Trustees, Annual Report for the period Penc#J 5tsrt date Day Penod end date Month From Sep 2024 To 31 2025 Section A Reference and administration details Charlty name South Vlest Essex Choir Other names charlty Is known by SWEC Reglstsred charlty number (If any) 289613 Charlty'$ prlnclp•l address 9 Ashtourne Ave London Postcode E18 1PQ Namm of the charlty trustees who manage the charlty O•t•• acl•d If Mt for whol• Tru•ts• n•m• Ollk•111 •ryl Chair Deputy Chair N•m• of p•rnon lor bodyl •nUU•d Int tru•t•• Ifan SWEC Membership SWEC Membèrship Anissa Msa1m Susannah Pickeri- Saqqa Vanessa Watling Joanne Ston Williams Secretary Soctal SWEC Membership SWEC Membership Leonie wh4nghaM Robert Young David Hampton Membershlp Publicty Treasurer From 1 S October 2024 SWEC Membershlp SWEC Membership SWEC Membership 10 Names of the trustees for the charlty. If any. (for example. any custodlan truste891 Name Dates acted If nol for whole Narnes and addresses ol advlsern Ioptlonal Inforniatlon) of advlser Narne Address Musical Director Andfew Sackett {Withhekl) Name of chlof executive or names of senlor staff members (Optional Infornation) TAR
Section B Structure, overnance and mana ement Des¢rlptlon of the charlty's trusts Constitutson Type of goveming dornent leg trust deed, constilution) How the charty is conslrtuted leg. trust, assec18tn. company) Unincorporated Associkn'( Trustee selection meth(> 189. appointed by. elected by) Elected I confinned by Membership at SWEC AGM. or by EGM rf the neèd arises. Addttlonal govornance Issues {Optlonal Informatlon) You may choose lo include addrtional information, where relevant, abo.. SVEC is a memt)er of Making Music. who provide excellent 8UPPOrt for various aspects of managing choral societies. induding issues of govemance like contrart. constrtution and Grfl Aid. They aL80 prowde insurance and a websrte hosting plaffomi. polic and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees., the chanty's organisational strudure and any wider nelwork wrth which the tharity works.. SkWEC commrttee meets 3 tim89 a year, at the stsrt of each tem. There are additional meetings as necessary, eg in 24125 to progress the recrurtment of a r*w MusTrcal Director. SIAEC AGMS are hehj in Ocl each year, for all choir mwnbers. • relationship wrth any related parties., trustees, Conseration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them. Section C Ob'ectives and activities The object of the Socth shall be to educate the public in the arts and sciences, and in particular the art and soen¢e of choral music. by the presentation of concerts and other ath'vities. Summary of the objects of the charlty set out in its governlng document South Wesl Essex Choir ISWEC) Is open to all who enjoy sln8ln8 Perform5 a wide range of music Prartises in a friendly and supportNe atmosphere Aims to develop individual musicianship Presents public performances to highest achievable standard Involves young people in music making TAR Odobèr 2025
The choir pwlormed 3 concerts during the 24125 season. These were held at Chingford Pansh Church, and were accompanied by professional orchestra and vocal soloists as appropriate to the works. The programmes were". Dec'24'. Handd Messiah Mar'25: Mozart RequEm Jul .25. T(#Jd I Chilcott l Rutter Jazz programme 2 vocal workshops were also held.. for choir members and with invitation extended to the WKler publ. Summary of the rnaln actlvltles undertaken for the publlc beneflt In relatlon to these objects {Include wlthln thls section the ststutory declaratlon that trustees havè had regard to the guldance 188ued by the Charlty CommSssSon on publl benellt) The SWEC Trustees have had ard to the guNlance issued by the Charity CommiOn on public benefft. Addltlonal detall8 ol obJecllve8 and act1v1t1 {Optlonal Inforniatlon) SVEC does not make grants. SWEC does not make investments., cash reserves are held in Bn intere8t. eaming deposit account. SlhEC relies on volunteer5. to fomi the Commrttee as Trustees and administer its many functt'ons. from the membership to support various furKI-raising efft)rts. You may choose lo include further slatements, where relevant, about.. policy on granknaking., policy programme related investment., contribution made by volunteers. TAR l)clober2025
Section D Achievements and performance Summary of the maln achievefflents of the charlty during the year The 3 conrtS listed atK)ve attracted larger audiences than usual. A total of 698 people attended, compared lo 647 Ihe previous year, and 415 the year befcffe that. They were also very weIkreI¥8d. The evbjence for this is anecdotal, but comes from". Feedback to the Musical Director from the professional musicians (orchestra and vocal soloists) we perfonned with Feedback to choir members from family and fnends Choir members, perception of perfomiance stsndard and audEnce reacts'on The vocal workshops were successful in improving the skills of choir members, and also extending the opportunty to the wNler communty. Once again, excellent professional vocal coaches were employed. Attendance was less than hop&J-for (47 and 39 attendees), so promoting attendance will be a focus for future workshops. Following a decline during the Covid years. membership has shown steady growth. For 24125 the number of registered singers was 91. and the aim is to get back to pre£owd levels of over 100. During 24r25 particular focus was given to attrading and re(Yuiting younger singers. To support this initiative, discounted and complimentary memberships were offered as incentives. As a resu, 3 new young members joined, wrth 2 conlinuing their involvement beyond the inrtAI penod. SWEC succasslully applied for a grant from the localty.based Chartes Frenth Trusl. Some fund4aising aCts'¥rt were paused this year leg Quiz Night), due to lack of take•UP by members. However, the Cake Club was particularty successful, ratsing almosl £1,(MX): Choir members provided homemade treats during rehearsal breaks and concerts. TAR October 2025
Section E Financial review SWEC maintains a cash balance {£38k al end 24125) that is roughly equivalent to a full yearfs income and expenditure. This is expected to prOve cover for approximately 10 "drfficutt" years, given that the majonty of the choirfs usual expendrture is discretionary and can if necessary be avoided. This can be demonstrated prartical by the fact that th8 choir was able to sur4i¥e Covid lockdowns withoLrt signfficant impact to finances. SWEC has insurance cover against concert canc8llations. Accounts lo date a revwed at Commrttee Meets'ngs each temi. to avobd a backl of une nditure. Brfef statement of the charity's pollcy on reserves Detslls of any funds materlalty In deficlt Ther8 are no defiiits. matwial or otkthvise. Further flnanclal revlew detall8 (Opllonal Infomiatlon) You may choose to indude additional infom)ats'on, where relevant aboirt". the charty's principal sources of funds lincludirvJ ary fundraisingi., how expenditure has supported the key objecttves of the tharity., investment policy arKI objectives including any ethical investment poli adopted. Most choir funds come from membefship fees. Concert recwpts contribLrte signfficantly to income, but do not cover Ihe costs of those concerts (eg orchestra ar)d soloists, venue costs). Concerts are essential in support of the choirfs obiectives. so SWEC will conlinue to stage them. The Committee will set the season's programme so as to keep concert costs at an affordable level. SWEC often receNes granls. th* augment other income streams. Taken overall, modest losses are pemirtted in any gNen year, but the aim is to break-even when taken over 8e¥eral yoars. Hence SWEC, reserves are not unduly depleted. Excess cash in current account is transferred to a CCLA interest- earning deposrt. acuunt. Section F Other optional information SWEC is recrurting a new Musical Director for 2S26. following the departure of the incumbent at the end of last season. AndrvN Sackett served SWEC for 13 years. and will be greaY missed by all as he moves on to new opportunities. During the transition to a rwi Musical Director 8(me turbulence is pOs9b regarding meMbeh1p and concerts. bul the Committee has worked over the summer to minimise this. Recruitment of a Musical Direclor is expected to be rattfied al the Oct '25 AGM. Section G Declaration The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees, report above. Slgned on behalf of the charlty's trustees Slgnature(s} Full namelsl Posltlon leg Secretary. Chair. etcl Anissa Msallem David Neil Hamp on Chair Treasur TAR Octoter 2025
' CIIARIIY COMMISSIO FOR INGIAND AND WAIES W• e•x Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For tha To Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricto Rostrictod furbj Total fund5 La y•4r Il¥ Jty• wr••¢¢ ¥btt•wrt•¢£ th• A1 R•1 1U•3 7,737 1.119 orurtTicA•M 8 p 1121 11121 123 flA44 JJ02 JJ02 Sub tot•l{t&vssinc¢yn• fty AR) J•A17 A? kn¢ •fKI Inv••brnb Sub tot•1 .417 )•A17 4.751 13 ij orK•rtPu rtF4ts11l•1 773 2A17• 7• Sub tol41 J•My J2J7 A4 and In¥•nt • tbS Sub lOt•l 3•J17 N•tofr•c•Wp•ym•nts) Transl•rs b•t¥rt&on lurK C•¥h lund• Iwt >••r•nd Ch funth thts y••r•nd 43 2•,283 3B,Si JK$16
Section B Statement of assets and liab•lities at the end of the period Bl Cash fund• fund¥ Oei•ls B3 kn¥Mlm•nt ••••ts OetaHs Gh•r*>f'• own BS Ll•blllil••
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Seclion A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to the trustee81 members of South West Essex Choir On accourts for the year ended 31st August 2025 Charrty no (if any) 289613 Set oul on pages I report to the truslees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {Ihe Trusl-) for the year ended 31108 12025. Re8pon81bllltle8 and ba818 As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the A¢tl. report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounls carried oul under seclion 145 of the 2011 Acl and in carrying out my examination, I have followed Ihe applicable Direclions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Ad. Independent examine¢8 I have compleled my examinalion. I confim that no m8terlal matters have 8tatement come to my attention (other ihan that disclosed below.) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that In, any materlal respect.. accounting records were not kepi in accordance with section 130 of ihe Act or Ihe accounts do not accord wlth the accounting records I have no coneems and have come across no other matters In connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order lo enable a proper underslanding of the accounts lo be reached. Slgned: Date: 2911012025 Name: Frances Anne Stary Relevant professlonal quallflcatlon($) or body (If any): NIA Address: 44 Woodland Way Woodford Green Essex IG8 OQQ IER October 2018