OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2025-08-31-accounts

Meeting Type: AGM Location: d:two Date: 20[th] October 2025 at 20:30 Attendees: HCS members, committee & officers

Item
no.		 Subject Reports and discussion Agreed
action		 Who When
1 Apologies Jenny Haywood Judy Skeet Heather Wood Liz Ware Catherine Williams Anne Thomas
2 Previous
AGM
Minutes
(2024)		 Minutes for 2024 have been posted on the website.
The Chair recommended that the minutes were adopted and this was approved.		 Approved All
3 Matters
arising		 None
4 Chair report:
Angela Law		 We have had a fantastic and enjoyable season from Autumn 2024 to Summer 2025. In the Autumn we
had the fun and challenge of having a temporary Musical Director Hilary Campbell. She took us through
the very enjoyable rendition of Handel Messiah and taught us all better vocal techniques. Meanwhile, our
wonderful Musical Director Richard Harker was experiencing his own fun and challenges while on
Paternity leave and welcoming his son Roman.
Our two major concerts were sold out in 2024-25, (and the Summer concerts very nearly so) You are our
best ticket agents and do agreatjob, as well as the superb and knowledgeable work of our excellent and

HCS AGM 20th October 2025

Page 1

very hard working publicity team Jane Edwards and Wendy Reed. We run successfully because of the group of people who willingly and brilliantly give their time volunteering - thanks to them. We are lucky to have such an excellent Musical Director, Richard Harker and we are likewise very fortunate to have two brilliant accompanists, Dave Smith and Anita d’Attellis.

Autumn 2024

In the Autumn term we really enjoyed having Hilary Campbell with us. Hilary really worked us on our physical aspects of vocal technique and also on putting across a performance. She really helped us see new colours in the Messiah and was a great choice of stand in.

Hilary also led a public workshop on the Messiah in the Autumn term, and although this had some practical challenges on the day (St Mary’s unable to find the key to access the cupboard containing microphone and lighting) it was very enjoyable and was a profitable event that raised funds. We will carry through any learning to the next public Workshop on Brahms German Requiem.

Our Christmas concert was Handel’s Messiah. And, having sung this many times under many different Musical Directors I have to say this was a stonking performance – despite not one but two of the soloists dropping out the day before. It included singing the Hallelujah chorus off score. There is a clip of this on the website.

Particular thanks to Katharine Foderingham for her terrific concert manager work on this concert. There was far more work than usual because Richard was away and I am hugely appreciative of all the work that Katherine, her partner and all the amazing concert volunteers did.

The term ended with a fun, well attended, Christmas dinner, organised by Francis Piesse. We will be doing this again. Please do get involved.

Spring 2024

Bach Mass in b minor. I have been a member since 2010 and can say hand on heart this is the most challenging piece I have ever sung – and I believe HCS has sung in that time. Huge thanks to David Lewis for finding a new source of sung rehearsal part tracks and organising and distributing them – that made a huge difference. All those who stuck it out were rewarded with a fantastic concert.

Richard is right to challenge us, and it was a challenge in many ways but so rewarding.

HCS AGM 20th October 2025

Page 2

Summer 2024

After the intellectual rigour of Bach, the summer concert was full of great tunes. We had a fabulous workshop in May – once again organised by Felicity Bazell with Miriam Allen helping us become more confident and relaxed using a variety of vocal techniques.

Our Summer concert at Christ Church was described as: ‘a series of innovative choral showstoppers’ and so it proved to be Haydn’s Insanae et Vanae Curae, the Magnificat by Pergolesi, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasia in C major and the Mozart Coronation Mass.

Highlight of this concert was the solos performed by our own members. This was noted and appreciated by the audience. This is an excellent development by Richard and happening again this Christmas.

Thanks to soloists Claudia Klaver, Kate Ayers, Vittoria Compagnoni, Wendy Reed, Graham Marsden, David Lewis, Francie Piesse, David Bagshaw, Dru Ross, Charlotte Lynch, Tom Foster.

Another highlight was having Dave’s superb accompaniment throughout and Richard and Dave’s two hander of Variations by Schubert. I spoke to many of the audience as they were leaving and they were in raptures.

We ended the year with a lovely summer party, kindly hosted by Elfrida Calvocoressi in her beautiful house and garden in Bix Bottom with a lovely set of photos by Hannah Skalleberg.

We also ended with year with a Member Survey. The previous survey was undertaken in 2013, so it was about time!

We had 90 replies, and it was very helpful to get your thoughts and feedback on all aspects of HCS. We have carried that forward into discussion of future repertoire and events and into Richards’ review.

You can read the full review on the member section of the website (password hcs2014)

If you want to have influence, volunteer for a role and get on the Committee - that’s where the decisions are made.

Membership

One of my ambitions is to keep re-plenishing the membership, to encourage younger members. And to try and keep the balance and effort in getting tenor and bass members.

HCS AGM 20th October 2025

Page 3

Again, you are our best recruitment agents so do please talk to your friends about singing.

Season 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25 25-
26
39
40
17
19
115
Sopranos 42 46 42 46 39
Altos 31 33 37 40 42
Tenors 12 13 13 13 13
Basses 16 20 18 17 18
Total 101 112 110 116 112

Table: Active HCS members according to membership lists

Great to see the tenor section growing. It has been lovely to welcome new members both in the past season and in the recent term.

Of course in this season 25-26 year we have also launched the Choral Scholars scheme, and we are delighted to welcome Ellie Vockins who was inspired to pursue her love of music and singing by being a member of Henley Youth Choir.

Thank you

Henley Choral Society, a charity registered with the Charity Commission, exists to educate the public in the arts and sciences, and in particular the art and science of music, by the presentation of concerts and other activities.

It relies entirely on the time and efforts of volunteers. No one is paid, nor receives benefits from the charity. So, we should all be hugely grateful for the time and efforts of all the volunteers who enable to charity to fulfil its purpose.

We are especially grateful for the additional support that the Friends of Henley Choral Society provide. It is a welcome addition to our resources. Thank you to Jane Redley and Fiona O’Shea, for their work with the Friends.

This year has been marked by some terrific publicity work. So, thank you to Jane Edwards and Wendy Reed for their fantastic input.

Thank you to Fi Harding, Jo Dickson and the whole team at HYC – which includes Felicity Bazell, Susan Edwards, Maureen Smith, Wendy Hawkins, Raquel Dominguez and Jan French. Certainly, their joint

HCS AGM 20th October 2025

Page 4

Summer concert with Studio Forcada was a highlight of the year. I especially want to thank Jo Dickson for her fantastic hard work and success in applying to the grants that keep HYC afloat. Felicity Bazell will tell you more in her report on HYC.

Thank you to our founding member, Wendy Hawkins, who acts as membership secretary and many other activities, including practicing with sections - essential and much appreciated for the Bach - and organising the reviewers for our concerts, and all the front of house arrangements. Wendy is a fount of wisdom on all aspects of HCS, and her support is very much appreciated.

I will say more about concert management in a moment, but I also want to thank all those who give up their time so generously to collect the staging, put it up and take it down. I am also so appreciative of the fact that people rope in their partners and children to do this.

We have had a significant and very welcome uplift to funds from the claiming of previous years’ Gift Aid. This has been done with fantastic diligence by Michael Kay. Thank you.

Thank you to Aileen Gleeson and Jo Dickson for organising the seating and Catherine Williams for corralling us in going on and off the stage in an orderly fashion.

Thanks to Nigel Grundy for banking and countless other activities. He is always to be found helping out where needed.

We are very grateful to the voice representatives, who do a vital job in supporting you all: Michael Kay, David Bentley, Jo Dickson, Meg Ashby and Magdalen Hoskins.

Making sure we are provided with cakes and drinks at the right time, Meg and Peter Ashby, Nigel Grundy, David Lewis, Toni Aitken, Anne Frankum, and all the others who step in to help.

We could not sing without Jenny Wager, our brilliant librarian, who has risen to every challenge we throw at her and is always fantastically well organised and now to Raquel Dominguez for stepping in to this role.

Thank you to Peter Ashby and Heather Webb for opening up d:two every week, and to the team of people who come early to help set up the hall and sort the chairs. Equally huge thanks to all those then put the chairs away and a special thanks to David Bagshaw for checking we leave the hall as it is and locking up the building after every rehearsal.

Thank you to Jan French who continues to pass on website enquiries and emails.

Thanks to Mike Hails for running the raffle and providing us with much needed extra revenue.

HCS AGM 20th October 2025

Page 5

Thanks to Glynnis Akehurst and Fiona O’Shea and more recently to Bridget Martindale for organising the gifts for professionals at our concerts.

Nick Richardson is not singing due to other commitments however he continues to do a fantastic job as our Staging Leading – sorting the essential job of storing, collecting, managing the putting up of the staging under the H&S protocols that were so ably commissioned and then everything to do with the derig and taking it back to storage.

Thank you to Francis Piesse for always stepping in to help on such things as putting up posters in advance of concerts, moving the conductor’s plinth and organising our Christmas parties. Francis will also be organising the coaches for the Brahms in Reading.

Dru Ross works incredibly hard to bring together the programme.

Enormous thanks to Toni Aitken for her absolute determination in so successfully finding programme sponsors who submit adverts, and to Jenny Haywood for her support.

Many thanks to my fellow Trustees of the Charity:

And to all of you who also step in to help – on task from moving chairs to making cakes and washing teacups - a huge thanks.

Finally after a year as Chair I want to say thank you to you all for your enthusiasm, your good humour and your support.

HCS AGM 20th October 2025

Page 6

5 Musical
Director’s
report:
Richard
Harker		 Richard reiterated gratitude for all those who volunteer, and added his particular, personal thanks:
•
To the HYC team, who do such an important and vital job and work so hard
•
To Hilary Campbell for covering his paternity leave, bringing her incomparable talents and
professionalism to bear on our singing.
•
To Felicity Bazell for all her hard work on concert management .
•
To Angela for her support, as Chair.
He reflected on the significant progress that the choir has made in recent years; we have become more
responsive to direction, improved in note accuracy and pitch and are heading to good new places.. He
expressed thanks for our hard work and for putting our trust in him.
6 Finance
Report: Tim
Wilson,
Treasurer		 Copies of the approved accounts for 2024-25, signed off by an Independent Examiner for submission to
the Charity Commission, were circulated before the meeting (also posted on the HCS website).
The Henley Choral Society has enjoyed a successful financial year, achieving a surplus in contrast to recent
years. This positive outcome reflects the dedication and hard work of many individuals and the continued
support of our members and community partners.
The surplus has been made possible through several key income streams:
1. Gift Aid– thanks to the diligent efforts ofMike Kayin managing and submitting claims.
2. Ticket Sales– successfully overseen byJane EdwardsandWendy Reed, contributing significantly to
our overall revenue.
3. Henley Youth Choir Grants– secured and managed byJo Dickson, providing valuable support for our
youth activities.
4. Programme Sponsorship– coordinated byJenny Haywood,Toni Aitken & Dru Ross, whose work has
strengthened relationships with local sponsors.
5. Membership Subscriptions– efficiently managed byWendy Hawkins, ensuring consistent income
from our members.

HCS AGM 20th October 2025

Page 7

  1. “Come and Sing” Event – organised by Felicity Bazel , which generated both financial and community engagement benefits.

In addition, several other activities have continued to provide important, ongoing income:

  1. Friends Scheme – coordinated by Jane Redley .

  2. Raffle – managed by Mike Hails .

  3. Bar Sales – run by Peter Ashby , David Lewis , and Nigel Grundy .

  4. Rehearsal Tracks – produced and maintained by David Lewis .

Special thanks are due to Jenny Wager , our librarian who has to manage large numbers of payments related to the purchase and hire of music, and the collection of payments. Thanks also to Mike Hails and Nigel Grundy for managing the physical banking of cash and cheques.

Looking ahead, the Society faces several financial commitments which will place increased demands on our resources. For this reason, an increase in membership fees has become necessary. Key upcoming expenditures include:

The Society remains in a sound financial position and is committed to ensuring that future spending supports both artistic excellence and the long-term sustainability of our activities.

HCS AGM 20th October 2025

Page 8

The income and expenditure of HCS The income and expenditure of HCS The income and expenditure of HCS The income and expenditure of HCS The income and expenditure of HCS over the over the last seven years: last seven years:
2024-25
£73,146

£58,911
£14,235
to 2023-24):
2018-19
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
Income £59,850 £43,320 £27,603 £63,190 £61,667 £58,647 £73,146
Expenditure £58,820
£42,350
£25,536
£71,497
£66,994
£60,733
£58,911
Surplus/ (deficit) £1,030
£970		 £2,067 -£8,307 -£5,328 -£2,086 £14,235
The chief reasons for HCS making a surplus this financial year (compared
Difference

£6,782

£2,275

£150

£166

£1,320

£5,919

£1,676
2023-24 2024-25 Difference
Gift Aid £0 £6,782
£6,782
HYC grants £2,450 £4,725
£2,275
Friends £2,789 £2,939
£150
Raffle £1,018 £1,184
£166
Programme sponsor
£2,280		 £3,600
£1,320
Ticket sales £15,712 £21,631
£5,919
HCS Membership £16,810.00 £18,486
£1,676

HCS AGM 20th October 2025

Page 9

7 Henley Youth Prepared by the Committee of the Henley Youth Choirs, the Junior and Senior Choir, approved and Choir Report: delivered on behalf of the HYC Committee. delivered by Felicity Bazell 2024-2025 highlights: A busy year, under the leadership of MDs Jen Statham (for the Autumn term) and Richard Harker (for the Spring and Summer terms) both who the children really enjoyed working with. Both MDs continued to expand the repertoire of the junior and senior choir, mixing fun rehearsals, informal performances and formal concerts. This year was HYC’s 10[th] anniversary.

Safeguarding: Children who take part in performances are required to have a licence to perform in most venues. Where necessary, HYC use a Body of Persons Approval (BOPA) licence from an umbrella body to cover all children within HYC. The umbrella body requires HCS and HYC to have relevant policies, documents and training in place, including a Safeguarding Policy.

As per last year, performances are covered under a license where this is necessary and all activities are undertaken in line with the Safeguarding Policy.

Administration: The band of volunteer HCS members led by Fi Harding are an exemplary and experienced team, and the two children’s choirs are a very important opportunity for those children from 5 to 17 years to access professional tuition in singing and music making. We must all thank the whole team for all their hard work and dedication during all three terms of the year, and the children delight in working with music professionals, Jen, Richard and Anita. Fi Harding founder member and chief organizer and Designated Safeguarding Officer for the choirs is a force of nature – thank you Fi from everyone connected with the choirs, children, adults, supporters, friends.

Membership: Numbers of members over the 3 terms of 2024-25 vary but are broadly 25 across both choirs.

Performances:

Autumn term: - Thamesfield Retirement Village, Dec 2024. - Christmas Jingle, The Green Room, Dec 2024.

HCS AGM 20th October 2025

Page 10

Recruitment: continues with workshops at local schools.

Funding/Sponsorship:

Donations and grants received: Invesco: January 2025 £1,250 for 6 bursary places. The Arts Society Henley: £500 for bursary places. Private Donation: £500 for bursary places. Henley Educational Trust: £1,000 for bursary places. Henley Bridge Charity: £525 for music purchase. Henley Playing Cards: £36 from sales of playing cards. Henley Town Council: £525 for school workshops. Tesco / Groundworks: £500 for school workshops (to be spent in 2025-26).

Huge thanks to:

HCS AGM 20th October 2025

Page 11

8 Safeguarding:
DSO, FI
Harding
delivered on
her behalf by
Felicity Bazell		 The Safeguarding Policy for Henley Choral Society (including the Henley Youth Choirs) was updated, signed
and published on the website at: https://henleychoralsociety.org.uk,
It was approved by all trustees on 16 October 2025 and recommended for adoption by the whole
society. It will be reviewed after one year, in October 2026. The new policies which HCS have undertaken
to review each year or at the agreed interval have been or will be published on the Society’s website.
Children who take part in performances are required to have a licence to perform in most venues. Where
necessary, HYC use a Body of Persons Approval (BOPA) licence from an umbrella body (Brass Bands
England) to cover all children within HYC. The umbrella body requires HCS and HYC to have relevant
policies, documents and training in place, including a Safeguarding Policy.
All HYC activities are undertaken in line with the Safeguarding Policy.
There have been no safeguarding issues reported in the past year.
There will be a report to each AGM on Safeguarding.
9 Nominations
and elections
for
committee
members
and trustees		 TRUSTEES:All the trustees are within term
COMMITTEE MEMBERS:Two new nominations were agreed :
Raquel Dominguez is to take on the role of Librarian
proposed by Jenny Wager seconded by Felicity Bazell
Claudia Klaver is to take on the role of Social Secretary
proposed by Kate Ayers, seconded by MelissaMAPLE??
All current committee members were approved as a block
proposed by Peter Ashby, seconded by Susan Edwards.
All choir members were encouraged to come forward to fill concert management roles, which are still
vacant.

HCS AGM 20th October 2025

Page 12

10 AOB and
close		 Susan Edwards proposed a vote of thanks to the Chair and the meeting was brought to a close.

HCS AGM 20th October 2025

Page 13

Henley Choral Society
2		 Henley Choral Society
2		 Henley Choral Society
2		 Henley Choral Society
2		 CC16a
For the period
from		 1st September 2024 To
Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts to the nearest £
21,632
1,380
22,469
2,939
6,782
1,094
4,870
30
2,630
3,600
1,639
4,081
73,146
-
73,146
14,813
6,555
7,079
3,280
3,086
7,182
3,171
-
3,646
489
3,458
6,087
65
58,911
-
58,911
Unrestricted
funds		 to the nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Restricted
funds		 to the nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Endowment
funds		 Total funds
to the nearest £
21,632
1,380
22,469
2,939
6,782
1,094
4,870
30
2,630
3,600
1,639
4,081
73,146
-
73,146
14,813
6,555
7,079
3,280
3,086
7,182
3,171
-
3,646
489
3,458
6,087
65
58,911
-
58,911		 Last year
to the nearest £
Ticket Sales 21,632 15,712
Programme Sales 1,380 1,044
Member Subs 22,469 21,225
Friends Donations 2,939 3,768
Gift aid tax relief 6,782 -
Bank interest 1,094 1,075
Donations 4,870 3,450
Hire of music to members 30 -
Sales of music to members 2,630 6,090
Advertisingrevenue 3,600 2,832
Bar takings 1,639 845
Sundry 4,081 2,773
Sub total 73,146 58,815
Total receipts
A3 Payments
A2 Asset and investment sales,
etc.
-
58,815
Conductors fee 14,813 12,479
Accompanist's fees 6,555 7,700
Orchestra Fees 7,079 10,558
Soloist's Fees 3,280 4,084
Other fees 3,086 772
Hall hire 7,182 6,430
Equipment hire 3,171 768
Music Hire - 531
Music purchase 3,646 6,647
Bar Expenses 489 646
Publicity 3,458 5,150
Sundry 6,087 4,763
Bank charges 65 205
Sub total 58,911 60,733
Total payments
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, etc.
-
58,911 - 60,733
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end		 14,235 - - 14,235 - 1,918
- - - - -
54,698 - - 54,698 56,616
68,933 - - 68,933 54,698

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories
B1 Cash funds
B2 Other monetary assets
B3 Investment assets
B5 Liabilities
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees		 Details
CAF CURRENT
CAF DEPOSIT
HSBC
Details
N/A
Details
N/A
Details
N/A
Details
N/A
Signature
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))		 to nearest £
to nearest £
11,476
-
53,141
-
4,316
-
68,933
-
OK
OK
to nearest £
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Print Name
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Fund to which
asset belongs
Fund to which
asset belongs
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(optional)		 to nearest £
Endowment
funds
-
-
-
-
OK
to nearest £
Endowment
funds
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
Date of
approval

CHARIT¥ COMMIS￿014 I FOR ENGLANO AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the tTUStoesl members of HENLEY CHORAL SOCIErY On accounts for the year ended 3110812025 Charity no (if any) 276728 Set out on pages Respective The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. responsibilities of The charity's trustees consider that an audrt is not required for this year trustees and examinor under section 43{2) of the Charrties Act 1993 {the 1993 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to.. examine the accounts under section 43 of the 1993 Act. to follow the Pro￿dureS laid down in the general Directions gtven by the Charity Commission (under section 43{7)(b) of the 1993 Act, and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of independent My examination was carried out in aCCordar￿e with general Directions given examinerfs statoment by the Chartty Commission. An examination indudes a review of the accounting records kept by the chanty and a comparison of the accounts presenled wrth those records. It also indudes consideration of any unusual items or disclosure5 in the accounts. and seeking explanations from the ITUStees conceming any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the eviden￿ that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is gtven as to whether the accounts present a Irue and fairf view and the rep)rt is limrted to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention examinerfs statement 1. whith gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material resped, the requirements" to keep accounting records in aC￿rdan￿ with section 41 of the 1993 Act; and to prepare accounts which awL)rd with the accounting records and comply with the accounbng requirements of the 1993 Act have not been met . or 2. to vthich, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Date: 2910912025 Nam•: JOANNE GRUNDONNER Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (rf any): A4T Addross: 37 Grove Street. Wantage, OX12 7AG IER October 2025