2023-06-30-accounts - Harpenden Choral Society

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Registered Charity Number 275986

Harpenden Choral Society

Annual Report Year Ended 30[th] June 2023

www.harpendenchoralsociety.org Affiliated to the National Federation of Music Societies

Harpenden Choral Society Annual Report for the year ended 30[th] June 2023

This Annual Report is presented to the Charity Commission by the Trustees of Harpenden Choral Society in accordance with their obligations under charity law and regulation.

Reference and Administrative Information

Charity name: Harpenden Choral Society Registered charity number: 275986

Principal office: 52 Derwent Road, Harpenden, Herts. AL5 3NX

Charity’s trustees:

Gillian Mourant, Chair David Nye, Secretary Michael Walker, Treasurer Melanie Gaches, Membership Secretary Rosemary White, Concert Manager Sheila Mitchell, Publicity Manager Judith Mayall, Librarian Rosemary Russell, Box Office Manager

Honorary President: David Ireson

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing document

Harpenden Choral Society is an unincorporated association, registered with the Charity Commissioners. It is governed by a constitution dated September 2014 (amended March 2020) which was accepted by the Charity Commission on 8[th] November 2014.

Organisational structure

The Society’s trustees are responsible for the management of the Society. They receive no remuneration or other financial benefit. Expenses reimbursed to the trustees are shown in the accounts, which are appended. The trustees confirm that they have made reference to the guidance of the Charities Commission general guidance on public benefit when reviewing their aims, objectives, and future activities of the society.

The trustees meet regularly and are responsible for all decisions made in relation to the Society’s activities. Sub-committees have been set up for publicity and to assist with the selection of the music to be performed by the choir. The sub-committees, some of whose members are not trustees, report back with their recommendations to a full committee meeting of the trustees.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

New trustees are recruited from the Society’s members by the existing trustees.

Consideration is given to personal competence, relevant specialist knowledge and skills, in selecting new trustees, who are elected at the Society’s AGM to serve for a period of three years. Trustees are eligible to stand for re-election at the end of each three-year period.

The Society expects its trustees to work effectively together as members of the committee, devote the necessary time and effort, safeguard the good name and values of the Society, and understand the legal duties, liabilities and responsibilities of trusteeship.

www.harpendenchoralsociety.org Affiliated to the National Federation of Music Societies

Harpenden Choral Society Annual Report for the year ended 30[th] June 2023

New trustees are given a copy of the relevant job description, a ‘Trustee Guide’ which outlines their duties as a trustee, and a copy of the Society’s constitution.

Objectives and Activities

Objects and aims

The objects of the Society are the education of the public in the art and science of choral music by the study, practice and concert performance of choral works and by other activities. The Society intends its activities to contribute to the social and cultural welfare of the community of Harpenden.

The Society achieves its aims through the regular performance of choral music. This is of benefit to the local community and gives people of all persuasions the continuing opportunity to perform, or listen to, choral music in the context of a social gathering.

The Society aims to perform an increasing range of choral music in order for the choir to progress and develop musically. The Society performs choral music of all periods, both sacred and secular, often with the help of professional soloists and instrumentalists.

Achievements and Performance

The Society’s concerts promote singing as a social activity. The trustees and members work to attract new choir members and increase audiences at concerts. Retiring collections are regularly made at the Christmas concert and the proceeds are donated to local charities.

Open Rehearsals are organised in order to aid recruitment; anyone interested in finding out about the choir can come and sing at these events. Members are encouraged to develop their abilities in the choir rehearsals, conducted by the musical director and accompanied by a professional rehearsal pianist.

Workshops, often directed by a professional guest conductor, are held on a regular basis as a further aid to develop the choir’s vocal technique and diction. These events are open to non-members in order to encourage wider community participation and attract new members.

The Society gave four concerts during the 2022-23 season, together with a choral workshop, all at Harpenden Methodist Church.

On 19th November 2022 the choir gave a performance of Handel’s Messiah . The concert featured orchestral accompaniment by The King’s Sinfonietta and four professional soloists. This proved to be a highly popular concert, with tickets sold out ahead of the performance.

The choir’s ever-popular Christmas Carol Concert was on20 December. Many well-known carols gave our audience the chance to sing, and the choir performed carols both old and new. A retiring collection for local charity OneYMCA raised £1,000.

A choral workshop (‘Come & Sing’) was arranged to enable non-members to join the choir in rehearsing and performing Brahms’s Song of Destiny. The workshop was held on 4th February 2023, and was well attended.

On 18th March 2023 the Society performed Vaughan Williams’s cantata Dona Nobis Pacem , followed by Fauré’s Requiem with the King’s Sinfonietta, organ, and two professional soloists.

www.harpendenchoralsociety.org Affiliated to the National Federation of Music Societies

Harpenden Choral Society Annual Report for the year ended 30[th] June 2023

The final concert of the season was held on 24th June 2023.Two works were performed; Rheinberger’s eight-part Mass in E flat for double choir, and Brahms’s Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny) . The choir was accompanied on the organ in the Brahms, whilst the Mass was entirely unaccompanied, as intended by the composer.

This season’s concert programmes were challenging and contributed significantly to the vocal development of the choir members.

Financial Review

Policy on reserves

Reserves are needed to bridge the intervals between expenditure and income and to cover risks such as unplanned expenditure and fall in income. The Society’s main source of income is members’ subscriptions; other sources of revenue are variable.

A publicity team strives to maximise concert attendance and receipts by appropriate advertising. The Society is fortunate to have several patrons and a sponsor, the Williams Church Music Trust, which generally makes an annual grant to the choir. Concerts are the main item of expenditure; these can cost up to £7000 per performance while receipts rarely exceed £2500.

The financial risks to the Society are considered in its reserves policy document, which is reviewed annually. The target range for reserves at the end of the 2022/23 financial year was £12,000 to £15,000.

Subscription policy

The Society’s subscription policy reflects the aim of enabling all within the community, whatever their means, to become members of the Society. A reduced subscription, of no more than one third of the full subscription, is offered to under 30s, full-time students and those in receipt of incomerelated benefits. The trustees take account of the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance when formulating and reviewing subscription policy.

Pricing policy

The price of admission to the Society’s concerts is kept at a low level, even though the gap between receipts and expenditure could be up to £5000 per performance. This assists people on low incomes to attend concerts. A large discount is given for children and students. The trustees take account of the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance when formulating and reviewing pricing policy.

Details of any fund materially in deficit

The Society has no funds which are materially in deficit.

Statement of financial activities

The accounts are appended together with the independent examiner’s report. They comprise the Receipts & Payments Account, the Statement of Assets & Liabilities, and details of receipts and payments for the concerts given in the 2022-23 season. The accounts show that the Society finished the financial year with a surplus of receipts after payments, of £2999.49. Cash and bank balances totalled £14,874.27 held in unrestricted funds.

Comparable figures are provided for the previous season, which recorded a deficit of receipts after payments of £4382.70

The improvement in the current season is due to increased membership of the choir and the minimising of concert expenditure.

www.harpendenchoralsociety.org Affiliated to the National Federation of Music Societies

Harpenden Choral Society Annual Report for the year ended 30[th] June 2023

The Society finished the financial year with total assets of £15,020.20, which compares with £11,915.73 at the end of the previous season. Assets are now at the top of the target range set out above in ‘Policy on reserves’. The budget for the year, revised on 15 January 2024, indicates that this level of reserves is expected to be preserved during the remainder of the season.

No property is owned by the Society.

Declaration of Approval

This Annual Report was approved by the Trustees on 15 January 2024.

Signed on behalf of all the Trustees:

Gillian Mourant Chair 15 January 2024

www.harpendenchoralsociety.org Affiliated to the National Federation of Music Societies

HARPENDEN CHORAL SOCIETY

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2023

Registered Charity Number: 275986

HARPENDEN CHORAL SOCIETY RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR YEAR ENDING 30 JUNE 2023

Sundry receipts receipts Concert receipts (Note 1) Patrons Gift Aid Other receipts Interest received Donations_(Note 2) Christmas Quiz Sale of folders RECEIPTS Members' Subscriptions Friends PAYMENTS Professional fees Rehearsal accommodation Come & Sing less payments Closing bank balances plus cash NET RECEIPTS / PAYMENTS Concert payments (Note 1)_ TOTAL PAYMENTS Purchase of equipment Opening bank balances plus cash Website and Performing Rights fee Administrative expenses Publicity Sundries Rehearsal refreshments Williams Trust grant BpH Wealth Management grant Making Music subscription, insurance TOTAL RECEIPTS	£ £ £ £ 14612.00 11687.00 0.00 40.00 350.00 350.00 2706.75 2135.50 17668.75 14212.50 8741.66 3932.78 121.31 1.50 881.58 457.14 478.67 340.00 130.00 70.00 363.79 149.00 3.92 1,235.82 1,212.00 23.82 68.78 2000.00 2000.00 1000.00 4003.09 4086.42 30413.50 22231.70 8950.00 8220.00 2233.00 1831.50 496.64 412.00 0.00 70.81 99.80 176.80 223.88 198.88 237.43 591.87 144.93 12385.68 11501.86 15028.33 15112.54 27414.01 26614.40 2999.49 -4382.70 11874.78 16257.48 14874.27 11874.78 2022/23 2021/22	£ £ £ £ 14612.00 11687.00 0.00 40.00 350.00 350.00 2706.75 2135.50 17668.75 14212.50 8741.66 3932.78 121.31 1.50 881.58 457.14 478.67 340.00 130.00 70.00 363.79 149.00 3.92 1,235.82 1,212.00 23.82 68.78 2000.00 2000.00 1000.00 4003.09 4086.42 30413.50 22231.70 8950.00 8220.00 2233.00 1831.50 496.64 412.00 0.00 70.81 99.80 176.80 223.88 198.88 237.43 591.87 144.93 12385.68 11501.86 15028.33 15112.54 27414.01 26614.40 2999.49 -4382.70 11874.78 16257.48 14874.27 11874.78 2022/23 2021/22	£ £ £ £ 14612.00 11687.00 0.00 40.00 350.00 350.00 2706.75 2135.50 17668.75 14212.50 8741.66 3932.78 121.31 1.50 881.58 457.14 478.67 340.00 130.00 70.00 363.79 149.00 3.92 1,235.82 1,212.00 23.82 68.78 2000.00 2000.00 1000.00 4003.09 4086.42 30413.50 22231.70 8950.00 8220.00 2233.00 1831.50 496.64 412.00 0.00 70.81 99.80 176.80 223.88 198.88 237.43 591.87 144.93 12385.68 11501.86 15028.33 15112.54 27414.01 26614.40 2999.49 -4382.70 11874.78 16257.48 14874.27 11874.78 2022/23 2021/22


			-4382.70 16257.48 11874.78

HARPENDEN CHORAL SOCIETY STATEMENT OF ASSETS & LIABILITIES AT 30 JUNE 2023

Note Total Assets Less aggregate depreciation Piano at cost Less aggregate depreciation Noticeboard, banner, urn Fixed assets Lloyds Bank savings accounts music stand & card reader at cost Current assets Cash in hand Lloyds Bank current account Surplus/deficit for the year Unrestricted fund Brought forward Cash inflow / outflow for the year Change in value of fixed assets Surplus / deficit for the year	£ £ £ £ 1,146.00 1,146.00 1,145.00 1,145.00 1.00 1.00 956.67 811.74 811.74 771.79 144.93 39.95 100.66 669.73 14,532.46 11,011.15 241.15 193.90 14,874.27 11,874.78 15,020.20 11,915.73 11,915.73 16,326.03 3,104.47 4,410.30 - 15,020.20 11,915.73 2,999.49 4,382.70 - 104.98 27.60 - 3,104.47 4,410.30 - 2022/23 2021/22	£ £ £ £ 1,146.00 1,146.00 1,145.00 1,145.00 1.00 1.00 956.67 811.74 811.74 771.79 144.93 39.95 100.66 669.73 14,532.46 11,011.15 241.15 193.90 14,874.27 11,874.78 15,020.20 11,915.73 11,915.73 16,326.03 3,104.47 4,410.30 - 15,020.20 11,915.73 2,999.49 4,382.70 - 104.98 27.60 - 3,104.47 4,410.30 - 2022/23 2021/22
	956.67 811.74
	100.66 14,532.46 241.15
	11,915.73 3,104.47
		11,915.73
		11,915.73

		4,382.70 - 27.60 -
		4,410.30 -

M J Walker Treasurer July 2023

HARPENDEN CHORAL SOCIETY NOTES FORMING AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2023

	Details of concerts given during the year are as follows: Handel Messiah Carol Concert Faure Requiem Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem Rheinberger Cantus Missae Brahms Song of Destiny Harpenden, 24 June 2023 Harpenden, 18 March 2023 CONCERTS : Concert I Harpenden, 19 November 2022 Concert II Concert III Concert IV Harpenden, 20 December 2022	Details of concerts given during the year are as follows: Handel Messiah Carol Concert Faure Requiem Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem Rheinberger Cantus Missae Brahms Song of Destiny Harpenden, 24 June 2023 Harpenden, 18 March 2023 CONCERTS : Concert I Harpenden, 19 November 2022 Concert II Concert III Concert IV Harpenden, 20 December 2022	Details of concerts given during the year are as follows: Handel Messiah Carol Concert Faure Requiem Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem Rheinberger Cantus Missae Brahms Song of Destiny Harpenden, 24 June 2023 Harpenden, 18 March 2023 CONCERTS : Concert I Harpenden, 19 November 2022 Concert II Concert III Concert IV Harpenden, 20 December 2022	Details of concerts given during the year are as follows: Handel Messiah Carol Concert Faure Requiem Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem Rheinberger Cantus Missae Brahms Song of Destiny Harpenden, 24 June 2023 Harpenden, 18 March 2023 CONCERTS : Concert I Harpenden, 19 November 2022 Concert II Concert III Concert IV Harpenden, 20 December 2022	Details of concerts given during the year are as follows: Handel Messiah Carol Concert Faure Requiem Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem Rheinberger Cantus Missae Brahms Song of Destiny Harpenden, 24 June 2023 Harpenden, 18 March 2023 CONCERTS : Concert I Harpenden, 19 November 2022 Concert II Concert III Concert IV Harpenden, 20 December 2022
	Concert I	Concert II	Concert III	Concert IV	Total
	£	£	£	£
Receipts
Ticket sales	3,399.65	2,123.33	1,775.50	1,443.18	8,741.66
Payments	6,233.53	1,741.25	5,114.73	1,938.82	15,028.33
Net surplus/deficit	2,833.88 -	382.08	3,339.23 -	495.64 - 6,286.67 -

2 Donations

£520 from choir members;

£245.58 via the Easy Fund Raising & Amazon Smile schemes

£116 from supporters

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examlnerfs raport on the accounts Sectioii A Indepetidetit Examitier's Report R•port to tha tru•t• On •ccount forth• yr nd•d Sc) CJW CrIty no Ilf any) S•t out on pg I report to the trustees on my exarnination of the 8cwunts ofthts thbtsvtr charity I'tho Trust'l for iho year ended Ra8pon81bllltS08 and A8 tha charfty tvu&tees of the Tru8t. you arè ra8wslblè fortha praparation b••l• of r•port of tha account8 in accordanca ith th8 requirements of the Charit8 Act 2011 Ixhe Aci'l. I report in re8P8Ct of rny 8xaminabon of the Trust's acKounts Carr o undèr 8•10n 145 of thtr 2011 Ad and in carrwng OLrt my èxamlnatlon, I have followed the applica? Direction8 giv8n by th8 Charty Commission under section 14515llbl (>f the Act I have comF%eted my axamination. I confimi that no material mattars have come to my 8tt8ntion (other than that di8dosed low.) in connection w•ith the examination which gives me rAU5e to believe that in. #ny rnatsrial lTrd8pondent xamln8rf8 •t•tomont 8¢¢OUtity f•¢ord$ re not kept in •c¢ord&n¢o with 8ectron 130 of th8 Act or havo rKs conc&rn8 and havo como acro88 no other mattw8 in conno¢tion with the examination tts whi¢h attèntion should ba dravm In ordarto &nab proper understanding of the accounts to ba reach8d. te the words in the br8ckets rfthey do nol apply. 81on•d.. Dt•: 201 N•m•: R•levani prof•8•lon*l quallfic•tlonl¥l or bo(ly Ill •nyl- AddM•: IER Octobgr 2018

Section B Disclostire Only ¢omplet& rfthe examingr needs to hvJhlsght matters of concern 18w CC32. Independent examination of Chartty accounts". direction8 ond guidance for examtnersl. Glv• Iwr• b•f d•t•ll• of any Itwn¥ that the •x•mln•rwl•h•• to ieR OCtor 2018