Haslemere Musical Society Trustees’ Annual Report
Charity name Haslemere Musical Society Registered charity number 262696 For the financial year beginning 1 September 2021 For the financial year ending on 31 August 2022 Charity’s principal address c/o Mrs Sue Ecclestone Hon Secretary The Warren Tilford Road Hindhead GU26 6RA
Names of the charity trustees:
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Name Office (if any) and dates acted (if not for the
full year)
Marion Bagshaw Chairman
Patrick Callan Vice-Chairman
Susan Ecclestone Secretary
Lucy Hatcher Orchestra Secretary
Joseph Yeadon Treasurer
Sarah Rogers Orchestra Librarian
Johanna Sainsbury Orchestra Librarian
Elizabeth Kerr Choir Librarian
Evie Page Safeguarding Officer
Sally Falk
Charlotte Fentem
Judith Ingham Joined the committee 24th January 2022
Clive Evenden Resigned 27 September 2021
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Governing document
Rules adopted 18 June 1971 as amended 17 October 1983, 8 October 2001, and 17 October 2016.
Appointment of trustees
Trustees are elected by and out of the membership at the Annual General Meeting of the Society. They receive no remuneration or other benefits from the charity.
Objects of the charity
To educate the public in the art and science of music, to enable members to make music together at regular rehearsals of choral and orchestral works under the direction of skilled musicians appointed for the purpose, to perform such works at public concerts and offer concertgoers good value for money, and from time to time to commission new works for performance by the Society.
Activities and achievements during the year
In planning our activities we have had regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit.
The start of the season in September 2021 was remarkable as the return to face-to-face rehearsals for both orchestra and chorus in the Haslemere Hall after eighteen months of Covid Lockdown. The orchestra suitably distanced rehearsed in the Main Hall and the choir also suitably distanced rehearsed in the Annexe. There was a great deal of chilly ventilation and plenty of sanitising. The members returning were reduced in number especially the chorus. In March 2020 there were 64 signed up choir members. Eighteen months later twenty eight singers risked turning up.
Cole Bendall had resigned as Chorus Master in June 2021. A Recruitment Team ably guided by Susanna Brown began the laborious task of selecting a new choir master while our Assistant Choir Master and Accompanist Clive Osgood trained the choir mostly on his own. While Clive heroically prepared the choir for a December concert the Orchestra was able to put on a twotiered performance in St Christopher’s Church on Sunday 17th October 2021with socially distanced audiences.
Then on Saturday 4th December it became possible to perform a combined Orchestra and Chorus concert in the Haslemere Hall. The programme delighted the audience starting with Rossini’s Overture to La Cenerentola and Haydn’s The Clock Symphony and continuing after the interval with the chorus singing short pieces from across the centuries some of which were a capella. There was a chamber music interval with a wind ensemble playing two movements from Dvorak’s Czech Suite (this being dedicated to Anne Goldman, a long-standing member of the Society who had died in 2021) and the evening ended with seasonal choruses from Handel’s Messiah, Clive Osgood’s Bee Carol and the orchestra rejoicing in Leopold Mozart’s Sleigh Ride complete with sleigh bells.
In January 2022 Ondrej Soukup was appointed as our Chorus Master. His debut was going to be the HMS ‘Come & Sing’ in St Christopher’s Church on Saturday 5th February. At the very last moment he withdrew due to a positive Covid test and our Director of Music filled in as Chorus Master. Because of the chilly conditions in compliance with Covid Restrictions and James Ross’s enthusiasm for talking about Haydn’s The Creation the afternoon did not
proceed in its usual ‘Come & Sing’ way. However, once the orchestra arrived and the music came alive the afternoon became more enjoyable for everyone. By the time of the March 2022 Choral and Orchestral Concert there was the feeling that live music was definitely back. The orchestra gave a moving performance of Schubert’s Symphony No 3 in D and followed it with the contrast of scenes and dances from Manuel de Falla’s ballet The Threecornered Hat. After the interval the Choir sang César Franck’s Psalm 150.
There was then a short pause in the Hall as the audience and performers remembered those suffering in the conflict in Ukraine. Finally the choir performed Fauré’s Requiem with Sam O’Brien singing the treble solo with poise and clarity. The new Chorus Master, Ondrej Soukup sang the baritone solo with feeling if not power.
The concert on 14th May 2022 was billed as an evening of Mozart. The choir began the concert by singing Mozart’s Kyrie. Then the orchestra performed the Haffner Symphony which is not often heard but is full of beautiful melodies. After the interval the choir and orchestra performed selected arias, recitative and orchestra pieces from Mozart’s opera Idomeneo. The chorus was joined by two professional singers, Lizzie Holmes and Alexandra Long. Both had powerful and expressive voices and were able to fill the Hall. Just to remind us that Covid was still about Lizzie Holmes had to stand in for the original soloist who tested positive a few days before the concert.
The May concert was the last of the season 2021 – 2022 and left us with the feeling that amateur music-making is so worthwhile both for those who actively make music and those who enjoy listening to live music without having to travel too far afield.
The season concluded in June 2022 with four ‘Summer Sessions’ – open rehearsals to read through music, open to members and guests to join on any instrument or voice.
Financial review
While the Society began the year with a reasonable (but cautious) financial position, with reserves of £30,275. We managed to minimise the overall loss of the total fund to just over £3,611, ending the year with a total fund of £26,664. The previous gloomy outlook was perhaps a little pessimistic – but this did focus minds.
The reduced loss was achieved through the use of out-of-copyright music (often downloaded by members to avoid hire costs), limiting the scope of soloists, and choosing works which did not require additional musicians for all the concerts for the season.
In the previous year, around 35% of members had not rejoined following the pandemic – in 2020-21 the financial impact was manageable due to the relative low cost of online activities – but was beginning to be felt as activities returned. The ‘economy season’ of 2021-22 still resulted in a significant loss, and without significant changes to the operations of the Society, it was clear that the next season would have a significant impact on the reserve funds. In particular, a return to ‘normal’ concert activity without a commensurate increase in the income (which was over £12,000 lower then 2018/19) would be unsustainable in the 2022-2023 season onwards.
Reserves policy
The Society’s reserves policy is that we should maintain reserves at 125150% of the prior year’s expenditure on regular professionals and venues.
At 31[st] August 2022, the total reserve is £26,264, which is in excess of the stated policy because the previous season was hit heavily by the COVID pandemic, which limited the activities of the Society.
However, the reduced membership, the unusual nature of the 2021-22 (low cost) season, the reduction in sponsorship and gifts, all suggest that the reserves will rapidly diminish in 2022-2023. While the Society’s target is to maintain reserves within the range above – it is likely that this will be tested in the coming year.
However, the Trustees feel that the reserves should be used to preserve the activities of the Society to weather the difficulties, while the volume of income can be addressed, and in parallel, the expenditure controlled. The Trustees maintain close scrutiny on the ongoing operating costs, and will make changes as needed.
The Society will be in its 100[th] season in 2023 (i.e. the following season) – the Trustees are dedicated to protect the Society to ensure its survival.
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HASLEMERE MUSICAL SOCIETY
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
| Incoming Resources Income from donations and fundraising activities Patrons’ and Friends’ subscriptions Donations and grants Other fundraising activities Gift aid on donations & fundraising activities Income from charitable activities Members’ subscriptions Gift aid on members’ subscriptions Concert income Gain on sale of fixed assets Other charitable activities Investment income Dividends on investments Interest income Resources Expended Expenditure on fundraising activities Costs of fundraising activities Expenditure on charitable activities Costs of rehearsals Costs of concerts Costs of other charitable activities Administrative & running costs NET INCOMING/(OUTGOING) RESOURCES 0 Realised loss on sale of investments Unrealised gain on investments NET MOVEMENT IN FUND Fund balance brought forward TOTAL FUND CARRIED FORWARD |
2021/2022 2020/21 2019/20 2018/19 £ £ £ £ 1,655 1,525 1,632 1,915 5,477 50 4,255 7,782 573 109 1,331 1,974 279 311 253 325 9,044 7,315 11,277 11,906 1,524 1,492 1,747 2,021 6,346 - 6,519 9,407 - - 0 1,178 690 - 181 680 166 163 612 731 25 3 47 45 25,778 10,968 27,855 37,964 584 - 1,024 862 16,485 11,840 16,210 14,113 11,187 - 17,031 18,088 54 - 0 1,339 677 1,266 1,519 3,325 28,987 13,106 35,784 37,727 (-3,209) (-2,138) (-7,930) 237 0 (-83) (-403) 1,060 1,037 1,504 (-3,611) (-1,078.08) (-6,892) 1,658 30,275 31,353 38,245 36,587 26,664 30,275 31,353 38,245 |
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0
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HASLEMERE MUSICAL SOCIETY
BALANCE SHEET at 31st August 2022
| FIXED ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS Prepayments Investments Cash at bank Cash in hand COIF Deposit Fund Accrued Income CURRENT LIABILITIES Creditors Deferred Income Accruals NET CURRENT ASSETS NET ASSETS REPRESENTED BY: Fund carried forward |
2021/22 2020/21 2019/20 2018/19 £ £ £ - 0 0 0 - 0 736 6,077 6,480 5,420 19,747 12,578 17,265 18,524 10,454 0 - 208 5,450 5,450 5,450 7,450 3,303 1,500 2,000 27,409 30,695 31,603 38,387 0 - 250 34 380 420 365 - 0 108 745 420 250 142 26,664 30,275 31,353 38,245 26,664 30,275 31,353 38,245 26,664 30,275 31,353 38,245 |
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- Gift Aid estimate
19/20 figure shows May soloist paid 20/21 Early subscriptions for 2022 Late invoice of St Christopher's
0.70
0.79
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HASLEMERE MUSICAL SOCIETY
ANALYSIS OF RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022 - CONCERTS
| Concert Box Office Tickets Commission Programmes Sales Adverts Printing Professional Fees Regular Professionals Soloists Professional aid Gifts Other Costs Hire of Hall Hire/purchase of music Performing rights/royalties Orchestra tea Printing posters and mailshot Hospitality Sales and contributions Costs Net Gain (Loss) on Concerts |
Oct-21 Dec-21 Mar-22 May-22 Total £ £ £ £ £ 539 1,817 2,134 1,610 6,100 0 (-219) (-213) (-165) (-597) 539 1,598 1,921 1,445 5,502 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 246 246 (-89) (-148) (-168) (-168) (-573) (-89) (-148) (-168) 78 (-327) (-717) (-795) (-814) (-790) (-3,116) 0 0 (-300) (-793) (-1,093) (-240) (-610) (-530) (-675) (-2,055) (-22) 0 0 0 (-22) (-979) (-1,405) (-1,644) (-2,258) (-6,286) (-100) (-712) (-811) (-779) (-2,403) 0 (-58) (-247) (-337) (-642) 0 (-105) (-96) (-73) (-273) 0 (-36) (-18) (-35) (-89) 0 (-148) (-137) (-114) (-399) (-100) (-1,059) (-1,310) (-1,337) (-3,805) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (-629) (-1,014) (-1,201) (-2,072) (-4,916) |
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(-1,201)
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HASLEMERE MUSICAL SOCIETY
ANALYSIS OF RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022 - RUNNING COSTS
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2021/2022 Subtotal
Charitable Activities £ £
Rehearsals
Member Subscriptions 9,044
Gift Aid on Subscriptions 4,317
Hire of Hall and Piano (-4,322)
Other rehearsal costs 0
Professional Fees (rehearsals) (-12,117)
Rehearsals Subtotal (-3,078)
Concerts
Net gain(loss) on concerts from overleaf (-4,916) (-4,916)
Other Charitable Activities
Summer sessions 451
Sale of assets 0
Subtotal Other Charitable Activities 451
Administrative and Running Costs
Stationery 0
Subscriptions and licensing costs (-185)
Insurance (-95)
Advertising 0
Depreciation 0
Other administrative costs (-397)
Subtotal Administrative and running costs (-677)
NET Gain/(Loss) on Charitable Activities (-8,220)
Donations & Fundraising Activities
Patrons and Friends
Patrons and Friends Subscriptions 1,655
Gift Aid 790
Subtotal Patrons and Friends 2,445
Donations and Grants
Grants and Sponsorship 5,000
Donations 477
Subtotal Donations and Grants 5,477
Other Fundraising Activities
Come & Sing 94
Charities Fair 13
Easy Fundraising 68
Tea and coffee at rehearsals (-46)
Sale of music and cards 0
Other fundraising 0
Subtotal Other Fundraising Activities 128
Investment Income
Investment Income 190 190
NET Incoming /(Outgoing) Resources for the Year 20
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15 Home Farm Road, Godalming, GU7 ITX Joe Yeadon Treasurer Haslemere Musical Society RE= Annual Accounts 2020-2021 Date: IO, January 2022 Dear Joe, I have eKamined the above accounts as presented to me on 10 January 2022, and find them to be an accurate representation of the financial position of Haslemere Musical Society for the accounting period 01 September 2020 to 31 August 2021. Best wishes, Sarah Baudains ACMA CGMA Chartered Accountant