SECRETARY’S REPORT 2022/2023

Wye Valley Music has 132 members to date, of whom 37 are silver members (made up of 7 single memberships and 15 dual memberships), 93 are ordinary members (made up of 31 single memberships and 31 dual memberships) and 2 are honorary members.  This is my first year as the Society’s secretary but, going back through the database, I estimate that these numbers have held pretty steady over the last few years, with only a slight downturn during the lockdown season of 2020/21. 

Membership fees bring in a total income of £3760, of which £2035 is classed as a donation and becomes eligible, potentially, for Gift Aid.

In very basic terms, this is a large chunk of money for us.  But, more than that, it’s money that releases us from the constant pressure of needing to make a profit on every concert we put on.  It’s the money that supports the small but ongoing costs of our website, our accounting platform and our mailing list – our vital backroom systems.  It’s the money that allows us to take the occasional risk on a young musician or an obscure composer.  It’s the money that allows us to afford the occasional big-name performer.  It’s what enables us to do what we do.  So, to all our members, past and present, thank you.  We literally couldn’t do it without you.

Alice Hogge
October 15, 2023