[rd] July 2025

Poppy Kemp

Helen Kihmm-von Preyss – Chair from 3[rd] July 2025

Rebecca Thomas, appointed 13[th] June 2025

Amena Zaman

Trustees’ responsibilities in relation to the financial statements

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable organisation’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable organisation and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees have elected to prepare Receipts & Payments Accounts and a Statement of Assets & Liabilities, as permitted under Section 133 of The Charities Act 2011 for charities with gross income less than £250,000.

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Independent examination of financial statements

The trustees have elected for an independent examination of the financial statements instead of an audit, as permitted by Section 145 of The Charities Act 2011.

Approved by the trustees on 3[rd] December 2025 and signed on their behalf by:

Poppy Kemp

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Vox Urbane CIO INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 7[th] JULY 2025

Report to the trustees/members of: Vox Urbane Accounts for: Year ended 7[th] July 2025 Charity Number : 1199588 Set out on pages: 12-14

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 7[th] July 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed:

Date:

4[th] December 2025

Name: Jacqueline Booker Professional Qualification: ACA (ICAEW) Address: 3 Ernle Road, London SW20 0HH

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Vox Urbane CIO RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 7[th] July 2025

Charity Name: Vox Urbane Charity Number: 1199588 Receipts & Payments Accounts Period: 8[th] July 2024 to 7[th] July 2025

Section A: Receipts & Payments

Note
Receipts
Sponsorship
1
Donations
Grants
2
Earned Income
3
Subtotal
Asset and investment sales
Total Receipts
Payments
Musicians’ fees and commissions
4
Venue and other event costs
Marketing and public relations
Travel expenses
5
Administrative expenses
Subtotal
Asset and investment purchases
Total Payments
Net of Receipts/(Payments)
Transfers between funds
Cash funds prior year-end
Cash funds this year-end		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total Funds
2024/25
Total Funds
2023/24
£
£
£
£
20,000
-
20,000
-
3,050
-
3,050
1,866
10,000
13,050
23,050
13,900
8,027
-
8,027
5,460
41,077
13,050
54,127
21,226
-
-
-
-
41,077
13,050
54,127
21,226
21,040
20,590
41,630
7,890
7,906
429
8,335
689
3,600
-
3,600
-
1,880
2,031
3,911
2,730
799
-
799
183
35,225
23,050
58,275
11,492
-
-
-
-
35,225
23,050
58,275
11,492
5,852
(10,000)
(4,148)
9,734
-
-
-
-
2,101
10,000
12,101
2,367
7,953
-
7,953
12,101

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Section B: Statement of Assets & Liabilities at end of period

Note
6
Cash Funds
Cash at bank
Total Cash Funds
Other monetary assets
Investment assets
Assets retained for charity’s use
Total Assets
Liabilities
Net Assets		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total
Funds
£
£
£
7,953
-
7,953
7,953
-
7,953
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
7,953
-
7,953
-
-
-
7,953
-
7,953

Accounts approved by the trustees on 3[rd] December 2025 and signed on their behalf by

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Poppy Kemp
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Notes to the Accounts

  1. Sponsorship of £20,000 was received from corporate sponsor Waste Mission.

  2. Grants of £23,050 were received during the year comprising:

Postcode Society Trust £10,000 (unrestricted) Three Monkies Trust £2,500 for Vox Next Gen Philip Bates Trust £500 for Vox Next Gen

Mossbourne Charitable Trust £7,050 for Vox Roots

Skinners' Charity Foundation £2,000 for Vox Roots

Vaughan Williams Foundation £1,000 for Vox Urbane's Inaugural London Season.

All grants received were utilised within the current financial year.

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  1. Earned Income of £8,027 represents concert ticket sales and fees received for workshops and performances.

  2. Musicians' fees of £41,630 includes £15,000 commissions for new works featured in the London Inaugural Season of concerts.

  3. Travel expenses of £3,911 represents reimbursement of costs incurred by Vox Next Gen emerging artists to participate in the programme.

  4. The Charitable Incorporated Organisation (General) Regulations 2012 require the following information to be given by way of note:

a) particulars of any guarantee given by the CIO, where any potential liability under the guarantee is outstanding at the date of the statement of assets and liabilities. There are none.

b) particulars of any debt outstanding at the date of the statement of assets and liabilities which is owed by the CIO and which is secured by an express charge on any of the assets of the CIO. There is no debt outstanding.

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