Exclusive: Vital UK music charity to shut
NewsFurther to our report in cracks in the Voices Foundation, which helps improve singing in schools, we now understand from the charity’s annual report that it is to be shut down.
At the end of a fairly positive year-end report, the chair wrote: Since the year-end, the decision has been made to close the charity, therefore the 31 July 2023 accounts are not prepared on a going concern basis.
Some explanation may be due.
The charity’s work reached 35,000 pupils each year. Its disappearance is a great loss.
Typical of how properly-taught music has been downgraded since (and started by) Thatcher and helped by Mr Bliar.
The music education system we had in the ’70s in this country was envied worldwide, and the current state is a tragedy.
Ukeleles? Give me a break.
The following note in the accounts (page 4) gives you the explanation you seek:
Going concern
At the October 2023 board meeting the management team presented a forward view of the activities and finances for the
charity based on their considerable continued efforts on both programme sales and fundraising. While there remain many opportunities, new and existing, for programmes, the financial forecast indicated a significant gap such that the charity was not a going concern. At the December 2023 board meeting, and after seeking further, more detailed, information from the management team which re-confirmed that the charity was not a going concern, a decision was taken by the Board to close the charity. Work has progressed since towards closure in an orderly manner with staff given proper notice and appropriate notification and treatment of the various contractual arrangements in place. Efforts continue to ensure transfer
of Voices Foundation’s residual assets to another charity
Word on the street is that the two musical directors worked very hard for months to save it. The charity has been mismanaged for a couple of years now. Current staff and staff from previous years warned that the foundation was at risk following an “Emporer’s New Clothes” CEO appointment a couple of years ago. Strange goings on and a Board who listened to no-one but him. Heaven knows plenty tried to warn them.