Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 1/8/2023 Period start date To 31/7/2024 Period end date
Charity name: Altrincham Choral Society
Charity registration number: 500729
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | The purposes of the charity are to advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of the art and science of music in all its aspects including through the presentation of public concerts and recitals. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 | In pursuing the objectives of the Society as regards the public benefit, the choir aims to impact people’s lives in two ways. Firstly Singing Members participate in a creative, enjoyable and fulfilling educational and social activity, providing regular rehearsals and performances in four concerts each year, with the opportunity to develop vocal technique and extend knowledge of choral repertoire supported by the inspiring leadership of respected and professional musicians. The Committee of Trustees is conscious that the choir’s activities should be both affordable and open to all who successfully apply to be a Member. Full-time students and under 21s benefit from a reduced membership subscription rate, with reduced subscription arrangements available to any member with financial difficulties. (this can be privately discussed with the Membership Secretary, to be agreed in confidence by the Committee.) Secondly, for audiences, the choir presents exciting, innovative and high-quality performances at varied established local venues, offering a positive and educational cultural experience aiming to extend musical knowledge through diverse repertoire. Pricing of concert tickets is carefully considered to promote attendance by a wide audience. Tickets are competitively but affordably priced with significant concessions for accompanied children and are available through a variety of sources - venue box offices, online, via the choir website or in person via members of the Society. In support of the Society’s objectives the choir has regular Open Rehearsals and an annual Singing Day which offer opportunities for enthusiastic members of the public to experience how rehearsals operate and to sing a variety of repertoire. The choir also takes opportunities to sing in community events where possible and to support a local charity each year. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The Committee (Trustees) have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference | ||
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | Not applicable |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | Not applicable |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | All 114 members of the Society support the aims of the society by giving their time and efforts to the rehearsals and public performances. Over the course of the year 30 - 40 members of the Society and friends and family volunteer their time to ensure the smooth running of rehearsals and concerts in the following roles; Main Committee. Music Sub Committee team including librarians, contracting of soloists, liaising with local venues. Publicity Team including production of programmes, tickets and posters and management of social media. Also Fire Officers, First Aid Officers, stage management, concert door ticket sales, coach organisers, presentation of flowers to soloists, looking after guests |
| Other |
Achievements and Performance
SORP reference
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | Concerts 2023/24 Season “Hosanna in Excelsis” - 18th November 2023, Royal Northern College of Music. The programme of Mozart's Requiem in D minor K626 and Dan Forrest's Requiem for the Living was accompanied by a wonderful 7 piece Chamber Ensemble together with organist Jeffrey Makinson, Assistant Director of Music at Lincoln Cathedral. The Concert was held in memory of former member Lady Joy Winstanley who sang with the choir for many years, and was attended by members of her family. “Carols with the Choral” - 16th December 2023, Altrincham United Reformed Church A programme of traditional carols, less well known works including “A Ceremony of Carols” by Benjamin Britten and old favourites with a capacity audience enjoying the chance to join in. “Opera and Operetta” - 13th April 2024, St Mary’s Church, Sale. A performance of popular Gilbert and Sullivan songs from Princess Ida, HMS Pinafore, The Gondoliers, Ruddigore, The Yeomen of the Guard and The Pirates of Penzance. This was followed by a selection of Opera Choruses from works by Donizetti, Rossini, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Mascagni and Verdi. Special mention must be made of of our Accompanist Lydia Bryan's superb performance at the concert itself and also throughout the rehearsals. The concert was generously sponsored by Jean Oglesby CBE. Elgar's “The Dream of Gerontius” - 13th July 2024, Royal Northern College of Music. This was the focus of our season , an ambitious concert in fitting celebration of our Musical Director Steven Roberts 30 highly successful years with the choir. We were joined by members of Sale Choral Society and had the privilege of being accompanied by Jonathan Scott on organ and the 52 strong Manchester Philharmonia. The soloists were Andrew Greenan, Adrienne Murray and Christopher Turner, all of whom were well known to the choir and each were presented with Life Membership of the choir alongside Glen Foley the orchestral 'fixer' for many years for ACS. The concert was supported from the Florence |
Matthews legacy and generously sponsored by Jean Oglesby CBE. All concerts were well attended and enthusiastically received by audiences with many examples of positive feedback to the Musical Director and Committee members, which were relayed to the choir members. Other Events Musical Director Steven Roberts’s 30th Anniversary was celebrated on 20th May with a small reception, presenting him with a financial donation from the choir, with the committee request that he spend the majority on a charitable cause of his choice - he subsequently selected well designed and imaginative play equipment for one of the Special Schools with which he is associated. John Greenan published his second book “Altrincham keeps singing:a history of Altrincham Choral Society” which has interesting new facts and pictures to add to the history and events since his first book. The book is available for purchase. Singing Day 12th October, Elgar’s The Music Makers, Altrincham United Reform Church A successful day with over 60 participants was led by Steven Roberts with accompanist Lydia Bryan. The Hope Centre, Partington was our chosen local Charity to support this year. Singing member Christine Weekes is very active in supporting the charity and collected food and other donated goods from members of the choir at rehearsals. The Hope Centre collected public donations at ACS concerts and £158 of collections were put through ACS accounts and donated accordingly.
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | Achievements against objectives set The planned concert programme was fulfilled and the repertoire successfully performed. The committee continues to look at options for finding ongoing patrons and sponsorship to support the choir’s activities. The choir has sustained a membership of over 100 throughout the year but continues to actively seek Tenor and Bass voices to ensure a balanced choir. |
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | |
| Other |
Financial Review
| inancial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | Overall, the Society had a small deficit of almost £4,000 on income of £60,000. The expenditure included approximately £6,000 from the Florence Matthews fund, deployed in accordance with the terms of that bequest. The reserves held are approximately equal to a year’s operating costs. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | Reserves are held in accordance with the terms of the Society’s Reserves Policy. That policy requires a minimum of £20,000 in Reserves. Reserves ensure that all current and future financial commitments can be met from existing funds. In turn, this ensures that in the unlikely event of winding up the charity, the Trustees will bear no financial liability. Liability insurance is maintained to limit some potential financial losses – for example, concert cancellation. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | The Society had Current Unrestricted Assets of £52,119 at 31/08/2024, including £31,479 held in the designated Florence Matthews fund. |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | The Trustees remain confident that the charity will continue as a going concern. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | The two main sources of revenue are membership subscription and ticket sales, In addition the Society occasionally benefits from ad hoc donations or bequests. |
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | The Society does not rely significantly on revenue from investment returns. The Society’s funds are held across 3 bank accounts, providing a modest level of interest, and appropriate access terms. |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | The cost of staging high-calibre concerts is increasing at least as fast as the cost of living. The Society works hard to sustain or grow its membership level to secure increasing subscription income, whilst keeping rises to the subscription fee modest. Likewise, ticket pricing is kept under constant review to optimize revenue. The Society has started using one new local concert venue with a larger audience capacity, hence potentially increasing ticket revenue. Future plans include an intent to increase fundraising revenue. |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: | ||
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Constitution |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | Unincorporated Association |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Officers and Ordinary Committee Members are elected by and out of the Society’s membership at the AGM and shall be Trustees. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | |
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Altrincham Choral Society |
| Other name the charity uses |
| Registered charity number | 500729 |
| Charity’s principal address | 15 BRUNSWICK ROAD MANCHESTER M20 4QB |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|
| 1 | Malcolm Thomson |
Chair | ||
| 2 | Andrew McWilliam |
Vice Chair/ Bass Voice Rep |
||
| 3 | Stephen Campbell |
Treasurer | ||
| 4 | Imogen Gornall | Secretary | ||
| 5 | Eleanor Reeves |
Minutes Secretary/ Alto Voice Rep |
||
| 6 | Julia Williamson |
Membership Secretary |
||
| 7 | Anthony Robinson |
Concert manager |
||
| 8 | Kath Whyte | Librarian | ||
| 9 | Francis Julian Mustoe |
Tenor Voice Rep |
||
| 10 | Melanie Owen | Soprano Voice Rep |
||
| 11 | ||||
| 12 | ||||
| 13 | ||||
| 14 | ||||
| 15 | ||||
| 16 | ||||
| 17 | ||||
| 18 | ||||
| 19 | ||||
| 20 |
Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets held in this capacity
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of Name Address adviser
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date
ALTRINCHAM CHORAL SOCIETY INCOME & EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT2023124 INCOME 2023124 2022123 EXPENDITURE 2023124 2022/23 CONCERTS Autumn Xmas CONCERTS Autumn Xmas 5,558.00 2,698.00 3,957.50 7,959.55 20.173.05 2.638.&) 13,662.08 2,824.22 3.814.64 21,754.42 42.055.36 3.875.90 1.768. 1.960.03 Spring Summer Total 1054.07 Spring Summer Total 3.$02.74 6.700. 8.023.31 14160.57 17.165.9 OTHER Come &Sing Total OTHER Come &Sing Total 1,496.00 IA96.00 2.1. 1,880.19 IA80.19 1.750.28 1.750.28 MEMBERSHIP Subscriptions Ilessticketsl GiftAid Total REHEARSALS Venue Conductor Deputyconduthor Accompanist Total 13,600.00 2,531.57 16.131.57 12.682. 5,072.00 5.031.00 1,147.00 4.536.00 15,786.00 2.808.00 1878.56 3.S85.00 1&56J. 1.279.00 3.900.00 DONATIONS AND SPONSORS 11.676.00 Donations Sponsors Total 5,463.00 13.000.00 A63.00 ADmINIsTRAoN 7.IS&lkl Music purchase Music library General admin 320.53 1.$25.50 1.449.72 OTHERINCOME Music sales Music library Book 1.367.55 1,784.72 955.55 310.50 3.938.77 747.90 328.00 327. OTHER EXPENSES Charityfundraising Anniversary Adrnin Bank interest Music income 158.26 1,390.00 20.19 751.38 Book Miscellaneous 489.25 454.94 295 1017.9 Anniversary Passed onto charity 1.760.72 158.26 183.97 425.82 4.13105 2A63.17 1312.9 107v.n Total Income 60.395.67 4Z16&35 Total Expendilure 64,369.44 35.843.93 Surplus oe deficit .77 43x42
ALTRINCHAM CHORAL SOCIETY END OF YEAR BALANCE SHEET 2023-24 done At end ot 2022r23 At end of: 2023124 Current Assets at year end 1.668.94 Barclays Bank Community account 53.696.75 Barclays Bank Business Premium United Trust bank 793.25 prepayments (ne years events etc, already pald TOQ 7,398.08 2,448.13 43,000.00 1.009.96 56. 158.94 Total Current Assets 53,856.17 Current Liabilities (next yearfs income already received) 66. eg Prepayments for singing day. Subs received early -1,737.00 66.? Total Currrent Liabilities -1,737.00 59.Q32.94 Net Assets 52,119.17 49, 769 Net balance at start of year 6.324 Surplus or deficit for this year 55,092.94 Net balance at year end 56,092.94 -3,973.77 52.119.17 Locatlon of holdin 26.426.45 Held in Floren Matthews bequest 29..49 Held in general fund Sg.092.94 Total holdings 20,640.41 31,478.76 52.119.17 These accounts were approved by the Trustees on and are signed on their behalf ty (Hon Treasure¢
ALTRINCHAM CHORAL SOCIErY Notes to the Accounts 20234 Sponsors £5000 received from the estate of Joycewinstanley. Applied as agreed with her executors to the cost ofthe Autumn 2023 Concert. £8000 received from Jean Oglesby. This was applied at her requestto the Summer 2024 Concert. Florence Matthews Bequest Originally £56,000 was left to the Society in the Will of Florence Matthews. The Will stated that it was given to the Society'for its general charitable purposes,. The Society has decided to treatthis money 8s a designated fund, to be used for activities, projects. and initiatives outside the routine activities of the Society. but within its charitable purposes. In 2023-4 a total of £5786 was spent againstthisfund, leavinga balance of 220640 at year end. Items of expenditure were as follows: £5625 Summer Concert 2024. Special performance of Eigar'Dream of Gerontius, at Royal Northern College of Music IRNCMI. Manchester. to celebrate the 30, anniversary of Steven Roberts as Musical Director ofthe Society- £161 To cover part of the production cost of a revised history ofthe Society.
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Altrincham Choral Society On accounts for the year ended 31 July 2024 Charity no (if any) 500729 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ('the Trust") for the year ended 31 July 2024. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the 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 confimi 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 conceming 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. Date: 14 October 2024 Signed: Name: R A Brougham Address: 86 Whitefield Road Stockton Heath Warrington, WA4 6NB IER Oct 2018
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
| Report to the trustees/ members of |
Charity Name Altrincham Choral Society |
|
|---|---|---|
| On accounts for the year | 31 July 2024 Charity no |
500729 |
| ended | (if any) | |
| Set out on pages | 1 - 3 | |
| (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) | (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 July 2024. | ||
| 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.
Date: 14 October 2024 Signed: ~~|~~ Name: R A Brougham Address: 86 Whitefield Road Stockton Heath Warrington, WA4 6NB
1
Oct 2018
IER