ESTE Rochester Choral Society Report and Financial Statements Year ended 31 July 2024 Registered Charity No 253877 Founded 1873- Rochester Choral Society- Reg Charlty No. 253877 www.rochesterchoral.co.uk Rochester Choral Society Contents Page Report of the trustees Report of the independent examiner Statement of Financial Activities Balan￿ sheet Notes forming part of the financbal statements Rochester Choral Society Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 July 2024 The Trustees are pleased to present their report together with the financial 5tatement5 of the Society for the year ended 31 July 2024. Obierti¥es and Acti¥lties The objerts of the Society are to promote. improve. develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of the art and science of music in all its aspects by: lal providing opportL￿nItieS for members of the Medway and local communities to enjoy choral music through participation and involvement Ibl the performance of public concert5 and recital5. In 5hapin8 our objectives for the year and planning our a¢tivities. the Trustees having considered the Charity Commisssion's guidance on public benefit. The Society felies on income from memberfs subscriptions and ticket sales to cover its operatin8 costs. In settin8 the level of members. Subscriptions and ticket pricin8 the Trustees give careful consideration to the accessibility of the Society for those on low incomes. Achlevements and Perforniance The Choir performed three concerts this year. On the 9th December 2023. a Christmas Celebration of carols was sung at St. Margaret's Church Rochester. Then, at Rochester Cathedral on the 24th February 2024. Bach's St. Matthew Passion this as a joint production with Kin￿5 School Rochester before an audience of 325. The year ended with the Chilcott Requiem and a piece by John Autier IThe Gift of Life.. Six Canticles of Creation) on the 22nd June 2024 at St. George's Centre Chatham Maritime with an audience of 76. The Choir accepted invitations to perform for The City of Rochester Society, at The French Hospital Rochester and at The Dickens Festival. At ihe end of the year there were 79 members. Concerts for the year lattendan¢el Autijmn.. Christmas Carols11251 Spring.. Bach St. Matthew Passion13251 Surnmer.. Chilcott Requiem IRutter The Gift of Life.. Six Cantic5es ol Creation1761 Rochester Choral Society Report of the Trusttes for the year ended 31 July 2024 F5nancial fe¥iew The main feature of thrs year wa5 the performance in the Spring of Bach's St. Matthew Passion, thi5 at Rochester Cathedral and as a joint production with King's School Rochester. To do this £22.794 was expended. When Set against ticket S31es of £5.675 also programme sales of £720 and other income, there was a net loss of £16.256. However, a contribution of £5.767 was provbded by the King's School. which helped to rnitig3te this loss. Ouring the year the Choii received income of E41,901 and expendilure of £38.584 together giving a surplus of £3.317 showing some improvement to the value of net assets, compared with the previous year. Reserves pollry and rlsk managernent The Trustees keep the activities of the Society and the risks to which it is exposed under continual review. The main risk to the Society is that there will be insufficient income from the performances to cover COSt5, and the membership subscription5 will not match the shortfall in income. The best wav to mtnimise such risks to the Society is to gain further audience support for the Society's concert5, and this may be achieved through improved sound quality. sponsorship of concerts and a marketing strate8y to increase ticket income. The Trustees forecast that the level of free reserves Ithat is, those funds not tied up in fixed assets and restricted funds) required by the Society to sustain its operations would turrently be a minimum of £20.000. based on variable costs per concert. Therefore. the artual free reserves of £28,565 at 31 july 2024 are adequate for the Society's current needs and give scope for financial flexibility over the course ol the forthcomin8 year. Rochester Choral Society Rep￿ olthe Tntsttts ttythe ￿￿¢thIÈd JI 20Z4 Rochesier Choral Society I'the Soc*ety"l is an unirKorporaied a$s￿latIOn go¥erned ￿ its constitution (registered charity number 1538771. Ory•nts•tlon The committee pl trustees Wlth i minimum of 8 ￿fftbers. WIK¥ meet •¢ least three times per year. administer the Soclety. The rnembers of the committee ol the society we it5 trustees for the purpose of cfvafity l•w th1o￿hOul thls ￿POrt afe collectively referred to as the trustees. As set out in the CoThslltuiion. the committee consists ol a Chair. Ilonorary Secretary, Honorèry Tfe•surer (thè t>fficeisl. Musical ￿'re￿or and Assistant Musiul rhrertt)r (who are both ex-offi£io and without voting ri8htsl. In addition the Members will aim to elea ai least fi¥e other Trustees to fulfil the administrative roles of the Committee. The offScers and other £ommittee members are elerted Irom the general membership at the annual general meetin8. The committee may co-opt up to two further members durin8 the 5ea500. Except lor the officer5 and co-opted mernbers. trustee5 m•y 5erv* up to three consecutive yearly terms •nd must theh st•nd down for • mlnimum period of one ye¥r. The truste¢s serving durln8 the year were •$ follows= Ch•lr S•ndra P•lne 5•cr•tary Julie Hopkins Treasur•r Wlllihrn John Liltle Elected rnembefs Jotelyne Wilson Jacqueline Rkhard50n Sarah Anderson Rosalind Curnmlns David Hannah Christine Richard50n Muslcal dlr•dor John Mountford Asslstant Musbc•l Dlreaor Jeremy Lloyd Aceoynts •x•mln•r David Faram Independent Emamlner A resolution will be proposed at Annual GoMr•l MeÈtin8 that David Faram be rt-appointed as independent examlner to the Society fo¥ the en5uin8 year. By Order of the Trustee5'. 518natory Oate- Rochester Choral Society Report of the Independent Examlner To the trustees of Rochester Choral Society I report to the trustees on my examination of the account5 of the Society for the year ended 31 July 2024. which are set out on pages 5 to 10. Responslbllitles and basls of report As the Society's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Art 20111'the Art'l I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 1451511bl of the Act. Independent Examlner's statement I have completed my examination and I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention In connection with the examination which 8ives rne cause to believe that. in any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act,. or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records.. or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements conceTnin8 the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulation$ 2008 other than any requirement that the account$ 8ive a 'true and fair. view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. Ibl Icl I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examlnation to which attention should be drawn in thi5 report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. David P Faram 8Sc ACA l Hawkwood Close Rochester Kent MEI IHW Date IS U 202L* Rochester Choral Soctety Statement of Financial Actlvltles for the year ended 31 July 2024 202312024 All tsnrestrlcted and restrtrcted funds 202212023 All unrestricted and restricted tunds Note Income Irorn: Donations and legacies Charitable artivitie5 Activities for generating funds Investments Total: 19,826 16.883 4.501 691 18.150 10,224 20.626 420 49.420 41,901 Expendlture on.. R315ing funds Charitable activities Other Total: 302 34.172 4.110 38.584 1.423 28,506 25,402 55.331 Net Income lexpendlturel: 3.317 15,9111 Re¢onclllatlon of funds: Total funds brought fonmard Total funds carried forward 25.248 28,565 31,159 25,248 Rochester Choral Society Balance sheet a5 at 31 July 2024 2024 All restrlrted and unre5trirted funds 2023 All rÈstrlcted and unrestrirted funds Note Flxed assets Tangible assets Current asset5 Debtors Investments Cash at bank and in hand io li 12 82 17,857 11.270 29,209 143 15.947 9,539 2S.629 Current Ilabllltles CieditOTS 13 381 Net curreni assets 28,565 25.248 Toial net assets 28.565 25.248 Funds of the ¢harlty Unrestricted funds 14 28.565 25.248 Approved by the trustees and st8ned on their behalf by.. Sandra Jayne Paine Chair Date io Rothester Choral Ststiety Notes to the Accounts lorthe year ended 31 July 2024 l Aecountlry polkles B•s1s of accountlnA These accounts have been prepared under the historK•l c05t c(xwentKyn al￿ IN *u¥rdante wth the Statement of flecommended Practice.. Accounting aDd Reporting by Charities and with the Financiil Reporting Standard applicable In the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS1021. i55ued on 16 Juty 2014. Re(￿nI￿on of Inwm• Income from ticket and prograrnme sale5 in included in the Statement of FiThincial ArtMties1SoFAI In ihe period whtn the relevani concert lakes place Tax recl•lms on d<>natlons and ilfts Gift Aid receivable Is included in in