## **– Farnborough & District u3a AGM 2025** 

## **’ – 28 October 2025 14:00 St Mark s Church Hall** 

## **Chair’s Report** 

## **1. Commitee Membership** 

The Committee for the year ending 31-Jul-2025 was : 

## **Committee Officers** 

Jerry Carlsson Chair Treasurer Pam Hay Vice Chair Secretary Andy Nelson Secretary Tina McCain Secretary Ian Hutchings Treasurer 

Whole year 01-Aug-24 to 29-Oct-24 Whole year 22-Jan-25 to 12-May-25 01-Aug-24 to 21-Jan-25 12-May-25 to 31-Jul-25 29-Oct-24 to 31-Jul-25 

## **Other Committee Members** 

Paul Banner Events Co-Ordinator Whole year Mary Culverhouse No specific role Whole year Roger Elliott Venues Co-Ordinator 01-Aug-24 to 29-Oct-24 Neil Hay Groups Co-Ordinator Whole year Beacon Co-Ordinator Whole year Stephanie King Membership Secretary 01-Aug-24 to 31-Mar-25 No specific role 01-Apr-25 to 31-Jul-24 Judith Layzell No specific role 29-Oct-24 to 31-Mar-25 Membership Secretary 01-Apr-25 to 31-Jul-25 Richard Llanwarne No specific role 01-Aug-24 to 29-Oct-24 Dave Minnett Communications Co-Ordinator Whole year Peter Wickwar Monthly Meetings Co-ordinator Whole year **Colleague** i.e. undertook a role but was not a Committee member Roger Elliott Venues Co-Ordinator 29-Oct-24 to 31-Jul-25 

Whole year Whole year 01-Aug-24 to 29-Oct-24 Whole year Whole year 01-Aug-24 to 31-Mar-25 01-Apr-25 to 31-Jul-24 29-Oct-24 to 31-Mar-25 01-Apr-25 to 31-Jul-25 01-Aug-24 to 29-Oct-24 Whole year Whole year 

**No changes to the composition of the Committee have occurred between 01-Aug-25 and this AGM other than me taking over as Venues Co-Ordinator.** 

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The composition of the Committee over the past year has not been as hectic as the above summary might suggest.  The main points are : 

- 1.1. Our Secretary, Andy Nelson, sadly died on 21-Jan-25.  His steadfast dedication together with his infectious ability to generate calmness in others will be unforgettable.  Until the end, and despite his painful illness, Andy’s at ude remained ‘I’ll do what I can for as long as I can”.  His contribution was wonderful. 

- 1.2. Having previously acted as a temporary Secretary to the Committee Pam Hay took on the role of Secretary whilst a permanent successor was sought. 

- 1.3. In due course Tina McCain offered to take on the role of Secretary.  She was duly appointed by the Committee and is seeking re-election at this meeting. 

- 1.4. Prior to last year’s AGM, Stephanie King had indicated that she would be standing down from the Committee with effect from this 2025 AGM.  As a result of this fore-warning, she was able to gradually hand over the role of Membership Secretary to Judith Layzell. 

- 1.5. During the year Mary informed the Committee that she would be resigning with effect from this AGM. 

- 1.6. Roger Elliott did not seek re-election as a Committee Member at the 2024 AGM. However, at that time he did offer to continue undertaking the role of Venues CoOrdinator until 31-Jul-25.  During the nine months from the 2024 AGM until that date and not having anyone else on the Committee willing to undertake the task, I sought to gradually establish what the role entailed and how it was accomplished.  I now hope to be able to pass this information on to someone else. 

- 1.7. The Committee wishes to record at this meeting our fulsome thanks to each of Andy, Stephanie, Mary and Roger (again) for their efforts on behalf of our u3a. 

## **2. Finance** 

- 2.1. The outcome for the year was a cash surplus on Core Activities of £16,589. Further details are set out in the Statement of Receipts and Payments. 

- 2.2. The overall financial position is set out in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.  This shows Accumulated Reserves of £39,107. 

- 2.3. Both of these Statements will be dealt with in more detail in the Treasurer’s Report. 

- 2.4. The recommendation of the Charity Commission is that charities, such as ourselves, should have sufficient Reserves so that, in the event of the need to immediately cease operations, there remains the ability to cover expenditure for between four and six months. 

   - a)  As at 31-Jul-23 we were at the low end of that range having reserves available to cover 4.2 months of expenditure. 

   - b)  As at 31-Jul-24 we are at the high end of that range with available reserves that could cover 5.8 months of expenditure. 

   - c)  As at 31-Jul-25, and despite having given membership rebates for 2024-2025, we are significantly above the upper level of their suggestion being in a position to cover 11.0 months of expenditure.  The exceptional level of this increase is dealt with in more detail in the Treasurer’s Report. 

   - d)  We do not see this level of increased financial ‘health’ continuing to grow.  However, it has allowed us to make certain beneficial changes to our Budget for 2025-2026. 

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## **3. Achievements** 

## Website 

The major achievement this year has been the development and implementation of a new website for our u3a.  This project was led by Pam Hay, our Vice Chair, together with free guidance and assistance from the Third Age Trust (“TAT”), the over-arching organisation encompassing all u3as in the country. 

Pam’s team consisted of Charlotte Brown, Peter Hoyle, Judith Layzell, and Naomi Ward together with Mike Pinnegar (the husband of an existing member who was made an Honorary Member of our u3a for this project).  Pam’s description is “The website couldn't have been done as well, as efficiently or as quickly without their commitment and the hours of effort which they put in. They all deserve a special mention for stepping forward with their generous offers of help.” 

Subsequently, Peter Hoyle has become our new Website Manager 

## Beacon 

As mentioned in my report last year, we had implemented Beacon, the membership database system specifically developed by TAT for u3as. 

This year, mainly thanks to significant customisation work by Neil Hay, we have developed our use of the system which, in turn, has provided significant administrative and financial benefits. Apart from increased accuracy in information available to us, it has taken much of the labour (and guesswork) out of many processes and lightened the load of the Membership Secretary. We are looking forward to continuing to discover new areas in which Beacon can assist us. 

## **4. Actvites** 

For the year ending 31-Jul-2025 we started the year with 86 activities although one of them, Garden Visits, never really materialised.  During the year, mainly through lack of interest from members, the two Line-Dancing groups needed to merge into one group.  Furthermore, due to non-availability of the location for a second session the two Ladies Gym groups had to become one group.  In addition, the two (out of phase) fortnightly Italian groups (one being a face-toface meeting in one week and one being a Zoom based meeting on the alternate weeks) merged into a weekly face-to-face group.  Finally, the Pickleball activities held at the Decathlon store have gone from strength to strength with three extra sessions being added. 

For the year commencing 01-Aug-2025, we have merged the two (out of phase) fortnightly Bridge groups into one weekly group (which in essence was already the case) and added two extra groups at Camberley Leisure Centre namely Walking Football and Pickleball (played on a full-size court).  We have also removed Croquet Beginners from our offerings with any new-tocroquet members now being accommodated within the existing groups. 

Finally, whilst discussing activities it should be noted during the development of the Budget for the forthcoming 2025-2026 year the comments at last year’s AGM were taken on board in respect of the previous reductions in the length of terms.  Consequently, for this 2025-2026 year we have increased the number of weeks of courses by 15% from 33 weeks to 38 weeks per year.  The underlying number of classes has increased by 17% (effectively 7 classes in 20252056 for every 6 classes in 2024-2025).  We are happy to have been able to achieve this growth in our programme of sessions without any similar increase in our membership fees. 

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AGM 2025 - Chair Report_v2_2025-10-12 



## **5. Membership** 

Our membership for the new year is fairly static at about 725 members. 

We have introduced a new category of Membership, called Associate Membership.  The reason for this is that for every u3a member throughout the country a Capitation fee (currently £4 p.a.) is payable to TAT.  This is mainly to cover the insurances that TAT put in place for all u3a activities.  As a result, those of our members who are also members of another u3a could, unwittingly, end up paying two Capitation fees to TAT, one from each of the u3as of which they are members.  Accordingly, upon providing proof of membership of another u3a, an individual can become an Associate Member of our u3a and pay £4 less to us since the Capitation fee for him/her will be paid over to TAT by his/her other u3a. 

As has been pointed out before, we believe that the greater number of members we have, the more interests/activities we can cater to and the better our u3a can become.  We therefore ask that all members do whatever they can to ‘spread the word’ and try to get other folks to join us. 

Nevertheless, any expansion of interests/activities is dependent on one of our members volunteering to be the Group Leader of the extra group.  The Committee and others have on occasions come up with ideas for new groups only to find that in general members might be interested but no Group Leader can be found.  So please think about how you might be able to help in this context. 

## **6. The forthcoming year** 

- 6.1. We already believe that membership for 2025-2026 will have fallen marginally from that of last year.  Furthermore, it is marginally lower than that included within our Budget for 2025-2026 and, as you would expect, we are already exploring what steps may need to be taken as a consequence. 

- 6.2. Committee Membership 

   - a) I know of one new member who intends to stand for election to the Committee and a further one new member who is considering whether to stand.  This is encouraging and will allow the workload to be spread over more people. 

   - b) Notwithstanding that, we would obviously welcome any further members who would like to join the Committee, or who would be willing to provide assistance in any other way, to contact either Pam Hay, our Vice-Chair, or myself. If any of you can help our u3a we want to hear from you! 

   - c) Among the tasks that I would like to see achieved during 2025-2026 is an overall review of what we do, how we do it, and whether we could re-arrange the way we do things to be more efficient and effective. 

      - Let’s try to work smarter but not necessarily harder! 

Jerry Carlsson Chair 12-Oct-2025 

Page 4 of 4 

AGM 2025 - Chair Report_v2_2025-10-12 



Receipts & Payments
2024r25
2022123
,SUBSCRPTIONS. WPUT DATA
Membership U3A for cutreffl year
AM $ub8CJiPb(xis for CurTent Yew
ttef 18es for Cunent Year
ubtola . fees for Cufrent
Membef5hip fees in &Jvance lor next ye
AM foes in advance for next year
19.994
335
150
20.479
14.074
24.079
31.446
24,379
10.545
31,446
12.015
Subt￿. fees in •Jvance lor next
14.190
10,795 ,
34.624
12.015
43,461
CA81 TAM fees receThed in CY
al N￿￿kntter fees rKeN&J in CY
Subt¢X81 . To181 Membershi
ccrual . U3A Membership n wJvan¢e re¢eNed in PY
34.669
10,545
35.174
43.461
14.074
12.015
936
Nffth8￿er fees in advance receive*J in PY
Subtola . Membefshi . TAM and N￿left
otsl UIA Members￿P &£nJmg ￿ CY
otd TAM 8ubscnFkns CY
tocy
ftryn Pf 14.190 '
10.795
30.539
$55
12,015
36.094
936
32.382
tocy
31.274
36,394
32.382

I IICOME
30.539 1 36.094
32.382
TAM wual {irKI￿ling recew in advance for next yew)
T¢xal wual Man Membershi
Loss ReceiOS in Adv¥Ke ft>r nexl Ye
31274
36.394
32.382
10.545
(220)
130
20.479
12.015
Sub Tthal . exdudes re￿1
IAdd PY Recspts in Advance ftx CY
24.379
31.446
14.074
10.545
TAM SubsaFINxis
Sub - indudes
T(%al d above two Subt￿15 = incfxne in CY
14.190
34,669
10.795
35.174
593
12.015
43.461
212
2.122
21.184
202
26.398
45
UIA Events (nol)
B￿k Interest l LO￿ Bonus
TAT Rewa Fund
106
T(tsl Inccrn
59.350
63.075
67.517

ExPENI￿jRE
IRcK)m Hwe
28.126
291
10.105
29,027
Tutor Fees
14.707
651
2.852
11.177
AdminotrntK)n
5.910
273
(2.050)
2,636
232
261
TAT Re9.x)n81 Fund
R¢JJTrJi
ure
42.760
16.590
50.259
17.258 1
Net Relxi
9.689
STUDY Group•
76.252 L 78.803
71.974
90.721 1
4.278
11.918
58,445
70.870
12,425
Gr
Nei Re£ei
12.2291
4.833
17.osn
10.626)
8.5ni I
l l.CQ2)

Assets & Liabilities
2024r25
2023r24
2022r23
CASH FUNDS
72.099
51231
51
53.460
51
TOTAL ASSEf3
72.150
51.282
12. 229)
53.511
Group Vtsits (soo beky•)
TAT Re9xX￿1 Fund
Gate Fund
subS￿FAM￿. s in Advancxy W￿. TAM and
Printing & Dth'txrtK
Outstandiry Room Hkne Co
10.054
17.696
203
14.190
1.923
10.795 1
12.015
291
3,165
Memberthp relurnts lor 24r25 k) t• m•Je in 2¥26
Oiher Liabdrt
TOTAL UABILMES
lrnse in &abkns
33.042
25.158
(10.912)
36.070

RESERVES
Cash al Year EThJ
72,150 1
51.282
125.157
26.125
53.511
36.0701
17.441
35%
TOTAL RESERVES
Reserves as % d T(Xd Expen(*urn
39.107
91%
11
12982
GROUP V￿lTs AIIALYSES
17.696
30.121
Roundings C(xre¢li
Income lor the per￿. ..
78,803
L71 899] . 190.721
58.445
0.8701
Gardeni
+ Walkn.
Fri 1 d¢Y￿j to u3a fund8
10,054 ,
17.696
Am
312
63
2,137
Gardeniry.
8.163
Tcwn & thnty
Wthry.Fr*1
12
710
5.7TI I
(11 919)
11,057
548
17,696
10.054
4.277

C?£
.111 i.,ii:iill,
£B££8<£8

Receipts & Payments
2024r25
2022123
,SUBSCRPTIONS. WPUT DATA
Membership U3A for cutreffl year
AM $ub8CJiPb(xis for CurTent Yew
ttef 18es for Cunent Year
ubtola . fees for Cufrent
Membef5hip fees in &Jvance lor next ye
AM foes in advance for next year
19.994
335
150
20.479
14.074
24.079
31.446
24,379
10.545
31,446
12.015
Subt￿. fees in •Jvance lor next
14.190
10,795 ,
34.624
12.015
43,461
CA81 TAM fees receThed in CY
al N￿￿kntter fees rKeN&J in CY
Subt¢X81 . To181 Membershi
ccrual . U3A Membership n wJvan¢e re¢eNed in PY
34.669
10,545
35.174
43.461
14.074
12.015
936
Nffth8￿er fees in advance receive*J in PY
Subtola . Membefshi . TAM and N￿left
otsl UIA Members￿P &£nJmg ￿ CY
otd TAM 8ubscnFkns CY
tocy
ftryn Pf 14.190 '
10.795
30.539
$55
12,015
36.094
936
32.382
tocy
31.274
36,394
32.382

I IICOME
30.539 1 36.094
32.382
TAM wual {irKI￿ling recew in advance for next yew)
T¢xal wual Man Membershi
Loss ReceiOS in Adv¥Ke ft>r nexl Ye
31274
36.394
32.382
10.545
(220)
130
20.479
12.015
Sub Tthal . exdudes re￿1
IAdd PY Recspts in Advance ftx CY
24.379
31.446
14.074
10.545
TAM SubsaFINxis
Sub - indudes
T(%al d above two Subt￿15 = incfxne in CY
14.190
34,669
10.795
35.174
593
12.015
43.461
212
2.122
21.184
202
26.398
45
UIA Events (nol)
B￿k Interest l LO￿ Bonus
TAT Rewa Fund
106
T(tsl Inccrn
59.350
63.075
67.517

ExPENI￿jRE
IRcK)m Hwe
28.126
291
10.105
29,027
Tutor Fees
14.707
651
2.852
11.177
AdminotrntK)n
5.910
273
(2.050)
2,636
232
261
TAT Re9.x)n81 Fund
R¢JJTrJi
ure
42.760
16.590
50.259
17.258 1
Net Relxi
9.689
STUDY Group•
76.252 L 78.803
71.974
90.721 1
4.278
11.918
58,445
70.870
12,425
Gr
Nei Re£ei
12.2291
4.833
17.osn
10.626)
8.5ni I
l l.CQ2)

Assets & Liabilities
2024r25
2023r24
2022r23
CASH FUNDS
72.099
51231
51
53.460
51
TOTAL ASSEf3
72.150
51.282
12. 229)
53.511
Group Vtsits (soo beky•)
TAT Re9xX￿1 Fund
Gate Fund
subS￿FAM￿. s in Advancxy W￿. TAM and
Printing & Dth'txrtK
Outstandiry Room Hkne Co
10.054
17.696
203
14.190
1.923
10.795 1
12.015
291
3,165
Memberthp relurnts lor 24r25 k) t• m•Je in 2¥26
Oiher Liabdrt
TOTAL UABILMES
lrnse in &abkns
33.042
25.158
(10.912)
36.070

RESERVES
Cash al Year EThJ
72,150 1
51.282
125.157
26.125
53.511
36.0701
17.441
35%
TOTAL RESERVES
Reserves as % d T(Xd Expen(*urn
39.107
91%
11
12982
GROUP V￿lTs AIIALYSES
17.696
30.121
Roundings C(xre¢li
Income lor the per￿. ..
78,803
L71 899] . 190.721
58.445
0.8701
Gardeni
+ Walkn.
Fri 1 d¢Y￿j to u3a fund8
10,054 ,
17.696
Am
312
63
2,137
Gardeniry.
8.163
Tcwn & thnty
Wthry.Fr*1
12
710
5.7TI I
(11 919)
11,057
548
17,696
10.054
4.277

C?£
.111 i.,ii:iill,
£B££8<£8