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(Se BearsdenChoir
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BEARSDEN CHOIR
Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025
Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31 August 2025
The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report together with the accounts and the independent examiner’s report for the year ended 31 August 2025.
Reference & Administrative Information
Charity name
Bearsden Choir
Charity number $C001117
Address
c/o Gordon Barclay, Flat 2/2, 1 Arnwood Drive, Glasgow G12 OXY
| Current trustees | |
|---|---|
| Sarah Strachan | Chair |
| Carole Allen | Secretary |
| Gordon Barclay | Treasurer |
| Janina Gordon | |
| Kirstin Patey | Resigned August 2025 |
| lain Foulds | |
| Paige Dunlop | Resigned March 2025 |
| Carol Young | |
| Barbara Flower | |
| BeatriceVetterCeriotti | AppointedMarch2025 |
Structure Governance & Management
Constitution
The choir is a charitable unincorporated association and the purposes and administration arrangements are set out in our constitution. The choir was granted charitable status by OSCR on 1 April 1980.
Appointment of trustees
The choir’s trustees are appointed or reappointed by the members at our annual general meeting, which is held around May each year. In exceptional circumstances trustees may be coopted by the committee until such time as a general meeting may be called to appoint replacement trustees.
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Management
The trustees are responsible for the management and governance of[the][ choir whilst][ the][strategic] direction and musical content of the concerts is delegated to the choir’s Musical Director subject to final agreement of the trustees.
Objectives & Activities
Charitable purposes
The objects of the Choir shall be to advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of music in all aspects by any means the Trustees see fit, including through the presentation of public events, in Bearsden, Glasgow and surrounding area.
Activities
Our activities are all about bringing music that may not normally be available to a wider audience and giving members occasions to sing large works with orchestras and professional soloists and accompanists.
Achievements and performances
The year 2024-25 has been another successful year for Bearsden Choir. The new Constitution (passed in 2024) is working well with the Members’ Manual being updated regularly as a working document and all policy documents have now been completed and/or updated.
We enjoyed a varied and challenging programme from Jazz to Elijah. Singing jazz was a new venture but the Choir rose to the challenge and the evening went with a swing; the jazz pianist Richard Michael, who accompanied us reported that the concert was ‘one of the most musically electrifying and moving performances | have known in over half a century of performances.’
Elijah is a huge production, with a lot of music to be learnt and several opportunities for smaller groups to feature, in addition to soloists. It is a mark of the standard of the choir that we were able to feature our own singers in these very exposed sections. We were also able to feature a young soloist from the Choir, who took the part of The Youth, which fits well with our ethos of supporting young people in musical experiences. The Edinburgh Music review commented that ‘Bearsden Choir are among Scotland’s best [choirs]’.
This year there has been a focus on developing the social side of the Choir. We have created opportunities for people to get to know each other over cake nights and a Christmas party as well as singing together. Membership has stayed stable, a testament to Bearsden Choir’s reputation for a consistently high level of singing, friendliness and musicianship. The choir’s age range from 18-80 must be relatively unique and we are proud that almost 20% of these members are under 26, with full-time students being subsidised by the Choir to encourage participation.
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We also celebrated Andrew Nunn’s 10" season as Music Director, during which time the Choir has grown in numbers and reputation to be one of the finest amateur choirs in Scotland. His drive, energy and commitment to the choir are exemplary. Andrew is well supported by the very active and dedicated committee, who give freely of their time to keep the choir in good shape.
Financial Review
Our main source of funding continues to be fees charged to members. Concerts are funded by ticket sales and various fundraising activities.
In previous years we have donated small amounts of the funds we raise to other charities. This year we donated énil (2024: £50).
Receipts on the unrestricted fund were £55,961 (2024: £55,363) largely due to subscriptions received from a continuing membership. Payments on the unrestricted fund for the year were £66,538 (2024: £58,650).
The resultant deficit for the year of £10,577 (2024: deficit £3,287) was deducted from reserves.
Reserves policy
The trustees’ policy is to maintain reserves to cover the costs of the first two or three concerts of the following season and to cover any unexpected expenditure. Reserves at the end of the year were £22,356 (2024: £32,933), which is within the target range.
Future Plans
Looking forward we have another busy year ahead with concerts and other activities. We are building a steady core of concert audiences which helps to meet the challenges of increased costs of hall hire, musicians and soloists and we are exploring funding opportunities more actively; we gained sponsorship from two companies for our recent Elijah concert and hope to continue developing sponsorship links.
Sarah Strachan, Chair Bearsden Choir
Independent Examiner’s Report for the year ended 31 August 2025
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Bearsden Choir
| report on the accounts of the charity (SCO001117) for the year ended 31 August 2025, which are set out on pages 5 to 8.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s statement
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeks explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently, | do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent examiner’s statement
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention
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which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements: - to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations
have not been met, or
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
7M.Milngavie DouglasP. Maitland Muir Gardens V, Oy“HA& Glasgow, G62 7RZ mae iho Car m LL Hrec 2924 2
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Statement of Receipts and Payments For the year ended 31 August 2025
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|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Unrestricted|Restricted|Total|Total|
|Note|funds|funds|2025|2024|
|Receipts|
|Voluntary|receipts|
|Donations|1,135|-|1,135|1,482|
|Sponsorship|-|5,400|5,400|2,000|
|Fund|raising|2,753|-|2,753|2,989|
|Bank|interest|1,003|-|1,003|457|
|Receipts|from|charitable|activities|
|Membership|fees|28,054|-|28,054|25,813|
|Concert|income|22,571|-|22,571|24,254|
|Music & equipment|hire|445|-|445|368|
|Total|receipts|55,961|5,400|61,361|57,363|
|Payments|
|Cost|of charitable|activities|4|65,116|5,400|70,516|59,319|
|Donations|5|-|-|-|50|
|Governance|costs|6|1,067|-|1,067|1,028|
|Sub|total|66,183|5,400|71,583|60,397|
|Purchase|of music & equipment|355|-|355|253|
|Total|payments|66,538|5,400|71,938|60,650|
|Deficit for year|(10,577)|-|(10,577)|(3,287)|
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The Notes on pages 7 and 8 form an integral part of these accounts.
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Statement of Balances As at 31 August 2025
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Tea | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | 2025 | 2024 | |
| Funds reconciliation | ||||
| Cash at bank & in hand -31 August | 32,933 | - | 32,933 | 36,220 |
| 2024 | ||||
| (Deficit) foryear | (10,577) | - | (10,577) | (3,287) |
| Cash at bank & in hand - 31 | 22,356 | - | 22,356 | 32,933 |
| August 2025 | ||||
| Bank & cash balances | ||||
| CAF Cash account | 315 | 166 | ||
| CAF Gold Deposit | 12,041 | 10,500 | ||
| Shawbrook Deposit | 10,000 | 20,000 | ||
| Accruals/prepayments | - | 2,267 | ||
| 22,356 | 32,933 | |||
| Other assets (unrestricted fund) | ||||
| Music library | 29,546 | 29,546 | ||
| Stagingequipment | 11,156 | 11,156 | ||
| Lighting equipment | 2,100 | 2,100 | ||
| Technological equipment | 1,156 | 1,156 | ||
| 43,958 | 43,958 |
All funds are unrestricted. The Notes on pages 7 and 8 form an integral part of these accounts.
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Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025
1. Basis of accounting
These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts & Payments basis in accordance with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and The Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006.
- Nature and purpose of funds Unrestricted funds are those that may be used at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance ofthe purposeofthe charity. The trustees maintain a single unrestricted fund for the day-to-day running of the choir.
Restricted funds may only be used for specific purposes. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for specific purposes. During the year the choir received sponsorship of £5,400 (2024: £2,000) towards the costs of specific concerts or recordings.
3. Related party transactions
- The choir’s insurance policy includes trustee indemnity insurance for all its trustees. No other remuneration was paid to the trustees or to any connected persons during the year (2024: nil).
No travelling expenses were paid to trustees during the year (2024: fnil).
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Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 (continued)
4. Cost of charitable activities
| 4. | Cost of charitable activities | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | ||
| funds | funds | 2025 | 2024 | ||
| Concert costs | 32,351 | 5,400 | 37,751 | 29,525 | |
| Professional fees | 17,600 | - | 17,600 | 17,764 | |
| Hall hire | 9,334 | - | 9,334 | 8,690 | |
| Recruitment& general publicity | 1,760 | - | 1,760 | 1,141 | |
| Stationery& sundry costs | 3,982 | - | 3,982 | 2,139 | |
| Bank charges | 89 | - | 89 | 60 | |
| 65,116 | 5,400 | 70,516 | 59,319 | ||
| 5. | Donations | ||||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | ||
| funds | funds | 2025 | 2024 | ||
| One | - | - | - | 50 | |
| - | - | - | 50 | ||
| 6. | Governance costs | ||||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | ||
| funds | funds | 2025 | 2024 | ||
| Affiliation fees | 411 | - | 411 | 366 | |
| Insurance | 656 | - | 656 | 662 | |
| 1,067 | - | 1,067 | 1,028 |
ApprovedSarah Strachan by the Trustees on Lt 7fy { foail”2926/ __and signed onGordon their behaBarc l fay by: Chair Treasurer / V 8