Ware Choral Society Financial Support

The About Us section elsewhere on the website refers to our charitable status, and the stated aim by which it is justified – “fostering public knowledge and appreciation of such music by means of public performance”.  Basically, the reason we need financial support is that the cost of trying to achieve that aim – presenting concerts to the best of our abilities, bringing as much good music to as many local people as possible – is 2 or 3 times the income we can hope to receive from ticket sales.

We make up the bulk of the difference with the membership subscriptions we all pay, but that still leaves a significant shortfall. Taking our 2024 – 25 season as an example, our total income was just shy of £27k, but our total expenditure was slightly over £33k.

In outline, the ways in which supporters can help us financially are as follows:

• Sponsorship of a concert series or season.
• Sponsorship of a concert, or part of it.
• Advertising in concert programmes.
• Legacies
• Donations

Sponsorship is the means whereby a business or organisation that is keen to support the choir (and its activity within its community) provides financial assistance. In return they receive prominent acknowledgement of the support, and complimentary tickets. Applied to a series of concerts there currently are two levels – silver and gold.

Silver level sponsorship is available at £500 per year, for which we offer

• Advertising in each concert programme
• Inclusion of the company name and logo on all printed publicity
• 4 tickets per season for the sponsor’s choice of concert(s)

Gold level sponsorship is available at £1,000 per year, for which we offer

• A full-page colour advertisement in each concert programme
• Prominent exposure of the company name and logo on all printed publicity
• 4 tickets per concert

We are also looking to see how we can increase the reward – perhaps by providing client entertainment facilities at one concert in the season – in return for a higher level of support. Enquiries about season sponsorship and concert sponsorship (see next paragraph) should be addressed to chair@warechoral.org.uk

Many organisations may prefer to be associated with one particular event within the season, and here the level of support can be whatever the supporter wants it to be.

Some might want to be regarded as the sole concert sponsor, in which case we would hope to have most of the budgeted concert deficit covered by the sponsor.  This could be £1,500 to £3,000, depending on the type of concert; and we would seek to provide whatever reasonable level of exposure, advertising and complimentary tickets the sponsor wanted.

Alternatively, sponsorship of one element of the concert – the orchestra, a soloist, or the printing costs for instance – might be an attractive option. In this way the cost to the sponsor can be kept within three figures, for a reward appropriate to that level of support.

If you are a local business, advertising in our A5 concert programmes is an ideal way to promote your services to a discerning readership – and our rates are very competitive!

Generally, we ask that artwork is provided to us in pdf form, but we can offer assistance in its preparation where this is required. If you are interested in advertising with us, please contact us via chair@warechoral.org.uk

Something many potential supporters might be able to consider is leaving a legacy in your will – and it is worth knowing that the cost of altering an existing will can be avoided by making the change in March or October through the Free Wills Month scheme, details of which are available at freewillsmonth.org.uk.

One of our members, David Horner is a retired solicitor, and will be happy to answer in confidence any questions you may have.  He can be reached at dvd.horner@googlemail.com

Lastly, you may just be reading this, and think yes, I’d like to support this organisation. Seeing details of our forthcoming concerts might have recalled precious memories of a Pie Jesu or a Dido’s lament from your past, and you want to do something in response; or you might just be thinking that supporting live music within our community is a cause worthy of your participation.

No forms, no fuss, just something spontaneous. If this is you, a one-off donation can be made to Ware Choral Society by bank transfer to sort code 405240, a/c no 00030831, or by cheque to:  WCS Finance Admin., 7 Oxenden Drive, Hoddesdon, EN11 8QF