CHAIR’S REPORT 2024/25
I am absolutely delighted to report to you that Croydon u3a is going from strength to strength. Our membership is increasing steadily, this ‘new blood’ being vital for our sustainability. The local publicity delivered by social media and articles in neighbourhood magazines and your word-ofmouth promotions have all contributed. The New Member Coffee Mornings and the Welcome Group at Monthly Meetings ensure that we are inclusive and friendly. A recent speaker at a Monthly Meeting specifically commented that we are the friendliest and most diverse u3a he has been to. And he added that he had been to a lot! I must thank Sally, our Speaker Secretary, who puts together our varied and interesting programme for the Monthly Meetings.
The new website has developed since December 2024 when the old platform was closed down. We have a great team of members who have established the new site and are keeping it fresh and engaging. The two main functions of the website are – a reference point for members and a marketing tool. It is our ‘shop window’ for anyone interested to find out who we are and what we do and therefore has to look good!
The number of new Interest Groups and short courses has continued to develop, broadening the scope of social non-formal learning with low costs. The Committee always welcomes ideas and suggestions for new groups and for creating parallel groups when some are full. I am very grateful to the Interest Group team.
The Travel Team leaders, Linda and David, deserve a special mention. The outings and short breaks that are arranged for us are brilliant. They manage to put together such an interesting and varied programme, with such enthusiasm and attention to detail, assisted by the rest of the team.
The policy of sending Bulletins, Croydon Magazine and news by occasional emails was agreed with the aim of keeping costs down but also actioning our environmental commitment. If you didn’t know about this please visit our statement of Commitment to Environmental Concerns which I am proud to tell you has been adopted by other u3as and was used as the basis for the national u3a policy.
https://croydonu3a.org.uk/imgs/croydon_u3a_commitment_to_the_environment_statement83138. pdf We also have a separate website dedicated to climate concerns which is well worth a look - https://u3acroydon.weebly.com/
My role as Council Representative for the London Region continues to develop and it is my continuing privilege to visit other u3as, learn from them and share our good practice.
I would like to register my grateful thanks to our Committee Members and Volunteers who are the essential ‘ingredients’ of our success.
Very best wishes for another successful year
Jenny (Jenny Wilson)
TREASURER’S REPORT 2024/25
We end the year with a very healthy balance again. We have £21665 in our General Fund which is more than last year. This is mainly because of an increase in membership and less expenditure on sending bulletins and magazines by post. The Travel Team fund is £6656. A large amount of this money is owed to various companies to pay for trips that have not yet taken place. The Venue Hire fund is £1488. This is money that is held in credit for interest groups to cover their expected venue hire expenses over the next year.
You are increasingly moving towards bank transfers rather than cheques when paying money to us. Please note that the Metro account 13630054 is only for paying in MEMBERSHIP FEES and Metro account 13630003 is for all other transactions you make. Also, please make sure you add a reference to any payment you make . I can receive hundreds of payments a month and need to be able to understand what each one is for. I must stress that both the above accounts are safe accounts even if your bank doesn’t always recognise them when you are making a payment.
Please consider Gift Aiding if you do not already do so and you are a UK tax payer. You can Email me at pscsc@msn.com if you are not sure whether you Gift Aid or whether you want a form to sign and I will send one to you with a SAE. We can then claim back 25% of your membership fee each year.
Finally, I would like to thank Peter Cload, our financial examiner, for the work he has done on the accounts. Also thank you to all of you who have dealt with me over the past year in such a positive and cooperative way. I wish you a happy and healthy year with Croydon u3a.
Paul Smith
University of the Third Age Croydon U3A
Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31 July 2025
Contents
Page 1 Independent Examiner’s Report
Page 2 Income and Expenditure Report
Page 3 Balance Sheet
Page 4 Notes to the Financial Statement
University of the Third Age (Croydon U3A)
Page 1
Statement of Financial Activities
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Management Committee
This report on the financial statements of the University of the Third Age, Croydon Branch, is for the year ended 31[st] July 2025, which are set out on pages 2 to 4.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner.
As the members of the management committee, you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. You consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (The Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:
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Examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act
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To follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
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To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of this report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission. That examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also includes considering any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements and seeking explanation from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination no matter has come to my attention:
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(1) Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act;
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to prepare financial statements, which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the requirements of the Act have not been met; or
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(2) To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
23/08/2025
Signed
Page 2
Croydon U3A 01/08/2024 to 31/07/2025
Income and Expenditure
| INCOME Member's subscriptions Gift Aid Reclaims Fundraising-raffle Tree Fund Summer Workshop Donations Group Venue Hire Refunds Bank Interest Travel Team Marketing TOTAL EXPENDITURE Hire of Rooms-U3a events and General meetings General meetings. Speakers-refreshments Group Resources Subsidy Claims Equipment and resources Insurance-licences-affiliations-third age matters Magazine and Bulletin Examiner fees Group Leaders lunch Postage-Stationery Group Venue Hire Summer workshops Committee and volunteer expenses Trees Xmas party Marketing Travel Team TOTAL surplus (deficit) |
2024/25 17,629 £ 2,892 £ 569 £ 11 £ 12,566 £ 243 £ 321 £ 30,606 £ 64,835 £ 2,080 £ 3,714 £ 290 £ 480 £ 6,287 £ 2,670 £ 340 £ 1,294 £ 797 £ 12,328 £ 1,189 £ 128 £ 27,887 £ 59,483 £ 5,352 £ |
2023/24 16,821 £ 2,642 £ 556 £ 860 £ 51 £ 12,021 £ 105 £ 331 £ 17,997 £ |
|---|---|---|
| 51,384 £ 1,919 £ 3,625 £ 348 £ 44 £ 6,006 £ 3,994 £ 340 £ 1,196 £ 800 £ 12,268 £ 805 £ 1,167 £ 172 £ 20,032 £ |
||
| 52,717 £ 1,333 -£ |
Page 3
Croydon U3A 01/08/2024 to 31/07/2025 Balance Sheet
| 2024/25 | notes | 2023/24 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Assets | |||||
| Debtors | |||||
| Deposit at Virgin Money | |||||
| Metro Current Account | £ | 5,001 |
£ | 3,576 |
|
| Metro Savings Account | £ | 31,869 |
£ | 27,435 |
|
| Total Current Assets | £ | 36,871 |
£ | 31,012 |
|
| Current Liabilities | 1 | ||||
| Prepaid Fees | £ | 7,061 |
£ | 4,577 |
|
| Creditors | £ | 1,977 |
|||
| Accruals | |||||
| Total Current Liabilities | £ | 7,061 |
£ | 6,554 |
|
| Net Assets | £ | 29,810 |
£ | 24,458 |
|
| Financed By | |||||
| General Fund | 2 | ||||
| Balance From Previous Year | £ | 24,458 |
£ | 25,791 |
|
| Surplus (Deficit) | £ | 5,352 |
-£ | 1,333 |
|
| Balance at Year End | £ | 29,810 |
3 | £ | 24,458 |
notes
| 1 creditors Prepaid Fees Environment Course 2 funds at year end General Fund Environment Course Travel Team Designated Fund Venue Hire Designated Fund |
2024/25 2023/24 7,061 £ 4,577 £ 1,977 £ |
|---|---|
| 7,061 £ 6,554 £ 2024/25 2023/24 21,665 £ 17,293 £ 1,977 £ 6,656 £ 3,938 £ 1,488 £ 1,250 £ |
|
| 29,810 £ 24,458 £ |
movement of funds
| movement of funds | |
|---|---|
| 3 General Fund Environment Course Travel Team Designated Fund Venue Hire Designated Fund |
opening balance income expenditure closing balance 17,293 £ 21,664 £ 17,291 £ 21,666 £ 1,977 £ - £ 1,977 £ - £ 3,938 £ 30,606 £ 27,887 £ 6,656 £ 1,250 £ 12,566 £ 12,328 £ 1,488 £ |
| 24,458 £ 64,835 £ 59,483 £ 29,810 £ |
University of the Third Age (Croydon U3A)
Page 4
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31[st] July 2025
Accounting Policies
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 1993, together with applicable accounting standards.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The financial statement includes all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the Committee is responsible in law.
Funds
Unrestricted funds are general funds which can be used for the Committee’s ordinary purposes.
Designated funds are funds set aside by the committee for a particular project. Funds so designated may be predesignated by the committee and so designation does not prevent funds being spent on any other purpose.
Restricted funds represent donations, fundraising and grants received for a specific object or invited by the committee for a specific object. The funds may only be expended on the specific object for which they were given. Any balance remaining unspent at the end of each year must be carried forward as a balance on that fund.
Incoming Resources – Receipts
Membership fees and venue fees are recognised in the year they are due. Tax refunds are recognised when they are received. Grants and legacies are accounted for when the committee is legally entitled to the amounts due. All other income is recognised when it is receivable. All income resources are accounted for gross.
Resources Expended – Payments
All expenditure is generally recognised when it is incurred and is accounted for gross.
Fixed Assets
Fixed assets are written off in the year in which they are acquired.