Trustees’ Annual Report for year ending 31[st] August 2025
The committee presents its report for the year ending 31[st] August 2025
Cheltenham Bach Choir, which is a registered charity No. 261961, was formed in October 1946. The objective of the choir, as outlined in the Constitution, is to educate the public in the arts and sciences, and in particular the art and science of music, by the presentation of concerts and other activities.
The members of the Committee during the year were:
Nicola Bryant (Chair) Alan Hazell (Vice Chair), Shirley Elliott (Hon. Secretary), Sue Silcock (Hon. Treasurer), Andrew Gummer, Rebecca Rea, Emma Reed, Suzanne Rockell, Catherine Ryan, Louise Salter (Membership Secretary), Alan Winwood (Librarian).
Review of the year’s activities:
Owing to a change in the charity’s financial year, this report covers a 16-month period from 1[st] May 2024 to 31[st] August 2025.
In October 2024 we held our first UK singing tour, when thirty-five choir members enjoyed an autumnal weekend in Ludlow, joined by friends from Cantores, Opus 48 and the Oriel Singers. We performed two concerts, the first in St Laurence Church (the “Cathedral of the Marches”) where the programme included pieces by Lauridsen, Gjeilo, Barber, Holst and Rachmaninov as well as the Fauré Requiem. On Sunday we sang in the Great Hall of Stokesay Castle, a late 13th century fortified manor house. There were many opportunities for socialising including a convivial dinner at the Feathers Hotel, participation (for some) in the Saturday Park Run and exploring the cafes and bars of Ludlow.
Our autumn concert, in Cirencester Parish Church, comprised two contrasting settings of the Magnificat by J.S. Bach and John Rutter. The latter is a joyful setting of the Latin text interspersed with the verses of a Marian poem “Of a Rose, a lovely Rose.” We were joined by Hannah Davey and Hannah Hughes (soprano soloists), Collin Shay (alto), Sebastian Hill (tenor) and Aidan Smith (baritone) along with the Regency Sinfonia.
In December we returned to Cheltenham Town Hall for what has become our biennial performance of Handel’s Messiah, which is always a wonderful start to Christmas. The soloists were Ella Taylor (soprano), Rebecca Afonwy-Jones (alto), Ed Lyon (tenor) and Felix Kemp (bass) with the Regency Sinfonia.
Spring brought a new challenge as we tackled polychoral music by Giovanni and Andrea Gabrieli, Willaerts and Hieronimus and Michael Pratorius. Tewkesbury Abbey was a wonderful venue and the Meridian Sinfonia, which includes some of the country’s finest historically informed brass players, helped us to conjure up the sound world of Renaissance Venice.
An invitation to sing in the Cheltenham Music Festival 2025 necessitated some nifty rescheduling of our summer programme with the happy result that we performed in the beautiful space of Great Malvern Priory for the first time. This was a great opportunity to reprise the Gjeilo Sunrise Mass, which felt very appropriate as sun poured into the Priory on
what must have been the hottest day of the year. The lovely Duruflé Requiem brought the concert to a meditative close. Our soloists were Nancy Holt and Patrick Keefe. Claire Alsop played the organ accompaniment and Juliet Tomlinson the beautiful cello solo.
The concert season was brought to a magnificent close with a concert as part of the Cheltenham Music Festival. We had the wonderful experience of singing to a capacity audience in Cheltenham Town Hall. The programme comprised the Gjeilo Sunrise Mass and Mozart Requiem. Our fantastic soloists were Hilary Cronin (soprano) Marta FontanalsSimmons (mezzosoprano), James Gilchrist (tenor) and Gareth Brynmor John (baritone). We were joined by our friends the Musical and Amicable Society. The choir sang its heart out and the audience responded with cheers and a standing ovation. It was truly a night to remember.
As well as singing together, the social component of the choir remains important. A particularly enjoyable event was the CBC Quiz Night held in January 2025 with quiz-master Alan Winwood along with his lovely assistant, Nicky Bryant. The evening culminated in a nod to “I’m Sorry I haven’t a Clue” and a rendition of the words of “My Old Man’s a Dustman” to the tune of “Land of Hope and Glory”. One not to have missed. In lieu of a summer social many choir members enjoyed a preconcert supper in Malvern.
As well as our concert performances, we are keen to take music into the community. We again sang Carols in John Lewis, Cheltenham, which is a very jolly affair and an opportunity to publicise our Christmas concert. A small group also gave a concert for the residents of Nazareth House, a nursing home in Cheltenham. This included madrigals, short choral pieces, instrumental solos and duets and a poetry reading, showing what a talented group we are.
Throughout the year, the officers and committee reviewed and revised a number of policies including CBC constitution and rules, and these have been formally accepted by the choir membership.
The choir continues to enjoy much success and an established reputation as a leading amateur choir in the South West of England. Under David Crown’s inspiring leadership we continue to attract singers of the highest quality, and as a result our numbers have increased to a membership of 110 + members. We are fortunate to be able to perform a wide repertoire of music in many beautiful locations, both locally and further afield. This has been a very successful and hugely enjoyable choir year. As we look ahead, the next year looks equally exciting, with an exchange tour to Cheltenham’s twin town of Göttingen in Germany, and our musical director’s 10[th] anniversary with the choir.
Finances:
The attached financial statements show the current state of the choir’s finances. The choir achieved a surplus of general income over general expenditure of £24,967. The concert programme showed a loss of £18,442, an increase on the previous year, although comparable with previous years as these accounts cover a 16-month period and therefore include an additional concert. Efforts continue to be made in the concert programming in order to manage costs effectively.
Overall, the choir made a profit of £6525. The choir’s total available assets on 31[st] August 2025 were £94,901 in the unrestricted General Fund, £15,085 in Caroline’s Fund and £33,744 in the Cedric Virgin Fund.
Nicola Bryant
Chair
11 November 2025
Total 2023124 yn FuThl 2024ns Members. subscript1($ Benefortors WeddingUKxr 36567 3612 36567 3612 27536 1987 1123 65ry)5 1014 3967 Le8acy I IDtere5t Retrivable Income Tax reco%traWe Hire of mustt &Joal ad fUTal acknbe$ Other IrKv 1812 6716 6652 1379 4327 6652 1379 1463 14 57733 10 1376 1392 14 60122 TOTAL io 1376 113529 Rehearsal Fees: Conductixs Rehearsal Fees. Assistant Musk Dlrecl 7520 1175 4775 1175 4775 3295 2355 Trrnl costs 4591 1519 945 2827 1297 4591 1519 945 2827 1297 Cos of rn5 9jbscriptitsI Insura Admin and Gw. PuNiaty &)aal and FUThJdco$ts 970 705 891 219 1370 259 Website costs Othercosts In4 1102 32766 1724 1102 32766 2T355 TOTAL NETGENERAL It4CCth4EIIDEHcm Illl3 76 91464 Tkket and pro8ran sa5 PerfaTr fee Sw)rwrshipldcwtions/graots FuThJ raisi raffle or refreshments 23313 23313 16656 178 TOTAL 33991 178 33991 852 Profe55ional fees Printin8 aThl publidty Hire of venue IEQ37 2610 4342 2122 7037 2122 7037 6435 52433 TOTAL 52433 25 .8158 Loss on in%*strnent u Gatn on IrNestmerrts -261 71 -19) 446 -707 137 -570 TOTAL I65 NEf INCOME IEXPENLMTURE) FOR THE YEAR mulated revenue fuNls brth4htf(xw•d kwrnulated reveTrL¢efuThJsorried foThRrd 6525 88376 941 83306 5070 88376 14262 15085 32748 33744 $386 143729
CURlIE1 A55Ers Charities OFfioal IrNestsnentFuThl General Fund- DeFosIts Caroline's Fr- Depogts Cardlne's Fund- Fixed IntÈrest cJr(Ji,5 F- In¥esimeni Fund Cedric Virgin FuThJ- Depostts Cedric Virgin FurnJ- Fi¥ed Snterest Cedric Virgin FuThJ- Invest Fumd SthoTr knings Barclays knngs kcount Cash at Bank Cash in hand Debtors 54976 5217 4204 14951 4105 15212 2748 1733 25981 25535 13236 235 8631 142542 61 TOTAL 152433 (RENT UAlEs Creditors -7157 143n9 REPRE5EpifED BY Acujmulated IntomÈ Caroline's Fundl see te 31 Cedrc Wirgin Fund l see Thxe41 20169 14262 32748 Unrestricted Fun&: Geal FuThl 93920 88376 TOTAL 144729 Apprthyd by the Comm ed rts tehaf by NICOLA BRYW I[IL SUE SJLCC
Balance Sheet Cheltenham Bach Choir As at 31 August 2025 A¢¢ount Current Assets C•Jh at bank and In tAnd Barclav5 Current Barclavs SavinRs Pth Cash Saffron Buildin% Society- Current Saffron BuildinR Societv- Deoosit Tol•l C•¥h at bank aThl In hand Accnjed income Caroline's Fund Deposits C03070479 Camline's Fund Investment Fund C03070477 Cash Floats Cedric VirRin Fund Dew5its C03070481 Cedric WirRin Fund Investment Fund C03070480 General Fund Deposits C03070476 Prepayments Total Current Assets 1505 IlJ)48 47 25(X)O 41600 5217 14951 14 4105 25535 54976 2034 Credltors: amounts fallln Accounts Pavable DeDosits Held GoetknnRen Dewsits and costs due T*lthkn one 1863 2765 4076 143729 Totsl Aets le88 Curr•nl U•blllU8• 143729 l and Re0$ Current Year EarninRs Retained Caroline's Fund Retained Cedric VINn Fund Unre5trirted General Fund rotsl Caph•l •nd Reswb 8344 20169 29640 85577
Cheltonham Bach Cholr 1. ACCOUNTING POUCIES Total 4J70 9,740 3.302 1.712 io,oc¢J 32 142 178 103 33%93 Printiro & 703 1.970 575 270 624 792 950 315 2,12 7.037 5.325 23.7 7.77 875 950 450 ccknrfee 950 3.885 950 3.13S 95 1.7(K) 2A2 rAV PRS 2.169 6,491 2,175 1,[137 6A97 353 253 13,723 6,435 52.433 -18yI 10.754 -i.z 3. CAROUNE? FUND Caroline's Fund wa8 set up a donabon of£fO.OCKJ frcffl the fanmty of late Caroline Br. It was agreed bets¥een the Donor5 and the Choirthatthere shall LE on ts ir¢come arisirYJ frorn the Fund. but that FuTrJ$ in the finanoyal Far2024f25 On the 28th Odober 1999 the ongina donaitin of £10.(m was invested ithin the COIF funds.on 2nd July 2025 th& F8d Term Investhnt nu4V Lxlkd the Short tra11)n FurKI investr8 erh&j for£1936.86. The value ofthe tnvethnts at 31stALWJUSt2025 we Dèpojh Fund Tolal $217 20,169 4. CEDRIC VIRGIN FUND Ch ha8 been notiW ittat tfftderth8 oftheWJI ofMrCethVHyin , the tharity is entrfled to 0.5% of the esiate. Thi5 now has a red estimatti a5 at 2017 of£20 LW. The has z1V•y at &)14119 a ttslal of £19 648.47. A vras agr1 by cumirftee to deswJnale £15 (Kl) oflhis lègw lo $upportthe CedrKVirgin SiThJiTr3 Prize; the inaugural c&nptsbon of1¢ vras on 315t M8Tth 2017. sIe 3014119. the dK)ir decKled that the sirrfJiNJ prize was kjrger wableto st>Je. Ckn 8th August 2019, È10.CIJO of Ihe £15.(M)O gaCY wa5 i1west wilhin Ihe COIF FuTrJs. Cth 8th Aw"12021 a lu1ther£15,Cj was in¥esbJ in lJ)ese COIF Funds. On 2nd July2025 the Fixed Term InveslJwrt rKW L71bJ the sIt FuThJ TheslEWrtWd5 enthaS £1798.39. The Val Of investrEnts at 31stAu8t W25Ere." Inhwlment Fund Dep061t Fund Total 25A35 4.105
Independent Examinerfs Report on the Cheltenham Bach Choir Accounts for the 16 month period endlng 31st August 2025. l. Introductii This report sets out my findings on the financial statements for the 16 months period ending 31 August 2025. In perfomiing my worK I reviewed the finanoal statements and bank ststements and supporting documents together with the minutes of the committee meetings during the period. I have also reviewed the Xero accounting records to ensure they match the bank statements and supporting documents. 2. Areas of Rlsk Heading Income Recognition Risk Ensure that Members Subscription Income is in line with choir number5 Test Performed test of totsl numbers by average fee over 16 months. Income Recognition Ensure validity of ticket sales income. and is not overstated. Verified through third party documents. Accounting Records The transfer to Xero was conducted correctly and review Xero accounting records. Checked opening balances and reviewed bank inputs on Xero. Reviewed documents to support balances and checked to previous year. Provisions Ensue reasonableness of prepayments and accounts payable Bank and Investment Balances Ensure Bank and Investments balances match supporting documents Agreed. Review Large expense items Check concert costs and rehearsal costs to ensure within agreements. Agreed Reserves Check Capital and Reserves Agreed
I note that the transfer of the accounting records onto Xero has been carried out during the period and It appears to be a smooth transfer and it is easier to review the records. I did note there were a small number of payments made where there were no supporting documents. It is important that all expenditure is authoiised according to the financial controls policy. l am pleased to see an attempt to agree a number of charity policies which is recommended by the Charities Commission. Please note that no Trustses Report submitted for review therefore I cannot comment on this required document. I report on the accounts of Cheltenham Bach Choir (charity no: 261961) for the period 16 months ending 31 August 2025. that I have carried out an independent examination as required under section 145 of the Charities Art 2011. No matters have come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respert the accounting records have not been kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act 2011; or that the ac£ounts do not accord with those records or fail to comply with the requirements of the ACL Simon Browning FCMA 29 Ottober 2025
Indeptndent Examlnerf5 Report on the Ch•tt•nham 8ach Cholr Atcounts forthe 16 month perlod endln% 31° Au¥u5t 2025. L Introdu¢iion This report sets out my findiTrgs on the ftnanclal statements forihe 16 months perlod endlng 3151 August 2025. In perfomiing my work, l ieviewed the financlal statement5 and bank statements and supporknn8 docurnents together with the Minutes of the commlttee meeting5 dur*ng the period. I have also reviewed the Xero accounting CordS to ensLsre they match the bank statsments and supporbng documents. L Areas of RF5k No Headln8 Income Re¢o8nlUon Rlsk Ensure that Membe¥s Subscrlp0n Income Is in line with choir number5 Test Perfomed test of total numbers by average fee over 16 months. Income Recognifjon Ensure validity of ttcket sales Income, and Is not overstated. Verlfied through third party do¢umenrs. Accountin8 Records The transfer to Xero was condurted rorre¢tlv and review Xero accounting records. Checked openin8 balances and ewed bank inputs on Xero. Reviewed documents to support balallce5 and checked to previo5 yeaf. Provistons Ensue reasonablene55 of prepayments and accounts payable Bank and Investment Balances Ensure Bankand Investments batafices match supporknng docurnents Agreed. Review Large expense items Check concèrt tOSts Hnd rehearsal costs to ensure wtthin agreements. A8reed Reserves Check Capitsl and Reserves A8reed
I note thatthe tron5ferof the accounting records onto Xero has been carried out during the Period and it appears to be a smooth transfer and it is easier to review the records. I did note there were a small number of payments rnade wherethere were no supporfng documents. It Is Important that all expenditure is authorlsed ac¢ordlngto the fin6ncial ontro15 policy. l am pleased to see an attempt to agree 3 number of charty policies vthich is recommended by the ChaTities Commiss¢on. Please note that no Trustees Report was submitted for review therefore I cannot comment on thi5 required document. I report on the accounts of theeharn Bach Choir (charity no: 2619611 forthe period 16 month5 ending 31s1August 2025, that I have carried out an indendent examination as required under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. No matters have come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any rnaterial fespect the accountinE record5 have not been kept in accordance with setbon 130 of the Charities Act 2011.. or that the accounts do not accord wilh those records or fall to comply with the requirements of the Act. Simon Browning FCMA 29th OL2ober 2025