Reg. Charity 284300
Annual Report of the Trustees and Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2025
Objectives and activities for the public benefit
Brockham Choral Society registered as a Charity in 1982 and is governed by a Constitution which was most recently updated in September 2022. This states the objectives of the Society as being “primarily the enjoyment of music and also the promotion and development of musical knowledge and competence through the presentation of concerts and in other ways determined from time to time by the Society.”
Membership is open to all sectors of the community, with no requirement for previous experience or auditions. The Society seeks to involve local area schoolchildren in suitable concerts, for example, we were joined by the Surrey Youth Choir for our performance of J S Bach’s St Matthew Passion in May 2022, and children from local primary schools and youth choirs have taken part in Christmas and other concerts in recent years, and will be participating in our Christmas 2025 concert.
The Trustees of the Society have complied with the duty in section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission as set out below. The benefits of the Society are enjoyed by both its members and the public who attend the concerts. The concert programme for each year is set within a context of performing a wide range of both familiar and less familiar choral works composed by a variety of composers from different musical periods. The advancement of the arts is thus achieved through the exposure of both choir and audience members to different styles and genres of music.
The Trustees recognise the need to encourage participation of young people either as a member or as a concert attendee. In this way they may be more likely to participate in classical music when older, as participant or attendee. Accordingly, those aged 25 or under who are either in full time education or who are unemployed are granted free membership or discounted tickets, as appropriate.
Typically, three concerts are held each year, usually with professional soloists and orchestral players. Ticket prices are kept affordable with concert deficits being met by a combination of subscription income, fund raising and grants from local and national bodies.
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Performances
7 December 2024 Edward Elgar The Music Makers St Martin’s Church, Part Songs Dorking Enigma Variations Mezzo Soprano Judy Louie Brown Orchestra Southern Pro Musica Musical Director Cole Bendall
5 April 2025 Joseph Haydn The Creation St Martin’s Church, Dorking Soprano Lorna Murray Tenor David Walsh Bass Ross Cumming Orchestra The British Sinfonietta Pianist Marion Lea Musical Director Cole Bendall
What a Wonderful World Concert
7 June 2025 What a Wonderful World Concert St Paul’s Church, A selection of songs associated with a former choir member, Fred Dorking Harrison, including “The Bass”, with music by Ian Assersohn and lyrics by Tony Earnshaw. The concert also featured “Travels with my Pigeon” by Guy Turner. Accompanist Marion Lea Musical Director David Swinson
Our Professionals
A freelance conductor and vocal coach, Cole Bendall was appointed as Musical Director in January 2020. Cole works on the music staff of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, and is Musical Director of Woking Choral Society, Holmbury St Mary Choral Society and Surrey Youth Choir, as well as being Artistic Director of The Reid Consort. He is also a Visiting Singing Teacher at Cranleigh and Ewell Castle Schools.
Cole announced his intention of leaving the Society after the Spring Concert; in consequence the Committee is undertaking a competitive recruitment procedure for a new Musical Director and hopes to make an appointment during the 2025/2026 season.
For our Summer Term rehearsals and concert, the Committee appointed a former Musical Director, David Swinson. David is a freelance conductor, organist and pianist, and Director Emeritus of Trinity Boys’ Choir, Croydon. David has recently confirmed his availability for the Autumn Concert 2025 and has been appointed accordingly.
The Society values and appreciates the support from our excellent accompanist, Marion Lea, both in rehearsal and on the occasions when she accompanies or is a soloist at a concert.
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Review of the Year
There were 52 members during the year, 4 fewer than the previous year. Weekly rehearsals for the Autumn Concert commenced at St John’s School in September 2024. A recruitment event for the Elgar ‘Music Makers’ was held in September 2024 which resulted in a number of visiting singers for this concert. A grant of £500 was received from the Elgar Society; as a condition of this the Society provided free tickets to a number of local schools.
A members’ social event with a talk by Sir Brian Unwin was held in October 2024, and a Quiz Evening was held in February 2025. A summer social event consisting of a walk followed by a meal was held in June 2025.
The possibility of a members’ singing tour for Summer 2025 was explored, but there was insufficient support to make it viable.
The Society’s “Wonderful World” concert in June 2025 was a less formal event, with the audience in St Paul’s Church, Dorking sitting at tables where they enjoyed their own food and drink. The concert featured songs previously sung by or associated with the late Fred Harrison, a former member who had left a bequest to the Society. Some funds from this were used to commission a piece entitled “The Bass”, with music by local composer, Ian Assersohn, and lyrics by poet, Tony Earnshaw, a member and husband of a previous trustee. The concert also featured an earlier commissioned piece, “Travels with my Pigeon” by Guy Turner, first performed in June 2010.
Finances
The Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2025 are on pages 5 to 10.
At the September 2024 AGM it was agreed that members’ subscriptions would be increased from £165 to £180 per annum.
There was an overall deficit on concerts of £8,986 , compared to a budgeted deficit of £2,937. A breakdown is shown on page 9 under the heading “Summary of Concert Finances for the Season ended 30 June 2025”.
In February 2024 the Society received a legacy of £1,000 from the estate of the late Anne Tennent who had been a very active member for many years. The Committee used this legacy, together with generous donations from members totalling £1,410 towards funding an orchestra for the Spring 2025 concert in place of the originally planned accompaniment of two pianos.
The Society received grants of £2,500 from the Humphrey Richardson Taylor Charitable Trust, and of £500 from The Elgar Society, for which it is most grateful.
Fundraising efforts this year provided a net income of £2,535, of which £737 is from the Mole Valley Community Lottery. (The Society is one of the registered charities which ticket purchasers can support, with half their ticket cost donated to the charity). A breakdown is shown on page 10.
The total assets movement for the year resulted in a loss of £2,968.
Reserves Policy
The Trustees have considered the needs of the Society and have agreed that the Society needs unrestricted funds equivalent to between 50% and 100% of concert expenditure for a typical year to provide cover the Society for un-insured losses in the event that those concerts cannot take place. The general reserve at the end of the year is sufficient for this need.
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Administrative Information
Charity Number: 284300 Office Address: c/o 37 Fairfield Drive, Dorking. RH4 1JQ Bankers: Lloyds Bank, PO Box 1000 Andover Branch EPSOM (308486) Insurers: Insurance: Making Music Commercial Combined Policy, Covea Insurance, A&B Mills, Dean Clough, Halifax. HX3 5AX Trustees: In October 2015 the Committee agreed the Trustees should be the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer plus up to four other Committee members, as shown below. The Chairman and Committee are elected annually by members present at the Annual General Meeting. The Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer are regarded as the key management personnel.
Jane Stride Chairperson Briony Bowen Secretary Graham Carter Treasurer Nick Hands-Clarke Making Music Representative
Approved by the Trustees on 12 August 2025, and signed on their behalf by
Jane Stride
and
Graham Carter
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Brockham Choral Society Statement of Financial Activities For the Financial Year Ended 30 June 2025
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See TOTAL TOTAL
Note 2024/2025 2023/2024
Income £ £
Concert income 9 9,744 10,221
Members' subscriptions 7 9,480 10,345
Friends' subscriptions 7 550 500
Gift aid on donations and members' subs 8 2,300 2,143
Grants 10
Humphrey Richardson Taylor Charitable
2,500 3,000
Trust
Elgar Society 500 -
Donations:
General 2,123 901
Legacies 1,000 3,000
Fundraising: 11 4,887 7,228
Administration 12 - 75
Interest received 109 106
Total incoming resources 33,193 37,519
Expenditure
Concert expenditure 9 18,730 18,132
Rehearsal costs: 0
Musical Director 4,785 4,760
Accompanist 3,405 3,600
Rehearsal venues 2,410 2,040
Administration 12 1,715 1,715
Other expenditure: 0
Fundraising costs 11 2,352 3,732
Staging depreciation 4 2,764 2,764
Total resources used 36,161 36,743
Net movement in funds (2,968) 776
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward 24,360 23,584
Total funds carried forward 21,392 24,360
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Brockham Choral Society
Balance Sheet for the Financial Year Ended 30 June 2025
| See | TOTAL | TOTAL | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | 2024/2025 | 2023/2024 | ||||||||
| Fixed Assets | £ | £ | ||||||||
| Tangible assets - staging | 4 | 5,530 | 8,294 | |||||||
| Current Assets | ||||||||||
| Debtors and prepayments | 5 | 23 | 25 | |||||||
| Cheque accounts | 4,951 | 5,482 | ||||||||
| Deposit accounts | 10,919 | 10,811 | ||||||||
| Total Current Assets | 15,893 | 16,318 | ||||||||
| Liabilities | ||||||||||
| Creditors and accruals | 6 | (31) | (252) | |||||||
| Net Current Assets | 15,862 | 16,066 | ||||||||
| Total Net Assets | 21,392 | 24,360 | ||||||||
| Charity Funds | £ | £ | ||||||||
| Unrestricted funds | 21,392 | 24,360 | ||||||||
| Restricted funds | - | |||||||||
| Total Charity Funds | 21,392 | 24,360 |
The notes on pages 7 to 10 form part of the financial statements.
These accounts were approved by the Trustees on 12 August 2025, and signed on their behalf by
Jane Stride and
Graham Carter
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Brockham Choral Society
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2025
1. General Notes
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention in accordance with FRS102 (2019) as the applicable accounting standards and the 2019 version of the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP(FRS102)).
Incoming resources from fundraising activities are generally reported gross in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA).
Resources are recognised on an accrual basis based on when they are due. Generally, liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the Charity to the expenditure.
2. Employees
The Charity does not have any employees. The remuneration of the key management personnel for 2024/2025 is £nil (2023/2024: £nil). Pension payments are not applicable and £nil has been paid.
3. Trustees and other related parties
During the year neither the trustees nor any persons connected with them have received any remuneration. Some small items of expenditure incurred on behalf of the Society were reimbursed to Trustees.
There were no other related party transactions with Trustees enjoying the same rights of membership as other members of the Society.
4. Tangible Fixed Assets and Investment Assets
New staging was purchased in October 2022 at a cost of £13,822. The Trustees have agreed that this equipment should be depreciated over a period of five years using a straight line depreciation formula:
| Staging Value | £ |
|---|---|
| As at 30 June 2024 | 8,294 |
| Depreciation | |
| As at 1 July 2024 | 0 |
| Charge for the year | (2,764) |
| As at 30 June 2025 | (2,764) |
| Net book value | |
| As at 1 July 2024 | 8,294 |
| As at 30 June 2025 | 5,530 |
5. Debtors and prepayments
This is in respect of a £23 payment for expenses for AGM being held on 2 September 2025.
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6. Creditors and accruals
There were no cheques issued and not cleared at the financial year end. Income received for the 2025/2026 season comprises advance payments totalling £31 from a local business for an advertisement in the programme of the forthcoming Autumn 2025 concert.
7.
Subscriptions
At the September 2024 AGM it was agreed that members’ subscriptions would be increased from £165 per annum to £180 per annum. At a meeting on 5 September 2024, the Committee confirmed that all members should commit to pay the full subscription for the whole year. The £9,480 raised represents 52 members, and 4 visiting singers for one-term. (2023/24: £10,345 representing 53 full time members and 11 part time).
At the September 2024 AGM it was agreed that Friends’ subscriptions would remain at £25 per annum. Friends Subscriptions raised £550 (2023/24: £500).
8. Gift Aid
In accordance with current Making Music advice regarding HMRC Gift Aid regulations the amount claimed for eligible members’ subscriptions was based on the full subscription amount. The £2,300 received from HMRC Charities comprised £1,864 from eligible Members’ subscriptions and £436 from eligible donations. (2023/24: £2,143 received from HMRC, comprising £1,969 from eligible members’ subscriptions and £174 from eligible donations.)
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9. Summary of Concert Finances for the Season Ending 30 June 2025
| Autumn Spring Summer TOTAL |
TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 2025 2025 2024/25 |
2023/24 | |
| £ | ||
| £ £ £ £ |
||
| Income | ||
| Ticket sales | 2,752 3,136 1,496 7,384 |
8,085 |
| Programme sales | 164 182 70 416 |
394 |
| Cushions | - - - 0 |
14 |
| Refreshments | 101 233 - 334 |
198 |
| Advertising revenue |
148 148 148 444 |
438 |
| Guest Singers Fee |
150 - - 150 |
105 |
| Music hire | 388 195 433 1,016 |
987 |
| Total income | 3,703 3,894 2,147 9,744 |
10,221 |
| Expenditure | ||
| Conductor | 535 535 425 1,495 |
1,525 |
| Musicians | 5,708 4,789 350 10,847 |
9,687 |
| Soloists | 400 1,050 - 1,450 |
2,800 |
| Bumpers | 300 150 - 450 |
280 |
| Music | 453 315 594 1,362 |
1,673 |
| Programme printing |
145 175 95 415 |
395 |
| Venue Hire | 534 452 350 1,336 |
1,099 |
| Refreshments | 127 106 233 |
147 |
| Oh | 168 10 824 1142 |
526 |
| ter expenses | 5 , |
|
| Total | 8370 7722 2638 18730 |
18132 |
| expenditure | , , , , |
, |
| Surplus (Deficit) | (4,667) (3,828) (491) (8,986) |
(7,911) |
There was an overall deficit on concerts of £8,986 . This compares to the £2,937 deficit that had been budgeted for at the beginning of the choir year. The increase in the deficit chiefly arises from the following:
-
The audience for the Elgar concert was some 55 less than the anticipated 200 resulting in a ticket income £1,100 less than the original budget.
-
For the spring concert a two piano accompaniment had been agreed for the Haydn Creation but this was later changed to a full orchestra giving an increase of £4,090 above the original budget.
-
The original budget for the summer concert had not envisaged the commissioning of a new work in memory of Fred Harrison at a cost of £770.
“Other expenses” items shown in the table above include the publicity posters and flyers for the concerts, and the towing costs for the staging trailer between its storage location and the concert venue. There is also a small element of commission (1.69%) where tickets have been sold using the choir’s SumUp card reader. The larger figure
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for ‘other expenses’ for the Summer concert includes the costs of commissioning of the new work.
10. Grants
The Society is most grateful this year for the £2,500 grant from the Humphrey Richardson Taylor Charitable Trust and the £500 grant from The Elgar Society.
11. Fundraising
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Income £ Expenditure £
Books and CD Sales 30
Carol Singing Meal 276 306
Brian Unwin Evening 1001 218
Elgar Choir Workshop 635 600
Easy Fundraising 31
Mole Valley Community
737
Lottery
Quiz Evening February 2025 1385 436
Walk and Curry Night 792 792
Totals 4,887 2,352
Net Income 2,535
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The Fundraising net income of £2,535 is £961 lower than last year, but remains significant, reflecting the continued efforts of the social committee in providing significant income generation for the Society, for which the Trustees are most grateful.
12. Administration Expenses
General fund expenses include those for the AGM, John F music files, Making Music membership, performing rights fees, annual insurance, website maintenance, staging trailer servicing and storage, and moving and installing a donated piano into our rehearsal venue. There is also a small element of commission (1.69%) where subscriptions, members’ music hire, tickets and the like have been paid for using the choir’s SumUp card reader.
13. Other Disclosures
During the period of office of the charity trustees, they or their close family members made donations totalling £830 during 2024/25 (2023/24: £1,313). This includes member and friend subscription income but excludes receipts in respect of ticket sales and hire of music. It also excludes fundraising income. No donations were made with conditions attached which require the charity to alter its existing activities. No loans or ex-gratia payments have been made (2023/24: £ nil). No termination or redundancy payments have been made (2023/24: £ nil).
The Charity has no material commitments which have not been included in the accounts and has given no guarantees to third parties that could be called on at the year end.
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