Trustees’ Annual Report
1 September 2024 to 31 August 2025 Alsager and District University of the Third Age
1072030
Objectives and Activities
| Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | Educational and recreational activities aimed at improving the physical, mental and social welfare of people in the Alsager and surrounding district who are no longer in full time employment |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 Para 1.19 |
Operate a variety of classes and group meetings covering both educational and amateur sporting activities. Also, arrange a number of day trips for both educational and recreational purposes. The Charity, with a local travel firm, also facilitates holidays for members. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The trustees remain aware that the prime objective is to ensure that the senior members in the community of Alsager and District who are no longer in full time employment have the opportunity to remain active and involved in a wide variety of activities, which helps in their wellbeing. |
1
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | The Charity returned from its summer break in early September 2024. The membership, at that stage, was 915 with 58 groups operating. Throughout the year membership has increased and at the end of August 2025 was 925. Throughout the year we have lost groups due to members declining or leaders retiring but new groups have started. As of the end of August 2025 we remain with 58 groups functioning with a new Pickleball Group due to start. The major activity remains the weekly Charity hub meeting at the Civic Centre and also includes some group activities along with the unique Talk Time events which attract an average attendance of over 60 members |
Financial Review
| SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | The Committee set a budget for the end of August 2025 with the intention of breaking even. This is in line with guidance from the Charity Commission to ensure that reserve balances held are not unnecessarily high. The initial financial results show a small surplus of less than 1%. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | The Committee is aware of the guidance from the Charity Commission that reserves should not be greater than 50% of turnover, the current reserve balance as at 31 August 2025 is £18,354 and is 24% of last year's turnover |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | Sufficient funds are held in reserve to ensure that all financial commitments can be met in the event of winding down the Charity. There are no restrictions in place on the proper use of reserves and were originally set at 6 months. A deposit account has been set up with an initial £12,000 to separate the reserve fund from day-to-day operating requirements and to ensure our reserves do not exceed 6 months. This will be reviewed on an annual basis |
2
| Reasons for holdingzero reserves | Para 1.22 | Not Applicable |
|---|---|---|
| Details of fund materially in deficit | Para 1.24 | None |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | None |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Type of governing document | Para 1.25 | Trust Deed |
|---|---|---|
| Constitution of the Charity | Para 1.25 | Part of National Organisation Third Age Trust |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity Name | Alsager and District U3A |
|---|---|
| Registered Charity Number | 1072030 |
| Charity’s principal correspondence address |
8 Denford Place Church Lawton Stoke on Trent, ST7 3RF |
Names of the Trustees who manage Alsager & District U3A Charity
| Trustee Name | Office | Dates acted | Who Appoints Trustees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaynor Butler | Secretary | 06/11/2023 – 20/10/2025 | Executive Committee |
| David Gaston | Chair | 06/11/2024 – 20/10/2025 | Executive Committee |
| Celia Hudson | Trustee | 08/01/2024 – 20/10/2025 | Executive Committee |
| Regina Lo | Trustee | 12/02/2024 – 20/10/2025 | Executive Committee |
| Christine Butler Meadows | Trustee | 30/10/2023 - 20/10/2025 | Charity AGM 2023 |
| Geraldine Dalton | Trustee | 30/10/2023 - 20/10/2025 | Charity AGM 2023 |
| Tony Barson | Treasurer | 04/11/2024 - 20/10/2025 | Executive Committee |
3
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
| Description of the assets held in this capacity | None |
|---|---|
| Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how these falls within the custodian charity’s objects |
None |
| Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets |
None |
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
David Gaston Chair 20[th] October 2025
4
Alsager & District wi 3S THE UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE
Accounts for the Year 2024/2025
Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ending 31 August 2025
----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
Income £ £ £ E
Annual Enrolment Fee 9,385 4,985
Class Attendance Fees 48 487 48,023
Gift Aid 1,550 913
Teas and Coffees 397 426
Donations & Grants Received 250 155
Other Income 502 -
Sale of Equipment - 39
Total Income Main Activities 60,571 54,540
Travel Income 15,811 13,434
Charity Income 1,088 2,125
Total Income 77,469 70,099
2025 2024
Expenditure £ £ £ £
Room Hire & Rentals 40,229 39 834
Other Class Costs 9,458 8,296
Talk Time Fees & Expenses 1,793 1.351
Other Meetings 1,045 874
Third Age Trust 4,831 5,203
Purchase of Equipment 433 2,051
IT Support 1,039 1,190
Donations Made 290 290
Postage 422 462
Stationary & Support Costs 437 649
Banking Fees 230 99
Total Main Activity Expenditure 60,209 60,299
Travel Expenditure 15,418 13,169
Charity Expenditure 1,088 2,125
Total Expenditure 76,714 75,594
Surplus/(Deficits) Main 362 (5,759)
Surplus / (Deficits) Travel 393 265
Surplus / (Deficits) Charity - f
Surplus (Deficit) for the Year 755 (5,495)
----- End of picture text -----
2024-25 U3A Accounts
.
h |
----- Start of picture text -----
|
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
|
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
Alsager & District | 7 | Bow A
res on, Bs ie XS.
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE
Annual Accounts for the Year 2024/2025
Balance Sheet as at 31 August 2025
2025 2024
£ £ £ £
: Travel Prepayments 3,489 3,536
Debtors 1,666 1,152
Travel Bank Account & Cash in Hand 3,394 3,411
Main Bank Accounts & Cash in Hand 3,182 15,318
Deposit 12,000 -
23,731 23,417
Less Creditors as at 31 August (1,389) (1,337)
Members Receipts in Advance Travel (2,490) (2,162)
Group Receipts in Advance (1,499) (2,319)
(5,377) (5,818)
Total Net Assets 18,354 17,599
General Reserve
Main Activity Balance Brought Forward 13,599 19,094
Main ActivitySurplus/(Deficit) for the Year 362 (5,759)
Receipt from Travel Funds Surplus 393 265
755 (5,495)
Closing Balance 14,354 13,599
Working Capital
Travel Balance Brought Forward 4,000 4,000
Travel Surplus (Deficit) for the year 393 265
Transfer to the General Reserve (393) (265)
Closing Balance 4,000 4,000
Charity Fund Balance - :
Total Reserves 18,354 17,599
| certify that in my opinion, this account is in agreement with
the records submitted and is a true and fair statement thereof.
Independent
Examiner and Hon.
Auditor C : {/
On behalf of the Trustees
ae OV Lo rag
ot POSE David Gaston 20 z / Date
Treasurer ads Boo Tony Barson Dyv Ce” Lo 2Qo2r27X Date
----- End of picture text -----
2024-25 U3A Accounts
Fo! CHARITY COMMISSION | Independent examiner's report on the FOR ENGLAND AND WALES accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees Alsager & District The University Of The Third Age On accounts for the year | 31% August 2024 Charity no | 1072030 ended (if any) | report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended .
Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
-
| report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, | have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
-
Independent [The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and | am qualified to
-
examiner's statement undertake the examination by being a qualified member of [insert name of applicable listed body]]. Delete [ ] if not applicable.
| have completed my examination. | confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
e the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
-
e the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or e the accounts did 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.
| 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.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Name: | Timothy Smith
Relevant professional |FCA qualification(s) or body
IER
1
Oct 2018
Address: | 100 Station Road, Alsager, Stoke-on-Trent ST7 2PF
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose.
IER
2
Oct 2018
Alsager & District |] J [2
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE
Annual Accounts for the Year 2023/2024
Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ending 31 August 2024
----- Start of picture text -----
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|2024|2023|
|Income|£|£|£|£|
|Annual|Enrolment|Fee|4,985|5,320|
|Class|Attendance|Fees|48,023|39,587|
|Gift|Aid|913|863|
|Teas|and|Coffees|426|328|
|Donations|&|Grants|Received|155|150|
|Sale|of|Equipment|39|20|
|Total|Income|Main|Activities|54,540|46,268|
|Travel|Income|13,434|17,175|
|Charity|Income|2,125|
|Total|Income|70,099|63,443|
|2024|2023|
|Expenditure|£|£|£|£|
|Room|Hire|&|Rentals|39,834|34,495|
|Less|overprovision|in|Prior Year|-|(1,594)|
|Other|Class|Costs|8,296|5,861|
|Talk|Time|Fees|&|Expenses|1,351|1,228|
|Other|Meetings|874|1,079|
|Third|Age|Trust|5,203|4,861|
|Purchase|of|Equipment|2,051|1,697|
|IT|Support|1,190|1,068|
|Donations|Made|290|372|
|Postage|462|106|
|Stationary|&|Support|Costs|649|558|
|Banking|Fees|99|91|
|Administration|-|64|
|Total|Main|Activity|Expenditure|60,299|49|887|
|Travel|Expenditure|13,169|17,030|
|Charity|Expenditure|2,125|
|Total|Expenditure|75,594|66,917|
|Surplus/(Deficits)|Main|(5,759)|(3,619)|
|Surplus|/|(Deficits)|Travel|265|145|
|Surplus|/|(Deficits)|Charity|-|-|
|Surplus|(Deficit)|for the|Year|(5,495)|(3,474)|
----- End of picture text -----
l
FinA
_Draft-2023-24 U3A Accounts
|
Alsager & District
----- Start of picture text -----
Ss
----- End of picture text -----
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE
Annual Accounts for the Year 2023/2024
----- Start of picture text -----
Balance Sheet as at 31 August 2024
15,318 2024 2023
£ £ £ £
Travel Prepayments 3,536
Debtors 1,152
Travel Bank Account &Cash in Hand 3,411 4,145
Main Bank Accounts & Cash in Hand 15,318 21,906
23,417 26,051
Less Creditors as at 31 August (1,337) (124)
Members Receipts in Advance Travel (2,162)
Group Receipts in Advance (2,319) (2,833)
(5,818) (2,957)
Total Net Assets 17,599 23,094
General Reserve
Main Activity Balance Brought Forward 19,094 22,568
Main Activity Deficit for the Year (5,759) (5,212)
Savings from Prior Year Creditor Provision 1,594
Main Activity Surplus (Deficit) for the year (5,759) (3,618)
Receipt from Travel Funds 265 145
(5,495) (3,474)
Closing Balance 13,599 19,094
Working Capital
Travel Balance Brought Forward 4,000 4,000
Travel Surplus (Deficit) for the year 265 145
Transfer to the General Reserve (265) (145)
Closing Balance 4,000 4,000
Charity Fund Balance -
Total Reserves 17,599 23,094
----- End of picture text -----
| certify that in my opinion, this account is in agreement with
the records submitted and is a true and fair statement thereof.
Independent Examiner and Hon. Auditor
Hon. Chair
----- Start of picture text -----
Trustee/Accountant
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
TSmith FCA Date
On behalf of the Trustees
05/09/2024
A Bell Date
Reginaa Fe Stwy -fa= ONEPe . a 05/09/2024
Regina P K Lo RT Simpson Date
ts Riad -
Draft 2023-24 U3A Accounts
----- End of picture text -----