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2023-12-31-accounts

The Academy Choir Wimbledon Report and Accounts

for the year ended

31 December 2023

Registered Charity No. 299069 Give As You Earn Registration No. 012910

Trustees’ Report 2023

The Academy was founded in 1980 and became a charity pursuant to a meeting of its members held on 13 March 1988 (number 299069). The committee members (who acted as the trustees) during 2023 were:

The address to which any correspondence regarding the Academy should be sent is 13 Haydon Park Road, Wimbledon SW19 8JQ.

Report on Activities

The nation’s major event in 2023 was the coronation of King Charles III in May and we were delighted to “do our bit” of getting the country in celebratory mood with a performance of Handel’s Coronation Anthems alongside a selection of works by JS Bach ( Cantata 4 and the motet Der Geist hilft ) for which we were joined by the Academy Baroque Players who themselves performed JS Bach’s Suite No. 3 in D . The weather likewise was in celebratory mood and we were delighted that this concert was supported by a very large and enthusiastic audience. Indeed, many members of our Friends scheme were also able to join us for our annual Friends reception after the concert which provided a very enjoyable opportunity to thank our Friends in person for the huge support that they give to us.

Earlier in the year we had given a performance of Beethoven’s Mass in C and Brahms’s Song of Destiny and Alto Rhapsody at St John’s church in March. We were joined by the London Mozart Players and ^irst class soloists in mezzo-soprano Kathryn Rudge, soprano Sarah Gilford, tenor Richard Pinkstone and the returning bass, Thomas D Hopkinson.

We concluded the year in our traditional manner, giving a concert as part of the Wimbledon International Music Festival in Sacred Heart Church. We took the opportunity to continue our sequence of Handel Oratorios with a performance of his Israel in Egypt with the Academy Baroque Players and another group of wonderful soloists. This performance was preceded by an engaging and well-attended talk by Dr Ruth Smith, a leading Handel scholar, who had spoken compellingly before our performance of Solomon in a previous season. Dr Smith also kindly wrote a programme essay for us, all of which added greatly to everyone’s enjoyment of the occasion.

The choir has continued to bene^it from the generous support of our Friends, without which we could not perform the concerts that we do. We were unfortunate during the

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course of theyear to lose the support of a long-standlng corporate sponsor (our only one), Income that has yet lo be replaced. The attached Income and expendlture account show5 an Increase In our deficit on concerts from E20.13 1 [2022) to £21.903 (2023) (before taklTh8 Into account Lord Moore's generous bequest). Thls has reduced the surplus from £47,598 (2022) to £43.287 (2023). Thls Is clearly both a Strong Positlon and also a decllne which we must work hard to arrest. Thls 15 In turn a greater decline than that which we experlenced between 2021 and 2022 (£2701) and this acceleratlon adds further concern, especlally should It contlnue nextyear. Every concert we put on Incurs a deflclL whlch Is Intended to be met by our Frlends and supporters. It therefore remalns crltlcally Important to bulld ihe breadth and strength of the Frlends to ensure our cholr's long.term survlval. I would Ilke to record my slncere thanks to Matthew Best and to each member ofthe committee for the unstinting hard work ofevery $lngle one ofthem, Much of ih15 work goes unseen but it must never 80 unthanked. We share the vlslon of makln8 our cholr the very best that It can be and through thal io suslaln a love of hl8h quallty choral music in our existing audlence as well as to develop Ihat Same appreclation In those who have yet to discover just how enjoyable and rewarding IL can be. Thls cannol happen withoul exemplary commltment and focus. Thank you. Danl hal IOIUne Z024

Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 December 2023 Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 December 2023 Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 December 2023 Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 December 2023 Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 December 2023
2023 2022
CONCERT INCOME £ £
Box Office and related income 10,652 12,551
Bar receipts(gross) 311 0
Sponsorship 0 500
Donations 200 1,037
11,163 14,088
CONCERT DIRECT COSTS
Professional costs
(1)		 9,000 8,500
Soloists 2,680 7,650
Orchestra/Organist/Orch. Mgmt 13,216 9,531
Accompanists 1,790 1,560
Instrument and Music Hire 1,215 1,920
Venue hire(rehearsals and concerts) 2,763 2,420
Refreshments 231 0
Posters,Programmes,Publicity 2,172 2,638
Travel expenses 0 0
33,067 34,219
DEFICIT ON CONCERTS
(2)		 -21,903 -20,131
OTHER INCOME / -EXPENSE
Choir subscriptions 4,729 4,300
Friends' contributions 10,701 10,640
Income Tax repayment 3,258 3,214
Donations received 392 269
Interest received 276 19
Website -91 -72
Fundraisingcosts -334 0
Auditions -648 -501
MakingMusic subscription -471 -440
Admin(purchase SUMUP,music storage bags) -220
OVERALL SURPLUS / -DEFICIT for theyear -4,310 -2,701
SURPLUS brought forward 47,598 50,299
ACCUMULATED SURPLUS 43,287 47,598
Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31 December 2023
Assets:
Cash at bank 13,287 12,598
Bank deposit 30,000 35,000
Liabilities:
Nil 0 0
ACCUMULATED SURPLUS 43,287 47,598
Of which Restricted Fund
(3)		 0 2,500

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Notes to the Accounts

These accounts are prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis under Section 133 of the Charities Act 2011.

During 2023 the Choir had two own promotion concerts and one concert for which a fee was received from the Wimbledon International Music Festival. Our present financial position is healthy, but the Choir continues to depend disproportionately upon a small number of large one-off donations, including a restricted bequest of £10,000 received in 2020. Use of this bequest defrayed a significant amount of the deficit incurred by the two Bach concerts referred to in Note 3.

As costs increase, we cannot continue to put on two substantial concerts a year of our own promotion unless we obtain more income through Friends’ subscriptions, other donations and regular sponsorship at the same time as attracting large audiences. Our reserves are considered adequate to allow us time to do this.

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Independent examinerfs report Report to the trustees of The Academy Choir Wimbledon (charity number 2990691 on accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023, set out on pages 4&5. I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity 1.the Trust") for the yearended 31 December 2023. Responsibilities and basls of report As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the account5 in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111"the Act"). I report in respert of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under sect6on 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the Act. Independent examinerfs statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect= accounting records were not kept in accordance with 5ethon 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accofd with the accounting records. I have no concerr)s and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Ann F Orton 18 thurch Avenue, East Sheen, London SW14 8NN