Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 01.01.2025 To 31.12.2025
Charity name: Chelmsford University of the Third Age (u3a)
Charity registration number: 1027234
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | The advancement of education, and in particular the education of older people and those retired from full time work, by all means including associated activities conducive to learning and personal development in Chelmsford and surrounding district. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
Over the past year our u3a has continued to provide the people of Chelmsford and surrounding district with many opportunities to come together, learn new things, and stay physically & mentally active during their later years. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The Trustees have encouraged and enabled people no longer in full time paid employment to help each other to share their knowledge, skill, interests and experiences. The Trustees have promoted the values of lifelong learning and the positive attributes of belonging to a U3A. The Trustees have done all they can to ensure that people wanting to join a u3a could do so. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| N/A | ||
| Para 1.38 | ||
| Policy on grant making |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | N/A |
|---|---|---|
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | We are indebted to our Group Leaders who take on responsibility for the operation of our Interest Groups. An Interest Group showcasing event was held, in February following last year’s AGM. 11 New Interest Groups were started in 2025 each supported by volunteer leaders. Our monthly meetings featured a variety of speakers who spoke on a diverse selection of topics. The meetings run smoothly thanks to our volunteers for setting up the hall and helping in the kitchen. Our website manager and newsletter editor created a ‘’What’s On’ page of forthcoming events on our website, providing a calendar view of group activities, holidays, member meetings, outings and special events on a month by month basis. This facility is also featured in every monthly newsletter. Thanks to a new member, we have established a public presence on social media. Our u3a Facebook page allows us to attract potential new members by sharing engaging content and showcasing upcoming events. The monthly newsletter was used to communicate volunteering opportunities 5 times during the year. |
| Other |
Achievements and Performance
SORP reference
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | The membership has grown significantly with 101 new members joining us since March 2025, bringing the total to 744. The Trustees consider it is vitally important that we expand our Interest Group offer so that more of our members have a chance to come together to learn new things and remain physically and mentally active. We have made significant progress in this respect and now have 11 new active Interest Groups. The initial start-up costs for new groups are met from our reserves. This year we again held an evening concert which was well attended. |
|---|---|---|
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | £18,156 |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | Some funds accumulated during COVID pandemic are still gradually being spent by holding additional events and supporting new groups. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £7329 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | N/A |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | None |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | None |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including Para 1.47 any fundraising) Investment policy and objectives including any Para 1.46 social investment policy adopted
Para 1.46 A description of the principal risks facing the charity Other
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 |
Constitution adopted 10 February 2022 |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | Unincorporated Association |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | The charity elects or re-elects up to 12 Trustees (including officers) at each Annual General Meeting in February. The elected trustees may, at any time, co-opt up to 3 trustees until the next annual general meeting and may reappoint such co-opted trustees for one additional 12 month period. The ofcers are elected by the trustees at their first meeting from among their number (this includes any co-opted trustees). |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | |
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | The Charity is affiliated to the Third Age Trust. The Trustees have the power to to co- operate with other charities, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities and to exchange information and advice with them and in particular with other u3as, clusters of u3as and The Third Age Trust. |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Chelmsford University of the Third Age |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | Chelmsford u3a |
| Registered charity number | 1027234 |
| Charity’s principal address | |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole **year ** |
Dates acted if not for whole **year ** |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LesleyWood | Chair | |||||
| Alan Caddy | Vice Chair | |||||
| WendyHubbard | Treasurer | |||||
| Janet Parsons | Secretary | |||||
| Alan Mayo | Membership Secretary |
|||||
| Edmund Wood | Events Organiser | |||||
| Lynn Regan | Newsletter Coordinator |
|||||
| Brian Littlechild | Committee Member | |||||
| Michael Harmer | Committee Member | |||||
| Ann Bell | Committee Member | |||||
| Corporate trustees–names of the directors at the date the report was approved Director name |
||||||
| Director name | ||||||
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) |
|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser Name Address |
||
| Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) | ||
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date
Chelmsford U3A
Income & Expenditure as at 31st December 2025
| INCOME Membership Subs Visitors Donations Gift Aid Bank Interest Group Closures Unclassified Raffle Diaries Sundries Total EXPENDITURE National Capitation Fee Hall Hire Zoom Refreshments Speakers Newsletter Print Stamps Third Age Matters Website Beacon Technology/Equipment Travel Conference Admin Advertising Raffle Prizes Diaries Bank / SumUp Charges Paypal charges (for info) 21.81 - / Christmas 2024 Social meetings / Easter 2024 - / Summer Social 2024 Special events Group Support Sundries Total Net Surplus/Deficit for the Year |
2025 8,362.56 0.00 818.80 1,295.31 283.45 0.00 0.01 774.91 0.00 5.00 11,540.04 2,460.00 2,400.34 95.94 560.42 851.84 194.13 370.50 1,927.83 93.19 681.00 369.99 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 115.00 0.00 4.10 0.00 1,726.17 0.00 986.56 938.96 290.86 14,066.83 -2,526.79 11,540.04 |
2024 7,408.50 0.00 824.66 2,342.53 277.79 0.00 12.00 283.55 0.00 0.00 |
|---|---|---|
| 11,149.03 | ||
| 2,176.00 2,245.27 155.88 95.14 996.00 357.05 248.10 1,656.72 0.00 595.00 166.80 0.00 0.00 0.00 107.99 0.00 0.00 117.79 0.00 825.53 745.21 493.62 0.00 1,039.66 504.87 |
||
| 12,526.63 -1,377.60 |
||
| 11,149.03 |
| Current Assets 2025 Accumulated Fund as at 1st January 9,855.88 Prior Year Adjustment 0.00 Net Surplus/Deficitfor the Year -2,526.79 Accumulated Fund as at 31st December 7,329.09 Represented By Current A/c 1,642.71 Deposit A/c 16,513.56 18,156.27 Less Held for Groups 10,827.18 10827.18 7,329.09 Balance Sheet as at 31st December 2025 |
1,469.12 17,180.11 |
2024 11,233.48 0.00 -1,377.60 |
|---|---|---|
| 9,855.88 | ||
| 18,649.23 8793.35 |
||
| 8,793.35 | ||
| 9,855.88 |
-----------------------------------------------Treasurer Wendy Hubbard Date January 2026
----------------------------------------------------Examined by Maurice Van Maellerts Date January 2026
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CHARITY COMMISSION Independent examiner's' FOR ENGLAND AND WALES report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner's Report
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Report to the trustees/
members of | Chelmsford University of the Third Age (u3a)
On accounts for the year | 31 December 2025 Charity no
ended (if any)
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| report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/12/2024.
Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act’).
| report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, | have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. Independent | have completed my examination. | confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: e accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or e the accounts do not accord with the accounting records | have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. * Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
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Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body
(if any):
Cwe_ns FORD
N27 Eno
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IER
1
October 2018
Section B
Disclosure
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Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concem (see CC32,
Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for
examiners).
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Give here brief details of
any items that the
examiner wishes to
disclose.
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IER
2
October 2018