U3A South Lakes Chair Report May 2023
It is my pleasure to report a generally successful year for our U3A. It has been a more normal one than in recent times and I am heartened that after the travails of COVID nearly all of our groups are properly up and running and it seems like attendance numbers are very similar to pre COVID times.
Our membership has grown slightly to around 1250 and this year we have gained over 100 new members and still we are running around 100 different activity groups. Our ‘outdoor’ groups are particularly thriving and a number of them have waiting lists for members- don’t let that put you off though as if you are flexible there is still plenty to do.
Financially we remain solvent and have adequate reserves, though our operational activities are running at a small deficit that we need to close, rather than store up trouble for the future. There is a motion for approval at this year’s AGM to stop the automatic subscription to Third Age Matters, and this alone should close our deficit for the short term without the need to increase meeting contributions or annual subscription. I would urge you to support this motion.
Less positively, I need to report what I see as our most immediate challenge. Two of our essential roles on our organising committee that of Treasurer and Secretary become vacant this time as both Ian Powell and Cath Williams step down after valuable years' service. Peter Bunny also reports that he would like to step aside as our webmaster. As well as thanking Ian, Cath and Peter we need to understand that we lose very valuable experience and that continuity in these roles is really important. As I write, in late April, it appears that we have no one stepping forward to volunteer and this will be a major challenge for us.
In general, it is disappointing that our younger members don’t generally seem willing to step up to organisational roles. Several of our previously thriving groups are currently either suspended or closed down because group members can’t find individuals to coordinate them. At risk of hectoring, I would urge that members ask themselves whether they might consider these generally lowly rewarded but essential tasks. I think those of us that are prepared to help generally do so in the spirit of “making a voluntary contribution” and this is probably the best perspective.
I would, therefore, like to take this opportunity of thanking those folk who DO give up their time and expertise in keeping our show on the road, particularly those committee members and coordinators who are stepping down.
My final observation as Chair, and this is a subjective one, is that we should encourage, welcome and invite a more diverse membership than we currently have. In order to continue to thrive recently retired people from all backgrounds in the south lakes should feel that our U3A is for them.
Thank you for making my first term of office a generally pleasurable one, and as I put my name forward for a second year as Chair I hope to meet and befriend more of you in the next few months.
Yours sincerely,
Martin Douglas OBE.
SOUTH LAKE8 U3A RECEIPTS & PAYMENYS ACCOUtrIT YEAR END114G 31•t ¥ARCH 2023 STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND UABIUTIES AS AT 31st AIARCN 2023 REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1030281 RECEIPTS TIM'$ year 12.465 1,876 62 182.0S 962 681 65 19,724.25 198.69 L1 Yw 12.366 1.822 8T 561 Sub8crfpUons Gift 81d Intèrest Soclal ¥Gtlvllie$ Monthly M8etln9•. Amount Rec8lved Groups Inet of expenses) TealCoff8e &akns 01 MontNy M6dngi ASSETS (ALL UNRESTrICTED FUNDS) Cath FLThI$". Yrykshire Current AjnI Yorkshire Bank Sou81 AccrHJrt Soo81 Card A(t4Ymt COIF Ac1 ¢•sh Fb•ls Year ETh1 C•bl¢yB year 6.726 18 456 50 4.367 44 487 68 2382 15,000.00 J500 728 90 20.642 84 479 05 I2.7 14 119 29 10,IJts) 00 3500 755.OQ IT.972.68 TOTAL RECEIPT8 36.090.26 27,7th9 40 L•M Y•¥ End Cr•dM 465.00 Totsl PAYMENTS Subscrlplbns Groups 17.507.88 2Q. 142 84 R8lund of Ovwpa8nts Group r•nts 189.00 22.089 90 LIABIUTIES 15.398 36 Monlhty M¢¢tltyi Renl and Spo•k•ts feeB 584.28 341.25 8rowJhl fow8rd'. 20.142.84 21.43T 6rf Soci•l •1vitho8 and card fe•$ 1,C117 fy) Lw ty•tsfi¢• ol payThni$ 0r IK•pls for the >wr Thlrd Ag• TrtNt M•mber8hlp lo U3A mag•¥n• Bea¢on S.006.C 3.481 95 1.311 Cil 4.270.C 2,66166 1.224 00 2fi1f14 I,Z9. tsa14 of rKptS 0 Pants lor Ihe yoar NowBletterl Bo¢k Productlon & dlsiribulkn 2,281.81 1.891 16 Admlnl$tr•iion Admlnl$tr•iion Direct Debll Expense¥ AGM & Coordiniiors. meetkng Renéwal and Op•n momlngs Donaik)n 10 NWAA Ilealcoffe• s•l•BI Promoliwal and group Jlart up 716 35 1.3Xt x7 359 31 167 64 120C Total FurK16 Cath•J FoThAr 17.507. 93$ 45 332.97 278.82 110.00 41S18 2Q, 142 84 TOTAL PAYMeNT8 lan Pll Tr818uror 36,725.42 8ALANCE OF RECEIPTS OVER PAYAIENTS I ha% oX8mThd th8 above slatsment th• 8pOrting books of nt aTh1 ba4 Statements In my vM¥ they wesenl a true and cture ofP f)an(*$ durity Ihe aT8J1rj 31st Marrth 2023 BALANCE OF PAYMENTS OVER RE¢EIPT3 26.16 I Soth Lakes V3A Independent Wffliner
Independent examinerfs report to the trustees of 5(Mrth Lakes U3A I reF)Ort to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of South Lakes U3A (the Trust) for the vear ended 31 March 2023. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordan with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111'the ACY). I report in respect of my examination of the Trusfs accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examinatr.on I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under sertion 1451Sllbl of the Act. Independent examlnerf5 Statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the e¥amination giving me cause to believe that in ary material respect= l. accountin8 records were not kept in respect of the Trust as QuIred by sertlon 130 of the Act,. or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records 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 in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be aChed. Signed.. Name.. lan Fishwick Addre55.' Howe Knowe Cow Brow Lupton LA6 IPG Date.. 20" April 2023