## **Bath u3a Trustees’ Annual Report 2025**
The u3a in Bath is a member of the Third Age Trust. Our membership is open to anyone who is no longer in full-time employment and there is no age qualification.
The Object of the u3a is the advancement of education and, in particular, the education of older people and those who are retired from full-time work by all means, including associated activities conducive to learning and personal development, in Bath and surrounding areas.
We are members of the Bath and Wiltshire u3a network, a group of local u3as, which meets 4 times a year. The group has been meeting online of late and our Chair has attended meetings wherever possible. In addition, there is a local network for Treasurers and Group organisers. There have been a lot of changes to the organisation of the u3a nationally and full details of these can be seen on the national website.
Our objectives, as set out above, are carried out through our monthly talks and in addition via our many interest and activity groups, now up to approximately 110. Communication with members is through our website, monthly bulletin and quarterly newsletters. Governance is through our Committee, many of whom are also Trustees of the Bath u3a Charity. The organisation is entirely run by volunteers and without the high quality of work done by them, the organisation would not exist. We are constantly looking to refresh and renew key Committee members, group convenors and coordinators.
For a small annual membership fee set at the last AGM at £18, members have access to all our groups and talks; some activities like outings and residential trips require further payment. We also provide access to insurance cover whilst on U3A activities and to the wide range of learning resources provided by the Third Age Trust. In addition we keep a small amount of equipment, which can be borrowed by groups to help support some activities. In order to facilitate the work of some of our Trustees, we provide dedicated laptops for the Treasurer, Business Secretary, Membership Secretary and Newsletter Editor.
All our groups are autonomous, but we provide help to them as needed through a dedicated section on the website, the expertise of the Groups’ Advisers and an annual meeting for convenors. This gives them the opportunity to share good practice and problems as well as providing input on matters like handling money, GDPR and our management system, Simple Membership (SM).
All our members have a log-in to SM and we are working to ensure universal uptake. Many of the group convenors have taken ownership of their webpages and group management. The Groups’ Advisers have worked hard to support all the convenors and our thanks in particular goes to Diane Duck, joint Group Adviser, whose term of office comes to an end at this AGM. We are delighted to have found her successor whose details are on the Agenda.
We are aware that some new members cannot always join the Groups that they want immediately, but we encourage new members to go on waiting lists or look at other groups that have vacancies until places become available.
At the end of February 2025, we had 1504 members, an increase of 59 on last year and this has risen to 1536 in April. The Membership Secretary now has a small team to assist with processing new members at our monthly meetings which is often when people join. We also now offer payment by card and we are looking to streamline renewals in 2025/26.
New groups that have been set up this year include:
The Economist – Current Affairs History of Art 4 Solo Whist Card Games Assorted Français au Cabaret Film Club Discovering Words 1 and 2 Short Novels Reading Dancing for Fun Bridge for Beginners 2
We are always delighted to hear of suggestions for new groups and recognise with such a high membership that group numbers need to be increasing. Many groups are limited in size because they meet in members’ houses and in some niche subjects are very small, but nevertheless highly valued. The Groups’ Advisers are always available to offer support and encouragement to any member prepared to take on board the self-help philosophy of u3a and to do the groundwork to get a new group started.
This year we held 2 informal get-togethers for new members and we were delighted with the attendance and feedback. Several Trustees and Group convenors were there to chat to members and to answer queries. In contrast, the outings group is still struggling to engage with members, but we are hoping that this area will turn a corner in 2025/26.
Our monthly meetings continue to be well attended, thanks not only to some excellent publicity, but also to the quality of the speakers. Our Speaker Organisers have produced a varied and interesting programme. The Welcome Group who are on duty at the monthly meetings to answer queries, to count numbers and direct people to the membership table has been a useful addition this year, led by our previous Chair, Anne Banks. We said a big thank you to Anne at our October talk, but I repeat those thanks here as Anne did a great job for over 5 years as Chair.
Details of all our talks and activities are on our website and members have access there to newsletters and bulletins with some back copies also available via the members only section of the website. We are currently working on substantial improvements to the website led by our Webmasters Anne Holmes and Chandra Doshi. Thank you to them for all the work they are doing. We hope to go live on these changes later this year.
Pat Corcoran, our Newsletter Editor has done a brilliant job for the last few years, creating our bulletins and newsletters which are special communication tools for all members. She has indicated she will be resigning at the AGM and the Committee thank her very much for all she has done for Bath u3a. Please come forward if you think you could help us with this key area of work. Pat assures us that she will help with training a successor and has thoroughly enjoyed all the work she has done in this area and on the Committee.
## **u3a in Bath**
## **Statement of Financial activities (Income and Expenditure)**
|**Statement of Financial activities (Income and Expenditure)**
**Incoming Resources from generated funds**
Voluntary Income and investment income
Note 1
Incoming resources from charitable activities
**Total incoming resources**
**Resources expended**
Cost of generating voluntary income
Note 3
Charitable Activites
Note 4
Governance costs
Note 5
**Total resources expended**
**Net incoming/(outgoing) resources**
**Total funds at previous year end**
**Total funds at 28 February 2025**
**Net Assets at 28 February 2025**
**Current Assets (cash balances only)**
Unity Bank Reserve Account
Unity Bank Current Accounts
Cash in Hand
Lloyds Bank current account for Adventurers
NatWest Bank current account for Outings
**Total Assets at 28 February 2025**|
**for the year ended 28**
**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**General**
**Groups**
**Funds**
**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
36,131 -
36,131
38,829
38,829
36,131
38,829
74,960
6,943 -
6,943
24,458
35,270
59,728
1,515 -
1,515
32,916
35,270
68,186
3,215
3,559
6,774
36,775
13,705
50,480
39,990
17,264
57,254
11,290
11,290
28,650
10,547
39,197
50
50
39,990
10,547
50,537
1,950
1,950
4,767
4,767
39,990
17,264
57,254|**February 2025**
**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**General**
**Groups**
**Funds**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
30,309
30,309
32,773
32,773|
|---|---|---|
|||30,309
32,773
63,082|
|||10,001
10,001
21,240
32,635
53,875
1,541
1,541|
|||32,782
32,635
65,417|
|||-2,473
138
-2,335
39,248
13,567
52,815|
|||36,775
13,705
50,480|
|||22,257
8,467
30,724
14,468
14,468
50
50|
|||36,775
8,467
45,242|
|||160
160
5,078
5,078|
|||36,775
13,705
50,480|
These accounts were adopted by the Trustees on 1 April 2025 and signed on their behalf by **Chair - Judy Green Treasurers - John Weinle and Richard Marke**
|**u3a in Bath**
**Notes to the account 28 February 2025**
**continued**
**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**General**
**Groups**
**Funds**
**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
**1A Voluntary Income**
U3A Bath Subscriptions
29,968
29,968
Gift Aid received
3,915
3,915
Visitors' Donations
1,303
1,303
Closed groups
0
0
Bequests
0
0
35,186 -
35,186
1B Investment Income
945
945
**1 Voluntary and Investment Income**
36,131 -
36,131
**2 Incoming resources from Charitable Activities**
Social Groups' Income
-
38,829
38,829
**Incoming resources from Charitable Activities**
-
38,829
38,829
**3 Cost of generating voluntary income**
Membership costs
2,671
2,671
Open Day costs
1,291
1,291
Advertising and Marketing
2,981
2,981
6,943 -
6,943
**4 Charitable Activites**
Hire of rooms, coaches etc for Social Groups
35,270
35,270
Capitation Fee
5,908
5,908
IT software & consumables
2,880
2,880
Postage, printing & stationary
0
0
Room hire for U3A monthly meetings
7,513
7,513
Speakers for U3A monthly meetings
1,468
1,468
Third Age Trust magazine
4,534
4,534
U3A newsletter
2,016
2,016
New Group and convenors costs
139
139
24,458
35,270
59,728|**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**General**
**Groups**
**Funds**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
24,368
24,368
3,857
3,857
831
831
467
467
0
0
29,523 -
29,523
786
786
30,309 -
30,309
32,773
32,773
-
32,773
32,773
3,451
3,451
1,179
1,179
5,371
5,371
10,001 -
10,001
32,635
32,635
5,280
5,280
3,105
3,105
5,114
5,114
1,743
1,743
3,729
3,729
2,055
2,055
214
214|**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**General**
**Groups**
**Funds**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
24,368
24,368
3,857
3,857
831
831
467
467
0
0
29,523 -
29,523
786
786
30,309 -
30,309
32,773
32,773
-
32,773
32,773
3,451
3,451
1,179
1,179
5,371
5,371
10,001 -
10,001
32,635
32,635
5,280
5,280
3,105
3,105
5,114
5,114
1,743
1,743
3,729
3,729
2,055
2,055
214
214|**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**General**
**Groups**
**Funds**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
24,368
24,368
3,857
3,857
831
831
467
467
0
0
29,523 -
29,523
786
786
30,309 -
30,309
32,773
32,773
-
32,773
32,773
3,451
3,451
1,179
1,179
5,371
5,371
10,001 -
10,001
32,635
32,635
5,280
5,280
3,105
3,105
5,114
5,114
1,743
1,743
3,729
3,729
2,055
2,055
214
214|
|---|---|---|---|
||||29,523
786|
||||30,309|
||||32,773|
|||32,773|32,773|
||||3,451
1,179
5,371|
||||10,001|
||||32,635
5,280
3,105
5,114
1,743
3,729
2,055
214|
||21,240
32,635||53,875|
## **u3a in Bath**
## **Notes to the account 28 February 2025**
## **continued**
|**5 Governance costs**
Audit & accountancy fees
Trustees monthly meetings
Website costs
Bank charges
Trustees' expenses - authorised re-imbursement
of expenses
Stationery, postage & printer costs
**Governance costs total**
**6 Capital costs**|**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**General**
**Groups**
**Funds**
**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
300
300
396
396
0
0
231
231
927 -
927
588
588
0
0
588 -
588
1,515 -
1,515
-
-
-|**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**General**
**Groups**
**Funds**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
300
300
462
462
12
12
314
314
1,088 -
1,088
396
396
57
57
453
453
1,541 -
1,541
-
-
-|**Unrestricted**
**Total**
**General**
**Groups**
**Funds**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
300
300
462
462
12
12
314
314
1,088 -
1,088
396
396
57
57
453
453
1,541 -
1,541
-
-
-|
|---|---|---|---|
||||1,088|
||||396
57|
||||453|
|||||
||||1,541|
||||-|
**7 These accounts have been prepared on a cash basis.**
|**u3a in Bath**
**Notes to the account 28 February 2025**
**8 Activity Funds**
**Balance at**
**28.2.25**
Active adventures
0
Choir
1,681
Table tennis Groups
1,213
Art Groups
946
History Groups
101
Badminton
920
Digital Photography
520
Swing band
532
5,913
Other groups
4,634
**Group balances held in main bank accounts**
10,547
Adsventurers Group - Lloyds Bank current
1,950
Outings Group - Natwest current account
4,767
6,717
**Total reserves of Groups at 28.2.25**
17,264|**continued**
**Balance at**
**29.2.24**
1,042
1,975
1,178
368
114
698
512
820|
|---|---|
||6,707
1,760|
||8,467|
||160
5,078|
||5,238|
|||
||13,705|
## **9 Reserves Policies**
The Trustees believe that the retained reserves should be equivalent to six months gross expenditure. This view takes into account any significant reduction in revenue and any potential increases in costs. This policy is reviewed regularly by the Trustees.
## **U3A in Bath**
## **Charity number 1004449**
## **Independent examiner’s report on the accounts for the year ended 28[th] February 2025**
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner’s statement**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair” view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention
- 1 which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act
have not been met; or
- 2 to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
## **Signed**
## **dated 9 May 2025**
## **David Hughesdon**
**165 Newbridge Hill, Bath, BA1 3PX**