OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2024-12-31-accounts

THE WOTTON CONCERT SERIES

CHARITY NUMBER 1203462

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st ] DECEMBER 2024

Index to financial statements

Trustees’ Report

Chairman's Report

Independent Examiner's Report Receipts and Payments Accounts

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

Notes to the Financial Statements

THE WOTTON CONCERT SERIES

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024

The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements of The Wotton Concert Series (“the Charity’) for the year ended 31st December 2024

Constitution and Governance

The Charity was registered as a charitable incorporated organization (“CIO”) on 7[th] June 2023 and is governed by its constitution registered on the same date. The Charity is managed by its Trustees, presently comprising the Chairman, Artistic Director (ex officio), Honorary Treasurer, and Communications Director. The Charity’s Trustees for the time being also comprise the members of the CIO.

The first Trustees of the Charity were Messrs Benedict Hoffnung and Rod Marlow. Messrs Edward Harford and Roger Wyn-Jones were subsequently appointed additional trustees at meetings of the Charity trustees. The Trustees meet regularly to conduct the Charity’s business and are responsible for all operating decisions. No fee is (or has been) paid to any Trustee for acting as a trustee.

Present Trustees

Rod Marlow Chair Benedict Hoffnung Artistic Director (ex officio) Edward Harford Communications Director Roger Wyn-Jones Hon. Treasurer

Charity Address

c/o Littleworth Corner Amberley Gloucestershire GL5 5AW

Bankers

Lloyds TSB Bank plc c/o 12 Rowcroft Stroud Gloucestershire GL5 3BD

Independent Examiners

TSL Accounting The Counting House High Street Minchinhampton Gloucestershire GL6 9BN

Objectives and Activities

The Charity’s objects are “to promote, maintain, improve and advance the education of the public in the art and science of music, including by the presentation of public concerts and recitals in South Gloucestershire and such other locations as the trustees shall from time to time determine.”

In delivering our events we aim to support the emerging careers of young musicians in their early years as professional performers, in particular by giving them an opportunity to perform alongside seasoned professionals in some of the UK’s best-known ensembles. We have had considerable success in this aim, and our events to date have featured young violinists, organists, vocal soloists, harpists, and horn players, some of whom were still studying advanced music degrees when performing for us, and have since gone on to pursue illustrious careers.

The two concerts delivered in 2024 in St Mary’s Church, Wotton-under-Edge brought live classical music of an exceptionally high standard to a predominantly (but not exclusively) South Gloucestershire audience, directly supporting our educational aims. Our first concert brought a young Hungarian violinist with a growing international profile, Júlia Pusker to accompany the London Mozart Players in a programme including Mozart’s Violin Concerto No 4 in D Major and his “Jupiter” Symphony No 41 in C Major. The second brought together renowned organist Richard Gowers and the Choir of St George’s, Hanover Square, together with the Bristol Ensemble and noted soloists, in a programme comprising Duruflé’s Requiem and Poulenc’s Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani.

More than two hundred people attended each of these concerts, which was a very satisfactory start to the Charity’s re-launch, following the hiatus caused by the Covid pandemic and its aftermath.

Volunteers make a significant contribution to the smooth and safe delivery of our concerts. They assist the Trustees by dealing with everything from ticket sales to car parking to refreshments and emergency evacuation procedures. The Trustees are very appreciative of their support.

The Trustees work closely throughout with the Vicar and Church Wardens of St Mary’s Church. Not only is the Church, with its excellent acoustics, our principal and much-valued venue, but we work closely with the Wardens on administrative matters, including addressing the risks inherent in having over 200 concert-goers in a large venue, with all the implicit health and safety and other considerations.

Funding

The Charity began 2024 with just over £1,000 to its name and a plan to raise enough funding to deliver two classical music concerts in the first full year. We hoped to carry forward enough money to repeat and expand on that plan by providing three concerts in 2025.

At the outset, the Trustees established a Friends programme from scratch, the proceeds of which would benefit from Gift Aid. This succeeded beyond expectations, including by reengaging with many former supporters, and - with the very generous support of a family trust and a local company - enabled the Charity to promote the first two concerts during the year. The Trustees are hugely appreciative of all the Friends and others who have helped to relaunch the concert programme at a time when the Arts generally are struggling to maintain funding levels in these straightened times. Without this support, Wotton Concert Series’ preCovid role in promoting high-quality classical music in South Gloucestershire was in danger of becoming a distant memory.

All funds raised from the Friends programme are applied to delivering the concerts, and are paid only to musicians, the Church venue hire, necessary contractors (e.g. for staging and programme printing), emergency medical support and caterers. The Charity has no

employees and does not give grants or make any investments in related activities.

Public Benefit

The Trustees have complied with their duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to public benefit guidance issued by the Charity Commission. The activities described in this report have been undertaken for the public benefit and in pursuit of the Charity's objects.

Risks

The Trustees regularly review the financial and other risks to which the Charity is exposed, and because of the Charity’s limited activities consider them to be relatively few. Accordingly, the Charity maintains insurance against the risks inherent in organizing concerts. For similar reasons, the Trustees aim at the year end to hold sufficient reserves to deal with the financial risks associated with our ambitions for the concert programme into the next year and beyond. Likewise, the Trustees aim to maintain a steady income stream throughout the year, although the revenue generated by each concert rarely covers more than some 55% of the associated expenses. As mentioned elsewhere in this Report, the Charity remains very dependent on the Friends programme described above, and on the Friends renewing their financial support from year to year. Without this support the Charity’s finances, and therefore the concert programme would undoubtedly suffer.

Financial review

For the first full year of the Charity’s re-launch, as explained earlier, the principal source of funding was individuals contributing under the Friends programme. Some 60 individuals supported us in this way in 2024, in addition to which the Charity also received donations from a family trust and one local employer. It has been particularly reassuring to see that almost all of the Friends have renewed their financial support during 2025, and that the few who haven’t renewed have been replaced by new Friends.

During the year under review the Trustees applied for grants from a number of national and local charities and other grant-giving bodies but had virtually no success in a tough year for funding of the Arts in general, and for what was effectively a new charity. When the Charity has re-established its credentials in the area (as already noted the concert series was shut down between 2020 and 2023 due to Covid) and has published its accounts for the first full year of operations, the Trustees plan to re-apply, including to local Foundations and other grant-giving bodies matching our regional focus.

In these circumstances, the fact that the Charity delivered two concerts in June and November 2024 and is carrying forward a balance of more than £7,000 at year-end represents a very creditable performance for 2024. That said, this balance will be essential to fund a threeconcert programme for 2025 when the associated costs will effectively be some 50% up on those for 2024.

Rod Marlow 31[st] July 2025 on behalf of the Trustees

THE WOTTON CONCERT SERIES

CHAIR’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024

It was a great sadness when the Covid pandemic put paid to the original Wotton Concert Series programme in 2020. Thus ended a continuous twelve year run under the guidance of Benedict Hoffnung (as Artistic Director) and Christopher Edwards (as Chair), the first concert in 2008 - comprising Handel’s Messiah - having been in aid of the roof at St Mary’s Church, Wotton-under-Edge.

The Trustees are delighted that after much soul-searching it has been possible during 2024 to re-launch the Wotton Concert Series in its new guise as a registered charity, thus enabling it to benefit from the valuable Gift Aid scheme. This would not have been possible without the support - and funding - contributed by the many Friends who so generously backed the re-launch and who, more recently, have renewed their support for the second year. It is also a fitting testament to all those who contributed so generously pre-Covid, whether with the administration or with the funding. A heartfelt “thank you” is due to all of you, and to the volunteers and others who have supported the re-launch, including by attending the four excellent concerts we have laid on so far.

I would also like to thank my fellow trustees for their vision, as well as their support, encouragement and hard work involved in all aspects of the re-launch. Together, we look forward to continuing to fulfil the Charity's mission of promoting high quality public concerts in South Gloucestershire.

That said, it remains to be seen for how long we can continue on the current path, dependent as it is on a number of factors. These include continued funding at broadly current levels, your continued support for and attendance at the concerts we promote, and for the ongoing involvement and enthusiasm of the Trustees.

Difficult as we all know it is to “refresh” charity trustees, the present (four) Trustees would like to widen the present group, both for succession reasons and - in the absence of any paid staff - to spread the administrative burden more widely. We are also mindful that the average age of our concert audience by and large reflects that of the Trustees, neither of which (with the greatest possible respect!) is heading downwards. While this is not unusual in this context, and is not surprising given the social element of our concerts, there are risks inherent in “the same old people doing the same old thing ad infinitum”.

Funds permitting, the present trustees have therefore committed themselves to continuing in the present direction up to and including 2027, at which point we are minded to review the Charity’s direction, particularly if we haven’t been able to expand or refresh the present team or secure some longer-term funding.

So, if you think you might be able to help, or you know someone else who might, please do let us know so that the Wotton Concert Series can live on beyond 2027.

With best wishes, and many thanks again for your continued support

Rod Marlow 31[st] July 2025 Chair

THE WOTTON CONCERT SERIES

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

THE WOTTON CONCERT SERIES

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024

THE WOTTON CONCERT SERIES

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024 (CONTINUED)

Roger Wyn-Jones, Hon. Treasurer on behalf of the Trustees 31[st] July 2025

THE WOTTON CONCERT SERIES

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024

The following notes form part of these financial statements

1. Accounting policies

(a) Basis of accounting

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with:

These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognized at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.

The Charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

(b) Going Concern

The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the Charity's ability to continue as a going concern, although the Charity remains critically dependent on the continued funding by Friends and others at or near present levels.

(c) Income Recognition

Donations, legacies, and all other income and all expenditure are brought into the accounts when they are received.

(d) VAT

The charity is not registered for VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the related expenses.

(e) Fixed Assets

The Charity has no fixed assets.

(f) Trustees’ remuneration, expenses and benefits:

The Trustees give their time and energy acting as such voluntarily, and none of the Trustees (or persons connected with them) received any remuneration or other benefit for acting as such during 2024 ( 2023 : nil). However, upon presentation of appropriate invoices Trustees were reimbursed in full for such expenses as they necessarily incurred on the Charity’s behalf.

For the November concert, Mr Hoffnung, a Trustee of the Charity and its Artistic Director, rehearsed the orchestra and choir in both London and Wotton-under-Edge before, and was the conductor at, the concert. For these non-trustee services the Charity agreed to pay Mr Hoffnung a conductor’s fee of £850 plus VAT inclusive of associated expenses. In compliance with

Charities Act 2011 and the Charity’s constitution, the Trustees’ considered the conductor’s fee was a necessary and essential expense for, and in the best interests of the Charity, and was significantly less than the market rate which would be charged by another professional conductor of equivalent standing and experience.

Otherwise, it is not considered possible to quantify the value of donated services and facilities, or the value of services provided by volunteers, which have not been included in the financial statements.

2. Taxation

As a registered charity, there is no liability to taxation.

3. Gift Aid

Tax recoverable on donations and gifts recoverable are accounted for when the gift aid claim is made.

4. Funds

All funds are unrestricted.