## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period**
**From 01 August 2023 To 31 July 2024**
**Charity name: The Royal Tunbridge Wells Choral Society Charity registration number: 273310**
## **Objectives and Activities**
||SORP
reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|**To educate the public in the art and science of**
**music and in particular the art of choral**
**singing, through the presentation of public**
**concerts and in such other ways as the**
**Society shall determine from time to time by**
**the decision of its Committee.**|
|Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para 1.17
and 1.19|**The Society gave four concerts during the**
**reporting period. Requiems by Durufle and**
**Faure at the Assembly Hall Theatre in**
**November; a Christmas concert featuring**
**works by a local composer at St Mary’s,**
**Goudhurst in December; Beethoven’s Mass**
**in C and Handel Coronation Anthems at the**
**AHT in April ’24 and a summer concert of jazz**
**arrangements at Holmewood House School**
**Theatre in June.**
**In addition, in April the choir travelled to**
**Wiesbaden in Germany ( the twin town of**
**Tunbridge Wells’) where they were able to**
**demonstrate our shared cultural bond with**
**the community in Wiesbaden through**
**participation in a repeat performance of the**
**Beethoven/Handel concert in the Marktkirche**
**with the Frankfurter Sinfoniker.**
.
**We were also able to resume our annual carol**
**singing visit to Halliwell for the first time**
**since the epidemic (having been cancelled**
**last year due to extreme weather).**
**.**|
|Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public|Para 1.18|**Membership of the Society is open to anyone**
**who is able to attend the weekly term time**
**rehearsals. A membership subscription is**
**payable with concessions made from time to**|
|benefit||**time for those who may not be able to pay the**
**full fee.**|
|---|---|---|
|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|||
||SORP
reference||
|Policy on grant making|Para 1.38||
|Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38||
|Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|**The Society is run entirely by volunteers,**
**principally through a dedicated and hard**
**working Committee, with the active support**
**of all its members.**|
|Other|||
## **Achievements and Performance**
||SORP
reference||
|---|---|---|
|Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|**Choir numbers continued to steadily increase**
**over the reporting period, welcoming many**
**new as well as returning members.**
**The choir tackled a broad range of musical**
**styles this season, under the tutelage of our**
**Musical director, Robyn Sevastos and**
**accompanist Craig Hudson Their support,**
**expertise,**
**enthusiasm**
**and**
**musical**
**leadership continues to be both appreciated**
**and vital.**
**The four concerts staged during the season**
**were well received, as was the performance in**
**Wiesbaden. Attendance numbers at the**
**Assembly Hall concerts continued to**
**improve.**|
**Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
|Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41||
|---|---|---|
|Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|**No extraordinary fundraising activities were**
**undertaken during the reporting period with**
**the weekly raffle raising in excess of £900.**
**The choir trip to our twin town of Wiesbaden**
**(following an invitation originally issued in**
**2019) was partially subsidised from reserves,**
**by approx. £6,500. This equated to cost of**
**coach travel and guest participation at a post-**
**concert dinner. Attending members were**
**responsible for meeting their own**
**accommodation and incidental expenses.**
**This subsidy made it**
**possible for choir**
**members to attend who would not otherwise**
**have been able to afford to take part in the**
**experience.**|
|Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|**For sound financial governance and to**
**optimise improving interest rates a**
**significant sum was moved from our current**
**account to our deposit account . The**
**increased revenue from such interest**
**received is shown in the accounts.**|
|Other|||
## **Financial Review**
|Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|**The Society's financial position at year end is**
**healthy. We continue to hold an appropriate**
**buffer of reserve funds which ensures we**
**can maintain existing levels of activity**
**without undue worry. Subscription income**
**increased due to continued growth in**
**membership numbers.**|
|---|---|---|
|Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|**The Society has never aimed to make a**
**surplus from its activities but retains cash**
**reserves in the interests of prudence. For**
**instance, the Society has always recognised**
**the financial risk of a series of poorly**
**attended concerts. Not only did this**
**philosophy allow us to quickly resume full**
**operations post pandemic it allows artistic**
**freedom in repertoire choice to confidently**
**showcase choral works that are perhaps**
**less well known to the general public.**|
|Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|**£45,774**|
|Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22||
|Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24||
|Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23||
## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
|The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)||**The Society has significant expenses in the**
**provision of rehearsal venues, concert**
**halls, music hire, professional soloists and**
**instrumentalists for concerts and publicity.**
**Our income derives from members'**
**subscriptions, patrons' contribution,**
**concert ticket sales, donations, legacies,**
**occasional sponsorship and advertising.**
**Members are also prepared to raise valuable**
**income from regular raffles.**
**Such expenditure is necessary if we are to**
**put on the best possible performances in**
**keeping with our object of entertaining and**
**education the public and maintaining the**
**tradition of high quality classical choral**
**music in the local area.**
**Subscription income increased as choir**
**member numbers increased. This is turn**|
|---|---|---|---|
||The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|**The Society has significant expenses in the**
**provision of rehearsal venues, concert**
**halls, music hire, professional soloists and**
**instrumentalists for concerts and publicity.**
**Our income derives from members'**
**subscriptions, patrons' contribution,**
**concert ticket sales, donations, legacies,**
**occasional sponsorship and advertising.**
**Members are also prepared to raise valuable**
**income from regular raffles.**
**Such expenditure is necessary if we are to**
**put on the best possible performances in**
**keeping with our object of entertaining and**
**education the public and maintaining the**
**tradition of high quality classical choral**
**music in the local area.**
**Subscription income increased as choir**
**member numbers increased. This is turn**|
|||**means we have been able to hold the**
**subscription rates without increase (with**
**concessions as detailed previously).**|
|---|---|---|
|Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46||
|A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46||
|Other|||
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
|Description of charity’s trusts:|||
|---|---|---|
|Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|**Revised constitution adopted 05**
**September 2011 as amended 24 October**
**2016.**|
|How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|**unincorporated association**|
|Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled to
appoint one or more trustees|Para 1.25|**The Society is run by an elected Committee**
**of Officers and ordinary members, all of**
**whom are Trustees by virtue of their**
**membership of the Committee.**
**Officers may serve for an indefinite period**
**subject to re-election by the general**
**membership at each Annual General**
**Meeting. **
**Ordinary members of the**
**Committee are elected for a fixed term of**
**three years. They may be re-elected after a**
**period/gap of at least a year. Additional**
**members may be co-opted to the Committee**
**as necessary and subject to approval by the**
**Society at the next available opportunity.**
**The Musical Director and Rehearsal**
**Accompanist may also attend Committee**
**meetings as ex-officio non voting members.**|
## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
|
Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction
and training of trustees|
Para 1.51||
|---|---|---|
|The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|**The Committee, all of whom are Trustees, is**
**the governing body. Officers hold specific**
**functions and a Management Sub-**
**Committee leads much of the day to day**
**work of programme planning, rehearsal**
**organisation and other detailed operational**
**issues.**
**The Society is a long standing member of**
**Making Music (formerly the National**
**Federation of Music Societies) which**
**provides advocacy, advice and support as**
**well as insurance and collection of**
**Performing Rights Society fees.**|
|Relationship with any
related parties|Para 1.51||
|Other|||
## **Reference and Administrative details**
|Charity name|**Royal Tunbridge Wells Choral Society**|
|---|---|
|Other name the charity uses||
|Registered charity number|**273310**|
|Charity’s principal address|**c/o Michael Selway**
**Edensor**
**Linden Park Road**
**Tunbridge Wells**
**KENT TN2 5QL**|
|||
**Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
|1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
10
11
12
13
14|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body)**
**entitled to appoint trustee (if**
**any)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Michael Selway|Chair|||
||Clive Steward|Vice Chair|||
||Ailsa McMahon|Treasurer|||
||Janet Noble|General Secretary
Minutes Secretary|||
||Sheila Jones|Concert Secretary|Stood down October 2023||
||Laura Marshall
JennySelway|Concert Secretary
(joint appt)|Elected October 2023||
||Jane Walters|MembershipSec.|||
||Judith Henderson|Librarian|||
||Isobel Lowe|PublicitySecretary|||
||Nicolas Franck||Stood down January2024||
||Catherine Palmer||Elected October 2023||
||||||
||||||
||||||
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name NONE**
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
|**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**||
|---|---|---|
||||
|**NONE**|||
||||
||||
||||
||||
## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others**
Description of the assets held in this capacity None
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
## **Additional information (optional)**
## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
**Type of Name Address adviser**
**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**
## **Exemptions from disclosure**
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
## **Other optional information**
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees, report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity'8 trustees
Signature{s)
Full name(s)
Position (eg Secretary.
Chair. etc)
Mi chael Selway
chai r
JAN£f r4(£Le
Date
27/05/2025
## **ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS CHORAL SOCIETY**
## **SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024**
|**GENERAL INCOME AND EXPENDITURE**
**Income**
Subscriptions & donations
Other income
**Expenditure**
Core expenditure on musical activities
Other expenditure
**CONCERT ACCOUNTS**
Autumn
Christmas
Spring
Summer
**OTHER EVENTS**
Wiesbaden trip - receipts
Expenditure
Net (deficit)
Wine tasting net
**Net (deficit) on other events**
**Overall surplus/(deficit) for the year**
**Accumulated funds at beginning of year**
**Accumulated funds at end of year**
**General income surplus**(see detail page 3)
**Net (deficit) on concerts**(see detail page 4)|31 JULY 2024|
|---|---|
||9,924
2,036|
|||
31 AJLY 2024
JI JUL Y X23
4•.lYO
4Q57S
5•7
&421
3d•
4Q•
+d Fc
Its. lQ.LOW
**ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS CHORAL SOCIETY**
## **GENERAL INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ANALYSIS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024**
|31 JULY 2024
£
£
£
**INCOME**
**Subscriptions & donations**
Patrons
1,208
Legacies, donations, sponsors
1,100
2,308
Members
15,551
17,859
**Other income**
Gift Aid tax reclaim
2,160
Bank interest
1,003
Sale and hire of music & folders
216
Self help
Raffles
919
CD and music sales
60
Easyfundraising/Amazon
-
979
4,358
22,217
**EXPENDITURE**
**Core expenditure on musical activities (rehearsals)**
Musical director
5,280
Accompanist
2,380
Hall hire
2,264
9,924
**Other expenditure**
Making Music (inc Insurance)
543
IT/Web hosting/Zoom
345
Committee, sundries
314
Purchase of drinks tokens, cups etc
-
Music library/storage
569
Purchase of music folders
203
Bank charges
62
2,036
(11,960)
**SURPLUS FOR THE YEAR**
10,257||_31 JULY 2023_|_31 JULY 2023_|
|---|---|---|---|
||_£_
961
_47_
_30_|_£_
_1,907_
_365_
_40_
_1,038_|_£_
_1,538_
_605_|
||||_2,143_
_14,223_|
||||_16,366_
_3,350_|
|||||
|||_4,800_
_2,016_
_2,146_||
||||_19,716_
_(10,832)_|
|||_8,962_||
|||_433_
_328_
_305_
_109_
_630_
_-_
_65_||
|||_1,870_||
|||||
||||_8,884_|
## **ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS CHORAL SOCIETY**
## **CONCERT ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024**
|**INCOME**
Ticket sales
Programme sales/advertising
Music hire/sales
**EXPENDITURE**
Assembly Hall hire & related costs
Hall hire & staging other
Conductor
Soloists vocal & instrumental
Orchestra/band
Organ hire
Music hire/purchase
Printing, publicity, drinks, gifts
**NET (DEFICIT)**|£
5,255
392
224
5,871
4,121
-
620
750
1,465
590
227
348
8,121
(2,250)
**Autumn**
**2023**
**Fauré**
**Duruflé**|£
761
-
215
976
-
312
300
150
-
-
136
455
1,353
(377)
**Christmas**
**2023**
**Goudhurst**|£
4,330
373
416
5,119
3,850
-
620
1,350
2,760
340
545
520
9,985
(4,866)
**Spring 2024**
**Beethoven**
**Handel**|£
1,579
-
306
1,885
-
600
300
210
-
-
342
437
1,889
(4)
**Summer**
**2024**
**Chilcott**|**Total for**
**Year**||**_Total_**
**_previous_**
**_year_**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||**£**
11,925
765
1,161||**_£_**
_13,893_
_935_
_708_|
||||||13,851||_15,536_|
||||||7,971
912
1,840
2,460
4,225
930
1,250
1,760||_7,913_
_862_
_1,670_
_2,025_
_4,655_
_-_
_1,245_
_1,803_|
||||||21,348||_20,173_|
||||||(7,497)||_(4,637)_|
## **ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS CHORAL SOCIETY**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
31 JULY 2024
31.7.24 31.7.23
Debtors and Prepayments Note 1
£ £
Next season's costs paid in advance 118 224
118 224
Creditors and Accruals Note 2
£ £
Concert invoice paid after year end 340 -
340 -
**----- End of picture text -----**
5