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2025-08-31-accounts

- - WELLS CITY BAND ANNUAL REPORT for the year 2024 2025 (1/9/24 31/8/25)

Welcome to our charity’s second Annual Report. Thanks to each of the following officers of our charity who have contributed their separate reports:

Chairman, Musical Director, Finance Officer, Brass Academy Coordinator, Band Manager, Safeguarding Officer, Librarians.

Chairman’s Report

I can’t believe it is that time already and I’m writing another report on what has been another excellent year for Wells City Band, marked by significant achievements both musically and organisationally. The standard of our playing has continued to improve, with sound quality and musical confidence going from strength to strength. As with any active band, we have said farewell to some players and warmly welcomed new ones into the Wells City Band family.

Remembering Flaggy

Earlier in the year, we were deeply saddened to lose our dear friend and soprano player, (Graham) John Flagg, affectionately known as ‘Flaggy’. He contributed a huge amount to the band over many years, particularly in looking after the band instruments. His dedication and support behind the scenes were greatly valued. He is very much missed by all who knew him.

Rehearsals and Facilities

One of the most significant developments this year has been our move to the Portway Annexe. This was a major step for the band and, after a few initial teething problems, it is proving to be a very successful change. The rehearsal environment has greatly improved, particularly in terms of sound quality, which has had a noticeable positive impact on our playing. As I write this, we are also in the process of organising and improving our storage facilities at the Annexe, which will further streamline operations, particularly for the library team who need easy access to their equipment and the music library.

Musical Leadership

Another important development has been the appointment of our Assistant Musical Director. This has already proved to be a very positive step, giving the band greater flexibility and continuity. It ensures that rehearsals can continue at a high musical level when the Musical Director is unavailable, while also providing additional musical support and leadership for the band. This appointment strengthens our musical structure and supports the band’s ongoing development.

Players and Development

Player development continues to be a real success story for Wells City Band. It has been wonderful to welcome back former members alongside new players, and especially encouraging to see members progressing from the Academy into the main band. Their contribution highlights just how vital the Academy is to the long-term future of Wells City Band. This year has also seen a welcome return to our roots with the introduction of the maroon soft shell band jackets and a refreshed uniform. This has greatly improved our appearance and gives us a strong and recognisable presence when arriving at engagements across the city and at outdoor events.

Governance and Finance

This year marked the completion of our first Annual Return as a charity, including trustee reports, which represents an important milestone for the band. I would like to thank the Treasurer for the considerable work undertaken behind the scenes to ensure everything was completed accurately and on time. The committee is currently exploring the introduction of a donation QR code to make it easier for audiences to support us, particularly at events where people may not be carrying cash. Our traditional fundraising activities, including skittles and quiz nights, have once again been successful and remain an important part of our social and financial calendar.

Performances

The band has enjoyed a busy and rewarding year of performances, including many high profile engagements. Our Spring and Christmas Concerts at The Cedars Hall were both very successful, with the Christmas Concert selling out and featuring a fantastic collaboration with Trull Children’s Choir. December also saw our usual programme of carolling, which continues to be both popular and enjoyable. The Bridgwater Carnival Concert in November was, by many accounts, our best yet, with excellent sound and a strong audience turnout. We were pleased to perform at several events at the Bishop’s Palace this year and to undertake a wide range of community engagements, including care home performances. A particular highlight was playing for the opening of the Glastonbury Care Home bandstand. Returning to our home bandstand in Wells was especially enjoyable, attracting a large and appreciative audience and reminding us just how valued the band is within the local community.

Looking ahead

Looking forward, plans for 2026 are already well underway. Our Spring Concert, Swing into Spring, promises to be an exciting event, and we hope to repeat the sell-out success of the Christmas Concert. Several engagements are already confirmed, including Wells Community Day and a memorial gathering in honour of the late John Flagg (Flaggy). The bookings team are working hard to secure a varied and engaging programme of events throughout the year so keep an eye on Spond as these go up. There is more work to be done on developing our sponsorship scheme and establishing a Friends of Wells City Band group, both of which will be important in supporting the band’s future sustainability.

Thanks

In closing, I would like to thank all our players, committee members, trustees, volunteers, and supporters for their continued commitment and enthusiasm. Wells City Band remains in a strong position, and I look forward with excitement and confidence to what 2026 will bring.

Musical Director’s Report

2024 had witnessed many areas of success and growth for the band and going into 2025 I was interested to see how the musical direction and performances of the band would develop. I must admit to a little trepidation following on from 2024 because of the success of that year but these fears were proved to be ill-founded.

The Main Band grew healthily in numbers again recruiting new players from outside the WCB family and also new players progressing up from our excellent Academy. WCB for a third year in a row is virtually full band except for a second BBb bass and a 4th down front row. In Geoff we are fortunate we have a very strong principal BBb player although for Geoff a second BBb would really help carry the sound load and other techniques two players bring. We are fortunate to have a very good dep BBb in Alan Read from Crewkerne Silver band and Chard Concert Brass. Our front row this year has had its best year and many tell me its our strongest front for many many years.

The benefits a virtually full band such as this provides WCB with considerable musical opportunities regarding genre, technical standards and to perform an ever wider variety of repertoire. It enables rehearsals to be constructive and musically fulfilling. It also enables the MD to explore technical and musical aspects of playing that move the band forward as regards musical opportunity, the playing members technical playing and therefore increasing enjoyment in their playing and their performance opportunities.

What has pleased me (and is currently rare in brass banding) is the many varieties of performing opportunities the band have been afforded and have been invited to perform at throughout the

year. Our full concert programmes have taken place at Cedars Hall x 2 and The Three Towers Festival near Bath. Shorter programmes have been given at Wells Cathedral for the Wells Community Day, Bishops Palace for the their summer music night supporting the Wurzels an Seth Lakemann, at the Bath and West Show on the bandstand and on our own bandstand in Wells including a very successful move to a Saturday lunchtime performance and also for an Eco Festival.

In and around these high profile performances I am delighted to see yet again WCB maintain its music in the community with energy, enthusiasm and commitment. Local groups have benefited greatly from the bands musicianship such as The Fibrosis Group, Music for the Mind, Bishops Palace Garden Events and many carolling appearances across the City, further afield and as far as Taunton. Both Glastonbury Care Home and Fletcher House Care Home have benefitted from several visits throughout the year. For one of these performances WCB were invited by Glastonbury Care Home to perform at the opening of their very own purpose built and excellent bandstand, A little bit of history in the making, as far as research can tell, it is the only proper bandstand situated in a care home anywhere in the UK. The conception and build of this new bandstand was inspired entirely by WCB many performance at Glastonbury Care Home over the previous three years.

Attendances at all our performances have been excellent and up on last year. This included sell outs at Cedars Hall one of which included our special guests the excellent Trull Primary School Choir at our Christmas Concert. There is no doubt the musical reputation of WCB has grown considerably in 2025 across Somerset, People in the locality identify WCB as a band of musical quality, entertaining and can feel its close connection to the community reinforced by the fact all the band live within a small radius of the City of Wells. All this is rare in the currently difficult climate for brass bands.

As far as the music covered this year it has seen us widen our knowledge and performance ever wider, from swing, jazz ballad, to classical genres, popular music, brass band originals and everything in-between. As an MD the real joy in all this broadening of genres is enabling the band to increasingly develop its stylistic playing skills on many levels; the genre, the composer, its historical position in music as well as its social history and national significance.

The sound of the band has continued to ‘warm’. This is supported with a more controlled dynamic range and balance. The intonation is improving and there is a developing centre to the bands sound and tuning. Intonation can not be fixed quickly this is a very long process of developing players listening skills and aural perceptions but the band is well on its way in this journey. Audiences throughout the year have been significantly up and many have commented on WCB quality of sound, its musical shapes, musicianship, emotional connections through music and its ability to engage and entertain an audience in a unique way.

2025 has felt a very settled band on many levels and it is therefore no coincidence this is reflected in performances and rehearsal etiquette which on the whole remains excellent. The music has only developed as well as it has because of the excellent support behind it; Chairman (Ben),Band Manager (Rach) , Bookings (Caron) Library Team (Jane and Vikki), Exec Committee and all other committees and their members, Secretary (Angela), Finance Team (Geoff and Sue), Safeguarding Team (Jim and Vikki), care home organisation (Janet), Christmas carolling organisation (Sue), Wells City Band Academy (Tanya and her team; Phil, Jim, Jane and Vikki), social media and website releases (Ben and Jack) and the growing support of Wells City Council which has enabled us to move into new rehearsal facilities at Portway Annexe. These much better facilities are another very big cog of considerable importance in supporting the Band in its very healthy position and its future legacy.

No matter how good the MD is he or she can only go so far with the music unless the many support teams, people and the players are pulling in the same way. WCB has at this present time

all this in place and working supremely well for the benefit of the whole of WCB family, This is very rare and on my travels out and about conducting, adjudicating, teaching and playing it has become very clear that many bands, professional musicians and other musical organisations are all looking at the success story that is WCB both on the concert platform and the behind scenes organisation. WCB currently is showing the way in what can be achieved.

Lastly the change of uniform to black shirts and the new maroon jackets has elevated the Band’s appearance on stage and also on social media and in the press; the look now matches performances.

It is a very exciting time for WCB and I am delighted to be part of this success story that leads the way.

Thank you Paul

Finance Report (accounting period 2024-2025)

Conforming with Charity Commission accounting standards: To conform with the Charity Commission's standards for reporting our financial activity, our accounts are now called 'RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS'. Names of categories have also been altered and re-grouped for the same purpose.

Wells City Band End of fnancial year
summary
2023-2024 2024-2025
RECEIPTS Category code
(R = RESRICTED)
DONATIONS & GRANTS DG
Beckington Bandits £
341
£
20
Carolling £
1,199
£
800
WCB Brass Academy * £
2,069
*
Small Sundry Donations £
1,612
£
468
Grants R £
500
£
1,700
FUNDRAISING FR
Events (rafes, socials) £
412
£
650
Performance
(including ticket sales)
£
4,984
£
4,429
Lottery (100 Club subs) £
562
£
493
Other (including bank
savings account interest)
£
662
£
34
GOODS SALES GS
Merchandise £
258
£
168
Music (printed copies) £
152
£
0
MEMBERSHIP
SUBSCRIPTIONS
MS £
3,157
£
7,761
Miscellaneous
(insurance settlement)
£
0
£
806
TOTAL RECEIPTS £
**15,908 **
£
17,329
*WCBBA subs from
2024-25 included with all
other membership subs
PAYMENTS 2023-2024 2024-2025
COSTS OF FUNDRAISING
Concert expenses £
559
£
428
Lottery prizes (100 Club) £
165
£
187
Instrument repairs 2024-25 includes £786
later settled by insurer
£
30
£
1,393
Miscellaneous £
622
£
125
INSURANCE/LICENCES
Insurance
(Instruments & equipment)
£
632
£
707
Licences
(performance / lottery)
£
112
£
119
PERSONNEL COSTS
Association fees (BBE) £
211
£
211
Beckington Bandits (23-24)
WCBBA (24-25)
£
65
£
662
Gifts / awards £
404
£
13
H&S, hygiene,
safeguarding training
£
457
£
0
Professional fees
(conducting)
£
2,115
£
2,815
RENT
Rehearsal hall hire 2023-24 includes £2000
overdue from previous
year
£
7,000
£
3,162
STATIONERY
Postage £
87
£
95
Printing £
683
£
537
Website £
91
£
106
ASSET PURCHASES
Instruments (Main Band) £
1,691
£
1,620
Equipment £
0
£
818
WCBBA instruments £
3,710
£
0
Uniform £
3
£
36
Music library £
1,689
£
791
TOTAL PAYMENTS £
20,326
£
13,825
CASH FUNDS 2023-2024 2024-2025
at end of period
Lloyds Bank £ 1,705 £ 2,175
current account
Lloyds Bank Instant £ 3,074 £ 6,115
Savings account
TOTAL CASH FUNDS £ 4,779 £ 8,290
Recipts - Payments = £15908-£20326= £17329-£13825=
Year's defcit / surplus £4418 (defcit) £3504 (surplus)
Analysis of fnancial activity in year :
2024-25 2023-24
Percentage (to nearest 5%) of TOTAL RECEIPTS made up by:
• PERFORMANCE FEES (including ticket sales) 25% 30%
• MEMBERSHIP SUBS (now including Academy and Beginners) 45% 35%
• Grants (restricted to the purposes declared) 10% 5%
• Carolling & other small donations 5% 20%
• ALL OTHER sources (include: Events, 100 Club, goods sales, etc.) 15% 10%
_ ___
100% 100%
Percentage of TOTAL PAYMENTS (to nearest 5%) made up by:
• Asset purchases (instruments, equipment, printed music) 25% 35%
• Rent - rehearsal premises hire 25% 35%
(this will be considerably more in 2025-2026)
• Personnel costs (include: conducting, safeguarding, BBE, welfare) 25% 15%
• Insurances & licences 5% 5%
• Cost of fundraising events 15% 5%
• Stationery (include: postage, printing, website, ...) 5% 5%
_ ___
100% 100%

Geoff Baker-Hytch Treasurer

Report prepared 20.10.2025

Wells City Band Brass Academy Co-ordinator’s Report

2025 saw the third year of our transition to WCB Brass Academy, and it’s been another successful year. Sue, James, Emily, Walter, Eliza, and Rex have all moved from beginners to Academy Band, and Emily has further progressed into Main Band. Henry will be moving up to Academy Band when our Spring Term starts. We have also had a number of new beginners throughout the year, and 3 more starting soon. It is lovely to have Amanda back in Academy Band too after a period of illness.

It is heartening to see how many main band members have come up through our training programme, this is the true measure of our success.

Congratulations must go to Naomi and Rudy who auditioned and have been awarded a place in the Somerset Youth County Wind band, and were also asked to dep for County Orchestra over Christmas.

Summer 2025 saw another change of personnel in the Brass Academy teaching team. Jon and Alison had to step down for various reasons, although Jon still helps out when he is able to. Jim has taken charge of teaching the beginners group, with help from Geoff. Paul works with the Academy Band every other week when he is able to, which means I can spend a bit of time getting to know the beginners. Phil has been a fantastic addition to the teaching team, focussing mainly on the back row cornets in Academy Band who he has worked wonders with. Between them Paul and Phil have a wealth of knowledge and experience that is invaluable, and is making a huge difference to the Academy.

2025 also saw a change of venue, giving us even more room to work with. After a few teething problems the Academy has settled in well.

Our change of focus since last summer has gone fantastically, and we played 2 concerts this Christmas without needing additional help, only Academy players and tutors. This has greatly taken the pressure off main band players, particularly on cedars hall concert days. Our annual ‘Chip Concert’ in July was a huge success, and band supporters really enjoyed seeing the progress of the learners. The main comment from the audience was about the lovely atmosphere.

I would like to say a huge thank you to the whole Brass Academy team for their hard work and dedication, both at rehearsals and behind the scenes. It is a team effort to teach the next generation of players and ensure that Wells City Band exists well into the future.

On a more personal note the past year has been awful for me, and I would like to thank each and every member of Wells City Band for their support, cards, flowers, hugs, laughs, thoughts and prayers. I would not have got through it all without my band family holding me up, and I am truly grateful to be part of such a wonderful group of people.

Tanya Flagg Brass Academy Co-ordinator January 2026

Band Manager’s report

It has been a pleasure to be part of WCB as our journey continues and preparing this report made me reflect again on how far we have come in the last 3 years. I continue to receive comments from new members about how special it feels to be welcomed into the WCB family. It is something that must not be underestimated or taken for granted.

The move to the Portway Annexe has made rehearsal evenings far easier on a practical basis, with plans to enable wider percussion to be available for both rehearsals and performances. Thank you to all who have helped in anyway.

We are aware that car parking can be frustrating, however with the councils plans to charge in the evenings we need to recognise that free parking is at a premium and therefore we should perhaps celebrate what we do have on offer.

Feedback would suggest that the move to the Spond app for communication to players about events has also been well received across the 3 sections of the band. Most players are also remembering to use the absences@wellscityband.org to provide the team with as much information as possible to plan rehearsals, thank you.

We have a growing list of quality dep players who are willing to help us out on the rare occasions we need to fill gaps, as long as we have plenty of notice, but it is essential that players give their availability for events ASAP and that they contact the band manager directly if this changes (NOT just by changing it on the Spond app expecting the team to notice, please!)

Feedback from both players and our audiences has been overwhelmingly positive about our change in uniform this year.

It is encouraging to see The Academy continuing to welcome new players and great to see increasing numbers of home grown players now holding their own within the main band. It is a privilege to be part of WCB and I would like to particularly thank all individuals who give back, by giving up their time, often behind the scenes, going unnoticed, to help ensure everything goes smoothly, enabling so many others to enjoy making music.

Rachel Cooper Band Manager.

Safeguarding Officer’s report

Wells City Band has continued to address all Safeguarding issues during the course of the year, in order to ensure that all children and young people (ie under 18) and vulnerable adults remain safe at all times during their banding activities, whether they are in the Main Band, Academy or Beginners sections.

All chaperones, tutors and MDs, who are working directly with young people, are required to have Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, and these are monitored regularly to ensure that they are all up to date. In addition, all Band Committee members, in their supervisory capacity, also have a current DBS enhanced certificate, together with all Trustees, who have overall responsibility for children, young people and vulnerable adults within the Band.

Brass Bands England have very recently introduced a new, more direct system for obtaining DBS certificates, which will involve a fee of £25 per application, if there are more than two per year for each band organisation. Therefore it is important for everyone to subscribe to the DBS Update Service (for free) and then renew their subscription every year. Otherwise it means having to go the whole process every three years, with additional cost for the Band.

Also several adults are currently in receipt of Safeguarding training certificates, either with Brass Bands England (BBE), or via their work in education or other relevant areas. This has to be renewed every two years and helps to keep people up to date with the latest developments.

Furthermore we have continued to obtain, through BBE, a Body of Persons Approval (BOPA) for every Band event, allowing children under 16 to perform in public, and then inform the local authority in order to make their Safeguarding team aware of the details. For this we also have to make sure that the children are supervised by a chaperone at all times, in order to guarantee their safety during the event. It is also worth noting a more recent ruling by BBE that parents playing in the Band can be responsible for their children, as long as they are “within sight and sound”.

We therefore have a range of policies and procedures in place, which are available via the Spond app, to ensure that all members, and especially our children and vulnerable adults, are able to enjoy being part of the Wells City Band, learning and playing their instruments in a relaxed and supportive environment.

I should finally wish to thank all Band members who have provided support to our children, young people and any vulnerable adults during this last year. Furthermore we must continue to remember that ultimately Safeguarding is the responsibility of us all.

Jim Reeve, Safeguarding Officer.

Librarians’ Report

The distribution of music to all players is working smoothly thanks to the efficiency of Paul and Tanya in getting lists to us in good time.

Vikki is in charge of all membership bookwork , updating the library lists and liaising with Paul on social media. Jane looks after academy music and register, and in the storage of returned music. We both work together in putting your music ready in the packs.

We thank Angela and Amanda for their help in registering the academy player’s arrival and departure for safeguarding.

There is a problem with the lack of filing cabinets for all our music as W/X/Y/Z are still in boxes. Geoff will you please look at the possibility of fitting in another cabinet at the Town Hall in the Spring.

Dep packs for all brass players have been successful but we need a couple of weeks warning of any changes in percussion for concerts as last minute packs are not always able to contain all that is needed.

Thank you all for your patience; we sort about 1,000 pieces of paper for each concert so there will be occasional problems, but we love doing it, love listening to your music on Fridays, and feel a real part of the band even if we are in our little room!

Jane and Vikki Librarians for Wells City Band.

Wells City Band Wells City Band Wells City Band Wells City Band Wells City Band 1206500 1206500
Receipts andpayments accounts
For the period
from
11/01/2024 To 31/08/2024
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted funds Endowment
funds
Total funds
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Donations 1,288
Charitable activities 12,190
Other trading activities 1,311
Other 840
Grant (from local government) 1,700
Sub total(Gross income for AR) 15629 1,700 - 17,329
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- 0
Sub total
15,629
1,700 - 0 17,329
**Total receipts **
15,629
1,700 - 0 17,329
A3 Payments
Costs of fundraising 2,133 2,133
Insurances / licences 826 826
Personnel costs 3,701 3,701
Rent 3,162 3,162
Stationery 738 738
**Sub total **
10,560
10,560
A4 Asset and investment
purchases,(see table)
Instruments (Main Band) 1,620 1,620
Sundry equipment 1,645 1,645
**Sub total **
3,265
1,382
**Totalpayments **
13,825
13,825
**Net of receipts/(payments) **
3,504
3,504
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds lastyear end 4,779 4,779
**Cash funds thisyear end **
8,283
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Categories Details Unrestricted
funds
Restricted funds
to nearest £ to nearest £
B1 Cash funds Lloyds bank current account 2,175 -
Lloyds bank instant savings account 4,408 1,700
- -

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

19/05/2025

1

Total cash funds Total cash funds Total cash funds 6,583 1,700 1,700
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted funds
Details to nearest £ to nearest £
B2 Other monetary assets N/a - -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Details Fund to which asset
belongs
Cost (optional)
B3 Investment assets N/a -
-
-
-
-
Fund to which asset
belongs
Cost (optional)
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
Brass musical instruments -
Library of printed music parts -
Stock of Wells City Band uniforms -
Miscellaneous equipment (mostly for performance) -
Details Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(optional)
B5 Liabilities None -
-
-
-
-
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf
of all the trustees
Signature Print Name
Geoffrey Baker-Hytch Geoffrey Baker-Hytch
Susan Kerton Susan Kerton

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

19/05/2025

2

CC16a
Last year
to the nearest £
5,221
8,141
1,384
662
500
15,908
0
15,908
15,908
1,376
744
3,252
7,000
861
13,233
1,691
5,402
7,093
20,326
-
4,418
4,779
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-

CCXX R3 accounts (SS)

19/05/2025

3

-

Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - -

When due (optional) Date of approval 24th May 2026 24th May 2026

Date of approval

CCXX R4 accounts (SS)

19/05/2025

4