2024-08-31-accounts - Congleton Choral Society

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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From September 1[st] 2023 To August 31[st] 2024

Charity name: Congleton Choral Society

Charity registration number: 515851

Objectives and Activities

Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document THE OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY SHALL BE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IN THE ARTS AND SCIENCES, AND IN PARTICULAR THE ART AND SCIENCE OF MUSIC, IN THE PROMOTION OF CONCERTS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.	Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document THE OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY SHALL BE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IN THE ARTS AND SCIENCES, AND IN PARTICULAR THE ART AND SCIENCE OF MUSIC, IN THE PROMOTION OF CONCERTS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.
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. Act 2006 to have due regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. Membership of the choral society is open to any singer, subject to directed towards 4 public concerts per year. We believe that our music, developing sight reading skill and vocal technique, and singing as a group. For our audience the enjoyment of hearing (and at Christmas We also hold choral workshops, which are open to all singers, and offer the chance to learn a variety of choral works with famous and local conductors concluding with an informal sing through. The experience both singing and music sight reading and taking part in performances. Many of these singers then move on to join the main choir. The Trustees have complied with the duty in section 4 ofthe Charities passing an audition by the Music Director. Rehearsals are then activities benefit both singers and audience; for participants learning participating in) a variety of musical styles, often involving professional soloists and instrumentalists. Tickets are competitively priced to attract a wide audience with both concession and children’s tickets available. All full time students and under 26 year olds benefit from a reduced membership subscription rate. In addition, any member with financial difficulties can privately discuss a special reduced subscription arrangement with the Membership Secretary. Community choirwas established for new non auditioned singers to
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	The trustees have complied with the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document
THE OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY SHALL BE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IN
THE ARTS AND SCIENCES, AND IN PARTICULAR THE ART AND SCIENCE
OF MUSIC, IN THE PROMOTION OF CONCERTS AND OTHER
ACTIVITIES.

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.
Act 2006 to have due regard to the guidance issued by the Charity
Commission on public benefit.
Membership of the choral society is open to any singer, subject to
directed towards 4 public concerts per year. We believe that our
music, developing sight reading skill and vocal technique, and singing
as a group.
For our audience the enjoyment of hearing (and at Christmas
We also hold choral workshops, which are open to all singers, and
offer the chance to learn a variety of choral works with famous and
local conductors concluding with an informal sing through. The
experience both singing and music sight reading and taking part in
performances. Many of these singers then move on to join the main
choir.
The Trustees have complied with the duty in section 4 ofthe Charities
passing an audition by the Music Director. Rehearsals are then
activities benefit both singers and audience; for participants learning
participating in) a variety of musical styles, often involving
professional soloists and instrumentalists. Tickets are competitively
priced to attract
a wide audience with both concession and children’s
tickets available. All full time students and under 26 year olds benefit
from a reduced membership subscription rate. In addition, any
member with financial difficulties can privately discuss a special
reduced subscription arrangement with the Membership Secretary.
Community choirwas established for new non auditioned singers to

Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public benefit

The trustees have complied with the guidance issued by the Charity
Commission on public benefit.

Achievements and Performance

In September 2023 we began our third choir year with Music Director Tom Newall and with Rachel Fright now as accompanist we have the start of a period of stability for the Choral Society. Tom’s choice of music with the agreement of the planning group, con�nue to be both challenging and inspiring.

Tom & Rachel led and accompanied our annual Singing Day with Puccini’s youthful Gloria. This was held in our usual rehearsal venue, Trinity Methodist Church, with over 100 singers. We also offered non-CCS singers the chance to join the choir for a performance of the work at our Spring Concert. And we gained a couple of new members.

In November we gave a performance of Rossini’s Pe�t Messe Solenelle and a Palestrina piece in the town hall with Rachel on piano, Tom Pieczora on harmonium and four opera�c soloists.

We trialled running an iden�cal programme with Salford Choral Society, allowing members to sing in both concerts if they wished which was very successful.

In December, our Christmas Concert was held in the Daneside Theatre as the Town Hall was unavailable. This was an ‘interes�ng’ experience with different acous�cs, ligh�ng and staging. There was only room for our digital piano in a corner and Tom had to stand halfway up the central aisle of the audience for us to be able to see him. Expenditure was kept to a minimum, because of the cost of the venue, but we had a sizeable audience and made a small profit.

We had another booking from Foden’s Brass Band to sing with them at various hotels on Christmas Eve, which raised a sizeable sum which went towards choir funds.

In January 2024 we started rehearsals for Puccini’s Gloria and Elgar’s The Music Makers to be accompanied by the Na�onal Fes�val Orchestra. In them we have found an orchestral partner of high quality but at affordable rates.

The new Mayor’s ceremonial service this �me was held in the Town Hall with musical contribu�ons from her family and the choir. We performed the Music Makers and our efforts were very much appreciated by the town.

Our summer concert featured Bob Chilco�’s Songs My Heart has Taught Me and Crea�on Song which we sang with the composer at our 2022 Singing Day. Followed loosely by a theme of the environment, there was lots of new and challenging music and a warm reac�on by the audience to pieces they had never heard before.

The community choir has flourished in number and in vocal strength across the 2023/24 season. They sang at the cricket club at Christmas, collaborated with Biddulph Male Voice choir for a joint concert at the town hall and gave a summer concert at St Mary’s Astbury alongside their regular one at Trinity.

Oue website is now using the Making Music pla�orm. It is so much more informa�ve and Phil has ably helped members to make the most of its resources.

Financial Review

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Review of the charity’s The funds at 1 [st] September 2023 were £27.229.56 and at 31 [st]
financial position at the end August 2024, £33,402.23. £2000 of this was due to the increase in
of the period
membership.
Although keeping to our plan for 2 orchestral concerts and 2 with
piano accompaniment a year, expenditure was double that of our
income for 4 concerts. Audience numbers are s�ll varying but
concert expenses are increasing.
We hope the increase in subscrip�ons from September 2024 to
£180 per year will enable us to have more flexibility when
choosing venues and accompaniments for concerts.
Statement explaining the As most of the society's energies are directed to the prepara�on
policy for holding reserves and staging of four choral concerts each year and that we cannot
stating why they are held rely solely on audience numbers to cover our costs, reserves
should therefore reflect the amounts needed to provide these
objec�ves. Based on costs over previous years the society believes
that it is prudent to maintain reserves of €20,000, based on two
orchestral and two keyboard concerts, which will be reviewed
annually at the first mee�ng of the Execu�ve Commi�ee a�er the
Annual General Mee�ng.
Amount of reserves held £20,000
Details of fund materially in None
deficit
Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern
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Additional information (optional)

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Members subscrip�ons Proft from Concerts and Singing Days. Fundraising such as rafes, carol singing, garden trail, socials.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	We had moved our bank accounts from HSBC to the Co-opera�ve bank in 2022 and this year we also moved our reserves from Virgin Money to the Skipton Building Society to gain a be�er rate of interest.
A description of the principal risks facing the charity

Structure, Governance and Management Description of charity's trusts.. Type of goveming document Constitution How is the charity constituted? Soclety Reference and Administrativ8 détails Chari name Other name the Chari uses Re istered charit number Charity's principal address Con leton Choral Soci 515851 68 Fen Avenue Macclesfield SK10 1LT Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity Dates acted ff not for whole year Name of person {or body) entitled to int trustee Trustee name oiri¢e (if ary) ifan Lynne Evans Tony Bartley Cathy Evans Pam Upchurch Phil Edwards Chair Vice Chair Secretary Treasurer Membership Secretary Librarian Margaret Gartside Sandie Boynton Patti Pinto Publicty Wardrobe Kirsty Edwards Suzan Moore Concert Co-ordinator 10 Soprano rep Alto rep TenorlBass rep Shirley Jones lan Pickford 12 Declarations The trustses declare that they have approved the trustses. report abov•. Signed on behalf of the charity's tru8te•8 Slgnaturels) Full name(s) Position {eg Secretary, Chair, otc) Pamela Upchurch Treasurer Lynne Evan8 Chair Date 27 Il Z*

-on leton Choral Societ Income and Ex RECEIPTS enditure account5 for ear endin 31st Au ust 2024 PAYMENTS -oncert Ineome Autumn Concert Christrpas Concert Spring Concert Summer Concert Conce nsès Auturnn Concert Christmas cOnrt Sprin9 Concert Surnmer Concert £1.603.89 £1.678.50 £2.767.48 £1.524 53 £2,955.20 £1.10268 £7.556.41 £2,410.48 £7,SY2.40 £14,024.77 k interest Runnin Costs Virgin Money Skipton Buiding Sw'ety £37.73 £0.00 NFMS subscriplionllnsuran Musical Direttor Accompanist Hall Hire Website £543 QKI £5,91500 £3,656 00 £1.&8000 £181.60 £15.640.30 -undraisin £1,375.40 £11.975.60 MRC GiftAid £3,814.49 De osi £613.50 IAusic loan and sèles £885.10 Music Hlre and urchase £3,047.50

ale of uniforms £14900 Unlform £168.00 £3,010.15 Sundrle £308.49 ~ommun £10,085 OJ mmuni Choir £7,028.43 In £837.07 In 23 £903.83 4rmed Man Sin in Da 24 £840.71 Arrn Man Sin in 24 £4.56 £36,674.95 £12,074.31 Total In¢om• £44,247.35 Total Expenditure £38,074.68 Profrt for Yèar £6.172.67 Totsl £44,247.3S Ttytsl £44,247.35 Reserves brought forward £27.229.56 Reserv*$ ¢arrfed forward £33,402.23 Represented by.. enin balance Representèd by'.- Closin balances at 1st Se embèr 2023 31st Au 11St 2024 O-OP Guent accounl Membgrship account Commtjnily account Charities aUnt £7Ql.49 £8,505 03 £3,367.69 £14.661.35 Coop Current account Co-op Membetship account Cmp Cominunity Choir aGcounl Skiploft 8 S Ch8lFties a¢counl £3.337.61 £8.435.22 £6.929.32 £14, 700 08 O-OP £27,229.56 £33,402.23 Auditor's re ort avè examined the receipts. books and accounts of Congleton Choral Society for the year endlng 31st August 2024 hereby verily that in my opinion the financial slalements. which have been prepared on an Inme and expenditure trJasi5 using historical st convention. give 8 true and fair view of the financtal affairs as at 31st August. 2024. Slgned by- Signed by: . IL. . Pam Upchurch (Honorary Treasurer) John Tudor (Auditor) -on leton Choral Societ Income and Ex RECEIPT5 enditure accounts for ear endin 31st Au ust 2024 PAYMENTS -oncert In ome Contert ex enses