MUSICAL DIRECTOR: RALPH WOODWARD PATRON: THE LORD FAIRHAVEN
ANNUAL REPORT 2022-2023
Objectives of the Fairhaven Singers
The object of the Fairhaven Singers are to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of the art and science of music in all its aspects by the presentation of public concerts and recitals and by such other ways as the choir through its committee shall determine from time to time.
Structure
The Fairhaven Singers is a membership organization managed by an elected committee, as set out in its constitution.
| Chair: | Robin Higgons |
|---|---|
| Treasurer: | Paul Ashley (retired 29 September 2023, to be replaced by Gavin Stark) |
| Secretary: | Emily Dourish |
| Member: | Andrew Smith |
| Member: | Karen Hébert |
| Musical Director (ex officio): | Ralph Woodward |
Activities
The following reports are based on the reports presented at the AGM on 29 September 2023
Chairman’s Report
This summer saw a landmark in the choir’s repertoire, as we performed the last of Ralph’s programmes delayed by the pandemic, i.e. the Summer 2020 repertoire. The last three and a half years have been somewhat tumultuous and challenging, but we have come through in remarkably good shape.
Having survived a pandemic, caught up with our programme plans, rebuilt our audiences, and spent (nearly) all our financial reserves, we appear to be entering a period of stability and calm. The programming and financial plans will enable us to rebuild our financial reserves relatively quickly, so the choir will be on a very sound footing for the future.
Paul is stepping down from the Committee as of this AGM, and I would like to thank him for all his hard work and sage advice over the 14 years that we have been on the Committee together. Gavin is taking over as Treasurer and I have no doubt that the choir’s finances are in very good hands.
Registered charity no. 802542
1
Looking forward, Ralph will be discussing our plans for the next couple of years. As always, he continues to build a really exciting and varied programme which will entertain and keep us busy for the foreseeable future. We continue to work on our ambitions to become / remain the leading amateur chamber choir in the East of England.
So, with this idyllic, stable future in front of us, the time is approaching for me to step down as Chairman, which will happen at the next AGM in 2024. By then, I will have had the pleasure and privilege of being Chairman for 15 years and it is the right time for me to step aside to allow new person with new ideas to take the choir forward. I will also take a short sabbatical from the choir at this time, although I will still be very happy to support the new Chair if requested.
As the position of Chair will become vacant next September, we are looking for someone to take over the role. We have a year for the transition, which gives the next chair plenty of time to join the Committee and gradually take over from me. If you are interested, please feel free to talk to me or another Committee member.
Robin Higgons
Musical Director’s Report
Ralph presented the breakdown of the choir’s activities since the last AGM and a summary of the future plans for the choir:
Activities since last AGM
| ies since last AGM | |
|---|---|
| October 2022 | Autumn Schubertiade |
| Appointment of Jenni Buss and Westcott Stark as Treatt Choral Scholars | |
| November 2022 | Holst, Delius, Schubert, Brahms with Gordon and Hayley at the piano |
| December 2022 | Christmas concerts in Trinity and for Exquisite Home, and carols for tech company |
| February 2023 | Release of Dove recording |
| March 2023 | Bach St Matthew Passion in St John’s with Florilegium |
| April 2023 | Auction of Promises |
| Some choir members participated in ETO Giulio Cesare | |
| July 2023 | Most of the July 2020 repertoire, with a few substitutions |
| Cecilia McDowall premiere at IAML Congress in Trinity | |
| activities | |
| October 2023 | Todd Requiem in York Minster |
| Appointment of Choral Scholars | |
| November 2023 | Victoria Requiem and music for choir and cello, including Geoff Page premiere |
| December 2023 | Carols at Anglesey Abbey, Christmas concert in Trinity |
| March 2024 | Scarlatti Stabat Mater and English anthems |
| April 2024 | Auction of Promises |
| July 2024 | Including Bach Der Geist, Gibbons, Stanford, Saint-Saëns |
| November 2024 | Probably including Howells Requiem, Stanford motets |
| Christmas 2024 | repertoire pending…. |
| March 2025 | Handel Dettingen Te Deum and Haydn Heiligmesse |
Future activities
Ralph Woodward
Registered charity no. 802542
2
Treasurer’s Report
(the financial reports are presented separately)
Notes to the Income & Expenditure report
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The choir had a deficit of £4,326 overall (column 5, last row), compared to a deficit of £18,334 the previous year (last column, the year in which we incurred the expenditure to record ‘Sappho Sings’).
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The General Fund (i.e. normal activities plus concerts) had a deficit of £4,169 (first column), compared to a deficit of £8,160 the previous year. The deficit on the (otherwise wonderful) March concert (£11,443) was an obvious contributing factor.
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The Dora Kemp Commission Fund had minimal activity last year.
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The Recordings Fund activity is attributable to the sale of Sappho Sings CDs, and the purchase of a video recording of the making of our own recording.
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The Alyson L Harvey Fund had a small deficit – the fund paid for the Auction of Promises dinner.
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We received £2,450 from HMRC for our Gift Aid refund to 31 August 2022. The claim for 2022-23 will be made soon.
Notes to the Balance Sheet
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Our assets have decreased by £3,310, mainly attributable to our income and expenditure deficit.
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The lower table shows the asset balances distributed between the four funds as of 31 August 2023.
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The massive negative balance in the Recordings Fund will be reduced by transfers from the General Fund
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over time: any balance over £20k in the General Fund will be transferred 85% to the Dora Kemp Commission Fund and 15% to the Recordings Fund. (This is a book-keeping exercise that makes no difference to the financial position of the choir, but does make clear the cost of recordings and commissions).
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CDs are currently valued for accounting purposes at: Sappho Sings £5; Full of Grace £5; Todd Requiem £1; Into the Stars £1. The CD Blue Skies That Sparkle, and recipe books are valued at £0.
General comments on our financial performance and forecast
The choir has survived covid, the Sappho Sings commission and CD recording, and the (expensive) March St Matthew Passion concert in good financial shape. In an ideal world we would retain a reserve in our bank balance of upwards of £20,000, to protect us against the next covid (or other ‘event’). We currently have £6,394. However, I anticipate that the future direction of this bank balance will be upwards for the next few years. In a real emergency, we retain the investments in the Alyson Harvey Fund (although they are intended to be used for assisting with the social welfare of the choir).
Paul Ashley
Registered charity no. 802542
3
Fairhaven Singers
Income and expenditure 1 Sep 2022 - 31 Aug 2023
| Income Ticket sales Members' income Friends' income Fund raising Performance fees Donations income Other sales income Cost recovery Total Income Expenditure Soloists, orchestras & instrument hire Musical Director Marketing & publicity Venue hire Concert programmes Sheet music printing & hire Concert catering Professional fees & services Other costs Social event costs Recording engineering and production Donations Ticket refunds Total expenditure Surplus/deficit |
General Fund Alyson Harvey Fund Dora Kemp Fund Recordings Fund Total 2022- 2023 Total 2021- 2022 12,908.68 - - - 12,908.68 9,970.32 11,937.50 - - - 11,937.50 9,343.50 2,579.97 - - - 2,579.97 1,854.33 1,785.00 - - - 1,785.00 2,201.50 1,000.00 - - - 1,000.00 500.00 630.00 250.00 50.00 - 930.00 5,585.81 154.80 - - 461.60 616.40 74.64 18.40 - - - 18.40 115.14 |
|---|---|
| 31,014.35 250.00 50.00 461.60 31,775.95 29,645.24 13,787.50 - - - 13,787.50 21,940.77 12,445.00 - - - 12,445.00 13,025.00 3,049.00 - - - 3,049.00 3,393.45 1,862.00 - - - 1,862.00 1,851.25 1,470.00 - - - 1,470.00 1,295.00 902.00 - - - 902.00 791.25 725.77 - - - 725.77 394.07 669.51 - - - 669.51 325.54 147.34 - - 424.00 571.34 2,001.43 - 494.50 - - 494.50 - - - - - - 2,700.00 - - - - - 244.00 - - - - - 19.00 |
|
| 35,058.12 494.50 - 424.00 35,976.62 47,980.76 |
|
| (4,043.77) (244.50) 50.00 37.60 (4,200.67) (18,335.52) |
See note 1 for analysis of income and expenditure
Fairhaven Singers
Balance Sheet as of 31 Aug 2023
| Current assets A101: Lloyds Bank A102: Paypal A103: Petty cash A105: Charles Stanley cash funds A106: ALH Fund investments A110: CD stocks A111: Other stock Total Current assets Liabilities 6699: Agency collections Total Liabilities Net Asset surplus (deficit) Represented by General fund Dora Kemp Commissions Fund Recordings Fund Alyson L Harvey Fund Agency (Umo So Voz) Total |
As at As at Note/tab 31/08/2023 31/08/2022 6,393.60 10,914.31 3 125.62 - 4 142.42 104.20 7 3,265.52 3,095.38 5 14,284.85 14,377.20 5 1,277.00 235.00 7 18.00 27.00 7 25,507.01 28,753.09 48.00 100.00 6 48.00 100.00 25,459.01 28,653.09 20,185.39 24,268.80 2,569.39 2,519.39 (14,288.98) (15,295.02) 17,093.21 17,259.92 (100.00) (100.00) 25,459.01 28,653.09 |
|---|---|
Fairhaven Singers Chwrity 802542 A¢counts for the period I" September 2022 to 31° Augusi 2023 I have indcpendendy examin¢d the acc4)unts for Th¢ Fairhaven Sin8eTS for the twiod I" Sept¢miKr 2022 to 31. Au8USt 2023 as set out and required by The Clwity Commission Ac( (CCA). Th¢ Fairh8v¢n Sing¢rs bavc thos¢n to pr¢par¢ th¢ir accounts on th¢ T¢ipt and pBJinent (RP) basis and subject them to ind¢pend¢ ¢xamination which falls within th¢ swpe of th¢ r¢gulations. My obj¢rtiv¢$ art thus: l. To identify whether OT not proper accounting record5 have been kepL 2. To check that the accounts agree with the accounting Tecords. 3. To look for signifiwit ¢rTors in the a¢unts. 4. To ensure that the accounts have been prepared in COrdance with CAR- in so far &5 they apply to accounts tnaintsined on an RP b&8is. Report No matters have arisen during the course of my examiOn where I have to 8iv¢ an adverse rw. I consider that the aDnuJl financial ststements ofTh¢ Fairhaven Singers &8 presented to me retlect a trne and fair statement of the status of each fiuKI. J. S.J. Barn¢5 IL DEC LOL3 . S Cambridge Road Cambrid8e CB3 OPN