## AGM Reports 2023 Chair‘s Report 2022 – 2023 **(Including Concert Secretary and Membership reports)** What a season to reflect on and where to start! ## **People** A season of great change for the Society. Nick Thorpe bowed out as our conductor of 27 years at the turn of the year which was a huge decision for him and a big hole to fill for the Society. At the same time Brian Robins also decided to call time as our accompanist of even longer standing, another big hole to fill. We had a wonderful social evening on December 12, 2022 when we made presentations to both Nick and Brian, raised a glass and thanked them both for so much dedication to the Society. Nick then took us on a journey through his memories of concerts and times during his tenure, which we all thoroughly enjoyed and made a very appropriate end to our rehearsals in 2022 and that chapter in the Society’s development. The search for new people to enter into the life of the Society began in earnest in September 2022. We had 2 very highly qualified applicants for the MD role and following a ‘Meet the Choir’ session for each, the committee was extremely pleased to appoint Marcus Farnsworth to ‘take over the baton’ from January 2023. More of Marcus to follow! After much discussion it was decided to offer the role of accompanist to George Balfour who was the organ scholar at the Minster at the time. He was very pleased to accept and, although he had to leave us at the end of the season to take up his scholarship position at Oxford, it was a delight to have had his contributions and expertise even for a short time. Two holes had been fixed! Then, early in 2023, David Lumsden, our President since the Society was founded, sadly died so yet again there was a position to fill. However, this also gave us the impetus we needed to appoint our first ever Hon. Vice President in Peter Wood, the founder and first conductor of Southwell Choral Society. He was delighted to accept and we had a lovely presentation to him at the rehearsal on April 24 when he was able to attend. ## **Concerts** _**‘Festivo’**_ on December 3, 2022 was a celebration where we joined again with Derwent Brass for our second collaboration. There was a wide range of music and genres offered at a very high standard to a very large and appreciative audience. It is a delight to collaborate with such a prestigious brass band with an imaginative repertoire and who also love coming to join with us in the Minster. It was a fitting finale for Nick as his final concert as our conductor. _**‘Sea Symphony’**_ was our extra concert as Bingham and District Choral Society had invited us to join with them on April 1, 2023 in the Minster. What an exciting and ambitious event it proved to be. The other performers were the Nottingham Symphony Orchestra and the soloists were none other than our own MD Marcus and his lovely wife Alison Rose and all were excellent throughout. The two choirs combined together very well and the whole evening was a resounding success. _**‘Summer Serenade’**_ was our summer concert on July 15, 2023 and the first with Marcus as our MD on the night. The programme was a delightful mix of choral and solo items. Braimah and Konya Kanneh-Mason played, in two sections, exquisite violin and piano repertoire, including ‘ _The Lark Ascending’_ which was spell binding and linked seamlessly into the choir singing _‘The Long Day Closes’_ , a very moving moment in a fabulous concert. There were also super solos from our 2023 Bursaries winner Ben Wilson and George Balfour our accompanist on the organ too. The choir rose to the challenge Marcus had set them – to sing the first two in the set of unaccompanied works from memory – and what an impact it had on the performance! Only goes to prove what heights can be achieved by the Society when challenged. The Festival Sinfonia very ably and sensitively supported the choir in _‘Sprig of Thyme’_ and also in the final item, an arrangement of _‘Over the Rainbow’_ by Guy Turner with the instrumental accompaniment arranged by him specially for our performance. The concert ran through without an interval which enabled the excellent audience and all the performers to enjoy refreshments and socialising in the Crossing together afterwards on a truly special summer evening. ## **Extra Events** _**‘Carols for Everyone’**_ December 10, 2022 was Brian’s final time leading us in this popular community event arranged by the Lion’s, after generously giving his time and energy for many years to this great Southwell tradition and charity event. All was very well received. _**‘The John and Peggy Oldham Singing Day’**_ on June 24, 2023 was the first singing day under this new title and Martin Bussey delivered a most enjoyable and instructive singing day leading up to the summer concert. **The David McIntosh Bursary and the John and Peggy Oldham Award** was again organised wonderfully by Thelma Clark and there was a high standard of applications. The winner of both awards by unanimous decision was Ben Wilson who delivered an outstanding application and was the first ‘Musical Theatre’ genre award winner of the bursaries. ## **Membership of the Society** Over the past season there has been a good increase in the membership of the Society from 100 paid up members at the end of the 2021-22 season, to 118 paid up members at the end of the 2022-23 season. This was made up of 45 sopranos, 35 altos, 13 tenors and 25 basses. As the numbers have increased the upper limit of occupancy in the State Chamber, 112, has become a concern. Neil was asked to review the percentage attendance at rehearsals over a large part of the season to establish what might be the upper total limit for membership which would still mean we were within the State Chamber limit on rehearsal evenings. As the percentage rehearsal attendance range was from 57% to 79% it was agreed that the maximum paid up membership would be 140 which would still keep the rehearsal numbers in line with the State Chamber limits, but this does need to be monitored going forward. Thanks to Neil Parrott for all the work he has done on the membership duties week by week. ## **Going Forward** The committee continues, as part of the aims of the Society and its charitable status, to try and encourage young people to attend our concerts offering a free ticket to young people under 16 with an accompanying adult in any ticket section and I am pleased to report an increased take up of this offer. We also offer free membership of the Society to any student in full time education as we try to encourage young people to participate in this most beneficial and rewarding activity. The committee has done a great amount of advanced planning for future concerts in the 2023-24 and 202425 seasons on your behalf, and we hope you will find the chosen works a challenge and a delight, well known and not so well known. Most importantly, we hope you will find them enjoyable and exciting to learn and perform. Marcus is an inspiring, challenging and very professional MD who will move us forward to ever higher standards of choral singing with our commitment and support. It can be challenging at times as we strive to achieve his desires, but oh, so worth the hard work when we do. A personal thanks from me, and on your behalf, to the committee for their support and hard work throughout the season in keeping the planning and organisation on track. Sharing out the work does make it easier for everyone and all of the committee deserve our recognition and thanks for their dedication. We are also very grateful to the many members of the Society who are not on the committee but undertake tasks vital to the success of our Society, thank you so much too. The present committee members are all willing and able to stand for re-election this season, but we are looking to increase the committee to its full 12 members to enable new members to participate in the running of the Society before they might feel able to take on one of the Officer roles – Chair, Treasurer, Concert Secretary, Booking Secretary – at a future date. All the present nine committee members have either an Officer role, or a vital role which could continue to be done when no longer on the committee – Membership and Website Secretary, Friends Secretary, Social Secretary, Librarian, Minuting Secretary – so we really need the additional support that three extra members could give. Finally, we are extremely grateful to our new music director, Marcus Farnsworth, who has taken over where Nick left off in making very high demands of us, whilst having fun, and to George Balfour for his reliable support and good humour as accompanist. We now welcome Tim Selman from September 2023 as he takes over the role of accompanist for us and as the new organ scholar at the Minster. We look forward to making great music together at ever higher levels. Thank you all for making Southwell Choral Society what it is today, here’s to the future. **Jane Gamble, Chair.** Southwell Choral Society Charity No. 500239 ## **Annual Accounts** 2022-23 Page 1 of 4 Southwell Choral Society Receipts & Payments Account for year ended 31 Aug 2023 2022-23 Restrltted General Funds Funds 2021-22 Totsl Totsl bscription5- Choir Ticket & prograrnrne 5ale5 Donations & sponsorship Gift aid Advertising Income Music salelhire Subscription5- Friends Miscellaneous income Interest 13,580 10,685 4,230 2,948 2,030 I,ioi 62S 13,580 10,685 4,230 2,948 2.030 i.ioi 625 12.030 8,183 205 2,874 1.820 1.241 530 350 35 527 98 25 527 120 25 22 Reher5al Days & Singing EV￿t5 Fund raising income Legacy Income David Mclntosh Bursary Award donation iio 21,393 1.000 49,771 TOTAL INCCknIE 22 35855 35￿7? endlture Fees paid Practice room hire Minster hire Musicians 6,050 5,450 3,000 2,691 1,800 1,672 1,358 1,288 1,261 1,026 634 514 300 6,050 5,450 3.000 2.691 1.800 1.672 1,358 1,288 1,261 1,026 634 514 300 4,425 2.574 2.600 5.351 1.233 2.288 Printing Soloist5 Transfer to Bingharn District Choral Society INote 31 Misc. Expenses Music hire & purch Bursary award Insurance & 'Maknng Music. sub. Rehersal & Singing Events Lighting Vergers Performing ri8ht5fees Advertising Tickets & Programme5 David Tr￿l￿t05h Bursary Awar 759 1,548 500 532 300 200 200 198 198 478 592 91 16 91 16 500 TOTAL EXPENOITURE 27347 27.547 23.679 TransfLYs betwe￿ funds FUND SURPLU5/IDEFicm FOR YEAR 22 8.308 8.3Z9 26.092 Opening Fund Balances at 1st September 2022 aoslnR Fund Balarte at 31st ZOZ3 4,266 51,777 56,043 29,951 4287 60.085 64372 56.043 Page2of4 Southwell Choral Society Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31 Aug 2023 2022-23 2021-22 Restrfcted General Funds Funds Total Total Assets: NatWe5t- current alt Scottish WidowsAIc Virgin Charity Account Cash in hand 34,825 34.82S 4.287 24.629 631 64.372 27.074 4.266 24.531 172 56.043 4,287 24.629 631 60.085 4.287 Represented by: General Fund Designated Fund - D Mclnt05h Bursary TheNickThorpeComp05itionAward Fund 59,585 500 59,585 500 4.287 51,277 500 4.266 4,287 4.287 60.085 64.372 56.043 Slgned on behalf of the Board by. Jane Gamble Date Page3of4 NOTE I: ACCOUNTING POLICIES The5eaccounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments ba51& Restricted funds are funds donated to the charity subject to restrictions asto their use. Currently comprising of the NickThorpe Composition Award Fund. Designated funds are thoseGeneral lund5 of the charitywhich have been separately earmarkL** by th trustee5for a particular purpose. NOTE 2: ANALYSIS OF CONCERT SURPLUS/DEFiaTS 2022123 Festlvo s￿￿rner Vaughan Serenade Wllllams TOTAL Income ricket & Pfogramme sales Donations & Sponsorship Advertising income Sale& hire of musi 3,994 5.149 1.034 160 10.177 160 2.030 i.ioi 13,468 1,015 550 1.015 102 450 Tot4 incorne 5,558 6,266 1,644 Expendltwe Minster hire (￿cheStra￿nstrUmentè1lSts Soloist5 Music purcha54thire Other printin8 Misc. Expenses Lighting Ticket printing Performing Rights Ivertlsing ricket& ProgramffleSale5 1.500 753 1.500 1,938 1.672 295 3.000 2.691 1.672 1.126 1.113 300 434 396 430 132 670 87 13 81 150 150 106 300 213 198 106 25 173 60 31 91 16 16 Bingham transfer 4ote 3 1,358 1.979 1.358 12.077 Total expendlture 3.632 6.466 Surplusl(Deflclt) 1,927 12001 13361 1.391 The aboveanalysis excludes incomeand expenditure on these erfents arisin8 in 2021122 Page4of4 ## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** **Report to the trustees/** Charity Name **members of Southwell Choral Society On accounts for the year** 31 August 2023 **Charity** 500239 **ended no. Set out on pages** 1-3 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended **31/08/2023** . **Responsibilities and** As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the **basis of report** accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. **Independent** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have **examiner's statement** come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or - the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or - the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. **Signed: Date: Name:** David Phillips **Relevant professional** Fellow of the ICAEW. **qualification(s) or body (if any): Address:** 3 Manor Fields Halam Newark NG22 8DU **Oct 2018** **IER** 1 ## **Section B Disclosure** Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). **Give here brief details of any items that the** None **examiner wishes to disclose** . **Oct 2018** **IER** 2