Finance Score: 1

Governance Score: 2

Support Score: 9

Low unrestricted reserves: -2
Fundraising costs low: +3

Dynamic board: +3
Mainly female board: -1

Large volunteer base +3
Overall weighted support: +6

Overall GiG Score: 12

THE MILITARY WIVES CHOIRS FOUNDATION

The Military Wives Choirs Foundation is a network of choirs that reaches across the whole military community to bring women closer together through singing. The Foundation is a registered subsidary charity of SSAFA.

Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

This charity has been successful in attracting volunteers relative to its size
The charity has received backing from several prominent grant makers recently
Fundraising costs are unusually low relative to funds raised
The Board appears to be dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

The Board is predominantly female
Over half the Board have joined recently

Financial issues to consider:

Unrestricted reserves appear to be dangerously low at the latest year end

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?

Sources of Income ?

Y/E		Income £k	Spending £k	Surplus/ Deficit £k	Fundraising Cost £k	Total Funds £k	Unrestricted Funds £k	Mths Rsrvs	Staff	Volun- teers
31/12/23		£663	£601	£62	£25	£138	£69	1.4	4	400
31/12/22		£695	£848	£-152	£35	£76	£42	0.6	7	400
31/12/21		£496	£478	£17	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
31/12/20		£461	£434	£27	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
?31/12/19		£522	£561	£-39	£1	£23	£-17	-0.4	4	285
31/12/18		£596	£807	£-211	£4	£63	£-15	-0.2	4	0
31/12/17		£364	£561	£-197	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
31/12/16		£789	£516	£273	£10	£471	£138	3.2	2	0
31/12/15	*	£398	£498	£-100	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
31/12/14		£465	£496	£-30	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
31/12/13		£458	£459	£-1	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
31/12/12	*	£393	£56	£337	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

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Financial Ratios

Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 3.8%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 4.2%
Highest pay band: Less than £60,000
Liabilities/Assets: 67%
Liabilities/Income: 42%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 50%
Reserves/Spending: 1.4 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 3 months
Quick Ratio: 1.4

Asset Split ?

Balance Sheet History

Established: 12 years

www.militarywiveschoirs.org

info@militarywiveschoirs.org

02074639407

Charity Commission for England and Wales

Listed activities

Armed Forces/Emergency Service Efficiency
Arts/Culture/Heritage/Science
The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives

GiG Classification

Practical support, advice & companionship

How it operates

Provides advocacy/advice/information
Provides services

Where it operates

Belgium, Cyprus, Falkland Islands, Germany, Gibraltar, Northern Ireland, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Throughout England And Wales,

Who it helps

Other Defined Groups

Who supports them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Major supporters in last 5 years

Ministry of Defence	£157,800
DCMS	£92,057
Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust	£60,000

Specific Donations

Amount	When Months	To be used for
Ministry of Defence - Covenant Fund
£3,300	19/10/2022	"The Armed Forces Covenant aims to: 1) the Armed Forces Covenant defines the enduring, general principles that should govern the relationship between the Nation, the Government and the Armed Forces community. 2) It aims to encourage all parties ....more "The Armed Forces Covenant aims to: 1) the Armed Forces Covenant defines the enduring, general principles that should govern the relationship between the Nation, the Government and the Armed Forces community. 2) It aims to encourage all parties within a community to offer support to the local Armed Forces community and make it easier for Service personnel, families and veterans to access the help and support available from the MOD, from statutory providers and from the Charitable and Voluntary Sector. These organisations already work together in partnership at local level. 3) the scheme is intended to be a two-way arrangement and the Armed Forces community are encouraged to do as much as they can to support their community and promote activity which integrates the Service community into civilian life. "
Ministry of Defence - Covenant Fund
£50,000	12/11/2021	For existing charitable projects to help charities to sustain activities and services that people from Armed Forces communities use and value.
Ministry of Defence - Covenant Fund
£9,500	12/11/2021	To increase capacity in services and initiatives that offer supportive comradeship, engagement and wellbeing efforts for those in the Armed Forces community impacted by events in Afghanistan, and the wider veterans community.
Ministry of Defence - Covenant Fund
£35,000	12/02/2021	Address social isolation by targeting specific groups within the Armed Forces community who are traditionally harder to reach.
Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust - COVID IMPACT FUND
£60,000	25/06/2020	Funding allowed the group to continue to provide support to their choir network.
Ministry of Defence - Covid-19 Impact Fund
£60,000	15/06/2020	To maintain services and activities where organisations' finances had been impacted by Covid
DCMS - Stronger Together in Song
£92,057	01/04/2020	To support Arts and Culture throughout England

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Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (12)

Current Trustees appointed

Gender Split

Based on 10/12 persons

Age Range of Trustees: 47-66

ALEXANDRA COX Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Management Accountant

ALEXANDRA PEACE GADSBY Appointed: 2024

CAROLINE PAXTON Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Hr Consultant

EILEEN PHILLIPS Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Senior Compliant Manager

ELIZABETH MCWHIRTER Appointed: 2024, Occupation: School Inspector

GUY EDWARDS Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Mod Civil Servant

JUANITA FOLEY Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Hr Executive

JULIAN WEATHERALL Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Operations Manager

LIEUTENANT COLONEL CRAIG HALLATT Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Army Officer

SHARON DEANS Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Community Worker

SUZANNE LORD Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Senior Projects Director

WAI SEN TANG Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Non-Executive Director

Legal constitution

Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 25/07/2012, number: 1148302
Registered at Companies House on 30/05/2012, number: 08089745

Gift Aid

Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid

Policies in force

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

Filing Record

12 returns made; AR15: 1 days late, AR12: 145 days late,

Main office

Military Wives Choirs
Queen Elizabeth House
4 St. Dunstan's Hill
LONDON
EC3R 8AD

Objectives

THE OBJECT OF THE CHARITY IS TO RELIEVE THE NEED, SUFFERING AND DISTRESS OF MEMBERS AND FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES, THEIR PARTNERS, SPOUSES AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, PRINCIPALLY THROUGH THE FORMATION, SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHOIRS (PREDOMINANTLY MILITARY WIVES CHOIRS).

Data Sources

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