COLCHESTER CHORAL SOCIETY
{Roglstered Charlty No 278894)
ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS
30 JUNE 2025

COLCHESTER CHORAL SOCIETY
CONTENTS
Page
Annual report
Rep￿ of the independent examiner
Statement of receipts and payments
Statement of assets and Ikqbilities

COLCHESTER CHORAL SOCIETY
ANNUAL REPORT
YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025
The Commrttee wesents this and the financial statements of the s￿Iety for the year
erKled 30 June 2025, in ￿)rdance with the Charities Act 2011.
Eslabllshrnent and objects
The Society is established as a registered charity under No. 278894. Its objects are to
promote. improve, devek)p and maintain education in and appreciation of the art and science
of musi¢ and in particJJlar of choral music.
The Twstees have gNen due conSiderat￿n to the Charity Commission's publlshed guidance
on the Publi¢ Benefrt requirement under the Charities Ad 2011. The main activities
undertaken to further the Society's purposes lor the public benefrt in the period vRre the
promotK)n and perfomance of choral music as described wi Ihe review of developments,
activrties and achievements sectm.
Structure, governance and management
The Society is govemed by its constrlutk)n ajopted on 10 October 1979, revised on 6 October
2010 and is managed by an Executive Commrttee consisting of elected Officers and other
members. The Officers are elected annually by ballot at the Annual General Meeting. The
Committee meets regularly during the ¢onc8rt season.
The Officers during the year under review were as follows:
President
Ch8iman
TreaSu￿r
Secretary
Committee Member
Committee Member
Committee Member
Committee Member
Committee Member
Committee Member
'. GLYdon Kuphal
Peter Bartlett (Trustee)"
Jane Askew (Trustee)"
Susan Diddams (Trusteel"
Nigel Humphreys (Tfuslee)"
Lindsay Wlson (Trustee)"
Caroline Faiers
Ray Wlson
Nora w1￿MS
Mary DavKJson
' denotes Trustee in post at the balance sheet date.
The address for correspondence of the Charity is care of the Secretary at 146 Boume R¢)ad,
Colcl*ster C02 8RS.
Advlsers
The Stxiety banks with Lloyds Bankfvig Group P￿.
Sanskruli Purohit. acts independent examiner under the Charities Act.

COLCHESTER CHORAL SOCIETY
ANNUAL REPORT - {contlnued)
YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT 202&25
This year we are pleased to reflect on the 82nd Anniversary of Colchester Choral Society and
once again I would like to thank all of our members and supporters for making this possible.
Vve started our 2024-25 concert season wtth our November perfomance of Mendelssohn's
Elijah which was well presented especially given the absences and reduced numbers able to
attend rehearsals. Kate Symmonds-Joy our atto soloist thanked us for'an incredibly enjoyab
Elijah, and thought the choir were superb, ￿￿th a speu'al mention lo Ihose from the thoir vkno
took on quartet wts. There were also many favourabie Comments from audience members
and supporters.
Our thanks again go to Carfa Hales. Districl Lea4 Tutor. assisted with Prov￿1n9 a Sing
Up children's choir for the December Concert Here Comes Christmas. with Gillian Ward
Russell on the organ arKI compered again by Liz Mullen of BBC Essex. A 'very well done, to
the smaller choir who sang very well and the children who perfMned magnrfl￿n1Iy.
Our March cOn￿rt started wi an esFecially challenging vmy h￿th many and prolonged
dffr￿u￿les in oblaining music, something we naturally take for granted for each concert. Qur
thanks go to our Librarian Mary for the detemmied and relentless efforts made lo ensure we
were able to sing desprte Ihe procurement delays. For this concert of Italian Baroque Music
by Monteverdi, Bononcvii, Carissimi & Vivaldi are pleased to congratulate all the members
of the thoir who sang the solo parts with great confidence and assurance. resulting again in
many favourabk crxnmenls from the audierte.
For our Summer Concert ¥￿ travelled to Dedhan's Assembly Ro¢Jns to perfonm English
romantic songs, French songs and Brrtish folk st)ngs. It was an incredibly hot day which made
singing challenging, resutling in a perforrnan￿ that was spirited and expressive. 11 was also
lovely to listen to Catherine Wood's flute ptaying vthTrch added another dimension to our
concert. And Ihe atmos*bere and strabvberries and Cream very enjoyable.
Cxher concerns that have been attended to by the Choir this year. and probably the most
signrficanl, has been the launch of a new Y￿bsite. moving from Making Music. The committee
have also identified a requirement for a slr*egy shrft to marketing. promotion of CCS. fund-
raising & sponsorship. As part of this foNRrd planning a Concert check list has been created
to reduce time on discussing standard arrangements and enable us to con$hJer the broader
picture and the k)nger temi needs of the Society.
The quote for retxanding and web design was approved from Paul Haises Design. The
aims were to ensure clear concert details, markeling. Ghoir ethos, ticket purchase
confirmations and infomation updates on the new Y￿bsIte, and subsequently remove the
need for paper tickels to be posted out. In effect a clean clear modem websrte which is now
up and running - our special thanks go to Mary and Ray handled the bulk of this work
with Paul.
We also decided on a rrKYe relaxed apW0￿h to Cmcert dress with changing to black
open necked shirts, with or wrthoui jackets. n lir￿ wrth current national trends.
We also have to report that the IndeFendent Financial ExaminatIc￿ is no bnger a free audit
and approval Servi￿ going forward from Scnrtton Bland. This was provkled in memory of

COLCHESTER CHORAL SOCIETY
ANNUAL REPORT - (conllnued}
YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025
David Foster a previous choir member and Treasurer. Vlk thank them for their support over
many years.
INe have expressed tjjr concem to the Council over redevelopment F4ans for part of Brttannia
car park behind St Botolph's and the potential implutions wilh the loss of this facility for
concert goers.
We are grateful to Matthew for organising a Fund-raising quiz in May. and have introduced a
very successful post-concert social gathering at the Purple Dog ¢M the Vkdnesday following
the cc￿certs.
Finally I would like to conclude my report by thanking all of ¢)ur members for their commitment
and efforts made to perfomi wrth such passion and skill and to continue to deliver a very high
perfomance level.
Flnanclal revlew
These a¢¢ounts p￿sent the r￿eIPtS and payments forthe financial year ended 30 June 2025,
alongside the 2024 comparatives, as well as a statement of assets and liabilities. Overall
in￿rne from conwts, including sponsorshlp for the 2025 financial year was £9.256 {2024'.
£7,793). We are grateful to the efforts of thoir members for their efforts in increasing audiene
numbers for our COn￿rts, thich vffie above budget for both CAJr November and June
concerts.
Total costs of staging concerts li the year were £17.751 (2024: £19,161).
Subscriptions income inthdes both choir memberfs subscriptions and subsuiptions from Ihe
Friends of the Society. In addition to subscriptions income, we h￿re also incredibly grateful
to receNe general donations lotaling £5.962 {2024'. £691). This included a signrficanl one-off
donation from a SUPF)Orter of the Society. We we able to recover gift aid on eligible donations
and 8 portion of our subscfiption fees. ￿lch ￿ce claimed will generate us an additional
£2.747 in 2025 (2024. £1,250). Other income sources in 2025 include contributions by
corporate patrons and fundraising and other receipts. Total income for the year was £31,346
{2024.' £22,008).
The general costs of running the Society this year are consistent in their nature to last yeaf s
costs and the increase is largely due lo inflatDnary cost in(xeases, though we made a saving
in insurance costs due lo our lower income levels whith will not be repeated next year. The
Society is incredibly grateful lo all rts members and friends gNe the￿ time voluntarlly in
order to help keep the SOC￿tY.5 costs to a minimum.
Reserves pollcy
The society aims to mainlain the accumulated fund at a mininum balan￿ of £5,IXIO. This
level of reserves, in conjunction wth the S(￿le￿s Insuran￿ policy, would ensure that the
Society could cover any cOn￿rt abandonment ￿$ts should the need arise.

COLCHESTER CHORAL SOCIETY
ANNUAL REPORT - {contlnued)
YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025
Reserves at the end of June 2025 (total assets ￿ total liabilities) ￿re £14,711, as a ￿sU11
of the surplus in the year. Atthough this is above the minimum required reserves balan￿ of
£5,CQO. this surplus was only &hieved through the Supp￿ of generous donors and the
assistance of vartous fr￿ndS and membefs in fundraising activrties and the Committee *e
mindful of the long term financial stabilty of the choir when considering future expenditure and
membership subscription levels.
Flnanclal statements
The ststutory financial statements of the SOc￿ty are attached. They comprise a statement of
receipts and payments, setting out the cash receipts and payments for the year, both from
concert activrties and trom the Society's general activrties. This analysis shows how dependent
the Society is on the efforts of rts memters in provKJing funds to finance the deficit, which
invariably arises in mounting concerts. The financial statements o)ndude with a statement of
assets and liabilities summarising the Soaety's financial posrtion.
Slgned on behalf of the Committee
Mr Petsr Bartlett
Chainnan
2 February 2026

INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS, REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF
COLCHESTER CHORAL SOCIETY
I report to the tharity trustees on my examination of the ac£ounts of the charity for the year
ended 30 June 2025 are set out on pages 6 to 7.
Responslbllllles and basls of report
As the charws trustees you are resp￿SIble forthe prepw*ion of the accwnts in accordance
wrth the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (Ihe Act.).
I report in respect of my eXaminatic￿ of the thwity's accounts carried out under section 145
of the Act and in carrying out my examinati¢)n I have followed all the applicable Directions
given by the Charity Commission Ji nder Secti(￿ 145(5)(bl of the Act.
Independent examlnèfs statement
I havè completed my examination. I CC￿rI￿ that no material matters have come lo my
attention in connection with the examinati1￿ giving cause to believe that in any material
respect..
accounting re￿rdS vRre not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of
the Act.. or
2. the 8c£ounts do not ￿ N*tth those records: or
I have no concerns and have CA)me across no other matters in ￿nneCt￿In wtth the examination
to which attent￿n should be dralw in this rep)rt wi order to enable a proper understsnding of
the accounts lo be reached.
SanskNtI Purcthit
Date:
Ch8rity Examiners
117a St. John's Hill, Sevenoaks TN13 3PE

COLCHESTER CHORAL SOCIE
STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS
YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025
2025
Total
2024
Total
Recelpts
Ticket and programme sales
Subscriptions
Music
CD Sales and postage
Taxation recovered
Contributions by Corporate Patrons
Donalions
Fundraising
Folder deposits and other receipts
Bank interest
9.256
8.487
1,804
7, 793
8,6C
2.423
2.717
840
5,962
2,057
218
691
1,854
163
Total Income
31,348
22,CX18
Payments
Orchestral fees
Fees of artistes
Venue hire
Stage and instrument hire, transport and repairs
Purchase of music and scores
Printing of tickets, posters and prograrffies
Advertising and other concert expenses
Rehearsal fees
Rehearsal venue hire
Making Music subscrioion insurance
Website and other general Costs
8.265
3.750
1.299
1,114
1.769
950
604
1,800
1,026
337
1,600
9, 360
3,3
2,011
516
2,482
900
592
1,800
1,485
538
Total payments
22,514
23,972
Not of recelptsl(payrnentsl
8.832
(1,964)
Cash funds last yoar ond
6,762
8, 726
Cash lunds thls year end
£15,594
£6, T62

COLCHESTER CHORAL SOCIEff
STA TEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT THE END OF THE PERIOD
YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025
2025
Current assets
Accrued income
Cash at barsk
4.200
15.594
Total current assets
19,794
Deduct Ilabllllles:
Accrued costs
15,0831
Net assets
£14,711
Represented by:
Unrestrtcted lunds
General fund
14.711
Accumulatsd fund at 30 June
£14,711
Approved by the Commrtlee on 2 February 2026
arKI signed on its b8haK by..
Peter Bartlett
Chainnan
Susan Dlddams
Secfetary