2024-05-30-accounts - The Ferndown & District U3A

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator. This document is also available as Markdown.

MANAGEMENT REPORT for the year ending 31 May 2024 Registered Charity Number: 1073206

LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Ferndown & District University of the 3[rd] Age (Fu3a) is a member of the Third Age Trust as an unincorporated association.

The Trustees are the members of the Committee elected annually at the AGM. The following members served during the year 2023 -2024:

Glyn Bosanko, Jo Brearley, Clare Clayton, Jane Cresswell, Vivian Dedman, Paul Ellis, Debbie Gill, Malcolm Gill, Anne Hutton, David Lamb, Angela Larcombe, Anu Patel, Thelma Poole, Chris Preece, Bob Reeve, Richard Tucker, Val Tucker, Carole Ward.

Paul Ellis joined the Committee in December 2023. David Lamb was co-opted to the committee in February 2024.

Sadly, Richard Tucker died in July 2023. Richard was a long-standing Trustee who supported the development of Fu3a.

In December 2023, Chris Preece, Clare Clayton and Bob Reeve retired from the Committee.

Clare was Accommodation Secretary for the last six years and ran a number of groups as well as organising Charity Sponsored Walks to support our “Charities of the Year”. Bob served as Vice Chair for six years followed by six years as Chairman, leading fu3a to the successful organisation it is today. Both will be missed.

Honorary President : Gerry Lewis
Independent Examiner : Ian Burr, 84 Twyford House, Fairways, Ferndown BH22 8BB.
• Banking: Lloyds Bank (Ferndown Branch), Victoria Road, Ferndown.
Insurance Provider : AVIVA Insurance Limited brokered through Gallagher Insurance

GOVERNANCE

The full Committee met on six occasions. Sub-groups continued to meet as required, benefitting from the interest and specialist expertise of individual members: each group is chaired by either the Chairman or one of the Vice-Chairmen, subsequently reporting recommendations to the full Committee.

Policy Review

We continue to review our governance, especially our policies. All policies can be accessed through the website. To support transparency, we signposted some policies more clearly.

Risk Assessments
We reviewed all our Risk Assessments Policies and uploaded to the website.
Health & Safety

There were no serious incidents to report .

Page 1 of 4

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS & MANAGEMENT

A Statement of Accounts for the year 1[st] June 2023 – 31[st] May 2024 is attached. These have been audited by our Independent Examiner. Fu3a continues to use the Third Age Trust ‘Beacon’ finance system to monitor our monthly cash-flow against budget. Our Finance & Membership sub-group monitors our policy and practices on financial control and investment. None of the trustees received remuneration or benefits other than for expenses incurred.

During 2023 – 24 accommodation costs continued to rise and we incurred some mid-year increases in rentals due to the high cost of utilities.

During the year, we replaced two items of equipment. An upgraded projector and a microphone were purchased. Both these items support our Friday Talks.

ACCOMMODATION

With the growing popularity and success of our u3a comes the need to find additional venues. Many of the venues which we use are extremely well used by other members of the community and get booked up very quickly.

We are currently using fifteen different venues, have fourteen groups meeting in members’ homes and two being delivered via Zoom.

We are constantly looking for alternative venues in and around the Ferndown area and this year it has proved to be quite a challenge. We have started to utilise local Care Homes who have been very welcoming and accommodating.

We continued to use the Barrington Theatre for ‘First Fridays’ and major events such as the Open Day and a few groups are also now using the side rooms.

MEMBERSHIP

Our membership has continued to grow and as a result we ended the year with 579 members. As part of our drive to connect to new members, we introduced “New Member Coffee Afternoons”. These afternoons enabled new members to meet the Committee and ask any questions they might have, in an informal setting. These meetings have been well received.

COMMUNICATION

Communication with members is important to us. Communication with members is normally done via email (only 9 members do not have email access). In January 2024 we circulated a questionnaire to members. Responses were positive and supportive and gave food for thought on moving forward.

We continue to develop our website and now have a Facebook presence.

Page 2 of 4

OUR PROGRAMME

Over the last year the Committee has endeavoured to offer a varied programme of lifelong learning and support the u3a values of Learn, Laugh and Live. During 2023 – 24 we were able to offer eighty groups supported by sixty-two group leaders. All members were able to select up to eight activities. In addition, all members were able to participate in the monthly “First Friday” talks as well as a range of “Travellers Tales,” talks given by members.

Once again this year we produced our brochure in hard-copy format and electronically on the website.

GROUP LEADERS

Our Group Leaders remain Fu3a’s greatest resource. They are the life blood of Fu3a. Each leader gives freely of their time and works hard to ensure members have a wide range of experiences. In support of new Group Leaders, we have developed a guidebook for group leadership and introduced a “New to Group Leadership” meeting.

EVENTS

Social Events continue to be popular and are attended well. Once again we hosted a wide variety of events e.g. a Barn Dance, Quiz Night, Musical Showcase, Variety Show, Storyteller and Wine Tasting evening. Additionally, we were treated to a lovely Christmas meal in the beautiful setting of the Remedy Oak Golf Club.

VISITS

On occasions, our Visits Programme has been oversubscribed, highlighting the popularity of visits. This year we enjoyed trips to a concert at the Royal Albert Hall, Mottisfont, Stockbridge and Tuckton, as well as a wonderful few days in Verona and Venice.

Thanks must go to all those involved in organising both Visits and Events.

CHARITY OF THE YEAR

We have continued to support a charity selected by our members. In 2023 the charity was “SERV Wessex– The Blood Runners.” Through a sponsored walk, craft fair and other smaller activities members contributed to the wonderful total of £4,400.

WELFARE OF MEMBERS

We introduced a committee role of “Community Liaison” to keep in touch with the welfare of our members.

Page 3 of 4

VOLUNTEERS

A significant number of members undertake a wide range of tasks to ensure that Fu3a continues to be a lively and successful organisation. These include those who support Friday Coffee Mornings, support group leaders and help stacking chairs. Thank you to everyone who does their bit. We are extremely grateful to everyone involved.

Anne Hutton, Chairman

On behalf of the Trustees

Page 4 of 4

|~~U3[e| Fu3aFerndown~~|~~U3[e| Fu3aFerndown~~|~~U3[e| Fu3aFerndown~~|~~U3[e| Fu3aFerndown~~| |---|---|---|---| |Ferndown & District u3a End Of Year Statement of Accounts 1/6/2023-31/5/2024
~~U3[e| Fu3aFerndown~~|||| |Current Account|||| |Income & Expenditure:|||| ||Income||Expenditure| |ADMINISTRATION:|||| |Third Age Trust: Annual MembershipSubscription|||£ 2,316.00| |Central,Equipment,Meetings|||£ 2,729.40| |SundryItems|||£ 1,284.98| |MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS|£ 33,911.00||| |HMRC GIFT AID|||| |GROUP FUNDS|£ 1,307.92||£ 1,053.88| |GROUPS - ACCOMMODATION|||£ 25,760.11| |FIRST FRIDAYS|||£2,008.06| |EVENTS|£7,636.06||£ 6,172.02| |VISITS|£ 30,613.33||£ 30,304.35| |Sub-totals|£73,468.31||£71,628.80| ||||| |Current Account Operating Surplus|£ 1,839.51||| |BALANCE OF TRANSFERS TO/FROM RESERVE ACCOUNT|||£ 5,000.00| |Current Account Deficit|||£ 3,160.49| ||||| |Reserve Account - Income & Outgoings |Income||Outgoings| |TRANSFERS FROM CURRENT ACCOUNT|£ 25,000.00||| |INTEREST|£ 1,754.59||| |TRANSFERS TO CURRENT ACCOUNT|||£ 20,000.00| |Sub-totals|£ 26,754.59||£ 20,000.00| |Reserve Account Surplus|£ 6,754.59||| ||||| |Total Surplus/Deficit for theyear:|||| |Current Account - Deficit||£ 3,160.49|| |Reserve Account - Surplus||£6,754.59|| |Combined - Surplus||£3,594.10|| ||||| |Balance Sheet at 31st May 2024|||| ||||| |CURRENT BANK ACCOUNT||£5,191.88|| |COIF CHARITIES DEPOSIT FUND||£29,147.45|| |Total||£34,339.33|| ||||| |ACCUMULATED FUND AT 31st MAY 2023|||| |Current A/c £8352.37 + Reserve A/c £22392.86||£30,745.23|| |PLUS SURPLUS FOR THE YEAR||£3,594.10|| |Total||£34,339.33||

08/10/2024

==> picture [522 x 234] intentionally omitted <==

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 the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

==> picture [523 x 381] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
i 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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent | have completed my examination. | confirm that no material matters have
examiner's statement come to my attention (ctherthanthatdisciesedbelow ) in connection with
the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material
respect:
e accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of
the Act or
e the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
| 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 a
proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Please delete the word in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed: i wi Date: | Sef VZL |
Name: | Any DAV: Dy BIKE |
Relevant . eT
professional |
qualification(s) or body tos, Zed Lociersof ; |
(if any): | |
Address:| 84 TQy4Roey Hovis FeRwauc |
Rie
ee
----- End of picture text -----

IER

October 2018

SectionB

Disclosure oo —

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

==> picture [529 x 591] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
Give here brief details of | |
any items that the | |
examiner wishes to | |
disclose. | |
|
||
|
| [|]
|
\
|
| |
|
| [|]
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| [|]
|
|
| | |
|
|
| |
a a |
----- End of picture text -----

IER

October 2018