Sheffield Bach Society
(Registered charity number 511146)
Financial statements
Season 2024/2025 Year to 31 July 2025
Sheffield Bach Society, Season 2024/2025
Annual Report The Society is a charity which is governed by its Constitution; it is not also a company.
The Society’s Bankers are the Co-operative Bank. The Society opened a Co-operative Bank Community Direct Plus Account in September 2019, and a Business Select Instant Access Account in March 2020. The Society also had a COIF Charity Funds account with CCLA Investment Management Ltd, in which a sum has been deposited for use as a Reserve Fund. The new banking arrangements mean that payments can now be made by bank transfer online, with all transactions authorised by two signatories. The Honorary Independent Examiner is Mr. Jonathan Andrew Brice, BA, ACA, ACT, of 44 Stumperlowe Park Road, Sheffield, $10 3QP.
The Society does not have a Solicitor; if such were required, it would be entitled, as members, to the free use of the services of the National Federation of Music Societies honorary solicitors.
Sheffield Bach Society, by virtue of its Constitution, aims to educate the public in the arts and sciences and in particular the art and science of music by encouraging the study and performance of the works of J S Bach and such other composers as are deemed appropriate, by promoting concerts and recitals devoted to their music and by maintaining a choir for this purpose, and by such other activities as the Society may from time to time think fit. At present this means that, generally, four concerts per year are given, in Sheffield Cathedral or a similar venue, plus occasional smaller concerts (probably not the whole choir and perhaps without orchestra); in addition various small fund-raising events are held to help to pay for the professional soloists and professional orchestra that are employed for these concerts.
The Society is run by a Committee, elected by the general membership of the Society, and its members (who are the Trustees) during the 2024-2025 Season were as follows: Chairman Mr Christopher Walker Secretary Mrs Elizabeth Buxton (Sarah Hogan Watson from April) Treasurer Miss Catherine Ross Social Secretary Mrs Anne Adams Publicity Manager Mrs Victoria Highet Ordinary Members: Dr Neil Dummigan, Mr Alan Heath, Mrs Jennifer Nortcliffe, Mrs Elisabeth Paice, Mr StJohn Wright
Also attending Committee meetings but not a Trustee: conductor Mr Philip Collin
Apart from the Trustees, the Society has other elected officers, namely: Hon Conductor Mr Philip Collin President Professor George Nicholson Box Office Manager Mr Michael Buxton Concert Manager Mr John Morton
Statement of committee’s responsibilities
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Sheffield Bach Society, Season 2024/2025
Law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the committee to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity at the end of the year and of its financial activities during the year then ended. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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e select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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e make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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e state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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e prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the society will continue its activities.
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e It has been society’s policy to maintain a reserve of £20,000 to cover commitments for one season plus emergency payments and contingencies. We have dipped below this sum by £377 and will propose to revise the policy to aim for a more realistic reserve pf £15,000.
The committee is responsible for keeping accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the society and which enable it to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. The committee has general responsibility for taking such steps as are reasonably open to it to safeguard the assets of the society and to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.
Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 July 2025
| General | fund | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/2025 | 2023/2024 | ||
| Income and Expenditure | £ | £ | |
| Incoming Resources | |||
| Admission receipts | includingprogramme sales | 13,363 | 12,826 |
| Subscriptions | 7,989 | 8,730 | |
| Patrons donations [NewGold& Silverpatrons] | 1,520 | 215 | |
| Donations | 1,963 | 1,556 | |
| Friends [scheme merged with Patrons] | 34 | 461 | |
| Fundraising | 2,423 | pleFs | |
| GiftAidTaxRecovered | 2,904 | 2,461 | |
| Bank interest | 422 | 503 | |
| Sponsors | 3,000 | 1,500 | |
| Music | 569 | 724 | |
| Special Collections | - Archer Project | 895 | 743 |
| Written offcheques | 10 | 45 | |
| TotalIncomingResources | 35,092 | 32,336 |
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Sheffield Bach Society, Season 2024/2025
Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 July 2025
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||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|General|fund|
|2024/2025|2023/2024|
|Income|and|Expenditure|continued|£|£|
|Resources|Expended|
|Professional|Expenses|26,944|28,665|
|Hire &|purchase|of music|643|367|
|Hall,|church|and piano|hire|6,913|7,130|
|Printing|and|design|1,031|1,086|
|Administration|expenses|349|400|
|Advertising|[expenses|not|claimed]|-|83|
|Subscriptions|-|Making Music|(Note)|700|581|
|Classical|Sheffield|subscription|114|103|
|Refunds|(sub|paid|twice)|-|125|
|Special|Collections|-|Archer|Project|895|743|
|Total|Resources|Expended|37,589|39,265|
|Net Movement|in|Funds|-|surplus/(deficit)|(2,497)|(6,929)|
|Fund|balance|brought forward|at|1|August|2024|22,120|29,049|
|Fund|balance|carried forward|at 31st July 2025|19,623|22,120|
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(Note) Insurance of music and harpsichord effected through Making Music and included in subscription fees.
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Sheffield Bach Society, Season 2024/2025 Balance Sheet at 31 July 2025
2024/2025 2023/2024 = E
CURRENT ASSETS
| Cash at bank: | ||
|---|---|---|
| CurrentAccount(Co-op) | 582 | 2,796 |
| Interest accounts | 19,111 | 18,989 |
| Cash in hand | 56 | 243 |
| Hall hire deposits paid for2025/6 season | 1,040 | 20 |
| Music hired in for2025/26 season | - | 242 |
| Debtors (gift aid claim) | - | 80 |
| 20,789 | 22,370 | |
| LESS LIABILITIES | ||
| Sponsorship (bequest) paid inadvance for | 1,000 | - |
| 2025/26 season | ||
| Designfor2022/23 seasonpaid in2023/24 | - | 240 |
| Un-clearedcheques | 166 | 10 |
| NetAssets | 19,623 | 22,120 |
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
1 No account has been made for opening and closing stocks of refreshments. 2 Grants and subsidies have been credited to income in the season to which they relate.
3 All the society’s funds are of an unrestricted nature. + The accounts were approved by the Trustees on 20 October 2025
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C J Ross c . Kon Honorary Treasurer
C H Walker C <a Chairman
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Sheffield Bach Society, Season 2024/2025
Independent Examiner’s report to the Committee of Sheffield Bach Society
I report on the accounts of the Society for the year ended 31% July 2025, which are set out on pages 3 to 5.
Respective responsibilities of Committee and examiner
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Act and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to: ° examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, . to follow the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Act, and ° to state whether particular matters have come to my attention
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention 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
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Sheffield Bach Society, Season 2024/2025
my, Signed: Date: |OQ FEbRvARY De Name: | Jonathan Andrew Brice, BA, ACA, ACT Relevant professional | Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales qualification(s) or body (if | Association of Corporate Treasurers any): Address: | 44 Stumperlowe Park Road Sheffield $10 3 QP
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Sheffield Bach Society, Season 2024/2025
Concerts given during the year:
Saturday 16" November 2024, St John’s Church, Ranmoor — Haydn’s Nelson Mass and Jonathan Willcocks “A Great and Glorious Victory”
Monday 9" December 2024, Sheffield Cathedral - Handel’s Messiah
Saturday 15" March 2025, Sheffield Cathedral — Bach’s St Matthew Passion
Saturday 21% June 2025, St Mark’s Church, Broomhill — “If You Like That.. You’ll Love This”
The net financial result of these concerts has been detailed in the foregoing accounts.
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