**TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT OCTOBER 2023 - MARCH 2025** # **Wotton & District Silver Band Registered Charity Number: 1205055** admin@wottonsilverband.co.uk www.wottonsilverband.co.uk ## **Reference and administration details** ## **Charity name:** Wotton & District Silver Band ## **Registered charity number:** 1205055 ## **Charity’s principal address:** 2 Robin Close Chalford Stroud Gloucestershire GL6 8FN ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity:** - [Mr I M Brown ] - [Mr A M Dunstan ] - [Mrs J Farron ] - [Mr K G Stout ] - [Mrs J Woodman ] ## **Structure, governance and management** ## **Type of governing document:** Constitution adopted 23rd May 2023 ## **How the charity is constituted:** Charitable Incorporated Organisation ## **Trustee selection methods:** Trustees are appointed or reappointed annually at the Annual General Meeting held in May ## **Objectives and Activities** ## **Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document:** 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. ## **Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects:** In planning our activities for the year, we kept in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit at our committee/trustee meetings. The main activities are as follows: - [Providing music for public entertainment, including community events ] - [Musical development and social interaction for band members ] - [Encouraging young people to learn a musical instrument. ] The band has continued to work in the community, performing concerts throughout the period, providing music for civic events including Remembrance Day parades and the town’s Inauguration Ceremony for King Charles III. The band has worked hard to encourage new players to the band, including a special children’s concert with an opportunity to play brass instruments. ## **Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year:** Following the appointment of its new Musical Director in May 2023, the band quickly adapted to the new style, and continues to work on the MD’s aim of improving ensemble playing and intonation. The band played 16 concerts over the period, including its annual Christmas and Remembrance performances. Highlights of the period were the well attended and well received ‘Grand Afternoon Out’ concert, aimed at children, with a view to encouraging them to learn to play a brass instrument and, the 130th anniversary celebration concert including a visit from the world famous Foden’s Band. The Foden’s concert was made possible due to a funding grant from Arts Council England, enabling the band to run a morning of workshops for brass and percussion players of all ages and abilities, followed by a gala concert in the afternoon with performances from Foden’s, Wotton Silver and the massed band of workshop attendees. This event was hugely successful and attracted many brass and percussion players from the Gloucestershire area and beyond. The band performed in 5 competitions over the period, including the regional finals in March 2024, where despite a good performance, the band was not able to gain a high enough placing to remain as a 1st Section Band. Following on from this result, a number of players left the band, making the 2024 summer programme of concerts a little challenging. Nonetheless, the band was able to call on the support of friends from other local brass bands to help out, and by the beginning of 2025, the band was in a far stronger position, with new players joining and all seats filled ahead of the 2025 regional finals in March. The band played at 4 Remembrance Parades over the period, at Wotton-under-Edge and neighbouring Dursley. The band has also performed in small groups, providing festive music for shoppers throughout both Decembers, playing at multiple local shopping venues and town centres. It has also played 2 ensemble concerts each October performing as ‘Wotton Oompah Band’. The Training Band was continuing to show steady progress over the start of the period with an increase in regular membership (boosted by the October 2023 Grand Afternoon Out Concert). However, in July 2024, the Training Band MD along with the majority of its members, left to set up a new venture, forcing the band to rebuild a band for learners. In October 2024, Wotton Family Brass was launched, encouraging families to learn to play together. This group has made good progress under the guidance of band member volunteers, and is now seeking to appoint a professional Musical Director to lead it and enable its numbers to grow. Efforts to expand the membership will continue, and the band is maintaining active communication with local schools and the music hub. Ensuring that our young players and other vulnerable people feel welcome and safe at Wotton Silver Band is always a priority, and during the year the band’s policies have been reviewed to ensure it remains ‘Bandsafe’ and meets all the criteria required by Brass Bands England in order to qualify for their BOPA (Body of Persons Approval). This allows the band to continue to perform without needing to apply to the Local Authority for a licence each time we schedule an event. ## **Financial Review** ## **Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves:** Cash at bank at 31/03/2025 was £42,937.89, made up of £30,816.97 savings and £12,120.92 current account. The bank funds are maintained at this level as a ‘safety net’ to provide for a future situation where the band may need to hire a room for its rehearsals and to store its equipment. The band’s current rehearsal space and storage facilities are made available to the band by a local organisation free of charge. ## **Details of any funds materially in deficit:** Not applicable ## **Declaration** ## **Report to the trustees/members of:** Wotton & District Silver Band ## **On accounts for the period ended:** 31[st] March 2025 ## **Responsibilities and basis of report:** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts for the period 4th October 2023 to 31st March 2025. As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under s145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given. ## **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: - 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. **Signed:** _Sarah Collier_ **Date: 10th January 2026** **Name: Sarah Colyer** ## **Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): ICAEW** ## **Address: 32 Lodway, Easton-in-Gordano, Bristol, BS20 0JB** ## **Disclosure section** **Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose:** None to Report ## **Notes to Accounts:** Over the 18 month period the band’s funds have increased by £2,828 which is largely due to the income from the highly successful concert with Foden’s band in June 2024. Events such as this will continue to take place, but not on an annual basis and cannot be relied on as a typical source of recurring income. - [The band’s Christmas campaigns continue to be successful and are an extremely important ] part of the band’s fundraising. Christmas 2023 was particularly successful, exceeding the previous year’s income by £1,000. - [Uniform costs were high due to the purchase of a set of lightweight jackets (£750). ] - [The cost of gifts was high over the period as they included thank you presents for a number ] of long-standing band members. This also includes gestures of thanks for players from other bands who have helped us over the period (in particular during the summer of 2024) without expecting any reimbursement for the costs they have incurred. - [The ‘Torquay Hotel’ expense details the cost of the band’s overnight accommodation in ] Torquay while it attends the annual Regional Championships in March. The band books and pays for the accommodation (shown as Expense) and the band members reimburse the band (shown in the Income column). The net expense includes room charges that the band has paid for which is made up of rehearsal space at the hotel, Musical Director’s accommodation and other financial assistance for members who are unable to meet the full cost of their accommodation. - [Over the period the training band has run at a loss due to the high costs of its Musical ] Director and low membership numbers. This is expected to improve following the relaunch of Wotton Family Brass when the band hopes to reduce MD costs and increase membership numbers. |**Oct 2023/Mar 25**|||| |---|---|---|---| ||**Income**|**Expense**|**Net Income/Expense**| |**Christmas**|£11,418.70|-£308.51|£11,110.19| |**MD Fees**|£0.00|-£10,559.50|-£10,559.50| |**Contes**Insurance, etc.**|£0.00|-£2,682.78|-£2,682.78| |**GiEs / Flowers**|£0.00|-£858.76|-£858.76| |**Instruments**|£0.00|-£403.88|-£403.88| |**Interest**|£534.47|£0.00|£534.47| |**Marke