Trustees' Annual Report for the period
Period start date Period end date 1 August 2024 31 July 2025 From To
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name Lexden Choral Society Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1209460 Charity's principal address GLEBE HOUSE 31 QUEENS ROAD COLCHESTER Postcode CO3 3PD
Lexden Choral Society
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee(if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Penelope Blake | Chair | |||
| GeoffreyDouglas Whittaker | Secretary | |||
| Royston John Francis | Treasurer | |||
| Martin John Gillingham | ||||
| Joanna Tamsin Bisdee | ||||
| Penelope Anne Wignall | ||||
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year
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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Constitution
Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) How the charity is constituted
- (eg. trust, association, company)
Elected by membership Trustee selection methods
- (eg. appointed by, elected by)
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:
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policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
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the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
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relationship with any related parties;
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trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
Section C Objectives and activities
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
To promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of the art and science of music, and in particular of choral music, by the presentation of public concerts and recitals and in such other ways as the CIO shall determine from time to time.
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At the Annual Remembrance and Thanksgiving concert at St Botolph’s Church on 9 November 2024, the Choir performed Duruflé’s Requiem accompanied by Lexden Chamber Orchestra, a group of professional players who have performed with the Choir for many years.
In the second half of that concert, the Choir was joined by Boxted Methodist Silver Band. Along with a selection of pieces, the Band welcomed the audience’s participation with Songs from the Great War. As is the Society’s custom, the choir gave a large donation to the Royal British Legion; after a generous collection from their grateful audience.
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)
On 14 December 2024, the Society performed again at St Teresa’s Catholic Church in Lexden with St Teresa’s School Children’s Choir.
In January 2025, the Choir enthusiastically started rehearsing Howard Blake’s Benedictus, which was performed in the presence of the composer, for the last fifteen years the Choir’s Patron, on 17 May 2025.
The Society engaged Francis Melville as its Tenor soloist, who was generously supported by the Josephine Baker Trust which regularly supports singers for the Choir. The Choir was delighted to welcome Ipswich High School Choir and St Mary’s Year 7 Vocals as the guest youth choirs for the performance.
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:
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policy on grantmaking;
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policy programme related investment;
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contribution made by volunteers.
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Section D Achievements and performance
What steadfastly remains and continues to grow since the Society’s Summary of the main inception in1992 is an all-inclusive Choir, giving high quality concerts to achievements of the charity Colchester, while remaining a group where life-long friendships are made during the year and singers deeply care for, and about, its members.
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Section E Financial review
None at present. Funds are held in current account.
Brief statement of the
charity’s policy on reserves
Details of any funds materially in deficit
None.
Further financial review details (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:
Performances throughout the year have supported the key objectives of the Charity.
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the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
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how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
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investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
Section F Other optional information
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s)
Full name(s)
Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc)
Geoffrey Douglas Whittaker Trustee/Secretary
Date 20th May 2026
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LEXDEN CHORAL SOCIETY ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDED 31[ST] JULY 2025
| Year | Year | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ended | Ended | ||
| 31st July | 31st July | ||
| Notes | 2025 | 2024 | |
| Income | £ | £ | |
| Ticket Sales | 4,283.12 | 5,219.02 | |
| Subscriptions | 6,310.00 | 7,627.00 | |
| Other Income | 1 | 3,366.22 | 149.70 |
| Total | 13,959.34 | 12,995.72 | |
| Expenses | |||
| Professional fees | 2 | 10,765.00 | 9,082.43 |
| Cost of | |||
| Venues/Facilities | 3 | 2,667.50 | 2,292.00 |
| Music Hire | 217.80 | ||
| Printing and copying | 4 | 1,033.91 | |
| Web/Computing | 109.19 | 409.00 | |
| PRS | 70.62 | ||
| Insurance | 6 | 179.56 | 347.71 |
| Folders | 205.50 | ||
| Other Expenses | 5 | 574.84 | 1,198.54 |
| Total | 15,823.92 | 13,329.68 | |
| NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) FOR | |||
| THE YEAR | (1,864.58) | (333.96) | |
| Interest Free Loan from Sarah Blake | 7 | 1,760.00 | |
| Bank Balance brought forward at 1st | |||
| August | 508.15 | 842.11 | |
| Bank balance carried forward at 31st | |||
| July | 403.57 | 508.15 |
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LEXDEN CHORAL SOCIETY ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDED 31[ST] JULY 2025
Notes for the Accounts, Year Ended 31[st] July 2025
| 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other Income | £ |
| Donations | 773.13 | |
| Josephine Baker Trust | 165.00 | |
| Music Sales | 774.80 | |
| Folder Sales | 82.00 | |
| Internet Book Sales | 282.79 | |
| Refreshments | 421.50 | |
| Miscellaneous | 267.00 | |
| Programme Sales | 262.00 | |
| Social Evening (8th July) | 338.00 | |
| 3366.22 | ||
| 2 | Professional Fees | |
| Conductor | 3525.00 | |
| Accompanist | 1400.00 | |
| Musicians and Singers | 5840.00 | |
| 10765.00 | ||
| 3 | Venues and Facilities | |
| Hire of Music and Instruments | 105.00 | |
| Rehearsal venues | 963.50 | |
| Concert venues | 1274.00 | |
| Social Evening (8thJuly) | 325.00 | |
| 2667.50 | ||
| 4 | Printing and copying | |
| Programmes | 561.40 | |
| Posters and Tickets | 252.51 | |
| Copying | 220.00 | |
| 1033.91 | ||
| 5 | Other Expenses | |
| Essex Annual Library Membership | 9.70 | |
| Money owed to Sarah. Payback for Xmas concert | 54.70 | |
| Music Hire/Purchase | 278.60 | |
| Wine and Bottle Bags | 16.00 | |
| Float | 150.00 | |
| Miscellaneous | 65.84 | |
| 574.84 |
6 Insurance
The 2024 figure of £347.71 includes, £173.12 for PRS, £9.33 for Essex Library Membership and £165.26 for Insurance.
7 Loan
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LEXDEN CHORAL SOCIETY ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDED 31[ST] JULY 2025
Interest Free Loan from Sarah Blake to be repaid when funds are available
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