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THE AUBREY SINGERS
REGISTERED CHARITY 1200924
ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 JULY 2024
TRUSTEES’ REPORT
The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ending 31 July 2024. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011, the Statement of Recommended Practice for charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102, as well as the accounting policies set out in the notes to the financial statements below.
OBJECTS AND CONSTITUTION
The constitution of the charity was established by its trustees on 18 September 2022 and its objects are 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 events such as concerts. The trustees applied for formal registration as a charity on 31 October 2022 and The Aubrey Singers was formally registered as a charity on 7 November 2022 with the registered charity number 1200924.
ACTIVITIES AND PUBLIC BENEFIT
Since registration of the choir, The Aubrey Singers, as a charity, the trustees have continued to pay due regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commissioners in deciding what activities the charity should undertake. These activities include promoting fellowship amongst the members of the choir, endeavouring to achieve the highest standards in musical performance, and encouraging as many members of the public as possible both to join the choir and to attend concerts from time to time. Where appropriate, subscriptions are waived or reduced to support singers who would otherwise not be able to join the choir, and subscriptions for those under 27 years of age are substantially reduced. Tickets to concerts are offered at a reduced rate for younger persons in order that as many as possible are able to attend. During the period the trustees instituted choral scholarships to encourage and allow younger singers to rehearse and sing with the choir.
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RESERVES AND GOING CONCERN
The trustees are acutely aware of the need to maintain financial discipline and at any one time endeavour to have available cash reserves of sufficient amount to allow the trustees to confirm that The Aubrey Singers is in a position to meet all its financial obligations for the 12 month period following the date of approval of these financial statements. The trustees therefore consider the charity to be a going concern.
TRUSTEES
The trustees of The Aubrey Singers during the year and as at the date of this report are:
Myrto Rochat, Chair of Trustees Andrew Michael Peck, Secretary Andrew Nicholas Hewson, Treasurer Katherine Mary Cullinan Vivien Thompson Nigel Crump
TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ACCOUNTS
The trustees are responsible for: the keeping of proper accounting records which disclose the financial position of the charity with reasonable accuracy at any time; the safeguarding of the assets of the charity from time to time; the detection of fraud and other irregularities by establishing and maintaining a satisfactory system of control over the accounting records, its cash holdings from time to time and all its receipts and remittances. The trustees are also required to prepare the accounts of the charity by selecting suitable accounting policies and applying them consistently; making judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; stating that applicable accounting policies have been followed and preparing the accounts on the going concern basis. In certain circumstances the trustees are obliged to have the accounts examined by a qualified independent professional. This independent examination follows.
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION OF ACCOUNTS
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Charity”) for the year ended 31 July 2024 set out below.
As the trustees of the Charity, 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 Charity’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.
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: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
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.
Charity no 1200924
Signed:
Name: Geraldine Anne Hellings
Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales Address: 53 Queens Road, London, SW19 8NP
Date: 30 September 2024
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THE AUBREY SINGERS
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT For the YEAR ending 31 July 2024
| YEAR ENDING 31 JULY 2024 |
YEAR ENDING 31 JULY 2023 |
|
|---|---|---|
| INCOME | ||
| Membership subscriptions | £15,263.62 | £14,041.00 |
| Concert income | £13,267.94 | £9,254.64 |
| Donations | £30.00 | £200.00 |
| TOTAL INCOME | £28,561.56 | £23,495.65 |
| EXPENDITURE | ||
| Venue hire | £2,170.00 | £1,980.00 |
| Musical director fees | £8,027.00 | £8,250.00 |
| Accompanist fees | £2,270.00 | £1,550.00 |
| Music rental | £726.99 | £579.16 |
| Concert and rehearsal costs | £11,156.58 | £7,743.45 |
| TOTAL EXPENDITURE | £24,350.57 | £20,102.61 |
| NET SURPLUS | £4,210.99 | £3,393.03 |
BALANCE SHEET as at 31 July 2024
| As at 31/07/24 | As at 31/07/23 | |
| Cash at bank | £8,881.73 | £6,223.64 |
| Accrued income / expenditure | -£52.10 | -£1,605.00 |
| NET ASSETS AND UNRESTRICTED FUNDS | £8,829.63 | £4,618.64 |
The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 30 September 2024 A N Hewson, Treasurer
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THE AUBREY SINGERS
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 31 JULY 2024
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011, FRS 102, and the Charities SORP. The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102. The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows. The financial statements are prepared in UK sterling, the functional currency of the charity, under the historical cost convention, and adopting the accounting policies set out below. The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis, the trustees having reasonable grounds to expect the charity to continue for the foreseeable future.
INCOME AND EXPENSE
Income is recognised on receipt of monies in the bank account of the charity, whether it be membership subscriptions, donations or sales of concert tickets. Expenses are accrued as invoiced and paid promptly.
CASH
Cash is held at the charity’s bank account at the The Co-operative Bank p.l.c. Certain takings at concerts may be in cash and from time to time the treasurer applies such cash to the bank account.
EMPLOYEES
The charity does not have any employees and all of the services of the trustees to the charity are given voluntarily.
GIFT AID
Certain membership subscriptions are eligible for gift aid under HMRC guidance. The sum of £1,996.62 in gift aid is included in membership subscriptions for the year to 31 July 2024 (2023: £1,172).
REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES INCURRED BY TRUSTEES
From time to time certain expenses of the charity have been properly incurred by the trustees, particularly in the period before the charity’s own bank account could be established. These reimbursements are paid after the trustees have submitted a claim to the treasurer, backed up by receipts. As the charity grows it is expected that these payments will be less necessary.