Charity Registration Number 801961 East Grinstead Choral Society Annual report of the Trustees for the period 1st August 2023 to 31st July 2024 Part A- Matters that all charities must report Al Reference and administrative details, trustees and advisers Registered name East Grinstead Choral Society Charity Registration Number 801961 Principal Address 29A Alders View Drive Current Trustees Ms Janet Cole (Chair) Ms Sheila Walsh {Treasurerl Ms Judi De Lang ISecretary} Mrs Penelope Austin Mr5 Kate Draper th Trustees were elected/re-elected at the AGM on 28 September 2023. A2 Structure, governance and management structure Trustees Elected officers as listed above Management Committee Trustees and appointed officers fulftl administrative duties, head sub- committees or working parties. Members Paid-up members of the Society who pay subscriptions to sing at rehearsals and in performances. Music Director A self-employed professional musician, paid part-time to lead rehearsals. conduct performances, recommend the choice of repertoire, 5010ists and instrumentalists and provide expert musical advice. Accomp2nist A self-employed professional musician, paid part-time to accompany the choir during rehearsals and in performances and to deputise for the Music Director when necessary. Governance The Society is an unincorporated a550ciation, governed by the Constitution and rules, which were updated in February 2000, reviewed in July 2013 and updated again in July 2015.
The Offi'cers (Chair, Vice-chair, Secretary and Treasurer), who are ex-officio Trustees and up to two Independent Trustees, are elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. The Trustees may appotnt two additional co-opled Trustees. All the Trustees are Members of the Society. Management The society is managed by the Trustees with the assistance of the Management Committee. A3 Financial Review The Receipts and Payment5 Schedule for the 12-month period from 1st August 2023 to 31st July 2024 is appended to this Report together with the External ScrLJtiny report. The financial out-turn for the year to 31 July 2024 was similar to that for July 2023, but within the figures there were quite a few ups and downs. The Trustees started the year aiming broadly to break-even and the main reason for ending with a surplu5 was because a lot of people joined to sing Messiah, and it was pleasing that many of the newcomers continued into the spring term. The total deficit on the yearf5 concerts was much as expected, helped by large audiences for both Messiah and the opera concert. The Trustees have decided to keep subscriptions at their present level for the year 2024-25. The Society does not hold any assets as custodian trustee on behalf of others. The next fin3ncial review will cover a period of 12 months, from 1st August 2024 to 31st July 2025. A5 Public Benefit The Trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charities Commission in exercising their powers and duties. The Trustees have sought to educate the public in the art and science of music by providing opportunities for singers to participate in, and audiences to listen to, choral works performed in the East Grinstead area. Efforts are continually made to achieve an interesting and varied repertoire performed to a good amateur standard, at a cost which is affordable to both singers and audience. Part B - Matters that smaller charities, not subject to statutory audit, must also report Bl Objectives and Activities The objectives of the Society are stated in the Constitution and Rules as being 'to educate the public in the art and science of music, by the presentation of concerts and other relevant activities.
Membership is open to all sertions of the community with no requirement for previous experience or auditions. Typically, three concerts are held each year, of which at least one will involve engaging a number of professional 5010ists and orchestral players for a major choral work, and the others will involve a smaller number of professionals in order to perform an interesting repertoire on an affordable budget. Each concert requires a period of preparation at weekly rehearsals led by the Musical Director. The Society seeks to involve local school children whenever this is appropriate. The costs of staging a concert usually exceed ticket sales, the deficit being met from other income, principally subscriptions. The Society also engages in other activities relevant to its objectives, such as voice training and choral workshops, and in diverse forms of social and fund-raising artivities. The Friends of East Grinstead Choral Society continue to support parkncular projects; the money raised this season contributed to the cost of four professional soloists for our Petite Messe Solennelle concert. The Society is an active member of Makin£ Music. Applications are occasionally made for grants from local and national bodies, but the Society does not relv on such receipts. which would not have a material effect on the Society's finances. B2 Achievements and performance 2023-2024 was a challenging. but enjoyable and successful season during which we saw a significant increase in membership and an appreciative and growing audience. We held three major concerts: in December we performed Handel's Messiah to a full church and, a week later, invited the local communitv to attend a very well-received "Come and Sing Carols" event. In April we performed Rossini's Fetite Messe 5olennelle to a smaller, but nonetheless appreciative audience. Our final concert of the year was a sell-out performance of popular opera choruses, staged as part of the St 5withun's Festival of the Arts and including the children's choir from St Marws C of E Prirnary School. We a150 extended our outreach by singing carols at Standen INatronal Trustl, allowing us to connect with the local commLJnity. and performing in Barefoot Opera's production of lo Cenerentolo. In January 2024 Laurence Williams, our MD, expressed a wish to take a sabbatical during the autumn term 2024, returning in Spring 2025. We appointed both an Interim MD and a new A5SiStant MD for the 2024- 2025 season. The programme for the comlng season 2024- 2025 Three concerts are planned: in early December we will perform Vivaldi's Glorio with an orchestra led by local professional violinist George Clifford. This will be followed in March by Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem and in July we will stage a concert performance of Gilbert 3nd Sullivan's HMS Pinafore at our Ioc31 theatre, Chequer Mead. JTr oa,Js- .sL
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES East Grlnstead Choral Soeiety 801961 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period from 01108123 31107124 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds Last year to ttte nèarest to the nearest £ to the nèarèst £ to the neaTOSt £ to the nearest £ A1 Receipts Members Friends Gift Aid r&laims Conceits Inlerest Miscellaneous 19,243 1,675 3,927 12.302 696 133 19,243 1,675 3,927 12,302 696 133 16.470 2,603 13,457 231 Sub total{Gross income for AR) 2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). 37,976 37,976 38,500 Sub total Total receip 37,976 A3Pa ments Rehearsals Concert5 Oministrabon 20,424 10,B50 2,185 20,424 10,850 2,186 19,752 9.748 1 2.950 Sub tota 33,459 A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) 270 Sub tota 270 33,459 32,720 Net of receipts/(payn7ents) AS Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year en 4.517 4,517 5,780 25,125 25,125 19.345
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted funds to neamt £ Restricted funds io nearest £ Endowment funds to nèarnst £ Categories Detsils B1 Cash funds CurrEnt account 392 29,055 Cash in h8ThJ 195 Total cash funds 29,642 £wrf¢SI Unre5tri¢ted funds Restricted funds Endowment funds to neare3t t Detalls to IreSt £ to nearest £ --z•#• Fund to wthich asg•t b8longs Details Cost loptoonal) Current ¥alLbè lopb'onall Fund to a5Sét tlongg nresnded lunds Current value loptionall Cost l0ptlon•ll B4 Assets retained for the charity's own use Fund to ¥rthich lfjabillty relat Amount due loption•ll When du• lopts'onall Details B5 Liabilities Signed by one or N¥0 trustees on behalf of all the trustees oate of approval SnatUre Print Name JANET COLE 270225 SHEILA WALSH
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the tru8tse81 members of East Grrnstead Choral Society On accounts for the year ended 31 July 2024 Charity no (if any) 801961 Sot out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (Ihe Trust.) for the year ended 31 July 2024. Responsibilitles and As Ihe charity trustees of the Trust, you ate responsible for the preparation ba818 of report of the accounts in aGGordance with the requirements of Ihe Charities Act 2011 (°the Acf). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have cornpleted rny examination. I confirm that no material rnatters have come to my attention (ather than that disGlosed below") in connection with the exarnination which gives rne cause to believe that in, any rnaterial resped: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the aGGounling records Indopendent examinerfs statsrnent I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper underslanding of the accounts to be reached. . Please delete the words in the braGkets rfthey do not apply. Signed: Date: 2t/o 21202 5- Name: nna Unsworth Relevant professional qualification(s) or body lif any): FCCA Addres8: 39 Stockwell Road East Grinstead West Sussex. RH19 4BD IER October 2018
Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner need8 to highlight rnatters of Goncern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Glve here brlef details of any Iterns that the xaminer wishes to dlsclose. IER October 2018