## London Pro Arte Choir Trustees' report and accounts Year ended 31 August 2025 Charity number 276361 www.lpac.org.uk ## **Report of the trustees for the year ended 31 August 2025** The trustees of the London Pro Arte Choir present the annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2025. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities. ## **Objectives and activities for the public benefit** The objectives of the choir as set out in the constitution are "to educate the public and members of the choir in music by the presentation of concerts and other activities". In addition the choir raises money for charities at concerts. This year we had a retiring collection at our December concert which raised £450 for Homeless Action in Barnet. The choir has had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. ## **Achievements and performance during the year** The choir promoted four concerts during the year, all at St. Michael’s Church, Mill Hill: |23|November 2024|Bach|Christmas Oratorio (parts 1-3)| |---|---|---|---| |14|December 2024|Carols for choir and|audience| |22|March 2025|Rossini|Salve regina| |||Verdi|Pater noster| |||Puccini|Requiem| |||Verdi|Stabat mater| |||Verdi|Chorus of the Hebrew slaves| |||Puccini|Messa di Gloria| |28|June 2025|Schubert|Four part songs| |||Brahms|Schicksalslied| |||Vaughan Williams|Toward the Unknown Region| |||Vaughan Williams|Three folksongs| |||Vaughan Williams|In Windsor Forest| We had 37 Thursday evening rehearsals to train members in singing and prepare for concerts. We also had four social events which raised funds to support the concerts. ## **Financial review** In 2024-25 our income was £27,588 (2023-24: £26,057) and our expenditure was £29,204 (2023-24: £25,117) giving a deficit of £1,615 (2023-24: surplus £940). The choir's income comes primarily from concert tickets, members' subscriptions, sponsorship and donations from choir members. The size of the choir fell to around 45 of whom some 35 were active. Concessions are available for members who cannot afford the full subscription or are under 25. 1 We were grateful for sponsorship of £2,000 from the Williams Church Music Trust, £1,000 from the Morgan Charitable Foundation, and for donations from choir members and others. ## **Risk management** Our principal risk is promoting concerts which make a deficit. We manage this risk by limiting the number of concerts with orchestral accompaniment, budgeting and monitoring our costs closely and seeking sponsorship and other sources of income. ## **Reserves** We ended the year with reserves of £4,947 (2023: £6,563), which are all unrestricted. The reserves are nearly all in bank deposits and needed to cover concert deficits and ensure we can meet our obligations. Our target reserves are between £5,000 and £10,000. ## **Plans for the future** We intend to promote a similar pattern of concerts and other activities in 2025-26. We have chosen the musical programme in order to attract audiences and keep costs down. We have already secured £3,000 in sponsorship for the 2025-26 season, which is shown as deferred income ## **Structure, governance and management** The choir is an unincorporated association operating under a constitution which was adopted on 18 January 1996 and amended on 24 February 2005 and 26 January 2006. The choir is governed by the trustees who form the management committee and are elected at the AGM. Casual vacancies are filled by co-option by the committee. All committee members have specific roles and they are supported by other choir members. Induction and training is provided informally as required by other choir members. No choir members receive any remuneration, but any expenses incurred on behalf of the choir are reimbursed. The overall programme for the year is decided by the committee and Musical Director. The financial plans and detailed arrangements are decided by the committee and the chairman as appropriate. Detailed musical decisions including rehearsals and selection of performers are taken by the Musical Director, in consultation with the committee. The choir has no employees and the Musical Director, accompanist, soloists and orchestral players are all freelance professionals. The fees of the Musical Director and accompanist are reviewed periodically based on CPI and the remuneration of other performers is negotiated based on market rates. 2 ## **Charity registration** ## **London Pro Arte Choir** number 276361 ## **Address** The choir does not have an office but can be contacted via St Michael's Church, Flower Lane, London NW7 2JA or at info@lpac.org.uk. ## **Trustees** Lorraine Benton Concert manager (from 13 May 2025) Catrin Bradley Minutes secretary Loretta Cox Chairman Shirley Durling Box office Gill Ellen Social events (till 13 May 2025) Keith Ellen Concert manager (till 13 May 2025) Carole Endersby Publicity Hadley Hunter Treasurer Aviva Shafritz Social events (from 13 May 2025) Judy Vicary Librarian ## **Professional musicians** Tom Winpenny Musical Director Phoebe Tak Man Chow Accompanist **Independent examiner** Will Fyans **Bankers** Metro Bank **Website** www.lpac.org.uk Approved by the trustees on 14 October 2025 Loretta Cox (Chairman) 3 LONDON PRO ARTE CHOIR ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS Recei ts Books Donations Friends income GiftAid M u5ic hire income Other income Produce Raffleltombola Refreshments Social events Sponsorship subscriptions Tickets Total receipts Pa ments Accompanist Charity Church/hall hire Coiiductor Credit card fee Drinks Food Gifts Instrument hireltuning Insurance Licences and memberships M iscellaneous costs M usic costs Orchestra Orchestral parts Printing and publicity Programme printing Soloists Website Total payrnents Surplus {Defi¢itl 2024-25 2023-24 30 3,004 210 2,549 51 233 255 2,300 210 2,480 130 310 308 ij 358 577 2,955 4,000 8,240 406 486 1,401 2,500 9,280 27,588 26,057 5,170 450 3,850 8,155 109 316 772 87 630 155 397 566 637 4,795 4,585 700 3,616 7,310 67 192 137 107 480 151 361 73 328 4,235 182 443 85 1,925 139 670 115 2,140 189 11,6151 940 BALANCE SHEET Cash Stock Prepayments Deferred income Creditors Assets Funds 31 Aug 2025 7,821 126 31 Aug 2024 10,148 188 227 14,0001 13,0001 4,947 6,563 All receipts, payments and funds are unrestricted A44 Approved by the trustees on 14 October 2025 Hadley Hunter (Treasurerl Registered charity 276361 ## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** ## _**Section A Independent Examiner’s Report**_ **----- Start of picture text -----**
Report to the trustees/ London Pro Arte Choir
members of
On accounts for the year 31 August 2025 Charity no 276361
ended (if any)
Set out on pages 1-4
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**Respective** The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in **responsibilities of trustees** accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). **and examiner** The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Act and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, - to follow the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Act, and - to state whether particular matters have come to my attention **Basis of independent examiner’s statement** My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. 5 **Independent examiner's** In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my **statement** attention (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities 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. ## * _Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply._ |**Signed:**
**Name:**
**Relevant professional**
**qualification(s) or body (if**
**any):**
**Address:**|**Date:**|3 October 2025| |---|---|---| |||| ||Norman William Fyans|| |||| ||Certified Accounting Technician|| |||| ||89 Chalet Estate|| ||Hammers Lane|| ||London NW7 4DL|| ## _**Section B Disclosure**_ Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). **Give here brief details of** None **any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** . 6