REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1042458
Report of the Trustees and Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
for
Bedford U3A
Thompsons Accountancy Services Limited Grove House 1 Grove Place Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 3JJ
Bedford U3A
Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
| Page | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Report of the Trustees | 1 | to | 2 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 3 | ||
| Receipts and Payments | 4 | ||
| Statement of assets and liabilities at the end | |||
| of the period | 5 |
Bedford U3A
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 30 September 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Objectives and aims
Bedford U3A is a self funded organization run by the members for the members. It is a registered charity offering an open meeting twice a month with guest speakers and a wide range of study, creative and leisure groups for the retired and semiretired.
Public benefit
In setting our programme each year we have regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit. The trustees always ensure the programmes we undertake are in line with our charitable objectives and aims.
ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE
The Trustees have been pleased to note a continued steady increase in membership, along with consistent attendance at Groups and Travel activities. This has resulted in stability in the financial position, which has allowed the Trustees to continue to promote the u3a through concerts and attendance at relevant exhibitions, including a well-attended Wellbeing advice day involving other interested organisations. Speakers at Open Meetings have provided opportunities to offer other events, including nutrition and music.
The Trustees are mindful of the need to support the whole membership, particularly those who are isolated and/or without access to technology. Everything is achieved through our own members, although it is becoming ever harder to find people willing to volunteer.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Financial position
The results for the year are set out in the financial statements attached.
The Trustees are satisfied that a balance is being achieved between the expectations of members and good financial stewardship. Reserves remain strong and are being used to subsidise those activities deemed to be of importance and greatest benefit to members, particularly those with no access to online services.
Reserves Policy
It is the policy of the charity to hold sufficient funds in reserve to cover the general running costs of the charity for period of six months without further incoming resources.
In respect of the Travel Fund, the amounts held in this reserve represent funds received for events which have not yet happened and for which payment has not yet been made to the supplier and will vary dependent upon the timing of events.
Page 1
Bedford U3A
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governing document
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust and constitutes an unincorporated charity.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity number
1042458
Principal address
c/o Lesley Reynolds Apartment 27 The Newells Manor Drive Kempston Bedford MK42 8EJ
Trustees
L Reynolds S Petre S Newman M Haines P Lewis G Holliday L Whitfield J Brown (Appointed 21 October 2025) C A Tucker
C. Fordham (Resigned 2 October 2025) L Bundy (Resigned 26 June 2025) J Fordham (Resigned 21 October 2025)
Independent Examiner
Thompsons Accountancy Services Limited 2 Manor Farm Court, Old Wolverton Milton Keynes MK12 5NN
Approved by order of the board of trustees on 25th June 2026 and signed on its behalf by:
........................................................................ L Reynolds - Trustee
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Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Bedford U3A
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Bedford U3A
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of Bedford U3A (the Trust) for the year ended 30 September 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
-
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
-
the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
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 reached.
Kevin Barrett FCCA Thompsons Accountancy Services Limited 2 Manor Farm Court, Old Wolverton Milton Keynes MK12 5NN
Date: …. June 2026
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Bedford U3A
Receipts and Payments for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
| 30.9.25 | 30.9.24 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Travel | Total | Total | |
| Fund | Fund | funds | funds | |
| (Unrestricted) | (Unrestricted) | |||
| Notes | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| RECEIPTS | ||||
| Subscriptions | 20,344 | - | 20,344 | 18,205 |
| Donations | - | - | - | 235 |
| Gift aid claims | 2,846 | - | 2,846 | 2,819 |
| 60’s Night | 655 | - | 655 | 522 |
| Books & DVD Sales | 64 | - | 64 | 87 |
| Miscellaneous income | 23 | - | 23 | 26 |
| Riviera Travel payments | 949 | - | 949 | 270 |
| Door raffle | 4,301 | - | 4,301 | 3,677 |
| Group income | 30,564 | - | 30,564 | 30,982 |
| Travel Fund | ||||
| Day Trips | - | 24,773 | 24,773 | 22,268 |
| Theatre trips | - | 26,595 | 26,595 | 12,411 |
| --------- | -------- | --------- | ---------- | |
| Total receipts | 59,746 | 51,368 | 111,114 | 91,502 |
| --------- | -------- | --------- | ---------- | |
| PAYMENTS | ||||
| Raffle prizes | 662 | - | 662 | 749 |
| Items for resale/promotion | - | - | - | 646 |
| Event costs | 600 | 1,229 | 1,829 | 1,057 |
| Printing, postage & stationery | 1,547 | 50 | 1,597 | 3,536 |
| Advertising | 119 | - | 119 | - |
| Sundries | 93 | - | 93 | 82 |
| Affiliation fees | 3,848 | - | 3,848 | 3,892 |
| Beacon | 962 | - | 962 | 969 |
| Catering | 658 | - | 658 | 461 |
| Hall Hire | ||||
| - Group meetings |
33,007 | - | 33,007 | 24,913 |
| - Open meetings |
3,398 | - | 3,398 | 2,382 |
| - Committee meetings |
222 | - | 222 | 204 |
| Speakers | 2,395 | - | 2,395 | 1,399 |
| Storage costs | 1,829 | - | 1,829 | 1,730 |
| Third Age Matters | 2,220 | - | 2,220 | 2,132 |
| Group expenses | 131 | - | 131 | 88 |
| Equipment | 1,230 | 303 | 1,533 | 2,788 |
| Software licences (Zoom) | 156 | - | 156 | 96 |
| First Aid Course Fees | 468 | - | 468 | 684 |
| Repairs and maintenance | 254 | - | 254 | 95 |
| Independent examiners’ fees | - | - | - | 360 |
| Travel Fund | ||||
| Travel costs | - | 18,106 | 18,106 | 14,375 |
| Tickets etc. | - | 31,464 | 31,464 | 17,463 |
| Total Payments | ---------- | -------- | --------- | --------- |
| 53,799 | 51,152 | 104,951 | 80,101 | |
| --------- | -------- | --------- | --------- | |
| NET RECEIPTS | 5,947 | 216 | 6,163 | 11,401 |
| Cash funds last year end | 40,933 | 10,606 | 51,539 | 40,138 |
| -------- | ------- | --------- | --------- | |
| CASH FUNDS THIS YEAR END | 46,880 | 10,822 | 57,702 | 51,539 |
| ===== | ==== | ===== | ===== |
Page 4
Bedford U3A
Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period 30 September 2025
| 30.9.25 | 30.9.24 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Travel | Total | Total | |
| Fund | fund | funds | funds | |
| (Unrestricted) | (Unrestricted) | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| CASH FUNDS | ||||
| Cash in hand | 137 | 109 | 246 | 282 |
| Main account | 46,743 | 78 | 46,821 | 40,809 |
| Travel Club account | - | 10,635 | 10,635 | 10,448 |
| 46,880 | 10,822 | 57,702 | 51,539 |
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 25[th] June 2026 and were signed on its behalf by:
............................................. L Reynolds - Trustee
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