2024-06-30-accounts

Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024 Incorporated by Royal Charter Charity Registration No. 312847

Rco

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

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Contents

Page

4 – 5	Reference and Administrative Details
	of the College
6 – 21	Report of the Trustees
22 – 24	Independent Auditors’ Report
25	Statement of Financial Activities
26	Balance Sheet
27	Statement of Cash Flows
28 – 46	Notes to the Accounts

the royal college of organists

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Reference and Administrative Details

Professional Advisers

The professional advisers and consultants during the College Year 2023/2024 were as follows:

Bankers

Bankers Messrs C. Hoare & Co. 37 Fleet Street London EC4P 4DQ Investment Managers Brewin Dolphin Limited 12 Smithfield Street London EC1A 9BD Auditors Kreston Reeves LLP 9 Donnington Park 85 Birdham Road Chichester PO20 7AJ Legal Consultants Farrer & Co. LLP 66 Lincoln’s Inn Fields London WC2A 3LH Registered Address The Royal College of Organists 118 Pall Mall London SW1Y 5ED

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

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The President, Members of the Trustee Council, and Staff during the College Year 2023/2024 (with updates to 31 December 2024)

President

David Hill MBE, MA, DMus, FRCO, HonRCO (to 30 June 2024) Sarah MacDonald MA, FRCO, ARSCM (from 1 July 2024)

President Elect

Sarah MacDonald MA, FRCO, ARSCM (to 30 June 2024)

Trustee Council

Sara Benbow LLB Katherine Dienes-Williams BA, MA, BMus, FRCO, FRSCM, KSL (Chair from 1 July 2024) Andrew Gillett (to 30 June 2024) David Hill MBE, MA, DMus, FRCO, HonRCO (President to 30 June 2024) Carl Jackson MVO, MA, FRCO Philip Kaye MA, DPhil, FCA, FRCO Stephen King BSc, FCCA, FRCO The Lord Lisvane KCB, DL, MA (Chair to 30 June 2024) Sarah MacDonald MA, FRCO, ARSCM (President Elect to 30 June 2024) Christopher Morris Philip Moore BMus, DUniv, FRCO, FRSCM Katharine Pardee MM, DMA, DPhil Ghislaine Reece-Trapp MA, FRCO, PGCE Robert Sharpe MA, FRCO (to 9 November 2023) Tom Winpenny MA, FRCO, DipCHD Prof. Christopher Wood MD, MB, BCh, FRCPSG, FRCPE, FLSW, HonLMRCO (from 1 July 2024) Peter Wright MA, FRCO(CHM)

Clerk to the Trustee Council

Mark Brafield MA, FTCL, FRCO

Chief Executive

Sir Andrew Parmley BMus, MMus, PhD, FRCO(CHM)

Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Studies, & Director, RCO Midlands, and Mid/South/West Wales

Andrew McCrea BMus, MMus, ARCO, HonRCO

Director, RCO East, South, and South-West England

Simon Williams BA, FRCO

Director, RCO North of England, North Wales, and Isle of Man

Tom Bell BMus/GradRNCM, PGDip

Director, RCO Scotland and RCO Northern Ireland

Andrew Macintosh MA, MPhil, ARCO, LRSM, HonLMRCO

Chief Examiner

Stephen Farr MA, PhD, FRCO

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Report of the Trustees for year ended 30 June 2024

Structure, Governance, and Management of the Royal College of Organists

Founded in 1864 as the College of Organists, the College was graciously granted a Royal Charter and Byelaws on 23 November 1893. The Charter and Byelaws were most recently amended on 8 July 2009 with the approval of the Privy Council and the Charity Commission (Charity Registration Number 312847). Copies are available on the College’s website ( www.rco.org.uk ) and in print on application to the College.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland effective 1 January 2019. The accounting policies are set out on pages 28–30.

The affairs of the College are governed by the Trustee Council constituted in accordance with the Byelaws (2009). The Trustee Council is the trustee body in accordance with the Charities Act. The day-to-day management of the College is delegated to the Chief Executive and the senior management team.

Objects of the College

The Objects for which the College is incorporated are:

• a) to promote and advance the arts and practice of organ playing and choral directing and related activities to the highest standards of competence and artistry;

• b) to set and maintain proper standards in such arts for the benefit of the public;

• c) to educate musicians in such arts and practices;

• d) to promote study and research in such arts and practices; and

• e) to do all other such lawful things as are incidental to the attainment of the above objects.

For the purpose of attaining the Objects, but not further or otherwise, the College may exercise thirty-two specified powers set out in the Royal Charter.

Royal Patron

The College was delighted to learn that His Majesty King Charles III had decreed that he would continue to be the College’s Royal Patron. His Majesty The King succeeds his mother, Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who succeeded her father, King George VI. The Royal Patronage dates to 1939, the year of the College’s seventyfifth anniversary. It is well known that HM The King is a supporter of organ and choral music and is a great advocate for the music of British composers, especially Sir Hubert Parry, who was RCO President 1897–1901.

Review of Activities

Governance

The College’s Annual General Meeting took place online on 8 March 2024. The meeting was chaired by the President. It received the Annual Report of the Trustee Council and adopted the audited accounts for the year ended 30 June 2023. The Chairman of the Trustee Council spoke to the Annual Report and reviewed the College’s activities in 2022/2023.

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

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The College’s Trustee Council (the trustee body) met four times during the year 2023/2024, in July and November 2023, and in January and May 2024. The Trustee Council’s members are listed on page 5 of this report. The Council accepts ultimate responsibility for directing the affairs of the College and for ensuring that it is solvent, well run, and delivering the objects of the Royal Charter. It has a number of clearly defined duties and responsibilities, in the areas of compliance, prudence, and care.

Appointment to the Trustee Council is either by election from among the membership, or by the co-option of suitably qualified and experienced individuals who are identified as being able to fill a particular role or professional need on the Council in order to extend its range of skills as widely as possible. Before co-option, candidates are interviewed by a panel including senior Trustees and representatives of the management team; cooption is then dependant on that panel’s recommendation to the wider Council.

All Trustees, whether elected or co-opted, join the Council for an initial term of four years. Elected Trustees are then required to stand for re-election if they wish to serve on the Council for a second term of four years, whilst co-opted Trustees may only serve a second term with the approval of a majority of their fellow Council members.

Upon joining the Council, new Trustees are given an induction that includes a brief history of the College, an introduction to its structure and the management team, the role and duties of Trustees, and a summary of matters and issues that are part of the College’s current plans. The annual audit of the College’s accounts will include an update from its professional advisers as to recent changes in charity law and procedure of which Trustees should be aware. In addition, Trustees are reminded of the need to attend to their continuing professional education, being directed to courses offered externally by leading agencies in the field.

In 2023/2024, the Trustee Council established a working group to monitor and advance the College’s commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. Trustees have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to treat all people with respect and dignity. This is in addition to the self-evident moral duty to make everyone who deals with the College feel safe and welcome. The College must act, and be seen to act, in a way that respects the protected characteristics set out in the Act. The College’s current EDI policy is available on the website and EDI issues are monitored, reported on, and reviewed on a regular basis. The working party has made efforts to approach other organisations so as to learn from their best practice. Various agencies in the fields of music, sport, and education have been considered as comparators. The review will be completed in 2024/2025, with recommendations as to the implementation of the College’s policy, or such revisions as might be required.

The Trustee Council appoints four committees to oversee specific areas of activity:

1. Academic Board

The governance of the academic affairs of the College is vested in the Academic Board, which is appointed by the Trustee Council in consultation with the Chief Executive and the senior management team. It comprises the senior management team and a number of practitioners and scholars co-opted for their expertise and professional experience in the sector. The Board is chaired by the Chief Executive. The powers of the Academic Board encompass the design, maintenance, and review of accreditation/ examination syllabuses and procedures, and the design, maintenance, and review of the RCO’s education programme. The Board has oversight of quality assurance matters, and of library and learning services, and it monitors member and customer satisfaction.

By the year-end specific areas of scrutiny included a review of the Certificate of Accredited Membership award (CAM) and the establishment of a new suite of choral-directing diplomas. A working party has been convened to consider the details of a revised choral-directing strategy through a more comprehensive accreditation offer (diplomas at three levels: Colleague, Associate, Fellow); here an emphasis will fall on a more formative assessment type in which practitioners will work with the choirs they lead or encounter locally. Fellowship will require engagement with a small professional choir provided by the College. Examination finance is also being considered as part of a larger financial review to maximise income and drive efficiencies, with a view to improving activity contribution.

The members of the Board in 2023/2024 were: Tansy Castledine, Stephen Farr (Chief Examiner), Pam Hulme, Andrew Macintosh, Andrew McCrea (Director of Studies/ Chair), Sir Andrew Parmley (Chief Executive/Secretary), Robert Sholl, and Simon Williams. Daniel Moult is joining the Board from 1 July 2024.

2. Appointments and Awards Board

The Appointments and Awards Board, chaired by the President, meets to oversee the College’s scheme of honorary awards and to monitor the processes whereby appointments are made. The Appointments and Awards Board is appointed by the Trustee Council.

The members of this Board in 2023/2024 were: Stephen Farr (Chief Examiner), David Hill (President/Chair), The Lord Lisvane (Chair, Trustee Council), Sarah MacDonald (President Elect), Andrew McCrea (Deputy Chief Executive), Daniel Moult (co-opted), and Sir Andrew Parmley (Chief Executive). The Clerk to the Trustee Council (Mark Brafield) was in attendance.

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3. Finance Committee

The Finance Committee is charged with looking at every aspect of the College’s income and expenditure and in overseeing the College’s management of risk.

The members of the Finance Committee in 2023/2024 were: Andrew Gillett (Trustee), Philip Kaye (Trustee), Stephen King (Trustee/Chair), Christopher Morris (Trustee), and Sir Andrew Parmley (Chief Executive). Paul O’Hare (Finance Officer) is in attendance as required.

In 2023/2024 the Finance Committee has continued to scrutinise the College’s accounts to ensure the RCO represents value for money to its members.

Performance, achievements, and plans for the future

‘To promote and advance the arts and practice of organ playing and choral directing and related activities to the highest standards of competence and artistry.’

Membership

2023/2024

In June 2024, membership of the College was as follows (the previous year is given for comparison):

4. The RCO Foundation

The RCO Foundation is a focus group of experts in fundraising, chaired by a past Chair of Trustees, Prof. Christopher Wood.

The members of the RCO Foundation Committee in 2023/2024 were: Marianne Barton (Secretary), Stephen King (Trustee), The Lord Lisvane (Chair, Trustee Council), Christopher Morris (Trustee), Daniel Moult, Sir Andrew Parmley (Chief Executive), Rachael Snaith, David Williams, and Prof. Christopher Wood (Chair).

In 2023/2024 the RCO Foundation made excellent progress in its third year of operation. The Foundation’s ‘Friends of the RCO’ scheme continued to grow during the year and the generosity of the Friends of the RCO and the contributors to The President’s Circle have enabled the College to continue to place two-manual-and-pedal digital organs in many locations across the UK. In the coming year the Friends’ donations will be applied to maintaining the quality and frequency of The Organ Podcast ,* constructing a digital outreach platform called First Stop!, and supporting a forthcoming nationwide initiative called Play the Organ Year 2025. We shall also continue to place organs in maintained-sector schools whenever funds permit.

*The College Trustees took the decision to discontinue The Organ Show , which was one of the RCO’s many responses to the Covid pandemic, and instead to invest in The Organ Podcast which has proved to be an enormous success internationally. Produced by Mark O’Brien, a former BBC Producer of radio and television programmes, The Organ Podcast has been greeted as a highly informative, educational, and appealing addition to the College’s online offering.

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Membership Type 2023/2024 2022/2023
Full Member 1,348 1,379
Student Member 295 257
Affiliate Student Member 48 62
Life, Honorary,
268 275
Complimentary Member
Affiliate AGO Member 59 64
Affiliate RCCO Member 4 5
Affiliate SCOTS Member 12 8
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There were 192 new joiners (2022/2023: 195). 39 previously lapsed members rejoined during the year. These numbers are broadly stable, showing a very slight decline in the total from the previous year. There has been a clear reduction in the number of Affiliate Student Members and a corresponding increase in Student Members, presumably reflecting a number of Affiliate Student Members choosing to remain with the College when they move on to further education. We have seen robust numbers continue in the recently established Affiliate Member categories, particularly Affiliate AGO Membership. Affiliate SCOTS Membership is in its third full year and continues to grow strongly.

Membership rates were increased slightly from £115 to £120 for full membership. Student membership was maintained at £56 and concessionary membership at £56. Affiliated membership was maintained at £28, and AGO/RCCO/SCOTS at £25. We continue to enjoy the sponsorship of Viscount Classical Organs, who offer a year’s RCO subscription to their new customers. 786 (2022/2023: 839) members subscribed using Gift Aid (45% of the paying membership). 830 (2022/2023: 901) members now pay their subscriptions by Direct Debit (47% of the paying membership).

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

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First introduced in 2021, a joint membership offer with the Musicians’ Union (MU) has continued as a core membership benefit. This gives College members an ongoing 50% discount on a normal MU subscription. This ‘2-for-1’ deal makes joint RCO and MU memberships the same price as a regular MU subscription, providing exceptional value for our members and discounted access to many important benefits such as insurance, financial advice, and legal support.

The annual President’s Appeal ran for the fifteenth time in 2023/2024. The appeal raised £4,711.24 net of Gift Aid. The Friends of the RCO generated £25,204.17.

2024/2025

Membership of the College is open to all. The College will build on the positive news about stable membership numbers over the last five years as it continues to develop and enhance its membership offer and broaden its appeal and relevance to a wider part of the population. The College will continue to maximise the income from the Gift Aid scheme. Subscription payment by Direct Debit will be encouraged as it offers significant efficiency savings, as does the use of the online subscription facility.

The subscription rates for the 2024/2025 College year were set at £130 for Full Membership (a modest increase), £65 for Student Membership (the first increase since 2021/2022), £32.50 for Affiliate Student Membership (again, the first increase for some years), and £35 for the AGO/RCCO/SCOTS membership categories.

Partnerships

The RCO’s growing group of creative and corporate partners delivered dividends to the membership in many ways during the year, not least through a greater understanding of each other’s work and by adding focus collectively on the improved delivery of member benefits.

Our work with, and support for, the Society of Women Organists has led to some interesting work in promoting women organists and composers (SWO). The College acts as an academic sponsor of Fugue State Films, whose quality recordings and documentaries about organs and organ music are highly acclaimed. The College’s close relationship with the Musicians’ Union has developed as we strengthened our member offer as a professional institution. Building on the positive relationship with the American Guild of Organists, the RCO was represented at the Seattle National Convention in July 2022 and preparations were made this year for the College to make a visit to the San Francisco convention in July 2024. The RCO has worked closely with the Incorporated Association of Organists (IAO) in 2023/2024 to mount the fourth IAO-RCO Organ Playing Competition in York in July 2024. As the year ended a creative partnership was established with the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Honours

The Medal of the Royal College of Organists (HonRCO)

The RCO Medal is awarded each year to recognise distinguished achievement in one or more areas of organand choral-related activity; it is also available to recognise distinguished service to the College. The Appointments and Awards Board meets to consider nominations received from various College constituencies, and recommendations are then made to the Trustee Council. In 2024, the RCO Medal was awarded to Prof. Graham Barber, Mr Dominic Gwynn, Dr Stephen Layton, and Dr David Ponsford. The presentations were made at the Conferment Ceremony at Southwark Cathedral in March 2024. We were saddened to learn of the death, just two months after the ceremony, of Mr Dominic Gwynn, who was awarded the Medal for his distinguished achievement in organ-building, especially for his attention to UK organ heritage. Details of 2025’s honorands are scheduled for release on or around 1 January 2025.

Honorary Life Membership of the Royal College of Organists (HonLMRCO)

The Trustee Council instituted Honorary Life Membership (HonLMRCO) some years ago. In the gift of the College’s Trustee Council, this award marks distinguished service to the College and recognises individuals who bring credit to the RCO in the wider world. There were no recipients of this special membership status in 2024.

Marketing Communications

The marketing and communication strategy supports the delivery of the College’s strategic objectives and goals through the creation of strong, relevant, and interesting digital and print content for organists, choral directors, and all those interested in their work and music.

RCO News continues to be a centrepiece of our member communications, supported by the iRCO StopPress online magazine for complementary material better suited to the digital format. Our email publications RCO e-News (member only) and RCO e-Diary (open subscription) are issued monthly to our mailing lists which contain a combined total of 5,150 email addresses. Technical work carried out during this year improved the successful delivery of these email publications with the e-News , for example, now achieving an exceptional 70% opening and 15% click rate. An administrative and financial review of the College’s communications and channels strategy (print and digital) was commenced at the end of 2023/2024.

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RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

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In February 2024 we launched The Organ Podcast to engage with both members and new audiences in an entirely new format. The show is produced fortnightly to provide highquality audio content of interest to organists ‘of every age and stage’, as well as interested audiences of non-organists. This important initiative has significantly increased the College’s reach and engagement with new and existing audiences around the world. The ten episodes published between February and June 2024 had, at the time of writing, been downloaded or streamed a total of 22,579 times. Over that time the audience has grown steadily in both the UK and overseas, with the US now accounting for about a quarter of all listens. The audience feedback has been entirely positive and the breadth and quality of content has done much to raise awareness of the full range of the RCO’s work and engagement.

The new podcast, together with the increasing impact of International Organ Day (see below), have contributed to a significant increase in our social media engagement. During the year we posted a total of 560 times across Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and Instagram, and from this activity we registered 1.5m impressions (content views) and 71k engagements (clicks, comments, likes, and shares) – increases of 200% and 100% respectively on the previous twelve-month period.

While social media and email marketing are increasingly popular as sources of online information, our website remains an important resource (not just for news and information, but also for recruitment, engagement, and access to member services). The main RCO website ( www. rco.org.uk ) welcomed 47,000 visitors and hosted 80,000 sessions during the year.

Engagement and major projects

In 2024 the RCO’s International Organ Day took another step forward in establishing itself as a significant date in the organ calendar. The increasing number of organisations incorporating the day into their event programmes was particularly evident, as was the continued support of individual organists around the world. Physical events and social media contributions were made by more than twenty-five English and Scottish cathedrals, as well as colleges, choirs, and concert halls, freemasons, the LPO, the BBC Scottish SO, a multitude of UK parish churches, and organists and venues in Jersey, Japan, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, Italy, Slovenia, Armenia, Madagascar, and the Falkland Islands.

This was our busiest International Organ Day yet on social media, with the #internationalorganday hashtag even ‘trending’ on UK Twitter/X during the morning, and we were delighted to receive at least two mentions by different presenters on BBC Radio 3. Although the College has historically been less active on Instagram than other platforms, it became obvious this year that a huge number of the individual engagements with #internationalorganday

were taking place on this platform, so we will be focusing much more strongly on Instagram for the 2025 event. It has also been decided henceforth to fix International Organ Day as the fourth Saturday of every April, to provide a fixed and predictable point in the calendar around which organisations can more easily plan.

The next International Organ Day will take place in the context of Play the Organ Year 2025. This substantial College initiative is designed to inspire a year-long effort by the whole organ-playing community, not just to increase the number of people learning to play the organ, but also the numbers enjoying live and recorded organ music. At its heart will be an attempt to open the experience of playing the organ to as many people as possible via ‘Play the Organ’ sessions – to encourage them to take a step towards the organ, to get access to it, and to discover for the first time the unique and thrilling experience of playing this remarkable instrument.

Among the many resources the College is producing to support this campaign is First Stop!, a major new online resource that is being designed as a literal first stop for anyone wanting to find out more about the organ (in all its forms), its music, the people who play it, and the many roles it plays in our lives. First Stop! is being built and managed by the College with support and engagement from the large number of organisations and individuals with whom we work towards our vision of a world in which organ and choral music are widely valued as being central to cultural and spiritual life.

Member Benefits and Services

Developing member services and improving the membership experience continues to be a priority for the College.

We have continued to work with our partners at the Musicians’ Union on a growing suite of services for organists in their working lives. The core of the partnership is a joint membership rate which allows RCO members to join the MU for 50% of the usual rate. Together we run a series of Working Webinars to provide College members with continuing professional development in a wide range of critical work-related areas, with topics in the first twelve months including safeguarding, wellbeing, and building a teaching practice. Together with the MU we have also published a new specimen contact for the employment of organists in places of worship, with accompanying guidance notes and background information.

Our digital content hub, iRCO, is an important and valued benefit for many members, with 60% of members having registered their iRCO accounts and more than half of those having visited at least once during 2023/2024. The site also reaches a sizeable global audience of non-members, with more than 1,500 active guest and member users registered on the system.

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The College has continued to invest strongly in digital content over the College year 2023/2024, with twenty-three new items being published on iRCO – everything from teaching films to podcasts, and webinars to editorial articles. There are now 525 pieces of high-quality learning content on iRCO, including films, publications, articles, and other downloads.

This year’s launch of the TOSE Community (also see below) was a significant extension of our membership offer to young musicians. This year-round programme of activity and support for teenage organists is free to join for any teenage student member of the RCO, and is based around regular twice-termly online forums. Hosted by organist and animateur Cathy Lamb and the RCO’s Tom Bell, these sessions cover everything from practice and playing tips to career advice and the latest news on events and opportunities.

Alongside these online services, the College remains committed to physical events in what is now a balanced ‘hybrid’ model. While attendance remains generally below pre-pandemic levels, such events remain an important part of our work, providing unique experiences that online and digital cannot replicate. With this hybrid approach in mind, we continue to be encouraged by the high satisfaction ratings received for both our digital and ‘real-world’ services. Across all our activity, our ongoing Net Promoter Score (which encapsulates the balance between positive and negative feedback) stands at an excellent +73. The average rating received on all questions relating to communications, content, teaching, and the overall quality of our events is 9 out of 10.

Awards and Bursaries

In 2023/2024, £33,000 was disbursed from the College’s scholarship and prize funds. Disbursements supported RCO examination prizes (two sessions), awards for short courses (such as the RCO’s Summer Course and The Organ Student Experience, and Oundle for Organists courses), and bursaries to assist undergraduates and postgraduates studying the organ and/or choral direction. The College also supported tuition in several schools by paying for an organ tutor.

We renew our thanks to the United Grand Lodge of England for its continued support by providing bursaries for individual organ lessons and for attendance on short courses. Some nine recipients benefited from the Lodge’s generosity in 2023/2024.

‘To set and maintain proper standards in such arts for the benefit of the public.’

RCO Accreditation

Diploma Examinations

Variations to the ‘standard’ diploma regulations (originating in the revised provisions for the pandemic) were offered for the last time in examination year 2023/2024. These have allowed for remote assessment of the organ playing parts of the practical examinations (relying on AV submission) to take place at CRCO and at the higher diploma levels in cases where an exception has been held. Otherwise, ARCO and FRCO organ playing modules have been offered as inperson assessment at an RCO examination centre. Keyboard skills tests were remote assessment at all levels and the written examinations were delivered according to an openbook methodology.

This year saw the further consolidation of administrative processes for the hybrid mode of delivery that has evolved. The management team and Academic Board scrutinised this transition, and all quality assurance matters relating to diploma content and assessment procedures. The existing administrative systems, however, have been tested to their limit in recent years so plans commenced to upgrade and redesign the handling of data, the content to be assessed, and report writing through a new platform and various revised procedures. Discussions commenced with our IT providers, and new provisions will be introduced stage by stage from Summer 2024.

It was pleasing to record the names of sixty-one members successful in RCO diploma accreditation in 2023/2024. In addition, there were six recipients of the Certificate of Accredited Membership (CAM).

In 2023/2024, six RCO members were awarded the Colleague diploma (CRCO), thirty-six the Associateship diploma (ARCO), and eighteen the Fellowship diploma (FRCO). There was a successful candidate in the DipCHD examination. Fourteen successful diploma candidates were in receipt of one or more examination prizes.

CRCO

Statistics for examination year 2023/2024 (Summer 2023 and Winter 2024), with previous sessions to Summer 2019

Total applications (full-entry and sectional applications, and incl. absentees):

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
6 10 3 6 5 7 12 11 16
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RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

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Aiming to complete (full-entry and sectional applications, and incl. absentees):

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
4 8 3 4 4 7 12 10 13
Passes:
W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
2 4 2 3 2 6 12 3 4
Passes in one attempt:
W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
1 4 1 3 1 4 2 1 4
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Candidates examined in Organ Pieces:

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
3 8 1 6 5 5 6 6 11
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Pass rate in Organ Pieces:

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
100% 75% 100% 100% 60% 80% 100% 50% 73%
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Candidates examined in Organ Tests:

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
3 7 3 5 5 7 10 9 15
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Pass rate in Organ Tests:

W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19 67% 71% 67% 60% 60% 86% 80% 11% 33%

ARCO

Statistics for examination year 2023/2024 (Summer 2023 and Winter 2024), with previous sessions to Summer 2019

Total applications (full-entry and sectional applications, and incl. absentees):

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
47 42 38 29 32 49 62 46 54
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Aiming to complete (full-entry and sectional applications, and incl. absentees

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
41 34 30 20 22 42 50 35 40
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Passes:

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
28 8 13 9 12 29 33 11 16
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Passes in one attempt:

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
11 3 8 4 5 12 19 3 10
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Candidates examined in Organ Pieces:

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
30 31 27 20 20 32 40 16 35
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Pass rate in Organ Pieces:

W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19 73% 52% 59% 50% 60% 72% 88% 63% 74%

Candidates examined in the Written Paper:

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
1 9 1 3 3 5 6 6 9
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Pass rate in the Written Paper:

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
100% 89% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 67% 78%
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Candidates examined in Organ Tests:

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
31 28 25 17 16 32 43 18 34
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Pass rate in Organ Tests:

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
77% 50% 68% 71% 69% 84% 90% 56% 59%
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Candidates examined in Written Paper I:

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
26 29 27 13 12 33 37 19 24
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Candidates examined in Written Paper II:

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
22 28 29 16 18 33 40 18 25
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Pass rate in Written Paper II:

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W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
68% 68% 69% 56% 61% 79% 83% 50% 52%
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FRCO

Statistics for examination year 2023/2024 (Summer 2023 and Winter 2024), with previous sessions to Summer 2019

Total applications (full-entry and sectional applications, and incl. absentees):

----- Start of picture text -----
W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
22 26 26 22 20 30 36 24 22
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Aiming to complete (full-entry and sectional applications, and incl. absentees

----- Start of picture text -----
W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
20 17 22 15 16 25 29 18 19
Passes:
W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
11 7 10 7 11 8 20 5 8
Passes in one attempt:
W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
3 3 2 5 2 4 8 3 3
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Candidates examined in Organ Pieces:

----- Start of picture text -----
W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
11 15 12 11 8 20 23 14 13
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Pass rate in Organ Pieces:

----- Start of picture text -----
W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
45% 80% 42% 73% 75% 65% 78% 79% 62%
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Candidates examined in Organ Tests:

----- Start of picture text -----
W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
11 14 8 12 3 16 21 17 12
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Pass rate in Organ Tests:

----- Start of picture text -----
W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
45% 50% 63% 92% 100% 81% 95% 76% 50%
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Candidates examined in Written Paper I:

----- Start of picture text -----
W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
9 12 14 13 8 21 21 11 7
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Pass rate in Written Paper I:

W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19 89% 75% 50% 77% 88% 67% 76% 55% 71%

Candidates examined in Written Paper II:

----- Start of picture text -----
W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19
11 14 19 15 10 24 18 11 6
----- End of picture text -----

Pass rate in Written Paper II:

W24 S23 W23 S22 W22 S21 S20/W21 W20 S19 91% 79% 89% 60% 60% 58% 67% 55% 67%

The regulations for the Examination Year 2023/2024 were published in 2022, and those for Examination Year 2024/2025 in 2023.

The College continues to be grateful to the United Grand Lodge of England for their generosity in donating annual funds to support the examination prizes at Colleague level, including a specially named award for the highest aggregate score called The Freemasons’ Prize.

The Conferment of Diplomas took place at Southwark Cathedral on 9 March. There was an excellent turn-out by candidates and their families, and it was good to see many College constituencies represented in the platform party. The Ede & Ravenscroft recitalist was Darius Battiwalla (Leeds City Organist). His programme reflected the current

RCO Annual Report & Accounts p.15 Year end 30 June 2024

syllabus, one of the Medal honorands, the Town Hall tradition, and Women Composer Sunday, which occurred that weekend. Four RCO Medal recipients were present (see above).

Certificate of Accredited Membership (CAM)

This award has marked an important step towards extending the accreditation programme so that the RCO can provide opportunities to acquire awards from the early stages to (equivalent) postgraduate level. CAM offers the player a developmental route from foundation level (roughly equivalent to ABRSM/TCL Grade 2) via the intermediate level (around Grade 4) to advanced level (around Grade 6). Open to all, and with flexibility in its submission procedures, the Certificate scheme provides either an end in itself or a series of stepping stones towards the diplomas, and it offers a discounted Year 1 membership fee for non-members.

In the Examination Year 2023/2024, there were six CAM recipients: one at Stage 1, three at Stage 2, and two at Stage 3. To 30 June 2024, and since its commencement in 2017, fifty organists have been accredited through the CAM scheme. The majority of the applicants have used the audiovisual submission option, and this has proved attractive to a number of overseas candidates. The applicant numbers, however, remain relatively low and consideration was given in 2023/2024 to improving publicity and resourcing. A review was commenced by the Academic Board.

Accrediting Organ Teachers and Organ Teaching

The College runs a programme to accredit teachers of the organ. The year ended with twenty-seven Accredited Teachers, one fewer than at the same point in 2023, but including our first teacher in Northern Ireland. Teachers are reaccredited every four years.

In addition to the Accredited Teachers’ scheme, an RCO programme for accrediting institutions for their organ teaching was launched in January 2020. This programme aims to consolidate collaborations and to encourage the sharing of ideas and approaches to teaching and learning, mainly in schools; it also encourages the co-branding of activities for marketing and fundraising purposes, and it provides benefits such as access for students of accredited institutions to the RCO’s digital learning platforms and to RCO events at a discount. Students (pre-tertiary) of RCO Accredited Institutions may join the College at a very favourable rate (as Affiliate Student Members), usually equivalent to about half of the prevailing student membership fee. At the end of College year 2023/2024 fourteen schools and the Young Organ Scholars’ Trust (YOST) had been accredited. Discussions are ongoing with other schools, maintained and independent. Encouraging schools in the maintained sector to enter the scheme

remains a challenge. A general lack of disposable funds to cover the annual accreditation fee is a deterrent. This issue continues to receive scrutiny by the management team.

In March 2024 a number of Affiliate Student Members (by virtue of their schools being accredited) were brought together to mount a successful series of lunchtime recitals under the banner of ‘RCO Young Performers’. The idea for a lunchtime series celebrating the talent, hard work, and achievements of young organists was first brought to fruition in 2006 by former RCO President Catherine Ennis, to whose memory this latest series was dedicated. Catherine was a lifelong advocate for young musicians and musicianship. We were delighted to welcome organists from RCO Accredited Institutions Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Uppingham School, and King Edward’s School, Witley to play at St Mary-le-Bow in the City of London. Also, Leeds Cathedral hosted a recital in this series which included performers from Leeds Cathedral, Liverpool Blue Coat School, Junior Royal Northern College of Music, and Manchester Grammar School. The College is grateful to the church authorities involved for their hospitality and extends its grateful thanks to John Higham KC for his sponsorship of the series.

‘To educate musicians in such arts and practices.’

RCO Learning

Regional, National, and International Engagement

The College works for the recruitment and nurturing of the next generation of young organists; supports those seeking accreditation in organ playing, organ teaching, and choral directing; provides personal and professional development for organists of all ages, levels of attainment, and aspirations; and creates opportunities for the sharing of common interests and the exploration of the organ and its associated repertoires.

In 2016 the College adopted a regionally conceived management structure. In tandem with this, engagement events and educational classes and courses have been planned and delivered on a regional basis, directors in each of the regions overseeing and delegating as appropriate to local consultants (Regional Consultants). The aims have been to grow RCO membership and increase take-up for both RCO accreditation (diplomas and the Certificate of Accredited Membership) and educational services.

The RCO regions are as follows:

RCO East/South/South-West England (Director: Simon Williams)

RCO Midlands, and Mid/South/West Wales (Director: Andrew McCrea)

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RCO North of England/North Wales/Isle of Man (Director: Tom Bell)

RCO Scotland and RCO Northern Ireland (Director: Andrew Macintosh)

The reports of the regional directors on the activities in their areas follow below.

The College is grateful to all those who have agreed to act as supporting Regional Consultants in the RCO regions and for their professional expertise and support of the College’s mission.

Since the introduction of the College’s regional structure, activity has been divided between centrally organised events (including those with national and international reach), those organised locally, and those run by other organisations but with input and/or support from the College. The pandemic brought about the adaptation of the regional structure in order to deliver a degree of online learning. The College now pursues a blended-learning model.

RCO East/South/South-West England (including national events and online courses)

National Events

As usual the College year began with our two flagship residential courses: The Organ Student Experience (TOSE) in Oxford (a week-long course for ambitious teenaged organists) and the RCO Summer Course for Organists in London (for ‘all ages and stages’). Once again, all forty of the available places on TOSE Week were booked, with the Summer Course also attracting forty organists, an increase of one on the previous year. Feedback received via the online review procedure was mostly very positive, with criticism mostly beyond our control and in the form of requests for extra tuition in what is already a very packed timetable (TOSE), the unavailability once more of accommodation at Sundial Court near the course headquarters, and the time and energy required to travel around central London (Summer Course). Thanks as ever are due to the artistic directors and administrators of the two courses: Daniel Moult and Yvonne Eddy for the TOSE Week and Andrew Cantrill-Fenwick and Kate Matthews (supported during the course itself by David Wakefield) for the Summer Course.

The Organ Student Experience now offers year-round support for teenaged organists. In addition to TOSE Week (see above), which is for those who have reached at least Grade 7 level, where we previously ran one TOSE-in-aDay event (for those of around Grade 5 level and above) in London, we now run two, one in the South and one in the North. Entirely new this year is TOSE Community, which is for all teenaged student members of the College irrespective of their playing standard. Directed by Tom Bell and Cathy Lamb, and co-ordinated by Makoto James, this offers

twice-termly online meetings at which leading organists speak about repertoire, learning techniques, specific organs and the like. Recordings of the presentations are available to TOSE Community members to view at their own convenience. We view 2023/2024 as a pilot year and have already held a review meeting.

This year’s RCO Organ Forum took place at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in November 2023 in partnership with the Organ Department there. The theme was 21st-Century Bach, an exploration of contemporary approaches to Bach performance.

Two overseas study trips took place, the first, in October, to the Netherlands (Alkmaar, Amsterdam, and Haarlem) and the second, in May, to France (Paris and Rouen). That these trips are quickly booked up is testament to the compelling itineraries Richard Brasier is able to devise and to his thoughtful leadership.

In-person events in the East, South, and South-West regions

Prior to the pandemic, we ran two organ diploma preparation study days annually at the College’s London examination centre, as well as one at the Northern centre. Post-pandemic greatly increased hire charges at the London venue and the availability on iRCO of detailed online support for the written papers led to a rethink of provision. This year, a day was trialled at a different London venue with a similar organ and offering teaching only for the practical examination and the aural questions of the written papers. The level of uptake was such that we are unlikely to continue with this, at least without further rethinking. More successfully, a partnership with the Gloucestershire Organists’ Association led to an afternoon on French Baroque organ music in Cheltenham with Dr David Ponsford, a leading authority on this repertoire.

The programme of classes (typically three-hour events for a maximum of six players) saw mixed success. Of the nine organised five were cancelled owing to lack of support. Consideration of why this might be will inform the planning of the future classes programme.

Online learning

Aside from the TOSE Community meetings described earlier, the other new online initiative was the introduction of the Working Webinar series offering professional support for organists. Topics so far have included health and wellbeing, safeguarding, leadership skills, and building a teaching practice. Although attendance at the live events is relatively small, all webinars are recorded and uploaded to iRCO for members to view subsequently.

Looking ahead

TOSE Week takes place in late July 2024, once again in Oxford, with all places booked in record time. The Summer

RCO Annual Report & Accounts p.17 Year end 30 June 2024

Course follows in London with, at the time of writing, forty-six students, an increase of six on last year. The RCO Organ Forum in October celebrates the life and music of Sir Charles Villiers Stanford in the centenary year of his death and takes place in Cambridge where he studied and began his professional career. The first of two overseas study trips visits Arnstadt in the autumn. A smaller programme of classes will be run on subjects of broad appeal whilst further Working Webinars and meetings of the TOSE Community will take place online.

The major new initiative for the 2024/2025 College year is Play the Organ Year 2025 . The idea for this arose from discussion among the Accredited Teachers in the light of reduced student numbers post-pandemic. A working party has been formed with representatives from the College, RSCM, IAO, BIOS, SWO, and the Organ Club, with a three-person executive group from the College carrying out the majority of the work. We envisage two main strands of activity: ‘First Encounter’ organ concerts and individual 20-minute ‘Play the Organ’ sessions. The vast majority of these will be organised and delivered locally with support from the College in the provision of downloadable materials, together with a listings service so that those wishing to engage can discover what is going on in their area. Organisations represented on the Working Party will be asked to enthuse their members to organise activity. Ms Anna Lapwood MBE has agreed to act as the Patron of this initiative, and there will be a number of high-profile ambassadors located across the country. Further information can be found at www.rco.org.uk/play.php .

RCO Midlands and Mid/South/West Wales

The College supported the annual MusicFest held at the English Martyrs’ Catholic School, Leicester in February (specifically the organ competition and masterclass for youngsters, this year adjudicated/taken by Joseph McHardy). The College also supported an outreach event for local schoolchildren at St Peter’s, Wolverhampton in February, led by Ewan Murray. This was part of Ewan’s BMus final project (focused on organ education) at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. His write-up of this successful event was published on iRCO in March.

Three RCO-nominated recitalists were chosen to represent the College at the Gloucester Three Choirs Festival in 2023: François Cloete, Miriam Reveley, and Polina Sosnina. The annual connection with the Three Choirs organisation is much valued, and it brings professional and developmental opportunities for our young professional players, most of whom are recent examination prize-winners.

Several classes had been offered in the east midlands in 2022/2023 but take-up was noted to be poor. Two of the events were eventually converted into individual lessons with the tutor, and a further initiative to provide a ‘taster day’ for youngsters did not run. There were no events in 2023/2024, but at the time of writing, an event in Oakham has been

scheduled for the beginning of 2024/2025. Work continues with the RCO consultant in the east of this region to engage more effectively with various organists’ associations and their officers.

RCO North of England/North Wales/Isle of Man

A programme of six classes or events was promoted in the region during the period under review. Five of these were in partnership with local IAO groups (three with the Newcastle and District Society of Organists, one each with the Cumbrian Society of Organists and the Liverpool Organists’ Association). The biggest of these partner events was Byrd in Newcastle , a day at Newcastle Cathedral making use of the Wetheringsett Organ. The North East Early Music Forum also supported the day, which featured inspired teaching from Prof. Magnus Williamson and Prof. Terence Charlston, together with a beautiful evensong sung by Newcastle Cathedral choir.

The sixth event during the review period was a northern TOSE-in-a-Day in York. Hamstrung by extreme weather, and its impact on the rail network, 50% of the tutors could not reach Yorkshire. Fortunately, the students made it, albeit rather late in some instances. A great day was had, featuring a rapidly and creatively reinvented timetable to allow for the lower-than-expected number of tutors (i.e. one!). The success of the day made a strong case for the event to be repeated in future years, and indeed this will be the case in 2024.

As reported all too often in recent years, class/event attendance still varies rather more than was the case prior to the pandemic. The same number of classes/events in 2023/2024 yielded 25% fewer students than during 2022/2023. A major factor in this is significantly lower uptake from the memberships of the IAO groups we work with than hitherto. This illustrates a more general and well-publicised issue afflicting membership organisations post-COVID; certainly, in the case of at least one of our IAO partners, it affects equally the non-RCO events with which that group also is involved. All this poses a problem: the financial sponsorship the IAO groups provide (in return for heavily discounted entrance fees), is benefitting fewer of their members than previously, whilst the local RCO membership is not necessarily making its presence felt either.

As noted in last year’s Trustees’ Report, twice as many people attended RCO classes in the region in 2022/2023 compared to 2021/2022. This was encouraging, not least since the College actually ran fewer classes in total that year. Was 2022/2023 therefore an aberration, or 2023/2024? Fortunately, sponsorship from local IAO groups helps potentially loss-making classes to break even. To expect IAO groups to continue to provide financial support, in the face of dwindling attendance by their own members, would however be unreasonable. It also is worth considering the fact that, given the total numbers of students and classes in any year is relatively small, a single event can make all the difference to the sorts of statistics quoted above. Franck

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in Newcastle in 2022 was substantially more popular than Byrd in Newcastle in 2023, accounting for much of the difference in total class/event attendance numbers between the two years. Yet, a partnership model which had seemed so very promising in this region, needs careful review in 2024/2025. Conversations are already taking place with various IAO groups and other partners, as part of the planning process for classes and events in the coming year.

A focal point for Institutional Accreditation in the region was the RCO Young Performers Concert in Leeds, as part of the Leeds International Concert Season. As in 2023 this was a tremendous success, with a diverse and talented group of students from five different schools. The event will be repeated in 2025. It is a fantastic opportunity for talented young players to perform in a very significant and well-established recital series, with a wonderful audience. Renewed thanks to Darius Battiwalla (Leeds City Organist) and his colleagues for their generosity and support. Building relationships with Accredited Institutions will of course form a part of the writer’s work over the next year.

RCO Scotland and RCO Northern Ireland

We held three workshops under the SCOTS banner in the year under review: in Dumfries on 18 November, in Glasgow on 3 February, and in Hawick on 4 May. We are attracting healthy repeat attendance at these events. Overall, membership of SCOTS increased from 8 to 12 during the year. We are happy with this modest growth in an environment which remains very difficult, particularly in the Church of Scotland, with many churches and instruments under threat of closure. One Stage 1 pass has been awarded during the year.

An important part of our work is to continue to make the positive case for the instrument and its future. Sir Andrew Parmley and Andrew Macintosh attended the conference of the Scottish Federation of Organists in Banchory on 10–11 May to underline the College’s support for organists in Scotland and to publicise the work of the College.

We continue to support the work of our recently appointed Accredited Teacher in Northern Ireland and look forward to increasing our presence there in the year ahead.

Tudor Organs

During the period under review, the Wetheringsett Organ has been situated at Newcastle Cathedral, and has been used regularly in services, recitals, and workshop events. It was used for a celebratory event for the Byrd anniversary in 2023. It will remain in situ and be used at the forthcoming Medieval and Renaissance Music Conference in the region in 2025. Funds were sought by the two universities in Newcastle, the Cathedral, and the College to support a doctoral student who could use the organ as a main resource. Sadly, the application to the regional funding body did not succeed. The Wingfield Organ has enjoyed a fruitful residency at Bradford Cathedral in 2023/2024, and in May 2024 it was relocated to St Cuthbert’s, Wells, where it has resided before.

RCO Journal

The Journal of the Royal College of Organists vol. 15 (2022) was published in August 2023 and vol. 16 (2023) has been in preparation during 2023/2024. Contributing to the College’s long-standing commitment to commissioning original research, the Journal , and previous RCO scholarly publications, became available during 2016 in the full-text version of the International Repertory of Music Literature (RILM). All issues are available on iRCO.

National Pipe Organ Register (NPOR)

The College continues to provide management services to the British Institute of Organ Studies (BIOS) to facilitate the day-to-day running of this important resource. In the year under review we have supported the transfer of hosting facilities to a new provider. This in turn has enabled the completion of significant updates to the structure and coding of the database which will enhance the efficiency of the service we provide.

Financial Review

The detailed College accounts follow this report. The Trustee Council reviews all aspects of the College’s finances on a regular basis. The budgetary control and the attendant management information systems are satisfactory.

RCO Library Collections

The RCO collaborates with two institutions to provide access to the RCO’s library collections: Birmingham City University (The Curzon Library, where the RCO collection is co-located with the collections of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire) and the Royal College of Music in London. The RCO warmly welcomes the continuing, facilitatory arrangements with these institutions. Stored library holdings can be called up to be consulted at either institution by arrangement. This has happened on a number of occasions during 2023/2024.

Reserves Policy

General Reserves

The College will draw on reserves as required to maintain its current level of activity. The Trustees believe that the reserves as at 30 June 2024 are sufficient to meet the current and future needs of the beneficiaries. Donations and Legacies are an essential element in our income. Income under this heading has varied from year to year; this year £152,171 was received (2023: £78,069).

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

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Restricted and Endowment Funds

GMC Trust

RCO Academy (TOSE) – supporting young organists

These funds are in large part endowments and the income generated is restricted to a specific use.

The total funds of the College at 30 June 2024 were £3,366,428 of which £1,743,426 were Unrestricted, £1,007,681 represented Restricted Funds, and £615,321 represented Endowments for particular purposes as described in note 12 of the accounts.

PF Charitable Trust

Donation to the educational work of the College (Organ Forum)

Leeds City Council

In support of RCO Young Performers

SGC Donation

The College will seek to ensure that the anticipated income stream from its investments is adequate for its day-to-day operational requirements. Wherever possible, surpluses will be reinvested in the fund.

Investment Policy

The College investment managers, Brewin Dolphin Limited, presented their review of the investment market and the College’s portfolio at a Trustee Council meeting in January 2024.

The College’s investments have performed broadly in line with expectations in what has continued to be a very challenging economic climate.

Remuneration Policy

Staff members, who are all key management personnel, are paid in line with staff in similar charities. Salaries are reviewed annually and revised in line with changes to workload and responsibilities.

Support of the work of the College (Tom Bell concert)

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Donation to the educational work of the College (Organ Forum)

London Mark and Strong Man Lodges (David Roberts Jones) Donation to the educational work of the College

Fondation de France

Sponsorship for the Messiaen Project (Fugue State Films)

Sidney Sussex, Cambridge For the RCO Fundraising Dinner

The Percy Whitlock Trust

Donation to the library and to the educational work of the College

Mr Bryan Woolley

Bequest in support of the work of the College

The College would like to record special thanks to Viscount Organs for their ongoing support and sponsorship of the educational work of the College.

Legacies, donations, and support

The College is profoundly grateful for the generosity of those who make gifts or donate funds to assist us in our work.

For the fifteenth year our annual appeal for additional donations was made alongside the request for subscriptions by the College President. This raised £4,711 net of Gift Aid.

In addition to those donating to the President’s Appeal our work has been supported by the following individuals and institutions over the course of the year:

United Grand Lodge of England Donation to the educational work of the College

Professor Christopher Wood Support of the work of the College (RCO Foundation)

Andrew Gillett Livery Company Support of the work of the College (RCO Foundation)

Mr John Higham KC In support of RCO Young Performers

Anniversary Circle and the ‘Friends of the RCO’

The College does not receive any state support and is dependent on member subscriptions, project funding from trusts, and ad hoc benefaction and legacies from individuals. In conjunction with the 150th anniversary in 2014, the ‘Anniversary Circle’ was launched in order to establish a new community of individual and corporate benefactors through which the College aims to build the strongest possible platform for its work long into the future. The Anniversary Circle has been revised to form the ‘Friends of the RCO’ (see above). The Friends of the RCO raised £25,204.17 in 2023/2024. The Anniversary Circle raised £430.

Support in Kind

The Cavalry and Guards Club The Dean and Chapter of Southwark Cathedral

The College wishes to thank the authorities and the staff of the many churches and institutions it has liaised with during

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the year. It is grateful for any unpaid assistance offered, and for the many instances of goodwill extended.

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with the law applicable to charities in England and Wales. Law applicable to England and Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law, the Trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom accounting standards and applicable law). The financial statements are required by law to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of incoming resources for that period and:

• select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently; and

• observe the methods and principles in the Charities’ SORP; and

• make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and

• state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position and for ensuring that the financial statements comply with applicable law. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Public Benefit

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard for the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit

Audit Information

So far as each of the Trustees at the time the Trustees’ report is approved is aware:

• a) there is no relevant information of which the auditors are unaware; and

• b) they have taken all relevant steps they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditors are aware of that information.

Auditors

Kreston Reeves LLP have been appointed as auditors for this year following a competitive tender process overseen by the Finance Committee.

Risks and Outlook

The Trustee Council and the management team have review processes in place which include an assessment of the risks faced by the College, and the monitoring of these.

The prosperity of the College and the achievement of its objectives are directly related to the prosperity, rituals, and facilities of a small number of institutions, many religious, served by its members. The College has little influence over these, but seeks to address this risk by the excellence of its achievements and plans for the future described earlier in this report. By promoting the highest professional and artistic standards and encouraging wide interest in organ playing and choral directing among the community generally, these activities are intended to support the continuing prosperity of these institutions.

The College’s opus operandi , activities, and digital campus (iRCO) are heavily dependent on the College remaining at the forefront of relevant digital technology, and its proper implementation and adaptation to the College’s requirements. This is updated and reviewed periodically. During 2023/2024 the College carried out a major review of its IT and data systems, policies, and processes. New policies were drawn up and agreed, new cloud-based IT infrastructure and systems introduced, and the training of staff, contractors, and relevant volunteers was refreshed. This work was carried out to ensure the College’s continued alignment with both regulations and best practice, as well as in recognition of our growing online and digital requirements.

The financial position of the College is greatly dependent on the valuation of and income from its investments; and also from the flow of donations and particularly legacies. The bequests necessary to finance the College’s operating deficiencies can be unpredictable and intermittent, and for these reasons, and to secure bequests of sufficient size, the RCO Foundation has been set up. The Foundation will be addressing these issues as a matter of priority. Through a network of Individual and Corporate Friends, and of Creative Partners, the Foundation will be seeking to establish meaningful and lasting financial relationships and a significant increase in legacy giving.

Loss of key staff is mitigated by active succession planning, the review of recruitment processes, and staff training.

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

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The implementation of a regional management structure has reduced vulnerability through the devolution of responsibilities.

Budgetary control and financial reporting risks are mitigated by maintaining a link between budgets and business planning/objectives, the use of proper costing procedures for service delivery, and the regular review of reserves and investments. The Finance Committee reviews the management accounts on a monthly basis.

Public perception risk is mitigated by communications with supporters and beneficiaries using the website and print and digital publications; these ensure that good-quality reporting of the charity’s activities and financial situation is in place.

Thanks to our staff

The College is fortunate to have a dedicated team of staff supported by a small, hard-working group of freelancers and contractors providing specialist services. The Trustees are grateful for their combined efforts.

By order of the Trustees

Ms Katherine Dienes-Williams BA, MA, BMus, FRCO, FRSCM, KSL

Chair of the Trustee Council

Date: 17 February 2025

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Independent auditors’ report to the Members of The Royal College of Organists

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of The Royal College of Organists (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 30 June 2024 which comprise the Statement of financial activities, the Balance sheet, the Statement of cash flows and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standards applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) in preference to the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has been withdrawn.

This has been done in order for the accounts to provide a true and fair view in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Practice effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015.

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the charity’s affairs as at 30 June 2024 and of its incoming resources and application of resources for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the United Kingdom, including the Financial Reporting Council’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the Annual report other than the financial statements and our Auditors’ report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the Annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the

RCO Annual Report & Accounts p.23 Year end 30 June 2024

extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• the information given in the Trustees’ report is inconsistent in any material respect with the financial statements; or

• sufficient accounting records have not been kept; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the Trustees’ responsibilities statement, the Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements which give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an Auditors’ report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of noncompliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

Capability of the audit in detecting irregularities, including fraud

Based on our understanding of the charity and the sector as a whole, and through discussion with the Trustees and other management (as required by auditing standards), we identified that the principal risks of non-compliance with laws and regulations related to health and safety and employment law. We considered the extent to which noncompliance might have a material effect on the financial statements. We also considered those laws and regulations that have a direct impact on the preparation of the financial statements such as the Charities SORP (FRS 102) Second Edition (released October 2019), and other relevant charity legislation.

We communicated identified laws and regulations throughout our team and remained alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout the audit. We evaluated management’s incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements (including the risk of override of controls) and determined that the principal risks related to posting inappropriate journal entries to increase revenue or reduce expenditure, and management bias in accounting estimates and judgemental areas of the financial statements such as the valuation of investments. Audit procedures performed by the engagement team included:

• Discussions with management and assessment of known or suspected instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations and fraud; and

• Assessment of identified fraud risk factors; and

Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

• Challenging assumptions and judgements made by management in its significant accounting estimates; and

We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the

p.24

• Confirmation of related parties with management, and review of transactions throughout the period to identify any previously undisclosed transactions with related parties outside the normal course of business; and

• Performing analytical procedures with automated data analytics tools to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships, including related party transactions, that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud; and

• Reading minutes of meetings of those charged with governance; and

• Identifying and testing journal entries, in particular any manual entries made at the year end for financial statement preparation.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK), we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:

• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion of the effectiveness of the charity’s internal control.

a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our Auditors’ report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our Auditors’ report. However, future events or conditions may cause the charity to cease to continue as a going concern.

• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an Auditors’ report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and its trustees, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Kreston Reeves LLP Chartered Accountants Chichester

Date: 24 February 2025

Kreston Reeves LLP are eligible to act as auditors in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the Trustees.

• Conclude on the appropriateness of the Trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

p.25

Statement of Financial Activities Year end 30 June 2024

Note Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies 3 Charitable activities: 4 Annual subscriptions Examination fees Events . Other charitable activities Investment income 5 Total income and endowments Expenditure on: Raising funds: 6 Fundraising and publicity Investment Management Fees Charitable activities 7 Total expenditure Net (expenditure)/incom e before net gains on investments Net gains on investments Net income/ (expenditure) Transfers between funds 14 Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward Net movement in funds Total funds carried forward	Endowment funds 2024 £ - - - - - - - - 2,756 - 2,756 (2,756) 48,564 45,808 - 45,808 569,513 45,808 615,321	Restricted funds 2024 £ 77,117 - - - - 37,011 114,128 - 4,539 104,570 109,109 5,019 79,973 84,992 (32,317) 52,675 955,006 52,675 1,007,681	Unrestricted funds 2024 £ 95,449 166,311 43,796 70,243 13,062 59,785 448,646 43,260 9,398 543,301 595,959 (147,313) 152,021 4,708 32,317 37,025 1,706,401 37,025 1,743,426	Total funds 2024 £ 172,566 166,311 43,796 70,243 13,062 96,796 562,774 43,260 16,693 647,871 707,824 (145,050) 280,558 135,508 - 135,508 3,230,920 135,508 3,366,428	Total funds 2023 £ 78,069 177,584 37,122 68,407 - 111,332 472,514 69,396 17,598 570,423 657,417 (184,903) 5,549 (179,354) - (179,354) 3,410,274 (179,354) 3,230,920

All amounts related to continuing activities. The Statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. The notes on pages 28 to 46 form part of these financial statements.

p.26

Balance Sheet at 30 June 2024

Note Fixed assets Investments 11 Current assets Debtors and advance payments 12 Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 13 Net current assets Total net assets Charity funds Endowment funds 14 Restricted funds 14 Unrestricted funds 14 Total funds	85,592 181,978 267,570 (173,666)	2024 £ 3,272,524 3,272,524 93,904 3,366,428 615,321 1,007,681 1,743,426 3,366,428	84,753 149,990 234,743 (165,821)	2023 £ 3,161,998
				3,161,998 68,922
				3,230,920
				569,513 955,006 1,706,401
				3,230,920

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:

Ms Katherine Dienes-Williams BA, MA, BMus, FRCO, FRSCM, KSL Chair of the Trustee Council

Date: 17 February 2025

The notes on pages 28 to 46 form part of these financial statements.

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

p.27

Statement of Cash Flows

Year end 30 June 2024

Cash flows from operating activities Net cash used in operating activities Cash flows from investing activities Investment income and interest received Proceeds from disposal of fixed asset investments Acquisition of fixed asset investments Net cash provided by investing activities Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	2024 £ (209,008) 96,796 999,147 (854,947) 240,996 31,988 149,990 181,978	2023 £ (287,127) 111,332 1,242,006 (1,030,644) 322,694 35,567 114,423 149,990

The notes on pages 28 to 46 form part of these financial statements

p.28 oe ae IN

Notes to the Financial Statements for year ended 30 June 2024

1. Accounting policies

1.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

The financial statements have been prepared to give a ‘true and fair’ view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a ‘true and fair’ view. This departure has involved following the Charities SORP (FRS 102) published in October 2019 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.

The Royal College of Organists meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound.

1.2 Going concern

The Trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern basis is appropriate and have considered possible events or conditions that might cast significant doubt on the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern. The Trustees have made this assessment for a period of at least one year from then date of approval of the financial statements. After making enquiries, the Trustees have concluded that there is a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The charity therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements.

1.3 Reserves policy and fund accounting

Unrestricted Funds

The Trustees have reviewed the College’s need for reserves in line with the guidance issued by the Charity Commission. They have identified the future needs of the College and where appropriate have set aside funds or designated funds to meet those needs.

The balance of the funds, after the separation of restricted and designated funds, represent the College’s

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

p.29

general or free reserves. They can be used at the Trustees’ discretion for the general running of the College. A statement of the Trustees’ view of the necessary level of unrestricted reserves is made on page 24.

Restricted, Designated and Endowment Funds

The College’s Restricted and Trust Funds consist of a number of different funds where the donor has imposed restrictions on the use of the funds which are legally binding. The accounting records separate these restricted funds from the unrestricted funds of the College.

A schedule of the movements on each individual fund during the year are set out in note 14. The College’s Designated Funds are funds set aside at the Trustees’ discretion for specific purposes. These purposes are set out in note 14.

Permanent endowment funds must be held permanently by the Trustees and income arising is separately included in restricted funds for specific use as defined by the donors.

1.4 Income

Subscriptions for 2023/2024 are shown in the accounts on a receivable basis with provision being made for those amounts considered irrecoverable. Subscriptions income received in April, May and June 2024 is assumed to relate to 2024/2025 and is therefore deferred.

Exam fees income relating to exam sittings post year end and advance payments for the programme of RCO Academy classes and events taking place in 2024/2025 are treated as deferred income.

Investment income and Gift Aid income relating to 2023/2024 is accrued. All other income, including recoverable tax creditors, is included in income when it is received.

Donations and gifts in kind include assets and resources received from many benefactors. Income is recognised as soon as there is probability of receipt and the value can be measured with reliability.

1.5 Heritage assets

The College is the owner of a library of Organ and Choral music and books. Many precious works are contained in the library which is housed and managed on behalf of the College by Birmingham City University and the Royal College of Music. The collection is considered irreplaceable and as such it is not possible to attribute a reliable cost or value to it. It is additionally considered that the process of obtaining valuations of the collection would be disproportionate to any public benefit that might be derived and that it is impractical to apply conventional valuation techniques to the collection, due to the uniqueness of its nature.

1.6 Investments

Investments are included at market value as at the balance sheet date in accordance with the SORP. Realised and unrealised gains or losses on assets are accounted for within the particular fund of which the asset forms a part.

1.7 Apportionment of Expenditure

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and is analysed into the categories required by the SORP. Notes 6, 7 and 8 to the financial statements provide an analysis of each of the relevant categories according to function.

Staff costs are apportioned in accordance with time spent within each category. Governance costs represent the institutional costs of the College.

p.30

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

1.8 Pensions

The College runs a non contributory defined contribution scheme for its employees. Alternatively, the College will make a contribution to the personal pensions schemes of employees. Contributions payable are charged in the Statement of Financial Activities.

1.9 Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

1.10 Financial instruments

The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments. Financial instruments are recognised in the charity’s balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

With the exceptions of prepayments and deferred income all other debtor and creditor balances are considered to be basic financial instruments under FRS 102. See notes 12 and 13a for the debtor and creditor notes.

1.11 Employee benefits

The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense.

2. Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement

In preparing financial statements it is necessary to make certain judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts recognised in the financial statements.

In the view of the Trustees in applying the accounting policies adopted, no judgements were required that have a significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements nor do any estimates or assumptions made carry a significant risk of material adjustment in the next financial year.

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

p.31

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

3. Income from donations and legacies

Donations (including gift aid) Legacies and bequests Donations (including gift aid) Legacies and bequests	Restricted funds 2024 Unrestricted funds 2024 Total funds 2024 £ £ £ 77,117 94,449 171,566 - 1,000 1,000 77,117 95,449 172,566 Unrestricted funds 2023 Total funds 2023 £ £ 71,577 71,577 6,492 6,492 78,069 78,069

4. Charitable activities

All income from charitable activities in the current and prior year related to unrestricted funds.

5. Investment income

Investment income
Investment income Investment income	Restricted funds 2024 Unrestricted funds 2024 £ £ 37,011 59,785 Restricted funds 2023 Unrestricted funds 2023 £ £ 41,903 69,429	Total funds 2024 £ 96,796
		Total funds 2023 £ 111,332

Investment income is derived from listed securities, common investment funds and bank interest.

p.32

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

6. Expenditure on raising funds

Costs of raising funds

Costs of raising funds	Costs of raising funds
Fundraising and publicity Investment Management Fees		Endowment funds 2024 £ - 2,756 2,756	Restricted funds 2024 Unrestricted funds 2024 Total funds 2024 £ £ £ - 43,260 43,260 4,539 9,398 16,693 4,539 52,658 59,953
	Fundraising and publicity Investment Management Fees	Endowment funds 2023 £ - 2,850 2,850	Restricted funds 2023 £ - 4,601 4,601	Unrestricted funds 2023 £ 69,396 10,147 79,543	Total funds 2023 £ 69,396 17,598 86,994

7. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities

Summary by fund type

Examinations Publications Library and other Scholarships and Prizes Events Membership Services EEOP Project Governance	Restricted funds 2024 Unrestricted funds 2024 £ £ 17,556 168,106 - 77,021 - 25,438 32,712 42,954 44,800 184,270 - 26,436 - 3,201 9,502 15,875 104,570 543,301	Total 2024 £ 185,662 77,021 25,438 75,666 229,070 26,436 3,201 25,377
		647,871

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

p.33

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

7. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities (continued)

Summary by fund type (continued)

Examinations Publications Library and other Scholarships and Prizes Events Membership Services EEOP Project Governance	Restricted funds 2023 £ 18,542 - - 54,163 - - - 4,874 77,579	Unrestricted funds 2023 £ 112,486 65,270 18,907 50,258 208,915 21,140 6,050 9,818 492,844	Total 2023 £ 131,028 65,270 18,907 104,421 208,915 21,140 6,050 14,692
			570,423

8. Analysis of expenditure by activities

Examinations Publications Library and other Scholarships and Prizes Events Membership Services EEOP Project Governance	Activities undertaken directly 2024 £ 93,942 38,970 12,872 5,573 115,904 13,376 1,620 - 282,257	Grants 2024 £ - - - 32,712 - - - - 32,712	Support costs 2024 £ 91,720 38,051 12,566 37,381 113,166 13,060 1,581 25,377 332,902	Total funds 2024 £ 185,662 77,021 25,438 75,666 229,070 26,436 3,201 25,377
				647,871

p.34

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

8. Analysis of expenditure by activities (continued)

Examinations Publications Library and other Scholarships and Prizes Events Membership Services EEOP Project Governance	Activities undertaken directly 2023 £ 74,638 37,180 10,770 5,318 119,003 12,042 3,446 - 262,397	Grants 2023 £ - - - 54,163 - - - - 54,163	Support costs 2023 £ 56,390 28,090 8,137 44,940 89,912 9,098 2,604 14,692 253,863	Total funds 2023 £ 131,028 65,270 18,907 104,421 208,915 21,140 6,050 14,692
				570,423

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

p.35

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

8. Analysis of expenditure by activities (continued)

Analysis of support costs

Examinations 2024 £ Staff costs 33,445 Rent, rates, services and insurance 3,466 Other establishment expenses 222 Telephone and internet expenses 2,663 Bank charges 2,332 Legal and professional fees 15,450 Printing, postage and stationery 1,529 Sundry 26,557 Travel and accommodation 6,056 91,720 Staff costs Rent, rates, services and insurance Other establishment expenses Telephone and internet expenses Bank charges Legal and professional fees Audit fees Printing, postage and stationery Council travel and meeting costs Sundry Travel and accommodation	Publications 2024 £ 13,875 1,439 92 1,105 967 6,410 635 11,016 2,512 38,051 Membership Services 2024 £ 4,762 494 32 379 332 2,200 - 218 - 3,781 862 13,060	Library and other 2024 £ 4,582 475 30 365 319 2,117 210 3,638 830 12,566 EEOP Project 2024 £ 577 60 4 46 40 266 - 26 - 458 104 1,581	Scholarships and Prizes 2024 £ 13,631 1,413 91 1,085 950 6,297 624 10,822 2,468 37,381 Governance 2024 £ - - - - - - 22,191 - 3,186 - - 25,377	Events 2024 £ 41,265 4,279 274 3,285 2,877 19,063 1,888 32,764 7,471 113,166 Total funds 2024 £ 112,137 11,626 745 8,928 7,817 51,803 22,191 5,130 3,186 89,036 20,303
				332,902

p.36

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

8. Analysis of expenditure by activities (continued)

Analysis of support costs (continued)

Examinations 2023 £ Staff costs 25,435 Rent, rates, services and insurance 3,454 Other establishment expenses 201 Telephone and internet expenses 2,098 Bank charges 1,596 Legal and professional fees 13,441 Printing, postage and stationery 724 Sundry 6,295 Travel and accommodation 3,146 56,390 Staff costs Rent, rates, services and insurance Other establishment expenses Telephone and internet expenses Bank charges Legal and professional fees Audit fees Printing, postage and stationery Council travel and meeting costs Sundry Travel and accommodation	Publications 2023 £ 12,670 1,721 98 1,045 795 6,696 361 3,137 1,567 28,090 Membership Services 2023 £ 4,104 557 32 338 257 2,169 - 117 - 1,016 508 9,098	Library and other 2023 £ 3,670 498 29 303 230 1,940 104 909 454 8,137 EEOP Project 2023 £ 1,175 159 9 97 74 621 - 33 - 291 145 2,604	Scholarships and Prizes 2023 £ 20,270 2,753 159 1,672 1,272 10,712 577 5,018 2,507 44,940 Governance 2023 £ - - - - - - 11,456 - 3,236 - - 14,692	Events 2023 £ 40,555 5,507 318 3,345 2,545 21,432 1,154 10,040 5,016 89,912 Total funds 2023 £ 107,879 14,649 846 8,898 6,769 57,011 11,456 3,070 3,236 26,706 13,343
				253,863

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

p.37

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

9. Staff costs

2024 £ Wages and salaries 173,248 Social security costs 13,526 Pension costs 12,080 198,854 The average number of persons employed by the Charity during the year was as follows: 2024 No. Direct charitable 6	2023 £ 164,999 13,847 11,736
	190,582
	2023 No. 5

One employee received emoluments of between £60,000 - £70,000 in the year to 30 June 2024. (2023: 1)

Key management personnel include the Trustees, Chief Executive and senior staff reporting directly to the Chief Executive. The total employee benefits of the charity's key management personnel were £204,480 (2023: £195,019) before deducting the employer's NI allowance.

p.38

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

10. Trustees' remuneration and expenses

During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration or other benefits (2023 - £NIL).

The following trustees received fees for assisting in the examination and tutoring of students, as permitted by the Royal Charter:

Christopher Morris Ghislaine Reece Trapp Peter Wright Robert Sharpe Gerard Brooks Tom Winpenny Katherine Dienes-Williams Philip Moore Sarah MacDonald	2024 £ 800 - - - - 80 683 447 81 2,091	2023 £ 800 500 975 100 1,320 - - - -
		3,695

Travel expenses amounting to £527 (2023: £141) were reimbursed to 2 (2023: 2) trustees during the year. At the year end no trustees were owed anything (2023: £nil).

11. Fixed asset investments

Cost or valuation At 1 July 2023 Additions Disposals Revaluations At 30 June 2024	Listed investments £ 3,161,998 854,947 (999,147) 254,726
	3,272,524

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

p.39

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

12. Debtors

Due within one year Trade debtors Other debtors Prepayments and accrued income	2024 £ 1,106 798 83,688 85,592	2023 £ 6,648 4,373 73,732
		84,753

13a. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

Trade creditors Other taxation and social security Deferred income (See 13b) Accruals	2024 £ 28,642 2,908 98,563 43,553 173,666	2023 £ 39,526 4,088 96,249 25,958
		165,821

13b. Deferred Income

Balance as at the beginning of the year Released during the year Deferred during the year Balance as at the end of the year	2024 £ 96,249 (96,249) 98,563 98,563	2023 £ 98,250 (98,250) 96,249
		96,249

Deferred income relates to exam fees and subscriptions received in advance.

p.40

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

14. Statement of funds

Statement of funds - current year

Unrestricted funds General Funds Endowment funds The Birch fund (salaries) The Birch fund (course fees) The Minshall- Jones fund The Gabb fund	Balance at 1 July 2023 £ 1,706,401 Balance at 1 July 2023 £ 40,913 234,163 70,948 223,489 569,513	Income £ 448,646 Income £ - - - - -	Expenditure £ (595,959) Expenditure £ (196) (1,137) (339) (1,084) (2,756)	Transfers in/out £ 32,317 Transfers in/out £ - - - - -	Gains/ (Losses) £ 152,021 Gains/ (Losses) £ 3,453 20,032 5,982 19,097 48,564	Balance at 30 June 2024 £ 1,743,426
						Balance at 30 June 2024 £ 44,170 253,058 76,591 241,502
						615,321

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

p.41

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

14. Statement of funds (continued)

Restricted funds The Prize Fund The Welfare Fund Freestone Fund The Birch fund (salaries) The Birch fund (course fees) The Scholarship & Award The Wiles fund The Philip Mason fund The Roger Gabb Bursary The Minshall- Jones fund Orgelbuchlein Organs in Schools God Save The King Total of funds	Balance at 1 July 2023 £ 270,851 157,305 223,190 40 3,429 177,357 96,866 23,423 3,013 (468) - - - 955,006 3,230,920	Income £ 6,575 3,819 5,418 994 5,768 4,294 2,352 569 5,500 1,722 13,757 60,000 3,360 114,128 562,774	Expenditure £ (14,421) (7,009) (11,887) (1,067) (3,573) (13,161) (4,761) (4,217) (3,304) (909) - (42,000) (2,800) (109,109) (707,824)	Transfers in/out £ - - - - - - - - - - (13,757) (18,000) (560) (32,317) -	Gains/ (Losses) £ 22,836 13,263 18,818 - - 14,914 8,167 1,975 - - - - - 79,973 280,558	Balance at 30 June 2024 £ 285,841 167,378 235,539 (33) 5,624 183,404 102,624 21,750 5,209 345 - - - 1,007,681 3,366,428

p.42

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

14. Statement of funds (continued)

Designated Funds

On 1 December 2010, 7 items from the RCO Library Collection were sold at auction. These items had been donated to the College by John Belcher in 1913 and were not germane to the RCO collection, therefore the Trustees elected to sell them and create a fund with the proceeds to support the running costs of the RCO Library.

The Education Fund is to be utilised for the purpose of supporting the educational programme of the College and assisting organ students.

In 2023, the trustees agreed and approved that these two funds should be amalgamated and transferred to the unrestricted, general fund. Therefore in 2023 a transfer was made out of designated funds into the general fund.

Restricted Funds

For the purposes of administration and management of the charity, and with permission of the Charity Commission, the trusts already in existence are to be administered as on charity and as a result have been divided into the following areas:

• The Prize Branch - to award prizes in the subject of organ music.

• The Welfare Branch - to advance education in organ music to students in need.

• The Freestone Fund - for the provision of an organ scholarship to be known as the “Leonard Freestone” scholarship.

• The Scholarship and Award Branch - to be awarded in the subject of organ music.

• Birch fund (salaries) - to fund salaries and administration costs.

• Birch fund (course fees) - to fund Course Fees and other financial help for organ students.

• The Wiles fund - to fund an Annual Scholarship.

• The Minshall-Jones fund - to fund Awards and Scholarships.

• The Phillip Mason fund - to fund Awards and Scholarships.

Orgelbuchlein, Organs in Schools and God Save The King were specific projects for which donations were received in the year. This included donations and related gift aid totalling £32,317 to cover expenditure already incurred in 2022-23 on Orgelbuchlein and the Organs in Schools project. These amounts are shown as a transfer from restricted to unrestricted funds in the year to reflect that this has already been spent on its restricted purpose.

Endowment funds

The Birch Fund (salaries) - In 2013 a £30,000 endowment was received and going forwards income derived from the endowment is to be used to fund administration costs and salaries of the College.

The Birch fund (course fees) - In 2014 a £176,643 endowment was received and going forwards income derived from the endowment is to be used to fund course fees and other financial help for organ students.

The Wiles fund - In 2014 a £75,293 endowment was received and going forwards income derived from the endowment is to be used to fund an Annual Scholarship. The charity transferred the expendable endowment fund into restricted funds during the prior year.

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

p.43

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

14. Statement of funds (continued)

The Minshall-Jones fund - In 2014 a £50,000 endowment was received and going forwards income derived from the endowment is to be used to fund Awards and Scholarships.

The Gabb fund - In 2018 a £175,000 endowment was received and going forwards income derived from the endowment is to be used to fund Awards and Scholarships.

Within the restricted funds there are also amounts relating to permanent endowments. The charity is in the process of identifying the actual value of the individual endowments but, unfortunately the information is not available as at the year end.

Statement of funds - prior year

Unrestricted funds Designated funds Library and Academic Development Fund Education Fund General funds General Funds Total Unrestricted funds	Balance at 1 July 2022 £ 455,858 1,342,297 1,798,155 59,700 1,857,855	Income £ 18,802 126,029 144,831 285,780 430,611	Expenditure £ (21,596) (205,019) (226,615) (357,500) (584,115)	Transfers in/out £ (453,896) (1,265,614) (1,719,510) 1,718,421 (1,089)	Gains/ (Losses) £ 832 2,307 3,139 - 3,139	Balance at 30 June 2023 £ - -
						-
						1,706,401
						1,706,401

p.44

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

14. Statement of funds (continued)

						Balance at
Endowment funds The Birch fund (salaries) The Birch fund (course fees) The Wiles fund The Whitlock fund The Minshall- Jones fund The Gabb fund Restricted funds The Prize Fund The Welfare Fund Freestone Fund The Birch fund (salaries) The Birch fund (course fees) The Scholarship & Award The Wiles fund The Philip Mason fund The Roger Gabb Bursary The Minshall- Jones fund Total of funds	Balance at 1 July 2022 £ 41,053 234,949 108,757 (1,039) 71,166 224,223 679,109 282,191 160,727 236,695 - - 182,189 (11,475) 22,985 - - 873,312 3,410,276	Income £ - - - - - - - 7,586 1,153 7,694 1,175 6,602 6,026 2,855 820 6,161 1,830 41,902 472,513	Expenditure £ (207) (1,162) - (74) (322) (1,085) (2,850) (19,358) (4,641) (21,637) (1,135) (3,173) (11,200) (3,433) (429) (3,148) (2,299) (70,453) (657,418)	Transfers in/out £ - - (108,757) 1,089 - - (107,668) - - - - - - 108,757 - - - 108,757 -	Gains/ (Losses) £ 67 376 - 24 104 351 922 432 66 438 - - 343 162 47 - - 1,488 5,549	30 June 2023 £ 40,913 234,163 - - 70,948 223,489 569,513 270,851 157,305 223,190 40 3,429 177,358 96,866 23,423 3,013 (469) 955,006 3,230,920

RCO Annual Report & Accounts Year end 30 June 2024

p.45

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

15. Analysis of net assets between funds

Analysis of net assets between funds - current period

Fixed asset investments Current assets Creditors due within one year Total	Endowment funds 2024 £ 615,321 - - 615,321 period Endowment funds 2023 £ 465,773 103,740 - 569,513	Restricted funds 2024 Unrestricted funds 2024 £ £ 1,007,681 1,649,522 - 267,570 - (173,666) 1,007,681 1,743,426 Restricted funds 2023 Unrestricted funds 2023 £ £ 847,645 1,848,580 107,361 23,642 - (165,821) 955,006 1,706,401	Total funds 2024 £ 3,272,524 267,570 (173,666) 3,366,428 Total funds 2023 £ 3,161,998 234,743 (165,821) 3,230,920
Analysis of net assets between funds - prior
Investments Current assets Creditors due within one year Total

16. Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities

Net income/expenditure for the period (as per Statement of Financial Activities) Adjustments for: Investment income Net (gains)/ losses on investments (Increase)/ decrease in debtors Increase/ (decrease) in creditors Net cash used in operating activities	2024 £ 135,508 (96,796) (254,726) (839) 7,845 (209,008)	2023 £ (179,354) (111,332) (5,549) (11,016) 20,125 (287,126)

p.46

Notes to the Financial Statements Year end 30 June 2024 (continued)

17. Analysis of cash and cash equivalents

Cash in hand Total cash and cash equivalents	2024 £ 181,978 181,978	2023 £ 149,990
		149,990

18. Analysis of changes in net debt

Cash at bank and in hand	At 1 July 2023 £ 149,990 149,990	Cash flows £ 31,988 31,988	At 30 June 2024 £ 181,978
			181,978

19. Related party transactions

The Charity has disclosed in note 8 the related party transactions in respect of amounts paid to trustees.

During the year, the Charity received £5,400 in donations, without conditions, from trustees. All trustees are also members of the Charity and paid the standard membership subscriptions.

At the year end, there was a balance of £1,000 (2023: £1,000) owed by the five (2023: five) key management personnel for amounts loaned to them in their role as employees of the Charity to cover incidental expenses incurred in carrying out their responsibilities prior to remibursement. These amounts are due to be repaid when the employee ends their employment with the Charity.

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RCO Annual Report & Accounts p.47
Year end 30 June 2024
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The Royal College of Organists PO Box 7328 New Milton BH25 9DU

Tel: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail] uk www.rco.org.uk