We strive to ensure that our members feel energised and valued as part of the choir. Our Voice Representatives, who are part of the Membership team, act as a liaison between choir members and the committee.
General Members Information
Attendance
We ask Members to sign in each week on the registers. As we live in the real world we recognise that not everyone will always be able to commit themselves to every single concert. However if wishing to sing in a concert we ask that Members endeavour to attend a minimum of two thirds of the rehearsals for that concert. The rehearsal on the Friday evening before a concert and the rehearsal on day of the concert are compulsory.
Subscriptions
At the beginning of each season all subs are due for current members and friends. The Subs due for the 2026-27 season are £235 for members, £50 for members aged under 25 on 1st September and £20 for members aged under 18 on 1st September. At any point during the year, new members will need to pay subs proportionate to the point in the season. Please refer to the Subscriptions Protocol for details of the amounts to pay and the ways and means of paying. If you are a taxpayer then gift aiding significantly increases the benefit of your subscription to the Society. All you need to do is fill in a Gift Aid form and submit it to Treasurer Ruth.
Gift Aid Form
HCS Subs Protocol
Concert Dress
In addition to subscriptions members are asked to purchase the necessary items to fit in with our dress code. Ladies normally wear a pair of smart full length black trousers (not jeans) or an ankle length black skirt (ankles being no more than 2 inches above the ground!) with a long sleeved round necked plain black top. When we sing in colder venues such as churches additional warmer black layers are allowed. Ladies also wear a choir scarf. For gentlemen concert dress is normally a pair of black trousers with a black shirt, usually worn with an HCS tie, occasionally open-necked. You will be required to buy an HCS scarf or tie once you have had a successful voice assessment, plus an HCS black folder.
Poppies may be worn, should members wish to do so, at any concert in the period from eleven days before, and including Remembrance Day or Remembrance Sunday, whichever comes later, in line with the national custom and practice.
We ask Members to sign in each week on the registers. As we live in the real world we recognise that not everyone will always be able to commit themselves to every single concert. However if wishing to sing in a concert we ask that Members endeavour to attend a minimum of two thirds of the rehearsals for that concert. The rehearsal on the Friday evening before a concert and the rehearsal on day of the concert are compulsory.
Subscriptions
At the beginning of each season all subs are due for current members and friends. The Subs due for the 2026-27 season are £235 for members, £50 for members aged under 25 on 1st September and £20 for members aged under 18 on 1st September. At any point during the year, new members will need to pay subs proportionate to the point in the season. Please refer to the Subscriptions Protocol for details of the amounts to pay and the ways and means of paying. If you are a taxpayer then gift aiding significantly increases the benefit of your subscription to the Society. All you need to do is fill in a Gift Aid form and submit it to Treasurer Ruth.
Gift Aid Form
HCS Subs Protocol
Concert Dress
In addition to subscriptions members are asked to purchase the necessary items to fit in with our dress code. Ladies normally wear a pair of smart full length black trousers (not jeans) or an ankle length black skirt (ankles being no more than 2 inches above the ground!) with a long sleeved round necked plain black top. When we sing in colder venues such as churches additional warmer black layers are allowed. Ladies also wear a choir scarf. For gentlemen concert dress is normally a pair of black trousers with a black shirt, usually worn with an HCS tie, occasionally open-necked. You will be required to buy an HCS scarf or tie once you have had a successful voice assessment, plus an HCS black folder.
Poppies may be worn, should members wish to do so, at any concert in the period from eleven days before, and including Remembrance Day or Remembrance Sunday, whichever comes later, in line with the national custom and practice.
Music Scores Generally
Music for each concert is available to hire to Members for each concert for a reasonable fee. Alternatively you may wish to purchase your own scores. However please note that usually perform Messiah every year, and may perform Carols in the period running up to Christmas. We do not offer for hire copies of either Messiah (Watkins Shaw) or 100 Carols for Choirs, unless you are a potential new members who has not taken your voice assessment. We do suggest that potential members wait until you have successfully passed your voice assessment before actually buying. We recommend looking at Ebay and Amazon as used copies in very good condition can be found there. The librarian team do keep a small stock of new copies for sale- please ask for what we have and prices.
Member Suggestions for Future Repertoire
In the past we have had a book where Members could suggest works for future concerts - this included info about works which had already been suggested and were in pending or had been deemed unsuitable. The book is now put out every week for you to add your ideas, a list of these suggestions is considered by David and the Artistic Management team regularly.
New ideas are always welcome but we ask that Members check the list of works which have already been suggested and also the list of all the works we have ever sung (by date or by composer) in case your suggestion has been sung recently before adding new ideas.
New ideas are always welcome but we ask that Members check the list of works which have already been suggested and also the list of all the works we have ever sung (by date or by composer) in case your suggestion has been sung recently before adding new ideas.
HCS Annual General Meeting
The 2026 AGM was held at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 8th July 2026,
The minutes are currently in draft until approved at the next AGM which will be held on 7 July 2027
The minutes are currently in draft until approved at the next AGM which will be held on 7 July 2027
HCS Constitution and Rules
Now that HCS is a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) we have updated our Constitution and Rules and created various policies to ensure our governance is fit for purpose. Please click on any of the links below to access the relevant document.
HCS Constitution
HCS Rules
HCS Constitution
HCS Rules
HCS Policies
Please click on the files below to access the relevant policy
Child Safeguarding Policy
Performances involving Children Protocol
Code of Conduct, Disciplinary and Complaints Procedures.
Conflict of Interest Policy
Contingency Plan
Data Protection
Privacy Statement
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Financial Controls Policy
Health & Safety Policy
Records Management Policy
Reserves Policy
Risk Management Policy
Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Policy
Performances involving Children Protocol
Code of Conduct, Disciplinary and Complaints Procedures.
Conflict of Interest Policy
Contingency Plan
Data Protection
Privacy Statement
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Financial Controls Policy
Health & Safety Policy
Records Management Policy
Reserves Policy
Risk Management Policy
Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Policy
Finally....keeping everything up to date...
It is also important that Choir's Member records have the correct phone number and address so that Members can be contacted if we have to cancel a rehearsal - as we did during the winter because of snow. If you are in any doubt then have a word with Ruth to check what info is on file.
It is also important that Choir's Member records have the correct phone number and address so that Members can be contacted if we have to cancel a rehearsal - as we did during the winter because of snow. If you are in any doubt then have a word with Ruth to check what info is on file.
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