Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ending 30 June 2024
Reference and Administration details
The name of the Charity is Ashtead Choral Society, whose Registered Charity Number is 265400. The principal address of the charity is 98 Craddocks Avenue, Ashtead, KT21 1NL.
Names of the Trustees who manage the Charity
The Trustees are as follows:
Mr V Desmond (Chair) (from November 2023) Mrs A Bailey (Secretary) Mr A J Williams (Treasurer) Mrs L Crook Mrs S Early Mrs I Kenward Mrs K Lewis Mrs L Morrell (from November 2023) Mr A Moss (from November 2023) Mrs C Price
The following also served as Trustees during the year:
Mrs C Greenwood (resigned August 2024) Mr G Morris (resigned November 2023) Mrs V Moss (resigned November 2023) Mrs H Parkin (resigned April 2024) Mrs A Ridge (resigned November 2023)
The Society’s Making Music representative is Mrs M Stephen
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Structure, Governance and Management
The Charity is an unincorporated association. A revised Constitution was adopted on 7 February 2022.
The Charity is managed and administered by a Committee constituted in accordance with Rule 5 of the Charity. Trustees are appointed in accordance with Rule 7 of the Charity. No section representative may serve as such for more than three consecutive years.
Objectives and Activities
The object of the Charity shall be:
to advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of music in all its aspects by any means the trustees see fit, including through the presentation of public events.
In shaping our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the Trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, and, in particular, the specific guidance to charities for the advancement of the arts.
The benefits of the society are enjoyed by both choral society members and members of the public who attend our concerts, and can be seen in the diverse selection of choral music that is performed by the society. In deciding the concert programme for each season, the conductor and the Trustees are mindful to ensure that the choir performs both familiar and less familiar choral music. The music that we perform has been written by a variety of composers from different musical periods from both the sacred and secular repertoire available to choral societies of our size. The advancement of the arts is thus achieved through the exposure of both choir and audience members to different styles and genres of music.
The Trustees are mindful of the need to ensure that sections of the public are not excluded from participating as a member of the choral society through the use of financial assistance to those who might otherwise not be able to afford to join the society. Membership of the society is free for people aged 25 and under and there is a 50% reduction in the subscription for those members aged 26-30. Subscriptions may also be paid in instalments or reduced temporarily in the case of unforeseen hardship.
In recent years we have undertaken concerts where we have engaged local young musicians either to accompany us or to sing the solo parts of certain musical items. In this way, our public benefit has been extended to a wider section of society, as many of those young people have benefited from the experience of performing with a large choral society and in front of larger audiences than might otherwise be possible for them.
Our key objectives this year have been to:
-
continue to provide a variety of choral music repertoire in support of our object above
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continue to support professional soloists
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continue to support local community charities
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continue to develop the choir musically
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continue to provide joy and support well-being of singers
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See the section below – Achievements and Performance - for how we met those objectives. Additionally, during the season the committee recognised the need to build on recent work to develop our website and social media to grow our singer numbers from approximately 100 to 120, to attract larger audiences to our concert events, to collaborate with other choral societies, and to help singers with individual vocal health. Plans to deliver on some of these opportunities were made for the following season.
Achievements and Performance
During this season we kept true to our mission of bringing live choral performance to the community with three concerts. Our November concert featured the original two piano version of Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle. Our second concert embraced European composers - Rameau, Rossini, Gorecki and Faure – and featured the British composer, Sir John Rutter’s Requiem. Our third concert tackled Brahms’ epic German Requiem with our regular collaborators, the Kent Sinfonia. As ever, we were pleased to support professional musicians, especially those developing their careers, including this season: Sopranos – Helen Pritchard, Lucy Cox, Eleanor Pennell-Briggs; Alto – Susan Legg; Tenor – Adam Tunnicliffe; and Basses – Philip Tebb and Daniel Tate.
In addition to our own concert programme, we were pleased to collaborate with the Old Bailey Choir for a further performance of the Rutter Requiem. We were delighted that this performance in central London coincided with news of Sir John Rutter’s knighthood for services to music.
In addition to the musical highlights above, approximately 60 members of ACS undertook a tour of Umbria. This was a great opportunity to bring the UK’s enviable choral tradition to Italy and provide three free concerts at the cathedrals of Citta della Pieve, Perugia and Pienza. The tour was also a good opportunity for singers to get to know each other, to experience Umbria and to develop our ability to deal musically with new places and the associated challenges.
Supporting our local community continues to be a core part of our activity. We were delighted that this year our popular annual Carols for Choir and Audience event had a very full house of local residents who raised almost £1500 for two charities: Joe’s Buddy Line and Dyscover. Joe’s Buddy Line was set up in memory of Joe Lyons and aims to promote and protect the mental health of young people from Primary School to University. Dyscover is a charity that supports people with aphasia, a communication difficulty usually as the result of a stroke.
None of these activities – musical, charitable or otherwise - would be possible without the support of our super professional music team: musical director, Dr Andrew Storey, and accompanist, Mr Stephen Ridge. Nor would they be possible without the volunteers who give their time to organise everything from charity events to venue booking, and from tours to paying invoices. We thank you all for your commitment and support.
Financial Review
Concerts this year reverted to the Society’s more normal pattern of a major concert, with full orchestra and soloists, an “intermediate” concert with a smaller orchestra, and a “smaller” concert with just one or two musicians. Overall, the loss on concerts over the year was £11,273, significantly less than the previous year (£16,209), when the concert programme was maintained at a higher level to encourage members and audiences to return after the covid pandemic. Ticket sales, however, were disappointing.
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The Trustees were delighted to receive a grant of £1,500 from the Humphrey Richardson Taylor Charitable Trust towards our concert costs for the year. The support of the Trust for music-making in the Surrey area is greatly appreciated.
Subscription rates were increased significantly from the previous year, returning to a similar level as pre-covid, having been kept deliberately lower in the last two or three years to encourage members to return.
No fundraising events were held during the year. However, income continued to be received from Easy Fundraising (£165) and from donations made by choir members at the tea interval (£387) and the sale of pencils (£15).
The tour to Italy was funded entirely by the payments made by tour participants, with no cost to the Society. (Note that the difference of £110 in the accounts between tour income and tour expenditure represented a prepayment from one choir member in the 2022/23 season).
Our Carols for Charity morning was again very successful and £1,486 was split between our two chosen charities – Dyscover and Joe’s Buddy Line.
As noted in the accounts, there was a delay in receiving the Gift Aid payment from HMRC for subscriptions and donations during the season, which was eventually received after the end of the Society’s financial year. Income for the year is therefore understated from its true position. Taking account of the amount that should have been received, total income (unrestricted funds) in the year would have been £35,051. Thus there would have been a reduction in unrestricted funds of £3,327 over the season. Costs continue to increase and so the Society needs to plan its finances carefully to avoid depleting our reserves too much. The Trustees are addressing this issue by looking carefully at concert planning, a drive to recruit new members and the possibility of one or two fundraising activities.
Charity’s policy on reserves
The Trustees recognise that there are expenses associated with the putting on of concerts which may need to be covered even if those concerts cannot take place. There are also expenses associated with running the choir on a day-to-day basis that would have to be met even if the society were to wind up. Having considered these issues the Trustees have decided that an appropriate level of reserve to be held is £12,000 in unrestricted funds.
Declaration
The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ Report above.
Signed on behalf of the Charity’s Trustees:
| Vincent Desmond | Anthony Williams | |
|---|---|---|
| Position | Chair | Hon Treasurer |
| Date | 4 November 2024 | 4 November 2024 |
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Ashtead Choral Society Charity Commission Number - 265400 Receipts and payments accounts For the period from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024
| Receipts Income from concerts (note 3) Member subscriptions Income tax recovered (note 4) Friends/Patronage donations Income tax recovered (note 4) Other donations Income tax recovered Music hire and sales Funds raised for other Charities 100 Club Bank interest Grants (note 5) Fundraising income Tour Miscellaneous income Total receipts Payments Concert expenditure (note 3) Honoraria Hire of rehearsal rooms Music hire and purchases Publicity Gifts and donations Subscriptions, sundry fees, other dues, and bank charges Fundraising expenses Secretarial and admin. expenses Tour Miscellaneous expenses Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Total 2024 Total 2023 £ £ £ £ 6,952 - 6,952 10,070 19,225 - 19,225 14,970 - - - 2,620 - 885 885 1,065 - - 139 48 - 48 - - - - - 1,365 - 1,365 1,226 - 1,486 1,486 1,468 453 - 453 505 1,515 - 1,515 988 1,500 - 1,500 - 567 - 567 1,628 - 45,628 45,628 13,270 25 - 25 60 |
|---|---|
| 31,650 47,999 79,649 48,009 |
|
| 18,225 - 18,225 26,279 11,144 - 11,144 9,613 5,507 - 5,507 4,509 1,401 - 1,401 1,441 797 - 797 973 - 1,486 1,486 1,468 983 - 983 644 - - 595 68 - 68 20 - 45,738 45,738 13,160 253 - 253 1,499 |
|
| 38,378 47,224 85,602 **60,201 ** |
|
| (6,728) 775 (5,953) (12,192) 20,966 16,185 37,151 49,343 |
|
| 14,238 16,960 31,198 37,151 |
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Ashtead Choral Society Charity Commission Number – 265400 Statement of assets and liabilities as at 30 June 2024
| Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Total 2024 £ £ £ Cash Funds Barclays current account 5,221 - 5,221 COIF Deposit account 9,017 16,960 25,977 Total bank accounts 14,238 16,960 31,198 Assets retained for the charity’s own use Piano 2,000 - 2,000 |
Total 2023 £ 7,690 29,461 |
|---|---|
| 37,151 | |
| 2,000 |
Signed on behalf of all the trustees
Anthony Williams Hon Treasurer Date of approval 4 November 2024
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Ashtead Choral Society Notes to the Accounts For the year ending 30 June 2024
1 Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis.
2 Endowment and restricted income funds
The charity has no endowment fund. It has one restricted income fund, the Judy Williams Memorial Patronage Fund, which was established to enable the choir to be able to afford to perform works which it would not otherwise be able to do. No monies were utilised from this fund during the year ended 30 June 2024.
As at 30 June 2023 the restricted income funds included £110 which was a prepayment of tour fees received from one member. No tour funds remain at 30 June 2024.
The Charity does not have any designated funds.
3 Financial results of concerts
| Concert income Concert Expenditure Professional fees Venue Other costs Total concert expenditure |
November 2023 March 2024 May 2024 Total 2024 £ £ £ £ 2,571 2,156 2,225 6,952 3,500 1,200 6,980 11,680 819 802 836 2,457 2,622 628 838 4,088 6,941 2,630 8,654 18,225 |
2023 £ |
|---|---|---|
| 10,070 | ||
| 18,532 3,044 4,703 |
||
| 26,279 |
4 Gift Aid
There was a delay in the receipt of Gift Aid from HMRC which meant that payment was not received until after the end of the Society’s financial year. These payments will therefore appear in the accounts for 2024/25. The amount of Gift Aid in respect of subscriptions and patrons/friends donations in 2023/24 was as follows:
| Subscriptions (unrestricted funds) | £3,401 |
|---|---|
| Patrons/friends donations (restricted funds) | £144 |
5 Grants
A grant of £1,500 was received from the Humphrey Richardson Taylor Charitable Trust towards the 2023/24 season.
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Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
| Report to the Trustees/ members of |
Ashtead Choral Society | Ashtead Choral Society | Ashtead Choral Society |
|---|---|---|---|
| On accounts for the year ended |
30 June 2024 | Charity no | 265400 |
| Set out on pages | 5-7 | ||
| Responsibilities and basis of report |
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above Charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 30 June 2024. As the Charity Trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. |
||
| Independent examiner's statement |
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that, in any material respect: • accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or • the accounts do not accord with the accounting records I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. |
||
| Signed: | E A Storey | Date: | 5 November 2024 |
| Name: | Mrs Elisabeth Storey | ||
| Relevant professional qualification: |
FCA | ||
| Address: | 29 Barrett Road, Fetcham, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 9HL |
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