**REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 248225**
**RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 FOR THE HYMN SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND**
BK Plus Limited 6 Manor Park Business Centre Mackenzie Way Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL51 9TX
**THE HYMN SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND**
**CONTENTS OF THE RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
||Page|
|---|---|
|Independent Examiner's Report|1|
|Annual Report|2 - 3|
|Receipts and Payments|4|
|Statement of Assets and liabilities|5|
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS OF THE HYMN SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND**
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023 set out on pages two and three.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year (under Section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act)) and that an independent examination is required.
It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under Section 145 of the 2011 Act
- to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission (under Section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act); and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of the independent examiner's report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view ' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statements below.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
- (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements
- to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act
have not been met; or
- (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Cinzia Hensley FCA FCCA BK Plus Limited 6 Manor Park Business Centre Mackenzie Way Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL51 9TX
Date : 9 October 2024
Page 1
## **THE HYMN SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND**
## **ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
The Hymn Society of Great Britain & Ireland was founded in 1936 for the purpose of encouraging study and research in the field of hymnody, promoting good standards of hymn-singing, encouraging the discerning use of hymns in worship, and sponsoring relevant publications.
Since the last Annual Report (2022-2023) there have been 14 new members. We have, sadly, received news of 11 deaths and were particularly saddened by the deaths of our two former Executive Presidents, Revd Alan Gaunt and Miss Elizabeth Cosnett. Membership now stands at 400, comprising 283 members in Great Britain & Northern Ireland, 67 in the USA and Canada, 36 in Europe/Scandinavia, 5 in Australia, 1 in Japan, 1 in South Africa, 3 in Nigeria, 1 in Cyprus, 1 in Mexico, 1 in Taiwan and 1 in South Korea. This represents a further slight reduction as, along with other larger likeminded organizations, maintaining membership remains difficult. We benefit with all our Officers being volunteers receiving no remuneration, but this can place a strain on both time and energy. There remain some 45 subscribing libraries, national deposit libraries, and other institutions and bodies which receive our publications.
Once again, there have been few extraneous activities during the year, but this does not diminish our zeal for hymns and curiosity about hymnody.
The Officers have met on two occasions in Birmingham, in October 2023 and April 2024. The Executive Committee have met, also in Birmingham, in February 2024 and immediately prior to this Conference in High Leigh. Apart from the Officers, the Executive Committee, normally numbering 9, has been running with a reduced number of 7, but we look forward to a full complement at this AGM. We are still lacking an RSCM nominee on the Executive which, at present, shows little sign of resolution. The Officers and Executive are continuing their work seeking to streamline the Society, exploring archiving, digital resources, and spreading workload to alleviate the Secretary.
We are grateful for the empathetic responses by our new Pastoral Link Person, Kay Griffiths, and for Claire Wilson continuing to assist when needed.
We remain grateful to Bulletin Editor, Andrew Pratt, standing down at the AGM after 20 years in post, and to his team who continue to produce our quarterly Bulletin. Printing and, especially, postal charges continue to rise unremittingly, and we remain diligent in seeking ways of mitigating these. The small number who opt to receive online mailings remains stable, the majority still preferring to receive mailings by post.
Page 2
## **THE HYMN SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND**
## **ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
With the addition of _Presenting and Responding to Hymns_ , there are now thirty Online Short Guides and the long-awaited Occasional Paper, _The Life and Hymns of James Montgomery (1771-1854)_ by James Dickinson, is now printed and shortly to be mailed to members. Our presence on Twitter and Facebook continues and the Society is thankful to John Crothers and Ken Cope who facilitate this and to Ken for all his work on the website. We are grateful to Terence Atkins, and Michael and Viv Garland who continue their work on Indexing (presently Volume XXIII).
Regional Events are always encouraged. Last August, Janet Wootton presented a _Festival of Hymns_ at the Charles Wood Summer School in Armagh; this April, there was a further successful regional ‘London Day,’ on this occasion at Union Chapel, North London.
The rising cost of Conferences continues to be challenging, with numbers tending, inevitably, to continue to reduce. We are grateful to High Leigh, Hoddesdon for their hospitality this year at what we hope is proving to be another successful Conference.
We are grateful to our lecturers Godfrey Butland ( _Musical Celts and their Influence: then and now_ ); Michael Garland, Ian Sharp and Robert Canham ( _Celebrating the lives of Alan Luff, Elizabeth Cosnett and Alan Gaunt_ ); Daniel Johnson ( _Isaac Watts at 350: Then and Now_ ); Gordon Giles ( _Introducing The Revised English Hymnal_ ); Martin Leckebusch ( _One-Hit Wonders: Unique and Solitary Contributions to Hymnody_ ); Benjamin Brody ( _At The Weaving of Creation: Fifty New Tunes by Benjamin Brody_ ); and Anne Harrison ( _My Desert Island Dudley-Smith_ ). We are grateful to Janet Wootton, Andrew Pratt, Benjamin Brody and Michael Garland for their Sectionals; our twelve participants in Short Metre; and also Janet Wootton, Andrew Pratt and Gillian Warson for the Workshops. We are grateful to our chaplain Gordon Giles for his thoughtful and diverse worship and to all who, during the week, are contributing music accompaniments both in worship and in Conference sessions. Also, to Andrew Pratt, Ian Sharp and Philip Price in anticipation of an excellent _Festival of Hymns_ and to St Augustine’s, Broxbourne for their hosting the Festival. We are grateful to those overseeing the technical facilities and to Terence Atkins for managing our book sales.
As always, thanks to the Secretary’s wife, Jenny Canham, who continues in her unstinting support and for once again handling the Conference bookings.
_Robert A. Canham - Honorary Secretary 25 July 2024_
Page 3
## **THE HYMN SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND**
## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
|31.12.23
Unrestricted
fund
Restricted
fund
Total funds
£
£
£
**RECEIPTS**
Subscriptions
Members
6,839
-
6,839
Libraries
1,155
-
1,155
Grants
1,800
-
1,800
Donations
118
6,040
6,158
Occasional papers and books
20
-
20
Dividends and interest
1,361
-
1,361
Gift aid
842
-
842
Armagh Hymn Festival
72
-
72
Conference income (Collections; Book sales)
-
17,533
17,533
**Total receipts**
12,207
23,573
35,780
**PAYMENTS**
Bulletins
7,989
-
7,989
Booklet
718
-
718
Committee meetings
1,199
-
1,199
Administration costs
1,105
-
1,105
Stationery
187
-
187
Website
1,541
-
1,541
Photocopier hire
579
-
579
CCLI (Copyright licence)
375
30
405
Accountancy
300
-
300
Dictionary of Hymnology Fee
169
-
169
Regional events
-
-
-
Small grants
-
-
-
Piano hire
-
750
750
Insurance
290
-
290
University of Lancaster
-
-
-
BG University
-
20,091
20,091
Coach hire
-
-
-
Postage
-
-
-
Blackburn Cathedral
-
-
-
Grants for Washington conference
-
-
-
Book tokens
-
120
120
Donation to BGU chapel fund
-
100
100
Gifts
-
50
50
Lincoln Cathedral tour
-
286
286
**Total payments**
14,452
21,427
35,879
**NET RECEIPTS/(PAYMENTS)**
(2,245)
2,146
(99)
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
**Cash funds last year end**
**Transfer to/(from)**
16,728
-
2,765
-
19,493
-
**CASH FUNDS THIS YEAR END**
14,483
4,911
19,394|31.12.22
Total funds
£
8,097
868
2,450
25
50
1,149
954
17,335
30,928
7,229
1,018
975
1,161
684
2,483
654
357
300
169
400
600
312
290
17,968
-
495
206
684
1,500
120
244
-
-
37,849
(6,921)
26,414
-
19,493|31.12.22
Total funds
£
8,097
868
2,450
25
50
1,149
954
17,335
30,928
7,229
1,018
975
1,161
684
2,483
654
357
300
169
400
600
312
290
17,968
-
495
206
684
1,500
120
244
-
-
37,849
(6,921)
26,414
-
19,493|
|---|---|---|
|||(6,921)
26,414
-
19,493|
||||
Page 4
## **THE HYMN SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
|||||31.12.23|31.12.22|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||Unrestricted|Restricted||Total funds|Total funds|
||fund|fund||||
||£|£||£|£|
|**CASH FUNDS**||||||
|Bank accounts|10,329|2,206||12,535|16,219|
|**OTHER MONETARY ASSETS**||||||
|Debtors|550||-|550|-|
|Payments in advance|1,800|2,705||4,505|1,800|
|**INVESTMENT ASSETS**||||||
|1309 units in M&G Charifund|2,599||-|2,599|2,599|
|Cost £2,599||||||
|Market Value 31 December 2022 £19,236||||||
|Market Value 31 December 2023 £18,784||||||
|**LIABILITIES**||||||
|2024 Subscriptions received in advance|495|-||495|825|
|Accrued expenses|300|-||300|300|
|**TOTAL ASSETS LESS LIABILITIES**|14,483|4,911||19,394|19,493|
|**FUNDS**||||||
|Unrestricted funds||||14,483|16,728|
|Restricted funds – Conference fund||||4,911|2,765|
|**TOTAL FUNDS**||||19,394|19,493|
The accounts were approved by the Trustees on 25 July 2024. and were signed on its behalf by:
M Garland -Trustee
Page 5