The Davey Consort CIO
Charity 1180917
Overview
Summary
The Davey Consort CIO appears to use sacred music as a bridge between religious practice, public cultural life and musical development. Its role is distinctive because it combines place-based provision at the Church of Saint Birinus with ambitions extending across England and Wales, including support for young people’s education. Rather than operating solely as a religious or arts organisation, it appears designed to sustain a musical tradition, make it publicly accessible and cultivate future practitioners.
Operational geography
Coverage: Regional
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- The Charity Commission records Birmingham City among the places where the charity operates, but do not identify any Birmingham venue, ward, service, event, beneficiary programme or partner through which it operates there.
- The organisation's official website identifies its base and current public programme as Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. It does not provide evidence of a current physical site or scheduled activity in Birmingham.
- The Archbishop of Birmingham is listed as a patron and the organisation refers to his permission for a Dorchester event; this indicates a diocesan relationship but is not evidence that the charity delivers services in Birmingham.
- The regional coverage classification is a reasonable interpretation of the Charity Commission's reported operating areas of Birmingham City, Oxfordshire and throughout London, rather than evidence of a Birmingham-wide delivery network.
Additional evidence needed
- The latest trustees' annual report or annual return identifying the specific Birmingham activities undertaken, their dates and venues.
- Current event listings, project documentation or grant records demonstrating delivery at a named Birmingham location.
- Confirmation from the organisation of whether Birmingham City remains an active operating area and, if so, which Birmingham wards or venues are involved.
- Evidence from any Birmingham-based partner or host venue confirming an ongoing operational relationship.
Areas of work
- Arts/culture/heritage/science
- Education/training
- Religious Activities
Who they help
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Makes Grants To Individuals
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
Sacred music is the organisation's central connecting mechanism
The available evidence suggests that sacred music is not simply one activity among several: it is the means through which the charity pursues both Catholic education and public cultural engagement.
Why it matters
This helps explain why religious celebrations, concerts, literature and musical education sit within one organisation. Its potential contribution is to connect audiences, worshippers and learners around a shared musical tradition.
Show evidence
“The charity advances understanding of Catholic religious beliefs and practices through the promotion of sacred music.”
Source:Charity Commission“Activities include holding public celebrations of religious festivals and producing public concerts of sacred music.”
Source:Organisation
It combines a local musical anchor with a wider talent-development remit
The charity appears rooted in the Church of Saint Birinus in Dorchester-on-Thames while also being authorised to support young people across England and Wales through scholarships, grants and educational opportunities.
Why it matters
This may make the organisation a connector between a specific historic worship and performance setting and wider pathways into musical education or careers, rather than a purely local choir or venue-based charity.
Show evidence
“The objects include providing and maintaining a pipe organ at the Church of Saint Birinus on Sundays and solemnities.”
Source:Charity Commission“The objects include scholarships, maintenance allowances or grants for young people in England and Wales.”
Source:Charity Commission
The organisation may be preserving an ecosystem, not only staging events
Its stated provision for an organ, public festivals and concerts, literature, and support for emerging musicians suggests an ambition to sustain the infrastructure, audiences and future practitioners needed for sacred music to continue.
Why it matters
This frames the charity as potentially addressing continuity across generations: maintaining the instrument and setting, explaining the tradition to the public, and creating opportunities for young musicians.
Show evidence
“The objects include distributing literature on sacred music and its central role in Catholicism.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity may support education, travel and preparation for related occupations, trades or professions.”
Source:Charity Commission
- Whether the charity currently awards grants or scholarships, and who receives them.
- How public concerts and religious celebrations are delivered, funded and attended.
- Whether it works with schools, churches, conservatoires or other music organisations.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports or activity reports showing programmes, expenditure, beneficiaries and partnerships.
- Information on performances, organ provision, grant recipients and relationships with the Church of Saint Birinus.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
To advance the education of the general public in the understanding of Catholic religious beliefs and practices and to advance the Catholic religion through the promotion of sacred music, in particular by : _ holding public celebrations of religious festivals; _ producing world-class public concerts of sacred music;
Charity objects
1. TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES AND TO ADVANCE THE CATHOLIC RELIGION THROUGH THE PROMOTION OF SACRED MUSIC, IN PARTICULAR BY : _ HOLDING PUBLIC CELEBRATIONS OF RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS; _ PRODUCING WORLD-CLASS PUBLIC CONCERTS OF SACRED MUSIC; _ MAKING PROVISION FOR SACRED MUSIC IN THE CHURCH OF SAINT BIRINUS ON SUNDAYS AND SOLEMNITIES BY PROVIDING AND MAINTAINING A PIPE ORGAN; _ DISTRIBUTING LITERATURE ON SACRED MUSIC AND ITS CENTRAL ROLE IN CATHOLICISM. 2.FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT TO ADVANCE THE MUSICAL EDUCATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN ENGLAND AND WALES IN SUCH WAYS AS THE TRUSTEES THINK FIT, INCLUDING BY: _ AWARDING TO SUCH PERSONS SCHOLARSHIPS, MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCES OR GRANTS TENABLE AT THE CHURCH OF SAINT BIRINUS IN DORCHESTER- ON- THAMES OR SUCH OTHER PLACES AS APPROVED BY THE TRUSTEES INCLUDING ANY UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE, CONSERVATOIRE OR INSTITUTE OF HIGHER OR FURTHER EDUCATION; _ PROVIDING FOR THE EDUCATION OF SUCH PERSONS (INCLUDING THE STUDY OF MUSIC OR OTHER RELATED ARTS), TO UNDERTAKE TRAVEL IN FURTHERANCE OF THAT EDUCATION OR TO PREPARE FOR ENTRY TO ANY RELATED OCCUPATION, TRADE OR PROFESSION ON LEAVING ANY EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT.