So what do Malcolm's ideas cost us?
by Michael Pearson
PUBLISHED January 2007
So what do Malcolm’s ideas cost us?
Our annual October Event has a well-deserved reputation for high quality, both in terms of organisation and performance. Neither come cheap! You may well wonder how we will manage to spend nearly £35,000 on the Event in 2007, let alone another £5,000 a year running the M F C Society. Where does it all go?
Next year [2007] will be one of the more expensive occasions. We shall have a top-class orchestra (the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic) and four soloists from the Czech Republic. It should be a memorable occasion, but I shall face a bill of about £22,500 for these items alone. None of the artists will be highly-paid by current standards, either. Some newer members may not know that our Musical Director and Conductor is not paid at all.
Hire of the Cathedral and other rooms for both Saturdays, along with catering and similar costs, comes to over £6,000. The rehearsal CDs add nearly £3,000 and we spend modest amounts on publicity and printing the programmes.
I ask the Committee to set a budget for each year about eighteen months in advance so that we have the situation under control. For this purpose, I make estimates of ticket and programme sales (about £5,500 a year), members’ subscriptions, Gift Aid recoveries, bank interest and miscellaneous small items.
The Committee then has to decide on the enrolment subscription – never an easy task. It is a difficult balance between maintaining the high standard which distinguishes M F C from others, and keeping the cost to those enrolling as affordable as possible. We need to bear in mind also the other costs of taking part – scores, travel to Worcester and meals whilst there, not to mention car parking.
But in an expensive year like 2007, even that will not balance the books. We really do need to raise donations and sponsorship and our target for 2008 is £10,000. That is a formidable sum, but it can be done, especially if everyone applies brain power to it. There are trusts and individuals who will help, if we can put a compelling case to them. If you have any ideas, do get in touch with Anne Renshaw, our Fund-raiser. She can be contacted via me.
Can I also mention our Jubilee Fund, which was set up at our 25th Anniversary in 1999? This exists precisely for the purpose of underwriting an expensive year or unusual programme. It enables the Committee to take a modest risk, either that fund-raising will not be successful or that a particular programme of music might not attract a large audience. It is a very worthwhile way of helping the Society if you can, either with a regular or single gift. The response of members to date has been magnificent. So far, it has not had to be touched. It is in my treasure-chest for use only in case of real need. The lid is shut and I am sitting on it!
As a registered charity, the Society’s Accounts are always available from me (or can be seen on the Charity Commission’s website).