## **LAWYERS’ MUSIC**
**_______________________**
## **REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**For the year ended 31 August 2022**
|**REGISTERED ADDRESS:**|18 Northington Street|
|---|---|
||London|
||WC1N 2NW|
|**COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER:**|1952985|
|**CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER:**|293015|
|**BANKERS:**|HSBC|
|**HONORARY PRESIDENT:**|H W Ashton|
|**COMMITTEE MEMBERS:**|A M Blankfield|
||B Cater – Chair|
||J N Clixby (died 13 May 2022)|
||S M Gibbons|
||W F G Hess – Treasurer and Secretary|
||C L Oakley (resigned 18 July 2022)|
||R J Reid|
||J Tuppen|
||S Webbe|
||S Sadoughi|
**LAWYERS’ MUSIC**
## **REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE**
The Committee Members submit their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2022. The names of those who served on the Committee during the year are given on page 1.
## **Structure, governance and management**
Lawyers’ Music is a company limited by guarantee, constituted in accordance with its Memorandum and Articles of Association. Each of the members has undertaken to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 towards the assets of the company in the event of the same being wound up and the assets being insufficient to cover its liabilities.
The company is managed by the Committee, which is made up of members whose appointment is subject to approval by the membership as a whole in General Meeting.
## **Objectives and activities**
The company is established “to advance the aesthetic education of the public throughout the world in the art and science of music”. It works to achieve this aim:
- by recruiting amateur singers and instrumentalists to form the London Lawyers’ Symphony Orchestra and the London Lawyers’ Chorus, and
- by the Orchestra and Chorus presenting a series of public concerts each year, usually in central London.
The company publicises its activities through its website www.lawyersmusic.org.uk.
## **Achievements and performance**
Following the period of COVID-19, the number of paid members reduced to 85 amateur singers and instrumentalists (compared to 87 members in 2021 when subscriptions were waived). The Committee intends to concentrate on rebuilding membership numbers during the year after several difficult years.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the charity's rehearsal programme continued to be impacted, with appropriate preventative safety measures remaining in place. This also had some impact on members returning to rehearsals and the ability to recruit new members.
Nevertheless, despite this the charity was able to return to its music-making and charitable activities, putting on a successful programme of events:
- On 13 November 2021, the orchestra performed its first concert in a year-and-a-half, with Mark Prescott conducting Weber’s Der Freischütz Overture, Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op.70, and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major. Particularly of note was Andrew Blankfield’s piano solo in the Beethoven, completing his three decade-long Beethoven piano concerto cycle with Lawyers’ Music;
- On 1 December 2021, the choir performed Handel’s Dixit Dominus under Chris Oakley at St Giles’ Cripplegate;
Page 2
**LAWYERS’ MUSIC**
- On 3 March 2022, the choir performed a concert featuring music from Josquin to Whitacre under Rupert Gill at St Paul’s, Covent Garden;
- On 19 March 2022, the orchestra performed Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances and Rachmaninov’s Symphony no. 2 again under the baton of Mark Prescot at St Giles’ Cripplegate;
- The year finished with a performance by the orchestra with choir on 9 July 2022 of Amy Beach’s Gaelic Symphony and Beethoven’s Mass in C. Supporting the charity’s educational aims, the conductor for this concert was Owen Ho, a composer and conductor currently studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Although it is hoped that the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will reduce with time, the Committee has nevertheless continued to monitor the COVID-19 situation, together with the potential inflationary pressures caused by ongoing domestic and international events and the potentially significant impact this could have on the charity’s financial position.
Additionally, the Committee continues to work on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the administration of the organization. Following the roll-out of our new membership and ticketing platform, during the year we consolidated our bank accounts, thereby reducing administration time and cost.
Chris Oakley stood down from the committee in the course of the summer but remains our choral director.
Finally, the Committee and charity were very sad this year to announce the death of Judith Clixby in May. Judith was, for many years, a dedicated and much valued member of the choir, choir manager and Committee member and is much missed by all. The choral concert on Wednesday 23 November will be dedicated to her memory.
The Committee members have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.
## **Financial review**
2022 was an exceptionally difficult year, with significantly reduced paid membership numbers combined with increases in the costs of venues and performers. The financial result for the year was an excess of expenditure over income amounting to £2,144 ( _2021: £143_ ). This includes a one-off accrual for Orchestra Tax Relief for previous years of £5,666. The Committee has undergone a detailed budgeting exercise for 2023 and will continue to monitor the situation.
As at 31 August 2022 the company had bank deposits totalling £9,609 ( _2021:_ £17,401). The company also had amounts recoverable under gift aid of £3,175 ( _2021: £4,253_ ). The sums include general reserves which the company aims to maintain at the level of at least half a year’s expenditure and this will continue to be closely monitored. They also include the balance of the Helen Sibthorp legacy (£19,622, of which £2,073 remains) bequeathed to Lawyers’ Music by former member Helen Sibthorp “ _in the hope that they will do something truly interesting with it_ ”, together with a further legacy of (£5,000, of which £553 remains) bequeathed by former member Sylvia Kapp in October 2014.
This report has been prepared taking advantage of the small companies exemption in accordance with s.415A, Companies Act 2006.
This Report was approved by the Committee on 13 November 2022.
Page 3
**LAWYERS’ MUSIC**
B Cater Committee Chair 13 November 2022
Page 4
**LAWYERS’ MUSIC**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
## **For the year ended 31 August 2022**
|**Note**
**Income– Resources arising**
Income from regular concerts
Income from special events
Donations
Subscriptions
Income Tax recoverable under Gift Aid
6
Interest receivable
Orchestra Tax Credit
7
**Expenditure– Resources used**
Direct charitable expenditure:
Costs of regular concerts
2
Costs of special events
Costs of digital programme
Administration costs
3
**Net movement of resources in the year**
**(Deficit)/surplus**
Reserves brought forward
Reserves carried forward|**2022**
£
4,461
0
1,465
13,410
3,198
1
7,186
29,721
(29,026)
0
0
(2,838)
(31,864)
(2,144)
22,773
20,629|**2021**
£
0
464
2,692
0
283
1
0|
|---|---|---|
|||3,440|
|||0
0
2,635
948|
|||3,583|
|||(143)
22,916|
|||22,773|
## _The notes on page 6 form part of these financial statements._
The above results, which have been calculated on the historical cost basis, are wholly attributable to the continuing activities of the company.
There are no recognised gains or losses for either year, other than those shown above.
Page 5
**LAWYERS’ MUSIC**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## **As at 31 August 2022**
|**Current assets**
Debtors and prepayments
Cash at bank
**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
Other creditors and accruals
**Net assets**
**Reserves**
Income and expenditure account -
Balance brought forward
(Deficit)/surplus for the year
Balance carried forward
Of which:
Legacy reserves
Sibthorp legacy brought forward
Movement in the year
Sibthorp legacy carried forward
Kapp legacy brought forward
Movement in the year
Kapp legacy carried forward
General reserves
Brought forward
Movement in the year
Carried forward|**2022**
£
10,361
9,609
19,970
0
19,970
22,773
(2,144)
20,629
2,073
0
2,073
553
0
553
20,147
(2,144)
18,003|**2021**
£
5,965
17,401|
|---|---|---|
|||23,363
(590)|
|||22,773|
|||22,916
(143)|
|||22,773|
|||2,073
0|
|||2,073|
|||553
0|
|||553|
|||20,290
(143)|
|||20,147|
_The notes on page 6 form part of these financial statements._
For the year ended 31 August 2017 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The directors acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation of accounts.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to small companies’ regime.
B Cater Committee Chair
Approved by the Committee on 13 November 2022.
Page 6
**LAWYERS’ MUSIC**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **For the year ended 31 August 2022**
## **1. Accounting policy**
## **Basis of Accounting**
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention in accordance with applicable accounting standards.
|**2.**
**3.**|**Concert expenses**
Soloists’ and instrumentalists’ fees and expenses
Conductors’ fees and expenses
Hire of venues
Hire and carriage of music
Publicity and programmes
Hire of equipment and instruments
Other concert expenses
**Administration costs**
Society website and membership platform
Registrar of Companies
Making Music (National Federation of Music Societies)
PRS for Music fees
Account fees
Advertising
Sundry expenses|**2022**
£
10,737
3,980
11,590
873
312
1,211
323
29,026
**2022**
923
13
295
0
120
1,288
199
2,838|**2021**
£
0
0
0
0
0
0
0|
|---|---|---|---|
||||0|
||||**2021**
444
13
407
0
84
0
0|
||||948|
## **4. Committee members’ emoluments**
The Committee Members receive no emoluments in respect of their services on the Committee (noting the disclosure in Note 8 below regarding related party transactions). The Charity has no employees.
## **5. Income**
Income is accounted for on the basis of amounts received or receivable in respect of activities in the financial year.
## **6. Tax status**
Due to the charitable status of the company, no taxation arises on the results for the year. Income tax recoverable on subscriptions and donations paid under Gift Aid is accrued and amounted to £3,198 (2021: £283)
Page 7
**LAWYERS’ MUSIC**
## **7. Orchestra Tax Credit**
Following a review of the financial position by the Committee, it was identified that, due to the orchestral productions undertaken by Lawyers’ Music, Orchestra Tax Credit was available for the current and previous years. After expenses, Orchestra Tax Credit of £7,186 is expected to be received, of which £1,520 related to the year ended 31 August 2022 and the remainder to prior years.
## **8. Related Party Transactions**
During the year, Lawyers’ Music engaged Susie Blankfield, who is the daughter of committee member Andrew Blankfield, as leader of the cello section in the orchestra on a temporary basis. In total she received £1,350 which was all settled within the year, such amounts which were approved by the Committee. Andrew Blankfield took no part in any discussions relating to this appointment.
Page 8
CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examinerfs report
on the accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner's Report
Report to the
trusteesldirectorsl
members of
Lawyers. Music
On accounts for the year
ended
31 August 2022
Charity no.:
293015
Company no.:
1952985
Set out on pages
1-8
I report to the charrty trustees on my examination of the accounts of the
Company for the year ended 3110812022.
Responsibilities and
basis of report
As the charity's trustees of the Company (who are also the directors of the
company for Ihe purposes of company law}, you are responsible for the
preparation of the accounts in accordan with the requirements of the
Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Acr).
Having satisfied mysew that the accounts of the Company are not required
to be audited for this year under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for
independent examination. I report in respect of my examination of your
charity's accounts as carried OLrt under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011
{'the 2011 Acf). In carying OLrt my examination, I have followed the
Directions given by the Chanty Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of thé
2011 Act.
Independent
examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confinn that no material matters have
come to my attention (other than that disclosed below '} which gives me
cause to believe that".
' accounting records were not kept in accordan with section 386 of the
Companies Act 2006, or
. the accounts do not accord with such records., or
the accounts do not comply with relevant accounting requirements under
section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the
accounts give a Irue and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part
of an independent examination,. or
•the accounts have not been prepared in accordan with the Charities
SORP {FRS102)
IER
October 2018
I have no conM$ and have come across no other matters in connection
with the examination to which attention should LE drawn in this report in
order lo enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
. Please delete the words in the brackets rfthey do not apply.
Signed:
Date:
0910512023
Name:
Geoffrey Matthew Hunter
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body
lif any):
FCA
Address:
34 Darwin Court
Gloucester Avenue
London NW17BG
Section B
Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern
(see CC32, Independent examination of chartty accounts.. directions and
guidan for examiners).
Give here brief details of
any items that the
examiner wishes to
disclose.
None.
IER
October 2018