Wednesday, October 6, 2010

2010 Annual Report

BEENHAM BAND Report of the Committee for the year ended 31 July 2010
Registered Charity – number 1087848

Committee
Simon Witcomb - Chairman, Ian Hulin – Secretary, Fiona Benjamin - Treasurer, Eleanor Brooks - Friends, Lynne Ellis, Jean Rollinson - Programmes

Other roles
Librarian – Ann Moore, Publicity – Alyse Ashton, PR – Eileen Caster, Grants – Julie Wright, Fixer – Jolanta Modelska, Webmaster – Tim Skinner

Conductor
We are still very fortunate to have Robert Roscoe as our conductor. The quality and technical ability of the band has continued to improve under his direction. We know, because we can now perform pieces that we could not even play a little while ago. On the occasions when Robert has been unable to be with us, we have been fortunate to be conducted by John Kane, Trevor Defferd, Andy Smets, and Richard Powell, as well as Tom Verrier (in the barn, on a flying visit from the US).

Constitution and object
The band is a registered charity, and its constitution is available to all members. The object of the band is to advance the education of the public by raising the aesthetic taste through the performance of music.

Membership and rehearsals
We have had 42 paying members during the year. We rehearse every Friday during term time from 7.30pm to 9.45pm in Beenham School Hall.

Finances
A copy of the accounts for the year to 31 July 2010 is attached. The band had an excess of income over expenditure for the year of £422, and the balance to carry forward to 2010/11 is £1,525. Subscriptions were £100 for the year or £40 per term. Being a charity, we are able to recover income tax on subscriptions.

Music
We are building a library of music pieces written specifically for wind band together with arrangements of popular tunes and marches, music from shows and films, and light classical music.

Performances and events
5 September 2009 Enborne Flower Show
27 September 2009 Cold Ash Play Day
14 November 2009 Concert in Ashford Hill church
18 December 2009 Christmas concert
19 December 2009 Christmas Dinner in the Victory Hall, Beenham
22 December 2008 Carols in Woolhampton
23 December 2009 Carols round the village
28 March 2010 Concert in the Falklands Memorial Chapel, Pangbourne
20 June 2010 Forbury Gardens, Reading
29 June 2010 Chamber music concert in the Old Bluecoat School, Thatcham
16 July 2010 Concert on the Rec
24 July 2010 Jonathan Hodgett’s wedding in Andover
24 July 2010 Englefield Flower Show

Main concerts
The November concert in St Paul’s Ashford Hill was a celebration of the life of Jose Marshall, and featured pieces that she loved or that had some significance in her life. Annharmonics, the clarinet group that Jose played in (led by Ann Moore) also performed at the concert.

The March concert in the Falklands Chapel was a joint event with Englefield Primary School, when the theme was animals.

In rained again for the Band on the Rec in July, but fortunately, we were able to use Fred Brown’s barn which turned out to be an excellent venue.

Other news
We started using the Old Bluecoat School in Thatcham for chamber music rehearsals and the concert. This ancient building is ideally suited to this, although it was a bit cold early in the year. A grant from the Greenham Common Trust helped us to get started with this.

During the year, we bought a conductor’s stand with a legacy from Janette MacPherson and donations from band members.

The committee is very grateful to band members who have helped with the administration of the band, by performing the “other roles” listed above.

Future
Our main aim is to ensure that members enjoy making good music, whilst meeting our charitable objective.

Simon Witcomb – Chairman 14 September 2010