## **ELY CHORAL SOCIETY** ## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT for the year ended 31 August 2023** ## **Purpose and Trustees** Ely Choral Society is a charity registered with the Charity Commission, registration number 802308. Its charitable purpose is to advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of music in all its aspects by any means the trustees see fit, including through the presentation of public concerts and recitals. Also to further such charitable purpose or purposes as the trustees in their absolute discretion shall think fit but in particular through the making of grants and donations. The Society is managed by a committee of Trustees elected from the Society’s membership. The Trustees who served during the year were: Jeremy James (chairman) Ruth Ogden Angela Major Elizabeth Burton Linda Rogers Colin Batchelor Clarke Brunt Elisabeth Every Roger Young Ruth James ## **Chair’s report** The chair's report is, above all, an opportunity to look back at the year - celebrating everything that was good - and to thank those who contribute to making it so good. Musically, our 2022/23 season, as Andrew has reminded us, was a good and varied one. - We began with Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle - a cause to wonder why on earth it is called either Petite or Solennelle, and an opportunity for some members to be introduced to the mysteries of the harmonium. - Our Christmas concert was as enjoyable as ever. We realised the care and skill with which Andrew had devised the programme, and we had the pleasure of being almost the first to use the Renewed St Mary’s building and to enjoy the revitalised acoustics. - In the spring, we had the pleasure of singing once more with Camerata East led by Helen Medlock. I remember the lovely playing of the Mozart Divertimento with which they began the concert and our performance of the Mozart Requiem felt quite epic. - And then, an added bonus, in July we had another opportunity to sing with an orchestra - Ely Sinfonia. And, as we enjoyed our singing of Vaughan Williams, Chilcott and Beethoven, we were dazzled by the keyboard artistry of Natalia Williams-Wandoch. Not only do we get to enjoy singing but we get to enjoy what our fellow-performers do – including, of course, the vocal soloists whom Andrew engages for us and, perhaps especially, the amazing musicianship of Glen Dempsey whether he is playing the piano as he did for the Rossini, the organ as he did at Christmas, or the chamber organ as he did in the spring concert. So we have had a great year of music-making. It has been good to see our numbers grow steadily over the course of the year. And, as always, there has been a spirit of cooperation within the choir. Very recently, for example, when there has been a request for help with chairs, or the need of a new treasurer or someone to assist with organising concerts, people have stepped forwards. There are lots of people to thank for their particular contributions over the past year: Our committee must be thanked for their work which includes: - reviewing past concerts to see what lessons (positive or negative) can be learnt for future concerts; - planning the practicalities of upcoming concerts and agreeing the budgets for them; - looking at future plans; - monitoring our financial position; - receiving regular reports on Ely Youth Choir which we support. Some particular thank yous: - to our librarians who, with great efficiency, make sure that we always have the music we need; - to Angela Major, our publicity guru, who makes sure that our concerts are well advertised, both physically and on social media; - to Roger Young who produces the programmes for our concerts; - to Ruth James who looks after and communicates with the Friends of ECS; - to Clarke Brunt who ticks us off in the register week by week, and who manages all our communications; - to Linda, Lis, Jonathan and all involved in the smooth running of Ely Youth Choir; - to Linda and Ruth Ogden for their secretarial duties; - to Roger Hill who manages our website and also designs our publicity material; - and, once again, to Colin Batchelor for his many years as our treasurer. A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by someone doing research for the Arts Council; one of her questions was: "What is good about Ely Choral Society?" Out of the many things I could have said, I picked out three. Firstly, we put on great concerts. Secondly, there is a real sense of enjoyment among the members as they sing together week by week. And the reason those two things are happening is the third thing: we have a great conductor. Year by year, Andrew chooses great music for us to sing; and week by week, he helps us to find that singing can be just a wonderfully fulfilling pleasure. So, as we look back at another year's music-making, once again, there is so much to celebrate' and so much to thank Andrew for. ## **Financial review** The accounts show that we made an overall deficit in 2022/23 of £4,935, comprising a small surplus on central and other activities of £1,401 and a deficit on concerts of £6,337. The Society’s aim is that its central costs should be covered from central income, such as members’ subscriptions. This we achieved. Before the pandemic, we also aimed to balance concert income and expenditure, over a period of years, so that popular concerts pay for the more artistically-challenging programmes. Post pandemic, we have been focusing on re-establishing our programme of concerts. This we achieved with considerable success in 2022/23, generating concert income of £14,974 compared with £6,488 the year before. The deficit for 2022/23 was unusually high because ticket revenue from the summer 2023 concert did not come in until the following year. We will continue to work towards breaking even on concert activity. In the short term, however, the Society’s reserves are sufficient to meet small deficits. Reserves at the year-end amounted to £29,031. The Society aims to hold cash reserves at a level sufficient to cover the costs of a concert in the event that no income is generated. Currently this is set at £23,000. **Jeremy James** **Chair** ## **ELY CHORAL SOCIETY** Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended **----- Start of picture text -----**
31st August 2022 31st August 2023
£ £ CENTRAL INCOME £ £
10,406.50 Subscriptions 11,452.50
200.00 Friends 757.50
1,354.25 Gift Aid 2,578.88
2,770.00 Donations 530.00
28.26 Interest and bank refunds received 122.74
402.00 EYC: Unrestricted 405.00
EYC: Restricted
15,161.01 15,846.62
CENTRAL EXPENDITURE
(502.00) Making Music (507.99)
(863.97) Hire of rehearsal room (1,326.00)
(5,761.70) Musical Director and guests (7,045.80)
(400.00) Accompanist (541.20)
(300.00) Website (300.00)
(98.00) Subscription Refund
(4.95) Publicity (336.61)
(74.69) Bank Charges (94.50)
(3,023.00) EYC: Unrestricted (3,633.70)
0.00 EYC: Restricted 0.00
(11,028.31) (13,785.80)
4,132.70 NET TOTAL 2,060.82
CONCERT PROFITABILITY
2,610.00 Autumn 2022 Income 2,170.50
(2,684.45) Expenditure (5,812.74)
(74.45) (3,642.24)
Autumn 2023 Expenditure (30.00)
0.00 (30.00)
Christmas 2022 Income 2,562.50
(649.00) Expenditure (2,465.22)
(649.00) 97.28
2,000.00 Easter 2022 Income 2,559.80
(3,715.75) Expenditure (1,651.20)
(1,715.75) 908.60
Easter 2023 Income 9,042.01
Expenditure (10,078.48)
0.00 (1,036.47)
Summer 2022 Expenditure (90.00)
(90.00)
1,878.00 Summer 2023 Income 291.00
(2,581.87) Expenditure (2,835.20)
(703.87) (2,544.20)
(1,427.32) NET TOTAL (6,337.03)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
527.50 Music hire and salesIncome 1,368.00
(1,168.20) Expenditure (1,976.00)
(640.70) (608.00)
Social/fundraising Income
Expenditure
0.00 0.00
60.00 Folders Income 90.00
(69.00) Expenditure (141.00)
(9.00) (51.00)
Commission Income
(3,000.00) Expenditure
(3,000.00) 0.00
(3,649.70) NET TOTAL (659.00)
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **ELY CHORAL SOCIETY** ## **SUMMARISED INCOME AND EXPENDITURE** 31st August 2022 for the year ended 31st August 2023 **----- Start of picture text -----**
15,161.01 Central Income 15,846.62
(11,028.31) Expenditure (13,785.80)
4,132.70 2,060.82
6,488.00 Concerts Income 14,974.61
(9,631.07) Expenditure (21,311.64)
(3,143.07) (6,337.03)
587.50 Other activities Income 1,458.00
(4,237.20) Expenditure (2,117.00)
(3,649.70) (659.00)
(2,660.07) (4,935.21)
BALANCE SHEET as at
31st August 2022 31st August 2023
36,626.18 Value of funds brought forward 33,966.11
(2,660.07) Surplus/(Deficit) (4,935.21)
33,966.11 Value of funds carried forward 29,030.90
Funds
33,214.30 Unrestricted Funds 28,279.09
751.81 Restricted Funds 751.81
33,966.11 29,030.90
Invested
15,992.29 Current accounts 10,937.08
17,973.82 Deposit account 18,093.82
33,966.11 29,030.90
**----- End of picture text -----**
31st Awt 2022 31St￿ts5t 2023 CENTRAL INC(XIE 10.4C6 50 11,45250 757 50 1.354 25 Gfft 2.TIO.LYJ 28.26 122.74 402. 405.00 15,846 62 CEIfflIAL EXPENtwriJRE MakJr¥J M I502.(￿} 1863 971 15,761 701 1507.99} {1.328.(￿) 17.045 801 IS41 201 I3￿ OD} 1300.rKJi 198.IX)) 14.951 174.691 ,023 001 I￿.61) 194 501 13,633 701 000 11.028 311 113,7llS.90 4 132.70 NETTOTNL 2.W.82 2,610.00 12.684.45) Ajtumn 2022 2.170.50 15.812.74} 74.45 3.642 241 I30.￿) 130.00} 2.￿.50 12.465.221 1649.001 649 wi 9728 2.(W 00 13.715.751 2.￿9.80 11.651.20) 1.715.75 908.60 9.042.01 110,078.481 {1,026 47 {￿.0D) 1.878 12.581.8n I￿00 291.OD {2.835.201 1703.87 12.544.20 11.427.32 NET TOTAL 6,337 03 527 50 11.168.201 1.268.lYJ {1.978.￿] 640.70 608 WI $0.LN) (69 001 (111.IXJ) IS1.00 13.000.W} 3,[￿ C 0.00 {3,849.701 NET TOTAL 1659.ml 21stAugL¥t2022 31S1A￿2O2J 15.846.62 (13.785.80) 111,028.311 4.132.70 2,WO.82 8,488.00 19,631.on 14.974.61 1.311.64) 13.143 6,337 03 5B7.50 14,237 20) 1.458.00 (2.117 00) 649 70 1659.001 4,935.21 E SHEEf as* 31¥tAug￿l2O22 36 626.18 2.e60 0 33.966 11 318tAwwt2023 33.*6.11 4.935 211 29.OYQ SwrALtsfltknfvit} Futyjs 33.214.30 751.B1 ,966.11 28.279 09 7$1 81 29.03D.g0 15.992 29 17.973.82 ,966.11 10.937 08 18.093 82 29.030 Independent Examinerf8 RÈportlo1he TntstsÈs of th8 Ety Ghoral Society these 2 ro38$ ReSpOr￿1b1lrtIeS and ofthe Chaiibès AL# 2011 llhe W. I report in respect of tny examinati￿ ofthe S(XaEtys auxxmts (zrTied (xrt under sectsw 145 of the 2011 Act atMI in catryirvJ out my examinati￿ I ha¥* Ihe apr*abk threcbons gN6¢) by the Charity CLVnrn￿$5WJ￿ undersediw 14515) (bl oftsAIg. 1 aCC￿￿tr￿ rec(￿￿ %ve rrt)I kept in re¥ed ofif* as re4fftd tsYSeth￿ 130 ofthe ACL set (wt ch8[1￿{￿0Xvts3[wj Rewytsl ReguLatw)n5 2LYJ8 otherthan any Ward Way ZJR