Barnsley u3a 2023-24 ANNUAL REPORT
The 2023 AGM had fourteen applications, from a membership of about 1200, to create a full Committee, a situation contrary to many other u3as. However, there were several changes during the year. The Vice-Chair and the Business Secretary left due to personal reasons; the latter role was taken on by a Committee member. The Buzz Editor resigned from Committee but stayed as Buzz Editor. Following the departure of the Chair, an Acting Chair and an Acting Vice Chair were appointed. A new role of Monthly Members’ Meeting Co-ordinator was created. Members joined the committee to take on roles as Webmaster and Development Officer.
In September 2023, Bu3a returned to its ‘original’ home of Priory Campus, after a forced absence due to the pandemic.
The Committee considered succession planning, personal data protection and embedding Simple Membership as the critical communication platform and database system. When Risk Assessment and Copyright issues needed attention, Bu3a had Committee members with former relevant experiences. Activity Safety Checks (formerly Risk Assessments) and PAT testing of electrical equipment was efficiently carried out between June and November. The majority of the 34 venues used by Bu3a met Safety Check requirements by November 2023.
Copyright and its complexities caused considerable concerns. Workshops were offered to all Group Coordinators with information pertinent to the nature of their activities. A policy and an information video were produced to support current and future Coordinators and members re copyright issues.
Many new groups started in 2023-24 including: User Friendly IT Devices, Laughter Yoga, Concert Party, Beginners’ Guitars, Encaustic Art, Life Before Us, Modern Jive, and Eating Out in Penistone. A procedure for setting up New Groups was established. The Cycling Group celebrated their 10[th] Anniversary by riding from Old Moor to Sprotborough. The Motorbike Group spent 5 days in Wales, riding 150 miles each day. Walking Cricket was featured on The One Show after a visit by Angela Rippon. Bu3a members participated in the first county match between Yorkshire and Worcestershire. Walking Football members played in a 6-a-side South Yorkshire tournament.
On the musical front, the Choir had a capacity crowd for their Christmas concert in their new venue in Wombwell. The first post-pandemic Ceilidh was predictably sold out. The Old Blowers developed a programme of performances in local schools and Flutes Galore performed at external venues as well as at the regional Music Fest. The Concert Party will play for the Mayor’s “Final Countdown” event. Stringalongs also perform for external audiences.
The Travel Group delivered an extensive programme of day trips and short breaks to Great Yorkshire Show, Northumberland, Alvaston Hall, Studley Castle, Beverley and Castle Howard.
The annual Christmas meal was well attended and, as always, well complimented.
The Buzz format changed to a slimmed-down printed version, with additional material available online. Visuals and external extracts in The Buzz are tightly managed to comply with copyright rules. The Interim Buzz was renamed the ‘e-Buzz’.
Registered Charity No 1077654
Barnsley u3a 2023-24 ANNUAL REPORT
Cost of subscriptions remain unchanged for 2024-25. An annual shortfall of £6-8,000 in our Blue Box income and room hire expenditure was published. Our healthy reserves and increasing membership enable meeting this gap in the short term.
The March ‘23 Consultation survey outcomes were shared with members. The 38 respondents, from a membership of 1200, wrote a lot and most of it was fulsome praise. The ‘apparent’ apathy could be read as near total-satisfaction with what was already on offer in our 125 groups.
The Events Team ensured Bu3a are active participants in the Barnsley ageing well community by raising our profile at events including Penistone Show, Darton Community Gala, Barnsley Main Heritage Day and several Ward Alliance and Age UK localised events. New banners were created for the Penistone Drop-In and for The Old Blowers.
Bu3a once again took centre-stage in Experience Barnsley with a display of Food Memories.
The sold-out Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Summer School had 5 of the 10 tutors from Barnsley u3a, and several Bu3a attendees. Bu3a is a member of SYNET (South Yorkshire Network) working with neighbouring u3as to share good practice and consult on common issues. The Treasurer attended a regional Treasurers Workshop resulting in a networking support group. The issue of raising funds for other charities and organisations was addressed. Consultation with the Charity Commission and the Third Age Trust confirmed Bu3a’s constitution precludes Bu3a from directly fundraising.
Barnsley now has over 1340 members who receive excellent support from the Group Coordinators who put such skill and effort into their group activities. Our thanks go to each of them.
In looking forward, Barnsley u3a has a firm base and a diverse population. However, we are aware of the need to attract younger members, either newly retired, semi-retired or those with time to commit to our principles and ethos. It is an ongoing challenge as we age that we have to be open to change. Being volunteers, Bu3a’s Committee, Support teams and Coordinators are exemplary, and all credit goes to them for the hard work and time they give freely.
Registered Charity No 1077654
BARNSLEY AND DISTRICT U3A
Registered Charity Number 1077654
Accounts Year Ending 31 March 2024
|INCOME
SSSSSSCS«d;SC«CPOsr2a [202223 | |
EXPENDITURE | 2020/24 | 2022123 |
Advertising Revenue
| £303.00 | £0.00_| [AffiliationFees
|
£5,004.00__| £4,932.00|
[Blue BoxContributions
| £38,132.82|£33,091.60| [Beacon Access/Simple
|—-£1,249.92 | £1,360.16|
azzPosting Contibutions __f £18530 |Fi.o0250 |_fbuzz Posting__1_i.ou.s0} £14452
£235.43 | |BuzzPrintng
|
4,094.21 | £5,699.00|
GitAid Ss
84,349.12 | £2,083.98 | [CapitalPurchases | £299.11 |£1,614.16|
[Membership Subs (renewals) | £13,234.80|£12, 26.60
[Cho rAccompanist_
| —“£1,087.65__[£390.00_|
Miscellaneous Gains | £31.92 | £209.66 | [CommitteeExpenses | £370.99 | £33.49_|
MonthlyRaffle
|
£924.92 | £851.87 | [CoordinatorsBuffet
| £0.00 | £772.09|
INewMemberSubs
£4,335.83 | £3,009.70 | [Events
|
£0.00 | £204.41
[Ringfenced forGroups
|-£765.23| £1,857.50 | [GeneralPostage
| £9.60
|£1,199.16 |
Third Age Magazine
| £273.50 | £298.16 | |GeneralPrinting
| £540.87
| £969.88_|
JU3ADay
T2000 | £150.00 | [GeneralPurchases
| £556.47
| £816.94 |
U3ASales
|
20.00 | £10150 | LicenceFees
|
864.20 | £85.89_|
po
Miscellaneous Costs |
£138.58 | £252.19 |
Pp
New Members Link
|
£56.79 | £55.23
pO
FRingfenced forGroups |
£300.00 | £2,100.19|
po
fRoomHire
842,918.98 | £36,101.80 |
po
SpeakerFees
£290.00 | £421.00_|
pT
Stationery
8152.30
£865.21
pO
Storage Unit
81,830.40 | 22,135.98|
pT
Third Age Purchases
£280.05 [£433.31 |
po
BA DayCosts
|
£258.00 | £295.95|
SSS
eb Domain ———SS~C‘iIW —~*C AO
pO
Zoom
8218.66
£378.98 |
pO
GCOQ
|Generalincome Total —| £64,702.40|£56,368.50| [GeneralExpenseTotal
|_£61,650.07| £62,504.63 |
Re
OQ
CO
40s Night (from 2023) | £262.00_| £1,293.00| [40s Night (from2023) | £725.00 | £558.00 |
[Christmas Lunch
| £2,441.89 | £2,156.00| [ChristmasLunch_
| £2,406.10 | £2,191.58|
Ceilidh
sd 1625.50[Ceilidh
81,049.10
£0.00 |
RaceNight
|
£0000 TT fRacenight
|
865.80 | £0.00 |
Cs
OO
Socialincome Totals —|£4,329.39| £3,449.00| [SocialExpenseTotal
[|—£4,246.00| £2,749.68|
GQ
po
fessUnpresentedCheques[£0.00 [| £0.00_|
INCOME -FINALTOTAL | £69,031.79| €59,817.50| [EXPENSES-FINALTOTAL | £65,896.07 | £65,254.21|
sO
(
ICASH&RESERVES TTT
[Current AccountC/F__
| 3,952.99 | £1,817.27{[[oo
Less UnpresentedCheques | £0.00 [| £0.00 [[oo
SavingsAccounts
£18,445.06[£17,055.39[[oP
StampsValue
| £719.20 |et12036ffo
[ChoirAccount
| 2,530.38 [ £1,98690[[oT
[ChoirCashinHand
| £576.84 | #30241 |To
[Groups Cashinhand
T £1.416.74TPPT
es
GO
OsOO
ee|
|---|
In accordance with instructions we have examined the beoks and records maintained by the treasurer. The accounts give a fair and true view of the state of affairs.
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Audit report from Stephen Hyner and Hilary Newton
Changes Required
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Put the ledger number at the top of the sheet on the right hand side and enter the date of the ledger entry at the left hand side at the top.
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Where relevant, show a split of cash and cheques when recording amounts.
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Don’t process an invoice until AFTER the last date we are being charged for to ensure that all meetings are held before paying for them. Keep these invoices at the front of the expenses file so that they don’t get forgotten.
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EVERY entry in either Income or Expenses MUST have a corresponding sheet in the paper file which clearly explains what the payment is for.
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If something is found in the bank account (membership, renewals, disbursement, simple membership etc.), create a sheet for the entry to explain it.
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You can put multiple bank entries on one sheet BUT make a record of each entry that you are putting together as one listing which shows the separate dates, date this in the accounts as the date of the last entry.
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If you have a query on an invoice when it comes in, keep it at the front of the file until the query is resolved. Don’t allocate it a number until it is actually being processed. ALSO, if a corrected invoice is received, there is no need to keep the original but if you want to do this, staple them together in the file putting a note on the original explaining what was wrong with it. Allocating a number to an invoice in dispute when it is not being paid only causes extra work for you and confusion for the auditors.
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Take a screen shot of the Bank account balances towards the end of the last day in the Financial year as this will confirm the amounts in the accounts to be correct.