Dorking & District u3a Trustees Annual Report for year ending 31 March 2026
Registered Charity 1005743
Reference and Administration details
The Charity has no independent address but for the purposes of this Return it will be:
Conifer Lodge, Westcott Street, Westcott, Dorking, Surrey RH43NY Charity Trustees
The following people served for the whole year unless otherwise indicated: Ianthe Cox Chairman Beryl Sinclair Secretary / Groups Coordinator John Sinclair Membership Secretary/Vice Chairman Christopher Hall Treasurer Michael Docker Webmaster (until December 2025) Deanne Rhodes Days Out Denise Hooker Meetings Co Ordinator Rosemary Harbridge Minutes Secretary Karl Barclay New Members Coordinator John Thom Communications Coordinator Ianthe Cox Residential Trips Tony Parker Welfare Coordinator Robert Crooks Website Co-ordinator from January 2026
Structure Governance and Management
Dorking & District u3a is regulated by the Third Age Trust and is an unincorporated association governed by a constitution. The Committee and Trustees are elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting.
Objectives and Activities
The aims of the u3a are to promote life long learning and well-being of mature adults, who are not in full time remunerated employment in Dorking and the surrounding area. This follows the Third Age Trust mantra of Live, Laugh and Learn.
Dorking & District u3a supports and encourages over 60 interest groups, all of which are led by the members. Activities covered are Art and Architecture, Music, Bridge, Pilates, Exercise to be fit, Line Dancing, Languages and Science, Photography, Reading, plus many others. New groups have been introduced in this past year.
In organising the many activities of the u3a, the Trustees are mindful of the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit and are grateful to the unstinting efforts of the many volunteers who make the Charity so effective.
DORKING & DISTRICT u3a
Trustees Annual Report for year ending 31 March 2026 continued.
Achievement and Performance
This year started with a significant number of changes to the Committee, with new roles and new people.
During this financial year, April 2025-March 2026, Dorking u3a has continued to thrive. The membership has now increased to well over 650 members. There continues to be a healthy return to face-to-face meetings, outings, events and residential trips.
Monthly meetings have been held at St Joseph’s Church Hall but are still available as a hybrid meeting for the few who are unable to physically attend the meeting. Attendance figures have certainly increased. There has been a very good variety of Speakers.
New Members
A new role of New Member Coordinator, was introduced by the Committee. The purpose of which is to help new members to join in all activities and to get to know people. New Members meetings are held at least twice a year.
Group Leaders
A Group Leader coordinator was also appointed to assist the Groups, hold workshops at least twice a year and to organise a lunch to thank the leaders.
Days Out
It is the policy of Dorking & District u3a to provide an activity of some sort each month.
The first day out was to Kelmscott Manor in April 2025. This was followed by visits to Romney Marsh, Dungeness, Colchester, a Christmas Lights visit to Wisley. February 2026 started with a visit to the Foundling Museum and Postal Museum in London.
The first residential trip was to Yorkshire in May, followed by an autumn trip to Cheshire in October 2025.
The events calendar included a Quiz in May 2025, plus the traditional Solstice Picnic in June at Buckland Park Lake. This was well supported with over 100 people in attendance.
Burns Night was celebrated on 25 January 2026, complete with Piper and once again was very successful.
A monthly Newsletter was introduced and the Bi Annual magazine continued to be produced. A detailed Handbook was issued in January 2026. The Website continues to be the main source of information for the membership. However, we still provide hard copies of the Magazine and the Handbook. Bookings and payments for all events are encouraged via the Website. We continue to seek new payment methods to make bookings easier.
DORKING & DISTRICT u3a
Trustees Annual Report for year ending 31 March 2026 continued.
Financial Review
The accounts to the end of the financial year in March 2026 show a healthy growth of membership subscriptions by 14%. The Membership subscription was increased in April 2025 to £18 for Single membership, £30 for Joint Membership and £10 for Associate Membership. Costs have again been carefully monitored, especially in the light of the various cost of living expenses. The Hall costs for the monthly meetings look unusually high, by comparison with the previous year. This is due to the very late invoicing by the Church, so there are payments backdated to 2024.
Committee meetings have been held on Zoom which saves the cost of a room hire, fuel and parking. Postage costs have been reduced thanks to the volunteer members who take on a delivery service.
The administration credit balance at the end of March 2026 shows an increase of 19% from £11,073 to £13,207 This will put us in a good position to absorb the various cost increases we expect to encounter due to the various global effects. This also means we do not have to increase our subscription rates for the foreseeable future.
The policy of the Dorking & District u3a is to retain general fund reserves equivalent to at least six months normal expenditure. The Trustees consider the reserves to be sufficient and currently believe that they have not been duly affected by the global events which are beyond our control.
The Group expenses and receipts reflect the increased group activity and the introduction of new groups. Increased cost of venue hire is expected this year. The Social Events account shows a healthy reflection of activity.
Risk and Internal Control
The Trustees have reviewed the risk to the assets of the Charity and consider the controls against material mismanagement or loss currently in place are adequate
Signed …Ianthe EM Cox…… ………………… Date…27 May 2026
Ianthe E.M Cox Hon. Chairman Signed on behalf of: Dorking & District u3a
DORKING & DISTRICT u3a
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Dorking & District u3a
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the Accounts for Dorking & District u3a for the year ended 31 March 2026.
Responsibilities and basis of Report
As Trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the Accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ( The Act).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trustees’ accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act, and in carrying out my examination I have Followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145 (5) (b) of the Act.
Independent Examiner’s Statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination, giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept by the Trustees as required by Section 130 of the Act or
the accounts do not accord with those records or
the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of the accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, other than any requirement that the Accounts give ‘a true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: …C Braidwood…………………….Mrs Chris Braidwood
Date signed:…27 May 2026…………………..
Mrs C E Braidwood FCA Chartered Accountant Lowood, The Street, Betchworth, Surrey RH3 7DJ
DORKING & DISTRICT u3a RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 March 2026
| 2025/26 MAIN ACCOUNT £ RECEIPTS Subscriptons (year ending 31 March) 6,256 Subscriptons (next year in advance) 4,782 Gif Aid 1,511 Total receipts 12,549 PAYMENTS Third Age Trust -4,426 Printng/Statonery -2,113 Purchases -744 Hall hire -815 Speakers -1,201 Catering -215 Postage -466 Website -271 Zoom -132 Miscellaneous -33 Total Payments -10,416 Net Surplus/Defcit 2,133 Balance at start of year (01 April )) 11,073 Balance carried forward at 31 March 13,207 GROUPS ACCOUNT RECEIPTS 21,772 PAYMENTS -23,269 Net Surplus/ Defcit -1,498 Balance at start of year (01 April) 3,824 Balance carried forward at 31 March 2,326 SOCIAL EVENTS ACCOUNT RECEIPTS 17,346 PAYMENTS -16532 Net Surplus/Defcit 814 Balance at start of year (01 April ) 4,999 Balance carried forward at 31 March 5,814 PETTY CASH 25 |
2024/25 £ 5,477 4,141 1,061 10,679 |
|---|---|
-4,502 -2,262 -573 -247 -1,051 -288 -533 -366 -187 -184 -10,195 484 10,589 11,073 21,092 -20,428 665 3,159 3,824 15,232 -14,592 640 4,360 4,999 25 |
DORKING & DISTRICT u3a Combined Statement of assets and Liabilities as at 31 March
ASSETS MAIN ACCOUNT GROUPS ACCOUNT EVENTS ACCOUNT PETTY CASH TOTAL ASSETS AT 31 MARCH |
2025/26 £ 13,207 2,326 5,814 25 21,371 |
2024/25 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ 11,073 3,824 4,999 25 19,921 |
LIABILITIES SUBSCRIPTIONS IN ADVANCE 4,782 4,141
The above Accounts have been approved by the Trustees of Dorking & District U3a and signed on their behalf by:
Christopher Hall …C Hall……………………………… Hon. Treasurer Signed on behalf of Dorking & Distrct u3a
Date :…………27 May 2026……………….