Minutes of the 36[th ] Annual General Meeting of Gloucester u3a held at 2. pm on Monday, 22nd July, 2024 at Brunswick Baptist Church, Southgate Street, Gloucester. GL1 2DR
Present: 66 members present therefore meeting was quorate.
Chairman's welcome: Denis Riley welcomed everyone to the meeting.
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Apologies for absence: Kath Delaney, Monica Evans, Dorothy Farley, Alan Grove, Leon Laporte, Anna Mitchell, Kathleen Perchtold, Marie Tomlin.
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Minutes of 35th AGM held on Monday, 24[th] July, 2023, had been circulated prior to the meeting. Approval of the minutes as a true record was proposed by Sue Bartlett and seconded by Robert Purdey. . All present were in agreement. The minutes were then signed by the Chair.
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Matters arising : None
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Chairman’s Report and Annual Summary of the year.
Report from the Chair for year June 2023 to May 2024
In the last year there were no major events as in the previous year. Membership has remained in the mid five hundreds, the finances are comfortable and, although the number of Groups continues to fluctuate, it is generally steady compared with other years. The overall comment on the year is: steady as she goes.
At the beginning of the year there were Zoom sessions with the Third Age Trust (TAT) on Keeping It Legal, which resulted in almost all our policy documents needing to be updated. Over the course of the year your committee updated the following documents: Copyright and Licences, Equality Diversion and Inclusion, GDPR (Data Protection), GDPR ( Privacy), Insurance (FAQs) and Member Code of Conduct. These documents are now available on our u3a Gloucester website. To advertise these changes, a session was held at a Group Leaders Meeting, where I attempted to engage and enthral. Updating policy documents is an ongoing task, but not normally all at once.
We remain members of the Cotswold Link where neighbouring u3as meet twice yearly to share information for mutual benefit. In addition there is an annual Interest Day, which this year was entitled Brave New World and dealt with different aspects of technology. Our Cotswold Link member, Clive, has attended all these events (I missed the Interest Day owing to an injury). Clive has been an excellent representative of u3a Gloucester at the Cotswold Link. As you know, Clive has been Group Leader of a number of activities, including the current Singing Together. He also organises visits for all members, such as several visits to the Incinerator at Javelin Park; he is also a past Vice Chair. Clive has now decided to ease his workload and stand down as our Cotswold Link. Many heartfelt thanks, Clive, for all your hard work for Gloucester u3a.
It is worth mentioning two items raised at the Cotswold Link of particular relevance to us. It was agreed by the TAT with the Charity Commission about 6 years ago that Social Groups were permitted in the u3a, and consequently in our Constitution to ‘…activities conducive to learning’ the words ‘and personal development’ were added. The second item involves data protection which prevents us keeping information unless we have a legitimate interest (within the Charitable Purpose), but the Equalities Act requires the monitoring of demographic information. TAT are looking into this apparent conflict, and we have left this out of our policy document, pending clarification.
Of course it is the Groups and Group activities that are central to our u3a, and not a single Group would exist without a Group Leader. As is well known, I have never been a Group Leader, but I am in awe of the amount of enthusiasm and energy shown, and some even lead more than one Group. I’m sure we all extend our sincere thanks to all Group Leaders.
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Happily, most of our Groups are flourishing and well attended, but sometimes a Group finishes, and sometimes it is for lack of a leader. Well, we are a self-help organization and volunteers are essential to our continued existence.
There are some important members referred to in the following paragraphs, not on committee but listed under Other Responsibilities in the Newsletter, to whom I offer sincere thanks for their contributions.
Sarah is our Newsletter Editor who, four times a year, chases us for contributions, checks our offerings, then has been known to work well into the night to meet printing and distribution deadlines. Sarah also leads two Groups.
Thelma organises her Contact Team to provide light refreshments at our major events to create a welcoming and social environment. She also contacts members who have had accidents, or worse, and keeps me informed.
Our new Webmaster, John, has done a superb job in converting our Website using the new Siteworks. This task has taken John many hours of work, and we now have a much more flexible system. However, much of the site is a direct transfer from the original, but it can now be improved. John awaits suggestions for the site – but not all at once. Thanks also to Keith, our former Webmaster who not only maintained the website under the former Sitebuilder system, but also remained as backup for John during the changes.
An important role in keeping us in line with data protection policy has been carried out by Keiron as Beacon Administrator. This system also allows easy communication between committee and Group Leaders to members.
Very many thanks to all of the above for their efforts and commitment for the benefit of all our members.
My extra special thanks go to the Executive Committee. Babs, Gerald and Triss have been with me for the duration of my tenure. They have held u3a Gloucester, and me, together. Babs has been Membership Secretary and Vice Chair as well as Leader of two Groups. Gerald, our Treasurer keeps us financially sound, and keeps close records of each Groups’ expenditure. Our Groups Coordinator, Triss, has come to the end of her tenure on committee and we will need a replacement. Triss is also Leader of the Social Group, which she initiated. She will be very much missed on committee. Mary will continue as our Monthly Meetings Organiser, but has decided to retire from her role as a Joint Group Leader. She too has completed her tenure on committee as Minutes Secretary; she has also hosted our monthly committee meetings, which has been much appreciated by the committee. We had been without a Business Secretary for a while until Gillian joined us and reminded me, to my relief, of what a Business Secretary does. A very big thank you to all our committee members.
It has been a great honour for me to be your Chair for the last three years. That we still exist as a u3a in a happy, prosperous and largely dynamic state is a great relief to me. It came as a shock for me to realise that I will be 90 towards the end of next year. That, and the fact that I don’t even live in Gloucester, I hope, sets an example for members to consider volunteering to fill u3a roles at almost any age, especially if you have relevant or transferable skills. Alternatively, you might be able to understudy, and act as backup. Denis Riley
- Treasurer's Report: Balance sheets were distributed prior to the meeting – see attached. Treasurer reported that the accounts are fairly healthy. Current bank balance is £22,386. However there is approximately £3,000 owing for outstanding invoices re hire of premises. £900 received from Gift Aid, Group Activities expenditure £36,217.56 Group Activities Income £35,013.30
Expenditure on Capitation, Third Age Matters (TAM) and quarterly newsletters = £6,000 The Charity Commission return has been submitted.
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In answer to query re increase in cost against PC6 from £22.97 in 2022/23 to £159.27 nett in 2023/24 Treasurer confirmed that this was the cost of Group Leaders meeting which did not take place in 2022/23.
The £6 expenditure against membership fees is due to a refund
Treasurer announced that he has opened a Savings Account paying 4% interest. The Chair thanked Gerald for compiling the accounts . Treasurer suggested that the membership fee for the coming year remains at £10.
6. To Approve the Examiner of Accounts for 2023 - 2024.
The Treasurer requested approval for the accounts to be examined by Penelope Brown, Chartered Accountant and member of Gloucester u3a.
This was proposed by Jeremy Furtado and seconded by Marian Carroll. All members in Favour.
7. To Approve the Examiner of Accounts for 2024 - 2025
The Treasurer requested approval for the accounts to be examined by Penelope Brown, Chartered Accountant and member of Gloucester u3a.
This was proposed by Ann Williams and seconded by Jan Broadway. All members in Favour.
- Receive and approve the Examined Accounts of Gloucester & District u3a for the period 1[st] June, 2023 to 31[st] May, 2024.
This was proposed by Robert Purdie and seconded by Elvin Young. All members were in favour.
9. Election of Officers and Committee:
Jan Broadway was appointed as Chair for the coming year. Proposed by Sue Constance, seconded by Nigel Purdie.
Gerald Robins will continue as Treasurer. Proposed by Jane Bembridge and seconded by Bob Sharples.
Barbara Morgan will continue as Membership Secretary and also Vice Chair. Proposed by Colin Phillips and seconded by Joan Phillips.
Gillian Talbot will continue as Business Secretary. Proposed by Carole Mockford and seconded by Ann Williams.
Committee Members:-
Mary Kitchen will continue as Monthly Meetings Organiser
Jeremy Furtado will be Cotswold Link Representative. Proposed by Chris Davies, seconded by Sonia Tallen
Bridget Berrecloth was proposed by Marian Carroll and seconded by David Carroll. All members were in favour of the elections of these officers.
Chair thanked the Committee for all their support and hard work and repeated the need for more volunteers to join the Committee especially to fill the outstanding vacancy for Groups Co-ordinator.
At this point, Denis Riley left the stage and Jan Broadway took up the role.
10. A.O.B.
A. Barbara Morgan presented Denis Riley and Triss Pollington with farewell gifts to thank them for all their hard work for Gloucester u3a.
B. Jan Broadway made a short speech outlining her background. She came to Gloucester in 1986, initially living in Lonlevens and moving to Hucclecote in 1989.
She has a degree in History and was trained at the expense of the MoD as a software engineer. In the 1990s she returned to Birmingham to do a PHD and subsequently alternated between academic research and software jobs. Following Covid and the death of her partner in 2021, she retired to spend more time on her allotment. She joined u3a in 2023, having heard about the Gloucester group from a fellow volunteer for the Carers' Hub. Her main interests are Local History and Horticulture.
C. Jeremy Furtado gave a short report on the benefits of our membership of Cotswold Link. This is a mutual partnership of u3a’s in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Gloucester has
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been going for 36 years and Cheltenham is the second largest in the country. Churchdown, a fairly new u3a has been able to benefit from the knowledge of such u3as. There are also Peer Groups for Chairs, Treasurers, etc and anyone who came forward to fill the Groups Co-ordinators vacancy could benefit from this support. There is one meeting every 6 months and the next meeting is on 28[th] September in Worcester.
This year the Special Interest Day was held at The Pavilion, Hatherley Lane, Cheltenham on 4[th] June when the theme was the different aspects of computer technology in “Our brave new world”.
D. The closing date for entries in the next edition of the Newsletter is Friday, 26[th] July. This edition will include details of the AGM and will be available at the Subs and Clubs meeting.
E. Barbara Morgan pointed out that renewal of membership can be made on line via Paypal, by BACS payments. Payments by cash or cheque can be made at Subs and Clubs which will be held at the Baptist Church at 2pm on Monday, 19[th] August. BM will circulate details to enable members with this task.
The AGM concluded at 2.42pm
The 37[th] Annual General Meeting will take place on Monday, 28th July, 2025. Date and venue to be confirmed nearer the date.
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Gloucester U3A Statement of Accounts: all accounts Printed 2nd June 2024 15.'31 Income & Expenditure, 1st June - 31st May start year Category 2023 2022 Out -Account Transfers BF balance transfer Donations Membership PayPal commission PC1 Room Hire PC2 3AT & Cotswold Link PC3 Postage PC4 Printing Copying Slat PC5 Gttts PC6 Central Other Payment PG1 Room Hire PG2 Groups Other Costs RC2 Newsletter By Post £24.) RC3 Centrdl Other Receipt £88.22 RG1 Groups Activity Chg £35,013.30 RG2 Groups Other Receipt £150.00 Sub-totals £54.077.07 Brought forward £23.059.54 £11,600.00 £425.00 £11.600.00 £425.(X) £3.700.00 £3,700.00 £18.50 £5.356.00 £6.452.50 £15.86 £88.52 £288.32 £4.543.24 £30.00 £1,fX)5.75 £17.99 £283.60 £16.909.98 £19,307.58 £95.06 £290.00 £5.524.58 £73.78 £897.43 £86.98 £22.97 £14,928.80 £11,542.30 £194.72 £129.33 £893.28 £26,485.88 £229.34 £32.00 £54.750.18 £36,453.66 £23,799.78 £37.193.90 Total £22.386.43 £23.059.54 Balance Sheet Current FairFX PayPal Savings NW Social NW £9.065.15 £340.08 £2.857.25 £10.123.95 £22.258.62 £626.29 £174.63 Total £22.386.43 £23,059.54 I certify that the above Statement of Accounts is a true summary of the accounts of Gloucester and District U3A for the year ending the 31st May 2024. Signed: erald Robins. Treasurer Gloucester and District U3A Date: 1st July 2024
Independent examinees report to the Commlttee and Member5 of Gloucester U3A I report to the Committee and Members on my examination of the accounts of GIOuster U3A (the Charity} for the year ended 31 May 2024. Responsibilities and basis of report The Committee of the Charity are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ( the ACV). I report in respect of my examination of the ChariVs accourrts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){b) of the Act. This examination is not an audit. 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 in respect of the Charity as required by settion 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 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 irKlependent 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 tn order to enable a proper understsnding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Name: Penelope M D Brown FCA Address: 94 Bloomfield Road, GIouster GLI 5BP Date: Ji Ac•1 001fr