The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 30 April 2024.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the charity's memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act 2006 and the Statement of Recommended Practice, "Accounting and Reporting by Charities", issued in March 2005.
The charity's objects are:
The promotion of arts and culture, particularly, but not exclusively, by promoting and facilitating access to, and in participation in, performances of choral music, in particular but not exclusively by members of the Bar, those who work in barristers' Chambers and the Courts and the family and friends of those persons;
and to promote such purposes as are charitable under the law of England and Wales.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
The Bar Choral Society’s Summer Concert took place on Tuesday 20th June 2023 at 7pm in Temple Church. The programme included Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms” and John Rutter’s “Feel the Spirit.
The choir were joined by Mezzo-Soprano, Catherine Backhouse and Treble soloist Thomas Cousins alongside Sally Pryce – harp and Rachel Gledhill – percussion.
The Choir was accompanied at this concert by organist, Matthew Jorysz, Assistant Organist at Westminster Abbey, whose spectacular playing was heard at the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
As part of the concert programme, Matthew reprised Iain Farrington’s dazzling organ piece “Voices of the World” – a work specially commissioned for the Coronation Service.
The Society continued to meet and rehearse throughout the autumn session and in advance of its Winter Concert on Monday 11th December at which the choir performed, for the first time, “Messiah” by George Frideric Handel. Temple Church was sold out. Under the baton of Music Director, Greg Morris, the choir were delighted to be joined at the concert by soloists Augusta Hebbert, soprano; Jessica Gillingwater, mezzo-soprano; Nicholas Mulroy, tenor; baritone, Gareth Brynmor John and The Temple Players. This concert was generously supported by the Society’s sponsor, Y Tree. Y Tree will continue to sponsor the choir throughout the calendar year 2024 – a year which marks the Society’s 10th Anniversary.
On the 24th of April 2024, the choir sang the Service of Evensong in Temple Church. This was a special Service to mark both St. George’s Day on the 23rd of April and the life of Shakespeare. As part of the Service, the choir sang Charles Wood’s “Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in D” as well as Gerald Finzi’s Anthem “God is Gone Up”.
Post year-end events
On Friday 21st June 2024, The Bar Choral Society formally launched the celebrations for its 10th Birthday with a performance of Puccini’s gloriously operatic Messa di Gloria and Mendelssohn’s much admired Psalm 42 "Wie der Hirsch schreit nach frischem Wasser, so schreit meine Seele, Gott, zu Dir" at the newly named Sinfonia Smith Square.
The year of celebrations came to a fitting climax with the Autumn concert on 19th November 2024 in Temple Church when the Bar Choral Society was joined by one of the UK’s most notable opera singers – Jennifer Johnston – a former member of the Bar (practising from 1 Crown Office Row). The concert programme included works by Parry, Haydn, Finzi and Purcell as well as the World Premiere of a new work especially commissioned by the Society from acclaimed composer, Cecilia McDowall. This concert was generously supported by Y Tree and also Fountain Court Chambers.
A fuller report of these two events will appear in the report for the 2024-2025 financial year.
The Choir has been fortunate to have support and donations during the course of the year from a number of named and anonymous individuals.
The financial position of the charity is as stated in the accounts and as reflected in the transactions and activities set out in this report.
Finally, it is the policy of the charity to maintain adequate cash reserves at the Bank to ensure that all day-to-day liabilities of the Society can be met.
The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
The charity is a company limited by guarantee.
The Trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year were:
In July 2023 Stuart Ritchie KC announced to trustees that he would be retiring as Chair of the Board and as a trustee and director at the 2025 AGM. Pursuant to Articles 8 and 19 of the Articles of Association, on 18 March 2024 the trustees decided to appoint Amanda Savage KC as the next Chair for an initial term of 5 years commencing immediately following the 2025 AGM, renewable for one further term of up to 5 years (subject to Amanda being willing to stand and to the agreement of the trustees serving at the time of renewal).
The trustees have been recruited and appointed to provide a range of skills and experience. It is intended that further appointments are made with this objective in mind. Incoming trustees are provided with information to enable them to understand the objectives, operation and finances of the trust.
The trustees meet regularly to discuss and agree forthcoming programmes of events, fundraising activities and the charities finances. Further administration has been provided by an employee of one of the trustees at no cost to the trust.
None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of The Bar Choral Society (the charity) for the year ended 30 April 2024.
As the trustees of the charity (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (the 2006 Act).
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
The Bar Choral Society is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Wilmington House, High Street, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 3AU.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's [governing document], the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, [modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value]. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Concert ticket and programme sales
Costs of generating donations and legacies
Concert costs
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration during the year, and none of them were reimbursed any travelling expenses (2023- none were reimbursed £nil).
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
During the year the charity entered into the following transactions with related parties:
S Ritchie (trustee and director) made an interest-free loan to the charity reported in Note 10.
The following amounts were outstanding at the reporting end date: