PORTRUSH MUSICAL SOCIETY
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] May 2024
The Trustees present their report and independently verified financial statements for Portrush Musical Society for the year ended 31[st] August 2023.
Reference and Administration Information
Charity Name: Portrush Music Society Charity Reference Number: 102914 Public Address: 53 Ratheane Avenue Coleraine BT521JH
Trustees:
Mrs Maggie Ferris-Curran Mrs Fiona Flynn Mrs Patricia Armstrong Mr William Thompson Mrs Elaine MacAuley Mr Aidan Hughes Miss Phyllis Michael Mrs Kerry Kane
Aims of the Society
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To encourage the performance and appreciation of music in the district
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To promote the production of musical plays and concerts
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To be across the community
Our organisation is a music society which endeavours to organise at least one musical production
per year. We generally stage ten performances and our volunteers meet all year to work on bringing our chosen production to the public stage. The production plan will entail:
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identifying the skills required for the production and completing a budget for the show
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the recruitment of volunteers who will work with our volunteer Director, volunteer Choreographer and Musical Director and Orchestra, to learn and perform music, choreography and script
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design and production of visuals including set production, costumes, lighting and sound
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show marketing and promotion
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liaison with venues and our local authority to ensure the shows are staged appropriately and safely.
Shows
Our chosen production was ‘Shrek the Musical’ which was staged in the Magherabuoy Hotel from 14[th] -22[nd] of October 2022. We were delighted that ‘Shrek the Musical’ made a net profit of £4,524.47, vital funds towards the costs of staging our next production, the Northern Ireland Premiere of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’.
Fundraising
Income from Phantom of the Opera totalled £5556.61 and included revenue from a number of fundraising initiatives including:
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Wine tasting event £1,179.62
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Supermarket Door Collections £1208.61
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Pub Quiz and raffle £715.00
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£500 Grant funding Causeway Coast and Glens Council
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£300.00 Asda Green token challenge.
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Car boot sale £100.
Public Benefit
The public benefit flowing from these projects is to provide opportunities for young people and adults from a diverse range of backgrounds to come together and learn about musical theatre as a medium for gaining skills and confidence, and to provide a platform to enable them to develop their performance skills. We endeavour to bring enjoyment and appreciation of the arts to the general public, and by extensively fundraising to subsidise our production costs, strive to make musical theatre accessible to all.
There are some private benefits to members of our organisation which flow from the public benefit. We strive for professional standards of performance in our productions to inspire our volunteers to become involved. By engaging paid professional musical directors and musicians, we provide opportunities for our amateur volunteers to gain experience and performance skills of a professional standard which can enable volunteers to progress to professional stage work.
Other private benefits include the training we provide to our volunteers. Our volunteers access training in health and safety, child protection, performance skills, costume making, stage craft, scenery production, make up and costume design. These skills are necessary for the success of our
organisation and its work, they provide an incentive for volunteers to become involved and
contribute to their personal and professional development. Our volunteers reap benefits in terms of the enjoyment and satisfaction of participation and the subsequent development of personal confidence and self-esteem.
Financial Review
The trustees are pleased to report a good closing balance of £46,349.66. These funds are held to allow for the development of the society and to meet preliminary costs of planned events for the incoming year.
Structure, governance and management
Governing document
The governing document of the charity is its constitution which sets out the charity’s purpose. The charity is registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.
Recruitment and appointment of management committee
The society is administered by a committee who are trustees for the charity for the purpose of Charity Law. The trustees have the power to appoint a new trustee to fill a vacancy.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on 22/05/24 and signed on its behalf by:
Elaine MacAuley Hon. Treasurer
Margaret Ferris-Curran Acting Chairperson