NCS CHAIR’S REPORT FOR AGM 2025
This was our centenary year: 100 years since Nailsea Choral Society was fir8 founded, and we had planned to celebrate it well. This we truly did.
Our concerts at both Chri8mas (Messiah) and in the summer, (Elgar’s Dream of GeronIus) were very well aKended- a sellout at the Methodi8 MurM for Messiah, and 450 at Bri8ol Cathedral for GeronIus, and were of our highe8 singing 8andard. We sang our be8 ever Messiah accompanied by the baroque orMe8ra ‘Chivari Agreable’ and our audience were thrilled.
In the Dream of GeronIus Tom Williams, our MD, led us to even greater singing heights than we had ever done before, and though it was tough, it was extremely rewarding. He also conduXed the whole massive work, orMe8ra, Moir and semi-Morus with total dedicaIon and great musicality.
Singing the Dream of GeronIus was indeed our bigge8 Mallenge. The organisaIon required to pull this off was immense. We began fundraising two years before and created a 8eering group to lead us though to performance. We held a workshop to aKraX singers from Bri8ol Moirs and invited Chew Valley Choral to join us. Thus, we required a bigger rehearsal venue and the Methodi8 MurM made itself available. AddiIonally, some weeks we had split rehearsals to learn the very difficult parts with Sops and Altos at Chri8 ChurM with Tom and Tenors and basses at the Methodi8 MurM with Harry Kirby (assi8ant conduXor). MiMael BuKerfield helped us out with addiIonal accompanying and in the later 8ages we were accompanied by Dr David Bednall, MD for Chew Valley Choral. Bri8ol Symphony orMe8ra accompanied us for the aXual concert and did so with out8anding competence and flair.
There are an enormous number of thanks due to all those involved in the Centenary effort. Antony Evans, Cynthia Dobson, Elaine Wellingham and Sarah Harris were vital parts of the iniIal 8eering commiKee that planned the whole enterprise, and the Elgar concert could not have happened without their experIse and dedicaIon. Members as a whole rose to the Mallenge of raising the money, giving dedicated addiIonal amounts over and above their subscripIons to boo8 the funds. They supported all the addiIonal fundraising events, joining in an 8-hour Singathon Challenge, baking a va8 array of cakes for the Come and Sing workshop and ensuring all their family and friends had Iaets to everything.
All the commiKee have been Mallenged to 8ep up a notM this year and I am immensely grateful to all of them for their indu8ry and support. We could not have aMieved suM a successful year without suM a willing and competent team. Especial menIon mu8 be made to our treasurer Carew Reynell who managed the finances of suM a large venture with wisdom and prudence so that we have ended the year well in balance. Thanks also go to our Vice President Chris Jennings, who is always so supporIve.
On a more somber note, our singing fraternity is not geeng any younger and this year 4 of our members have died. Eira Barker, Marion Every, Rosemary Peill and David Walker. All had been long 8anding members and will be muM missed.
As I write we are poised to enjoy our final celebraIon of this centenary year, a gala dinner where a display of NCS memorabilia over the la8 100 years will be on show. Later in the year Antony Evans’ hi8ory ‘100 years of NCS’ will be published and available to purMase as a tangible reminder of all that NCS has been.
We truly have celebrated well, and I have been proud to Mair the society through this period.
Pam Salisbury 2025
Nailsea Choral Society Annual Accounts for 2024/25
| Revenue Account | 2024/25 (£) | 2023/24 (£) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concerts | Messiah | 4101 | 521 |
| Gerontius | 5858 | ||
| Core activities | -5461 | -5411 | |
| Overheads | -218 | -30 | |
| Net spending | 4280 | -4920 | |
| Transfer from Centenary Fund |
-9959 | 13234 | |
| Increase in General Reserve |
5679 | -482 |
More details of income and expenditure are given in the following pages.
| Balance Sheet | 2024/25 (£) | 2023/24 (£) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening balance | General | 11420 | 11902 |
| Centenary Fund | 15060 | 1826 | |
| Net spending | -4280 | -482 | |
| Closing balance | General | 17099 | 11420 |
| Centenary Fund | 5101 | 15060 | |
| Represented by | Bank (current a/c) | 6673 | 7953 |
| Bank (deposit a/c) | 17541 | 19099 | |
| Sumup | 0 | 186 | |
| Creditors/debtors | -2013 | -758 |
| Concerts | Messiah (£) | Gerontius (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Music Director | 350 | 950 |
| Soloists | 1300 | 4300 |
| Orchestra | 4880 | 5000 |
| Semi-chorus | 1288 | |
| Hall | 385 | 1400 |
| Extra rehearsal costs | 1840 | |
| Publicity and programme | 307 | 780 |
| CFIM support | 440 | |
| PRS/other | 200 | 444 |
| Tickets | -3343 | -8704 |
| Refreshments (net) | 22 | -428 |
| Workshop (net) | -267 | |
| Additional singers (incl. gift aid) | -1065 | |
| Donations | -120 | |
| Total | 4101 | 5858 |
| Core activities | 2024/25 (£) | 2023/24 (£) |
|---|---|---|
| MD/deputy/accompanist | 4987 | 5113 |
| Hall | 1697 | 1082 |
| Music/other | 122 | -224 |
| Subscriptions | -10577 | -9657 |
| Gift aid | -1690 | -1725 |
| Total | -5461 | -5411 |
The number of subscribing members was 88 (84 in the previous year).
| Overheads | 2024/25 (£) | 2023/24 (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Making Music/insurance | 280 | 181 |
| Bank fees | 68 | 72 |
| Folders | -40 | 104 |
| Website | 54 | 36 |
| Overheads | 2024/25 (£) | 2023/24 (£) | ||||
| Sponsorship (Nailsea Town | -100 | -100 | ||||
| Council) | ||||||
| Interest earned | -442 | -294 | ||||
| Centenary book | 24 | |||||
| Other | -62 | -29 | ||||
| Total | -218 | -30 | ||||
Nailsea Choral Society Independent Examiner’s report on the accounts for 2024/25
• I believe that I meet the Charity Commission requirements as regards an independent examination.
• I have no cause to believe that adequate accounting records have not been kept nor that the financial statements presented do not accord with those records.
• Based on my understanding of the accounts, I believe that the Treasurer’s report provides a reasonable summary of the financial issues of the past financial year and the Society’s financial position going forward.
• I do not believe that the preparation and/or submission of these accounts to the Charity Commission, in their required format, is a necessary precursor to the acceptance of the financial report and statements at the AGM.
Tim Holman
23/09/25