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2023-12-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Trustees' Annual Report for the period Trustees' Annual Report for the period Trustees' Annual Report for the period Trustees' Annual Report for the period Trustees' Annual Report for the period Trustees' Annual Report for the period
From
Period start date
T
o
Period end date
Day
01
Month
01
Year
2023
Day
31
Month
12
Year
2023

Section A Reference and administration details

a
/~~SS~~
Charity name
Wokingham U3A
Other names charity is known by
Registered charity number (if any)
1049995
~~Pp~~
Charity's principal address
PO Box 3664

Wokingham
Berkshire
Postcode RG40 9PA

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

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4
5
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Trustee name
Office (if any)
Dates acted if not for whole
year
Name of person (or body)
entitled to appoint
trustee(if any)
Juliet Hanfling
Chair


Glynis Leeson
Vice Chair


Linda Penny
Secretary
Elected 14 March 2023

Juliet Hurwitt
Treasurer


Gillian Gardner
Finance and Systems
Coordinator


Jim Callaghan
Website Coordinator


Mike Luff
Speakers Secretary


Rodney Fox
Groups Coordinator
Elected 14 March 2023

Pam Hares
Chair
Retired 14 March 2023

John Waddington
Treasurer
Retired 14 March 2023

Chris Melhuish
Groups Coordinator
Retired 14 March 2023

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Trustee name
~~a~~		 Office (if any)
~~ee~~		 Dates acted if not for whole
year
~~ee~~		 Name of person (or body)
entitled to appoint
trustee(if any)
~~ee~~
Juliet Hanfling
~~a~~
~~a~~		 Chair
~~ee ~~
~~ee ~~
~~ee~~
Glynis Leeson
~~a ~~		 Vice Chair
~~a~~
~~a~~
~~a~~
Linda Penny
~~a~~		 Secretary
~~a~~		 Elected 14 March 2023
~~a~~
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Juliet Hurwitt
~~a~~		 Treasurer
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~~a~~
~~a~~
Gillian Gardner
~~a~~		 Finance and Systems
Coordinator
~~a~~
~~a~~
~~a~~
~~a~~
~~a~~
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Jim Callaghan
~~a~~		 Website Coordinator
~~a~~
~~a~~
~~a~~
Mike Luff
~~a~~		 Speakers Secretary
~~a~~
~~a~~
~~a~~
Rodney Fox
~~a~~		 Groups Coordinator
~~a~~		 Elected 14 March 2023
~~a~~
~~a~~
Pam Hares
~~a~~		 Chair
~~a~~		 Retired 14 March 2023
~~a~~
~~a~~
John Waddington
~~a~~		 Treasurer
~~a~~		 Retired 14 March 2023
~~a~~
~~a~~
Chris Melhuish
~~a~~		 Groups Coordinator
~~a~~		 Retired 14 March 2023
~~a~~
~~a~~

Wokingham u3a

1

February 2024

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document Constitution adopted 1995: amended 2005, 2009, 2013, 2018 & 2021 (eg. trust deed, constitution) How the charity is constituted Trust (eg. trust, association, company) Trustees elected annually by ballot at the Annual General Meeting Trustee selection methods

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Additional governance issues (Optional information)

Wokingham u3a

2

February 2024

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

The Charity is a member of the Third Age Trust which is an association of u3as within the United Kingdom. Third Age Trust provides additional information & educational facilities, together with advice/services on a wide range of matters relating to the management and operation of individual member u3as.

The Third Age Trust provides comprehensive Committee advice, including sections on Trusteeship & Charity responsibilities which is made available to existing / new Trustees/Committee members. The Trust also provides training events.

The Charity is a member of the South East Region of the Third Age Trust. Within the South East Region, the Charity is a member of the Thames Valley Network, an association of u3as which are located along the Thames Valley from Maidenhead to Newbury, to Oxford. This provides a valuable facility for Wokingham u3a to network with neighbouring u3as and also enables joint activities to be undertaken with these neighbouring u3as.

In accordance with applicable regulations, this Wokingham u3a Trustees Annual Report 2023 covers the following areas:

Structure, Governance and Management.

Objectives and Activities.

Achievements.

Future Plans. Financial Review. Structure, Governance and Management Wokingham u3a is governed under its Constitution, last amended in 2021. In addition to committee members who are elected annually at the Annual General Meeting, the Committee may co-opt additional committee members and appoint committee members with special expertise during the year. Committee members may serve for up to nine years. The Chair may serve for a maximum of three years. Thanks are due from the committee and membership to committee members Pam Hares and John Waddington who retired at the 2023 AGM on completion of their maximum terms of nine years and to Chris Melhuish after seven years' service.

Wokingham u3a

3

February 2024

Two new trustees were elected at the 2023 AGM, Linda Penny and Rodney Fox as Secretary and Groups Coordinator respectively and we are pleased to welcome them both to the Wokingham u3a committee.

Juliet Hanfling and Juliet Hurwitt took the roles of Chair and Treasurer respectively at the 2023 AGM and Glynis Leeson took the role of Vice-Chair.

Organisation

Trustee Induction

The Committee provides access to appropriate documents and training as required, to update new and existing Trustees’ knowledge and awareness on current developments, including briefings on:

Risk Management During the year, the trustees identified and monitored potential risks to its activities & considered / implemented measures to mitigate these risks. These included financial risks should membership fall and the risks that groups may not be able to meet for a long period of time.

Return to usual Wu3a activities following the restrictions arising from the Covid pandemic continued through 2023 and the trustees have noted a continuing gradual return to usual, mainly face- to-face activities. We currently have around 190 interest groups covering a wide range of subjects, and these are overseen by our Groups Coordinator, Rodney Fox.

During 2023 there was further large intake of over 300 new members, following the record number of 320 who joined our u3a in 2022. Membership at the end of Feb 2024 stood at 2380 . This number is close to the previous Wokingham u3a all time high membership of 2493, immediately before the onset of the Covid epidemic in 2020.

Consequently, membership income has remained at a high level in 2023. Meetings for new members were held on Zoom monthly with a more formal face to face meeting for new members being held in September 2023. Operations Monthly trustee meetings were held through the year to manage the u3a affairs, taking advice where required from the Third Age Trust. Regular communications were maintained with members, primarily by email, including our u3a’s very well produced and informative bi-monthly email newsletter News Edit.

Wokingham u3a

February 2024

4

Wokingham u3a February 2024

Section C Objectives and activities

Wokingham u3a

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February 2024

Summary of the objects of the
charity set out in its
governing document
Summary of the main activities
undertaken for the public
benefit in relation to these
objects (include within this
section the statutory
declaration that trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public benefit)
Youmay chooseto include
The objectives and principal activities of the Wokingham u3a 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.

The committee continues to take account of these objectives in its
management and stewardship of Wokingham u3a’s affairs and finances.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation
to these objects:

What?
•
Education / Training
•
Medical / Health / Sickness
•
Disability
•
Arts / culture
•
Sport / recreation
•
Environment / Conservation / Heritage
•
Economic / Community development

Who?
•
Individuals no longer in Full Time Employment
•
People with disabilities
•
Minority Groups
•
General public

How?
•
Provides advocacy / advice / information
•
Sponsors or undertakes research
•
Acts as umbrella or resource body

The trustees confirm they have had regard to the guidance issued by the
Charity Commission on public benefit.
further statements, where
relevant, about:
•
policy on grantmaking;
•
policy programme related
investment;
•
contribution made by
volunteers.
 The trustees of Wokingham u3a gratefully acknowledge the efforts of the
many members and group convenors who volunteer freely of their time to
contribute to the operation and development of the Charity and its interest
groups.
Section D Achievements and performance
Youmay chooseto include
further statements, where The trustees of Wokingham u3a gratefully acknowledge the efforts of the
relevant, about: many members and group convenors who volunteer freely of their time to
•
policy on grantmaking;		 contribute to the operation and development of the Charity and its interest
groups.
•
policy programme related
investment;
•
contribution made by
volunteers.
Section D Achievements and performance

Wokingham u3a

February 2024

7

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

Wokingham u3a, established in 1990, is one of the largest u3a organisations nationally.

Following a small fall in Membership numbers during the Covid years, Membership further recovered to 2380, in March 2023 (2250 at March 2022). The trustees are delighted that membership on 31 December 2023 stood at a very satisfactory 2349 (31 December 2022, 2325). Activity groups number around 190. Activities covered by groups include education, arts & culture, research, sport/recreation, environmental study and support for single members. The trustees would like to thank our excellent group convenors for their contribution to the success of our u3a. Representatives attended Third Age Trust and Thames Valley Network meetings through the year. These are held as a combination of digital, effectively to minimise travel and encourage wider attendance, and face to face, for the essential personal contact and networking which this provides. Membership subscriptions were maintained at £8pp for 2023, which we are proud to say has not increased since July 1992. For the coming year 2024 we are offering free membership to all our existing members (as of 31[st] December 2023) as a reward for their loyalty.

Payment of subscription by bank transfer continues to be offered and was taken up by around 80% of members.

We are fortunate to have the invaluable services of a group of members who form a knowledgeable and effective IT panel, provide a private Wu3a Facebook group and provide many members with advice and remote assistance in the use of IT & Zoom (and related) facilities. Thanks are due to Sylvia Mason and the team of volunteers.

Monthly speaker meetings continued and have fully returned to the regular face to face meetings at St Pauls Rooms, attracting very good attendances. Thanks go to Rosie Tamkin, Lynn Rossi and their team of volunteers who assist with the running of these meetings whose efforts are much appreciated. Wu3a held a very successful meeting for convenors in June 2023, which was well attended with contributions from several committee members. Groups form an integral part of our u3a. The help and support of our many group convenors is greatly appreciated by the committee and all our members.

Events had been curtailed during the pandemic. Our events team has been very active and produced a range of well received activities for our members. Led by Libby Good with a number of committee members and volunteers, their efforts are much appreciated.

The Charity’s membership and financial information was held from 2017 to the end of 2021 on the Beacon computer system, managed by the Third Age Trust. Wokingham u3a trustees, having reviewed available options, decided to move to Simple Membership (SM) in early 2022, so we have now successfully completed two calendar years using SM. This is a dedicated u3a management system, providing all the enhanced features which were to have been included in the cancelled Beacon upgrade project, notably financial accounts, including groups finances to Charity Commission standards and automated renewal subscription processing. The SM director is proactive in reviewing further enhancements.

Wokingham u3a

8

February 2024

Section D Achievements and performance

Wokingham u3a

9

February 2024

The new computer system has proved to meet our requirements and expectations. Work began in 2022 to provide an online new member application facility and to integrate the Wu3a website within the system. Both these initiatives were successfully implemented in March 2023, providing greater efficiency and flexibility, with an associated cost saving as Wu3a had previously contracted for a separate stand-alone website through a local firm. Thanks are due to Gill Gardner and Jim Callaghan for their work in planning and implementing these two initiatives.

Wokingham u3a

10

February 2024

Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the
charity’s policy on reserves
Details of any funds materially
in deficit
Further financial review
details (Optional information)
The Charity’s policy is to have sufficient reserves in order to:

1) Meet unexpected outlays required for the operation of the Charity in
accordance with its charitable objectives
2) Hold a prudent amount of cash reserves to provide for working
capital requirements
3) Replace obsolete equipment
4) Fund the development of new Groups within the Charity
5) Fund approved activities carried out by a Group that are available to
all members of the Charity
None
You
may
choose
to
include
additional
information,
where
relevant about:
•
the charity’s principal sources of
funds (including any
fundraising);
•
how expenditure has supported
the key objectives of the charity;
•
investment policy and objectives
including any ethical investment
policy adopted.





Membership subscriptions represent our main source of funds.
2023 membership renewal rate continued at a high rate, close to 90%, in
line with our expectations and new members in 2023 were close to a
record high.

Subscription fees to the National body, the Third Age Trust represent our
major cost item: in 2022 they increased to £4 for each of our members,
which was allowed for in our 2023 budget.

Communication costs in the year were again at a low level, contact is
mainly by email.

A material financial surplus resulted for 2023, providing future financial
security for the charity. Funds are held with secure banks.

The trustees decided that with total reserves standing at around 12
months expenditure, free membership will be offered for 2024 to all our
existing members as of 31 December 2023. The financial situation was
monitored constantly & reports provided regularly to the trustees.

Section F Other optional information

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Wokingham u3a

11

February 2024

Full name, Signature, Position

Full name, Signature, Position

 Juliet Hanfling, Chair
J Hanfling
 Glynis Leeson, Vice Chair
G Leeson
Juliet Hurwitt, Treasurer
J Hurwitt
Date: 28 February 2024

Wokingham u3a

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February 2024

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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Wokingham University of the Third Age Iwokingham U3A) On accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023 Charity no (if any) 1049995 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {"the Trust") for the year ended 31 December 2023. Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of th8 Charrties Act 2011 ('the Acr,). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of Ihe 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ") in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: accountlng records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Pleas8 deleta the wonys in the brackets rf they do not apply. Date: 1110312024 Signed: 2cJ SJ Name: Rob Melhuish Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): ICAEW Address: Accountwse Ltd Innovation House, Molly Millars Close, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG412RX