The Hertford and District U3A {Charity Commission number 10277661 Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31st December 2025
The Hertford and District U3A Officers and Committee- year to 31 December 2025 Chair Elizabeth Cooper from 20 March 2025 Myra Campbell to 20th March 2025 Vice Chairman Myra Campbell from 20, March 2025 Elizabeth Cooper to 20th March 2025 Secretary Patrick aifford from 20, March 2025 Pamela Beale to 20 March 2025 Treasurer Christina Knight Committee Robert Sprigge to 20 March 2025 Valerie Vanderbroeck Sue Webb from 20 March 2025 Moir3 Cholerton from 20, March 2025 John Moore from 20 March 2025 O= Officer& Trustee T= Trustee Accountants Thickbroom Chartered Accountants 147A High Street Waltham Cross EN8 7AP Principal Bankers HSBC Welwyn Garden City HowardsEate Welwyn Garden City AL8 6BH Charity Number 1027766
The Hertford and Distrirt U3A Trustee5 Report and Financial Statement for the year ended 31st December 2025 Trustees The trustees listed have served for the Year unless otherwise indicated. Aim The objectives of The Hertford and District U3A IH&DI are 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 Organisation H & D is an unincorporated organisation under the auspices of the Third Age Trust ITATI. It operates using guidelines provided by TAT. The Main Committee. all of whom are trustees. consists of four officers.. Chairman, Vice-chairman. Secretary and Treasurer. It has at least two and not more than ten other members. Up to four ordinary members may be co-opted to the Committee. The Main Committee is responsible for: a. Promoting the objettives and principles of the U3A b. Acting with the Chairman in 311 matters re13ting to money and assets. Appointing annually sub sub-committees as may be necessary d. Presenting an annual report and examined accounts to the Allnual General Meeting of H&D. Charities Act 2011 The Act also indicates responsibilities of the Main Committee, as Trustees, for H&D. Trustees Resp0Tr5ibilities Charity Law requires the Trustees to prepare a financial statement for each financial year that gives a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Organisation. In preparing the statement. the Trustees are required to follow applrcable accounting standards, subject to arby material variations which may be disclosed and explained in the statement. The Trustees are responsible for ensuring proper accounting records are kept that disc105e, with reasonable accuracy, at any time, the financial position of H & D. This ensures that financial statements comply with the Statement of Recommended Practice. They are also
responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Organisation and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irreEularities. Health and Safety Policy H&D's policy is to ensure that all groups operate in a safe manner without risk to health, as far as is practicable, and that they comply wtth legal requirements. Reserves Policy The Trustees guideline is that the general reserve be held representing a minimum of six months revenue expenditure within H&D. This takes account of estimated revenue projertions and is designed to provide suitable contingenry to protert the continuity of H&D in the future. Risk Management Statement Key risks are assessed and reviewed as an ongoing process and through reporting to the Committee. H&D also has access to a CoMphenSlve set of policies and guidelines provided by TAT, which are made use of as required. Insurance policies exist to cover reasonable risks.
The Hertford and District U3A Chalrfs Report for the year ended 31 December 2025 Lifelong learning has been the u3a mantra from its inception in 1982 and that has certainly been the case for our 25126 Committee. with only two Members remaining in their specific roles. The leaming curve has been steep. I thank them all for their hard work and industry this year. Membership remains steady at around 15LKJ people. In 2025 approximately 200 people joined Hertford u33 for the first time. As members leave during the year for a variety of reasons, the overall number has remained stable. Sadly. we have lost some of our founder members this year. New members are now invited to a series of dedicated coffee mornings, where they can find out how they can 'leam, laugh and live, in our u33 family. Regular subsidised coffee mornings for all members have continued at the Hertford Bell. We are a vibrant active u3a and as the restrictions of Covid are finally in the past, we have had a full year when interest groups and artivities have resumed. alongside the emergence of new groups. These are the lifeblood of oll u3as. However, some groups have been established for a long time and need new leaders to take over the admin and organisation. so that they can continue to operate. We hope to have more meetings for group organisers in the next year, to which prospective leaders will be most welcome. Groups have organised a variety of events and outings which have been open to all members. Sci- Tech and MAGI have interesting speakers and organise days out for 311. The Gardens Group as usual have a splendid selection of visits throughout the summer and enjoyed a June visit to Devon. Concert and Theatre visits have been arranged throughout the year and the Events Team led trips to Dovercastle. Leed5 Castle, Oxford. the Weald & Downland Museum, Waddesdon Manor at Christmas and two concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. plus a four-night educational vi51t to North Wales. Monthly Meetings at BEAM continue to be well attended. Group leaders have been resourceful in advertising their activities in the public area of the BEAM cafe. We were pleased to welcome Tony Harris as King Henry Vlll, a memorable speaker in May. A presentation on Cybercrime and Fraud Prevention was given to us by Hertfordshire Constabulary and left members with a wealth of information and lots of questions about spam emails, phone calls and letters. Thanks go to our Speaker Secretary for finding Inte$ting speakers to entertain and inform us. I would like to thank all of you who come to these meetings. It is an opportunity to meet up with other members, find out what is happening and learn something too. Especial thanks go to our MAGS. the meeters and greeters. the clickers and checkers. the BEAM tech team and the front of house staff. CONTACT, our monthly new51etter, is our primary means of communication and is free online to all members. This is where you will find inforniatTon about upcoming events, monthly meetings and news from the groups. I want to thank the two editors and the proofreaders. who have done a sterling job this year producing a 'splendid read, every month_ Although some members are no longer 'active' they certainty enjoy receiving Contact to catch up on news and see what is Boing on. Our website. maintained by our Website Team. contains a wealth of information about all our activities. l encourage all members to log in and have a look. Thanks are due to the team and
particularly PeteT Roberts who began work on developing a web51te for us back in 2010, meaning 16 years of behind the scenes service to our u3a. Praise is also due to our Tech Team who have been tidying up elements of our use of the technology available to us to make the information more easily available. We have been represented at national and regional level meeting5 on Zwm, good practice and ideas are shared with local u3a groLFPS at Cluster Meetings and one group leader has led a seminar at regional level. Otsr healthy finances are a measure of our sucte5S as 3 U3A. This coming year must see us make decisions on how we go about Using some of these funds for the benefit of our membership. To this end WÈ are starting to plan the 35, anniversary of Hertford & District u3a in 2027. %Mth events throughout the year. rulminating in a big Celebration Event in the summer. However. we continue to find It thallenging to persuade mernbers to become more involved in orgarFising such events, running groups and eenerally Sharing the load. Perhaps this yearL ou can make a difference? l invite you all to leafn, laugh and live with our Hertford & District u3a family. Elizabeth Cooper Chalr 9" February 2026
The Hertford and District U3A TTeasurer'5 Report for the year ended 31" Decembw 2025 The results for the year are shown in the attsched financial ststeTnents. As you ¢an see, there is a surplu5 this year of £10,029. The main rea50n5 for this are a gift aid claim of £3.633 received, membership nLtmbers contr"rÈue to rise and expenditure has not increased significantly from lastyear. We have also continued to maximise bank interest receNed by placing funds on short term Money Market deposits with the Bank. This helps offset the cost of bank charges paid by both the main account and the Groups a¢¢ount, although as interest rates are falling this may not continue to cover the bank charges for much longer. Details of expenditure are shown in notes 2 and 3 of the accounts. We have continued with the monthly coffee momings for the benefit ofall mernbers who choose to attend. We have returned to the BEAM theat for monthly meetings thi5 year, the cost of which is higher than that at the Sele Community Centre but considered by the Committee to be worth the extra cost in view of the greater comfort and capacty of the venue. As a result of the surplus this year, our reserves have increased to £57,368. The committee are ton5iderinE way5 of reducing this. We propose to hold the memberships fee5 at their current level for the foreseeable future and are going to continue using the large theatre at BEAM when it 15 available, rather than the smaller one, as this mean5 that rnore members can attend the monthly meetings. My thanks go to the members of the committee for their support this year and to those who have allowed the committee to hold its meetings in their homes, thus keeping down the committee's admin costs. Christina Knlght Treasur 9, February 2026
The Hertford & District U3A Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31st December 2025 Note 202S 2024 Main Groups Main Groups Receipts Members Subscriptions 23,167 22,729 Groups Income 87,188 100,929 Bank Interest 1,376 2,011 Gift Aid 3.633 7,419 Transfers In 1,000 Contact (Subs & Adverts) 1.778 1,862 Other Income 68 Total Income 30,022 87.188 35,021 100,929 Payments Groups Expenses 90.363 101,879 Bank Charges 53 Contact IPrint, Post & Editoriall 1.424 1,821 Management/Administration 5,433 6.696 Events 7,400 5,381 TAT Membership Fee 5,428 Miscellaneous 199 117 Total Expenditure 19.993 90.363 19.430 101,879 Surplus /IDeficitl for the year 10,029 13,1751 15,591 {950)
The Hertford & District U3A Balance Sheet as at 31st December 2025 2025 2024 Main Groups Main Groups Net Movernent 10.029 {3,1751 15.591 19501 Total Funds Brought Forward 47,339 34.302 31.748 35,252 Total Funds Carried Forward 57.368 31,127 47,339 34,302 Current Assets: Cash at Bank & in hand 57.368 31.127 47.339 34,302 Total Assets 57,368 31,127 47.339 34,302 Date- 9th February 2026 ri5tina Knight- Tré rèr Accountsnvs Cert1fi13te I have examined. without carrying out an audit, the Financial Statements of The Hertford & Distri¢t U3A for the year ended 31st December 2025. taken from the accounting records. and from the information and Èxplanations supplied to Lts and certify them to be in accordance therewith. I have not examined the finances of the Member's Activity Group5. Date R W Boulton FCA Thickbroom Chartered Accountants 147A High Street, Waltham Cross, EN8 7AP
The Hertford & District U3A Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2025 The H&D U3A membership subscriptions received include a TAT affiliation element (membership feel. 2025 2024 ManagementlAdministrati< Computer software. Lrcenses etc AGM expenses Computer and Office Equipment First Aid Courses Plastic Membership Cards Postage and Telephone Printing & Stationery Professional Services (Accounts Examination) Groups Leaders/Organisers St. John's Ambulance {in attendance} Travel & Parking Trustee Expenditurelcommittee Meetings U3A Magazine (Payment toTAMI 1,682 85 1,633 130 720 70 63 360 72 206 367 115 224 276 2,953 69 52 2,864 Total 5,433 6,696 Events Hall Hire & Refreshments Coffee mornings Speakers 4,723 1,304 1,373 2.436 1,671 1,274 Total 5,381