Weston super Mare Annual Chairs Report
Good afternoon everyone and thank you again for coming today
After last year's AGM, the committee changed radically with Bob stepping down after 5 years as chairman and Nora resigning from her role as secretary after 6 years. Both led our u3a through the covid crisis.
I was elected chairman for a 2 year term with Jenny Schofield as my vice chair for a similar 2 year period.
Mike Lynham was elected secretary, with other committee members retaining their previous roles. Graham Rain resigned from the committee in January after15 years as coopted webmaster.
We have been reviewing how we perform our roles, following the Third Age Trust (TAT) descriptions, our constitution and TAT health check. We looked at adopting Beacon, a modern on-line integrated membership database to replace our 15 year old system. Several committee members did not want to change, but we will review our negative decision soon.
We have surveyed 52 relatively new members to find out why they joined, what they think of our u3a and what we can do to improve. Most (90%) think we're doing well. The survey (much more extensive than ever attempted before) also gave us information on attendance of groups, trips, lectures and coffee mornings.
All were pleased of the interest we were showing in their views and wanted to continue their membership. As a result, we have created a plan to improve and be "fit for the future".
We have produced a leaflet describing our u3a for members to give to friends who would benefit from joining our u3a. We believe our groups, trips, lectures and coffee mornings are a great way for local residents, no longer in full time employment to live, learn and laugh and meet new friends.
As you will see shortly, our finances are in an excellent position despite offering members a 6 month free membership extension, costing us £5000. However, we have made savings of nearly £2000/year by 4 members laying out the coffee morning tables and chairs, and by using local scouts to deliver our hardcopy newsletters. So we're using a local small company to print the newsletters and local scouts to distribute them, helping local organisations and keeping your money in Weston-super-Mare.
We fully recognise that our finances are members money, for which the committee are trustees under the charity acts.
We now have 890 members, 75 groups ranging in topics from Art appreciation to Yoga, via dance, books, poetry, sports and walking. Often our groups are oversubscribed and we
would welcome members to set up new groups. Our surveys showed languages, line dancing, quiz and art groups would be welcome.
Our holiday last year in Liverpool was very successful, as was our Turkey and Tinsel weekend in Torquay. We delivered 10 trips which were again oversubscribed and very much enjoyed by members.
We had 11 lectures on various topics, with John Crockford-Hawley talking of Royal Weston to 80 members, and John Penrose speaking of his daily life in Parliament attracting 68 members. Our coffee mornings generally host 30-40 members each Tuesday morning at 10am in the Friends Meeting House.
Looking ahead we welcome members who would like to join our committee, as again the charity Commissioner's encourage "churn" in trustees, to bring new ideas and vitality. The model constitution we adopted in item 2 will reinforce that, with committee tenure and role limits and several other changes.
We found out in April that we had an invalid constitution since the 2019 version did not follow Third Age Trust procedure, so the TAT model constitution was submitted to be approved by you to meet Charity law.
We already have speakers booked for 2025/6 lectures, and plans for trips and holidays, supported by hardworking group leaders and trip organisers.
In 3 weeks, we have a celebration of our achieving 30 years in Weston-super-Mare with a member sandwich tea, to which several dignitaries have accepted our invitation. We are evolving to be ready for the next 30 years!
I am pleased with the progress we have made in the last year, despite many difficult problems, and seek your acceptance by vote on this chairman's report.
SUMMARY
WESTON-SUPER-MARE U3A
FINANCIAL POSITION TOGETHER WITH INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEARS 2023-2024 & 2022-2023 (Financial Year ends 31st March)
| INCOME | 2023-2024 | 2022-2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Membership subscriptions paid | £7,316.00 | £10,876.99 |
| Lecture attendance income | £980.00 | £667.39 |
| Income from Groups | £21,854.60 | £18,121.90 |
| Received for refreshments | £1,720.69 | £1,420.18 |
| Diaries and Pens and Badges | £0.00 | £15.00 |
| Donations & Postage Contributions | £117.00 | £150.00 |
| Gift Aid from HMRC | £1,252.52 | £1,180.40 |
| Grants | £35.00 | £150.00 |
| Lloyds Bank interest | £106.12 | £28.36 |
| Cambridge and Counties interest | £381.76 | £164.41 |
| Net income from Social Account | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Newsletter Sales | £122.00 | £72.00 |
£33,885.69 £32,846.63
| EXPENDITURE | 2023-2024 | 2022-2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Hire of rooms for general U3A use | £2,545.50 | £2,937.00 |
| Meetings' speakers fees or donations in lieu | £475.00 | £394.00 |
| Hire of rooms for U3A Group meetings | £18,953.00 | £18,173.65 |
| Provision of refreshments at meetings | £721.45 | £377.63 |
| Purchase ofPrinting, mailing and Stationery | £2,628.88 | £2,564.80 |
| Stamps | £675.00 | £204.00 |
| Equipment and Group Equipment | £242.50 | £106.74 |
| Licences Insurance and Website | £220.03 | £275.39 |
| Regional expenses | £90.20 | £45.40 |
| Third Age Trust National Member Subscription | £3,608.00 | £3,632.00 |
| Third Age Matters and Sources | £2,776.32 | £2,555.93 |
| Miscellaneous | £80.75 | £209.41 |
| Card Reader Commission | £9.23 | n.a. |
| £33,016.63 | £31,475.95 |
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL POSITION AT
31 MAR 2024 31 MAR 2023
| Lloyds Bank Current Account | £2,778.97 | £2,768.72 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lloyds Bank Social Account | £1,174.53 | £800.00 | ||
| Lloyds Bank Business Instant Access | £15,500.00 | £15,000.00 | ||
| Cambridge and Counties Bank | £16,987.07 | £16,605.31 | ||
| 2nd Class stamps in stock | £552.00 | £140.00 | ||
| Cash Floats | £27.50 | £27.50 | ||
| Inventory of Equipment | £4,245.00 | £6,000.00 | ||
| TOTAL FUNDS | £41,265.07 | £41,341.53 | ||
| Fees due to Third Age Trust | due | April National Membership Subscription |
£4,184.00 | £3,608.00 |
| due approx | May Third Age Matters |
£3,000.00 | £2,776.32 | |
| Hall charges for this year not received Hall charge invoices received pre-AGM | £5,176.60 | £1,205.00 | ||
| Hall charge invoices not yet received by AGM (estimated) | £1,500.00 | £6,000.00 | ||
| TOTAL COMMITMENT | £13,860.60 | £13,589.32 | ||
| NET POSITION | £27,404.47 | £27,752.21 |
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Weston-super-mare U3A Rpaistered Charitv No 1048773 Annual Repor( Financial Ststsment and Statement of Assets and Liabilities for the year ending 31 March 2024 Independent Examinerfs Report to the Trustees of Weston-super4lare U3A I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ending 31 March 2024 which are set out on the following pages. Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner As the Charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. You are advised by the Third Age Trust that the audit requirements of section 43 (2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act) does not apply. It is my responsibility to state, on the basis of procedures specified in the General Directions given by the Charities Commissioners under section 43 (7) (b) of the Act, whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of Independent Examiner's Report My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations 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 I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. Independent Examiner's ststement In connection with my examination. no matter has come to mv atteniion: (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements to keep accounting records in accordan with section 41 of the Act and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accountinq requirements of the Act have not been met; or (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding )T ihe accounts to be reach Signed: Date: 14 |,(21