New Uniform now available!

We have just replaced our uniform stock to replace our aged shirts with the polo shirts shown below.


If you are part of our uniform exchange, please request an exchange here, and return your old uniform to your conductor at rehearsal. Please ensure that your old shirt is labelled with your name, ensemble and required new size, and it will be delivered to you at a subsequent rehearsal.

Please order as soon as possible, so that we have time to get the new shirts out to you before the next concert!

Notification of Annual General Meeting on 10th February 2026

We look forward to welcoming you to our AGM on Tuesday 10th February 2026 at 19:30!

This is expected to take no more than 15 minutes, and is an important opportunity for us to update parents and players. We will proceed to a normal committee meeting after the AGM (at which you are welcome but not required).

The referenced reports and minutes will be posted here as they become available, which should allow members to read them and prepare any questions to raise during the meeting.

The current officials and trustees are happy to continue in their roles for another year, however please contact friendsofbayoc@gmail.com if you would like to stand (details are available here).

Notification of Annual General Meeting on 8th December 2024

We look forward to welcoming you to our AGM during the afternoon concert on Sunday 8th December!

This is expected to take no more than 5 to 10 minutes while the ensembles change over, and is an important opportunity for us to update parents and players.

The referenced reports and minutes will be posted here as they become available, which should allow members to read them and prepare any questions to raise during the meeting.

The current officials and trustees are happy to continue in their roles for another year, however please contact friendsofbayoc@gmail.com if you would like to stand (details are available here).

The proposed agenda is as follows:

  1. Welcome and Apologies

  2. Chair's Report

  3. Treasurer's Report (Balance sheet and Income & Expenditure Summary)

  4. Election of Trustees and Officials

    If no other nominations are received, the following trustees are happy to stand for re-election:  Sally Wilcox, Emma Sylvester-Bradley, Margaret Flitcroft, Diane Wagland and Susannah Stanley.

    The existing officials have indicated that they are happy to stand for re-election if no other nominations are received:

    Chair Sally Wilcox

    Treasurer Margaret Flitcroft

    Secretary Emma Sylvester-Bradley

    Uniform Coordinator Diane Wagland

    Safeguarding Chris Pott

    100 Club Coordinator Susannah Stanley

    First Aid Coordinator Susannah Stanley

    Volunteer Coordinator Emma Sylvester-Bradley

    Please get in touch if you’d like to stand for election (see here for more details) - there are several vacant roles which are currently allocated amongst the committee.

  5. Minutes of the Previous AGM

  6. Constitutional Amendment

    We have struggled to reach quorum at our AGMs since the pandemic, so propose to reduce the numbers required to be quorate at an AGM to reflect the current level of active parent volunteers. The original and proposed consitution can be found in the Admin And Resources section.

  7. AOB 

    Please send details of any other business to friendsofbayoc@gmail.com in advance of the meeting.

News Update Summer 2023

Click the Red links to visit recent newsletters

HCYO Auditions and message from Chris

View original Mailchimp email.

……..

Take action now to ensure your child’s place at the

Hampshire County Youth Orchestra auditions.

-> Sign up closes 20/3/2023

Saturday 25 March 2023,

10.15am - 2.30pm

The Open Day is suitable for Strings grade/stage 4+, Brass and Woodwind grade/stage 6+, Percussion grade/stage 6+

If you can’t attend that date there is information on the form about alternative audition arrangements.

Anvil Concert and DBS clearance.

Chris Pott has asked that you sign up asap to help as DBS applications need to be submitted early to ensure they can be processed in time for the concert.

To view volunteer roles and timings use our Sign Up Link

Disclosure and Barring Service

Arrange your check online here

Previous newsletter information can be found here

News update March 2023

News

Original online version via mail chimp

Text only copy bellow

In this issue:

  • Diary Dates and Helper Sign Up Links

  • Anvil Concert and DBS checks

  • Ensemble Promotions, progress and next stages

  • Uniform Hire Scheme

  • 100 Club information

  • Carl Clausen - Hampshire County Youth Orchestra - Leaving Concert

Diary Dates

19th March 2023 Wind Orchestras and Percussion Ensemble Concert at QMC

21st March 2023 Committee Meeting at QMC 1930-2100

All welcome to attend.

Please contact friendsofbayoc@gmail.com if you wish to attend so that we can confirm the room location.

26th March 2023 Charity Fundraiser

Providing refreshments at Basingstoke Music and Arts Festival Concert at QMC 1 to 3 pm

SIGN UP TO HELP

21st May 2023 Anvil Rehearsals and Concert

From about 11 am at the Anvil - We may need need a van to move large instruments if anyone is able to help. Let friendsofbayoc@gmail.com know if you have access to a van and may be able to help.

SIGN UP TO HELP

18th June 2023 Charity Fundraiser

Providing refreshments at Deane Sinfonia Concert at QMC 6 to 8 pm

SIGN UP TO HELP

9th July 2023 Summer Concerts at QMC

Times and details will be confirmed on our Calendar when available.

Anvil Concert and DBS checks

The ensembles will need helpers during the day and / or the evening.

Helpers supervising children will need a Free Enhanced DBS check completed.

The simple process for you to apply for a DBS check is on our website:

www.bayo-hampshire.org.uk/dbs-checks

It would also be useful if you are willing to help at events in the future to sign up to our helper notification system below.

SIGN UP to our helper notification system

Ensemble Promotions

Ensemble promotions on Facebook have been going well and have added another 10+ members to the new Rock and Pop Choir and a number of new player enquiries for other ensembles. Music Service have provided posters.

We are now moving onto ‘paper’ promotions to include:

  • Adverts in the Mayor’s Charity Concert Programme at the Anvil tonight.

    Some tickets are still available if you would like to attend from: www.anvilarts.org.uk/whats-on/event/mayors-charity-concert

  • Displaying posters at Basingstoke Music and Arts Festival over the next four weekends.

    The Festival organisers are also looking for occasional helpers, if anyone is taking their child and feels they could help please let them know. www.basingstokemusicandarts.org.uk

  • Providing posters for distribution to schools and shops locally.

  • If you have any in house publications or noticeboards where it would be appropriate to publish or display posters email friendsofbayoc@gmail.com to discuss your requirements.

Uniform Hire Scheme

Please ensure uniform tops are ordered at least a month in advance of any concert. All ensemble uniforms are the same design. Once you have paid £15 to join the hire scheme you are able to exchange uniforms as required.

Full details here: www.bayo-hampshire.org.uk/concert-uniform-information

In the case of financial hardship please discuss with your conductor how you can join the scheme.

100 Club

We would love you to join our 100 club in the Foyer of the Anvil at our May concert.

For those of you not familiar with a 100 Club, let me tell you briefly about it.

- It is a fundraising vehicle, similar to a lottery, to benefit all the ensembles

- The funds earned by the 100 Club will be split 50 / 50 to fundraise and to provide a prize fund for the subscribers.

- We are regulated by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

- Each subscriber is allocated their own number in the 100 Club and will keep that number for the duration of their membership.

- Subscription is by quarterly £15 standing order.

- Roughly each quarter the numbers for each subscriber will be entered in a publicly drawn draw.

- The winning numbers will each receive a monetary prize.

- The value of the prizes is dependent upon the number of subscribers for each draw, so it is not possible to give you exact figures for the prizes.

- Despite its name, we will not be restricting the quantity of numbers to 100, in fact our current aim is to achieve 200 numbers.

Carl Clausen Hampshire County Youth Orchestra Leaving Concert

If you were conducted by Carl when you were in HCYO and would like to play in the orchestra for his Farewell Concert on 29th April at Chandlers Ford Methodist Church, please read on and sign up here: https://hcyo.hmsensembles.org.uk/2023/02/27/the-friends-farewell-concert-to-carl/
Ticket information available soon!

LATEST NEWS

News

Overview of this email

  • Choir and Guitar Ensemble have spaces (No extra charge to join extra ensembles)

  • Highlights from the AGM

  • Discount Scheme

  • Lynn Hunt Musical Assistance Fund

  • Other funding for Individuals

  • How can you help?

For more frequent and general information we also post on our Facebook page. Some examples this month have been School Holiday opportunities with Hampshire Music Service including a Musical Technology Workshop, Rock/ Pop band workshop and a Summer Musical Theatre week.

A copy of each these emails will also be posted on our website newsfeed.

Reminder : There is no extra cost to be in more than one ensemble!

Why not try another ensemble?

NEW FOCUS FOR CHOIR

Since January the choir has changed age range from 9-18 years and become a contemporary pop and rock choir with a new conductor Emma Rosso. We are actively promoting the choir and many new members have joined.

Sign up for a taster session at www.bayo-hampshire.org.uk/bayc

GUITAR ENSEMBLE

The guitar ensemble is for players from Junior or Secondary School and of a Grade 1-4 standard.

Visit for more information https://www.bayo-hampshire.org.uk/bayge

Highlights from the Minutes of the AGM

● All parents / guardians of players will from September 2023 automatically become members of the Charity.

● If you would like to support the charity financially, you can make a donation, or join our 100 club lottery at any concert. All support of any kind is gratefully received!

● Sally Wilcox (a current parent and musician herself) has joined David as co-chair with the intention of taking over the role fully by the next AGM.

● Several of our current trustees / officers are planning to retire next year after many years of service; in most cases they are keen to continue helping at events but no longer want to be responsible for the full role.

If you would be interested in shadowing any of the current trustees over the following year with a view to taking over the role, please email friendsofbayoc@gmail.com Details of what’s involved in the various roles are here on the BAYOC website

Dawkes Discount for Woodwind and Brass

LOYALTY CARDS ENTITLE OUR MEMBERS TO A 3% DISCOUNT ON INSTRUMENTS AND A 6% DISCOUNT ON ALL ACCESSORIES AT DAWKES MUSIC.

More Information Here https://www.bayo-hampshire.org.uk/dawkesdiscountscheme

The Lynn Hunt Musical Assistance Fund

Ensures inclusion to music trips, events and workshops for pupils with financial disadvantage or in exceptional circumstance. Confidential and no form filling.

More Information Here. https://www.bayo-hampshire.org.uk/musicalassistancefund

Funding opportunities for Individuals can be found on the music hub website

https://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/hampshiremusic/funding

How can you help?

Since the Pandemic, player and singer numbers are down. Having more players and more ensembles benefits all. Share our social media posts and tell your friends about the opportunity to join in.

Bring your extended family to watch your children perform at the Anvil in May. Smaller player numbers and less ensembles make smaller audiences, so we need your help filling the auditorium to create the atmosphere your child deserves.

We are always on the look out for Raffle Prizes, so if you have a new item that you’ve been given that would be suitable or your workplace gives vouchers etc, you can donate them at rehearsals via the conductor.

Sign up to help occasionally on our helper notification system below.

SIGN UP to our helper notification system

DONATE to the Charity

Membership Information circulated in December

To ensure all have received this a copy has been placed here:

Players Code of Conduct has been replicated as a page on the website

The Friends of BAYOC

The Friends of Basingstoke Area Youth Orchestras and Choirs is a charity which exists to provide ongoing financial, administrative and staffing support to the Ensembles in excess of that provided by Hampshire Music Service.

The website for the ensembles and charity is to be found at :

www.bayo-hampshire.org.uk

Friends of BAYOC also has a facebook page, which you can access here:

www.facebook.com/BayoFriends/

Membership of the charity is by yearly fee or by joining the 100 club lottery at the membership table at any concert. The charity began as a parental supporters group and became a charity to maximise fundraising possibilities.There is an expectation that a Parent or Guardian of each player will join as a member

Event staffing and committee membership is provided by parents and volunteers. We have no paid employees and ask that all parents join our ‘occasional helper’ mailing list at https://tinyurl.com/bayohelp

‘The Friends’ run a uniform hire scheme. For a one-time fee, an initial uniform of shirt and tie or blouse is provided and can be exchanged from stock or obtained by giving a month’s notice.

Charity Membership and Uniform Hire Shop Online

In the case of hardship the Uniform Fee can be waived at the discretion of conductors.

The charity has created the ‘Lynn Hunt Musical Assistance Fund’ to assist individual players (with financial or other difficulties) to attend workshops and tours that are charged for. Enquiries for support should be directed to Chris Pott, the Area Ensemble Director, who will make a decision in conjunction with the Chair of the Charity during a confidential discussion.

The Charity has also set up a fund to support the general running costs of such activitiesfor the benefit of all attendees.

Examples of our expenditure supporting the ensembles:

● Uniform Purchase

● Instrument repair and replacement

● Transportation

● Concert Tours

● Residential ensemble training weekends and workshops.

● Hire of a storage unit to store instruments and the Music Library.

During one fund raising campaign in excess of £8,000 was raised to pay for instrumentsand 2 years running cost, enabling the percussion group to be formed. We can only continue to support the ensembles with your assistance. A number of the committee members have notified their intention to step down as their children have left the ensembles.

We have broken down roles into easily achievable areas of work and would hope to enable a smooth transition into these roles by incoming members joining the committee. We are in a stable financial position but will need your support to remain in this position as we continue to emerge from the restriction brought about by Covid and reduction in player and ensemble numbers.

We need parents to step up now and show their support to ensure the future of the charity and ensemble activities. Don’t forget to support now by signing up to our occasional helpers email list at www.tinyurl.com/bayohelp Joining the list doesn’t commit you to help but enables you to see what help we need and sign up when you can do so.

If you feel you can offer support as committee member or wish to contact us for anotherreason please email: friendsofbayoc@gmail.com

David Woods

Chair of Friends