Annual Report Pershore & District u3a 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023
The 2022-23 financial year has been another successful one for Pershore & District u3a with membership rising, the number of Interest Groups increasing and finances in good shape.
At the beginning of the year, the number of Interest Groups stood at around 80. One of our main goals, and an important priority for a u3a with a growing membership, has been to increase this number. A membership survey in 2022 showed strong enthusiasm for several new groups, which became the focus of our planning. I am delighted that we have made solid progress with the most popular suggestions from the survey, with new Art Appreciation, Theatre Trips and Tai Chi groups opening, and planning for coach trips next year well underway. I am most appreciative of those members who have come forward to start these and several other new groups, covering activities as varied as reading, walking, driving, exercise and sewing. Due to those efforts, we now have over 90 Interest Groups, with more in the planning stages. All of this has meant a busy year for our Groups Coordinator, John Wright, who has done a fantastic job over the last year, supporting Group Leaders and encouraging new groups to get off the ground.
Interest Groups remain the central core of our u3a, offering an amazing range of activities. Huge thanks go to our wonderful Group Leaders, passionate people who selflessly give their time to organise their groups and activities for the benefit of other members. I was very pleased to put on a well-deserved Group Leaders’ “Thank You” lunch for them in June, when around 50 Group Leaders came together to enjoy lunch and spend some time socialising. It was a welcome chance to say a very grateful “Thank You” to all our Group Leaders and volunteers.
Another focus area this year was to ensure that new members feel welcomed and well integrated. My thanks go to Ingrid Fox for running a series of New Members’ meetings throughout the year and for recruiting an enthusiastic team to resume the “Buddies” system for Monthly Meetings. Our friendly team of Buddies do a great job of making new members and those on their own feel at ease.
We introduced some new events to the u3a calendar this year. Our CAMEO (Come And Meet Each Other) meetings provide opportunities for new members to chat with Committee members and find out about the u3a, and for established members to meet in a social environment. Meetings have proved fruitful for swopping experiences and ideas, and gathering suggestions for new Interest Groups.
An enjoyable addition to the calendar has been the u3a Quiz, organised by Quiz Master Ian Smith. The events are always lively, with much debate over points issued and fierce rivalry between teams. Thank you to Ian for the fiendish questions, and for keeping us in order!
We have had some exceptional speakers at our Monthly Meetings this year, thanks to the sterling efforts of our Speaker Coordinator, Sally Whyte, who has delivered a varied, stimulating and entertaining programme of talks. In October 2022, attendance numbers were already beginning to climb and have now returned to and even surpassed pre-pandemic totals. Mindful that there are those who find it difficult to travel to attend meetings in person, we continue to offer members the choice of joining Monthly Meeting via Zoom whenever possible, or instead we record meetings and make the recording available online. We feel this is an important provision that helps members remain connected with our u3a and are grateful to Peter Burnham for his technical proficiency in running our online Zoom sessions. Monthly Meetings are open to the public and advertised locally, with visitors regularly
attending. This has proved to be an effective way of raising the profile of the u3a locally and even recruiting new members.
The AGM is an important event each year and has to be run in a manner that complies with our constitution and with the requirements of the Charity Commission. Jill Wilson, our Business Secretary, not only ensures that our AGM activities are fully compliant, but also that all our Committee documentation is in good order. Thanks go to Jill for her tireless efforts, competence and the attention to detail needed for this vital task.
After last year’s AGM, Rosie Chandler took over as editor of our monthly newsletter - quite a challenge as she had no previous knowledge or editing experience. In true u3a style, Rosie set her mind to learning how to use the software and developing new skills, doing a tremendous job of producing our newsletters over the year. The newsletter remains an important form of communication for us and it has been especially interesting to see the lovely photos and read news of our Interest Groups’ many and varied activities.
We started the financial year with 697 members and ended it with 763, achieving another year of growth. It is quite remarkable that we have gained such high membership numbers in a town and area the size of Pershore. Our Open Day at St Andrews in March was very successful, thanks to Ingrid’s brilliant organization and the efforts of everyone who contributed. In September, we once again supported the national “u3a Day” campaign with a stand in Chapman court and an exhibition in the Town Hall. Our thanks to Mary Greer for her efficiency in setting up new memberships and organizing and managing our membership subscriptions over the last twelve months.
We are in a good financial position and have continued to support Interest Groups, both with equipment and with contributions to cover initial room rental to help new and restarting groups get established. Continuing in the role of Treasurer, Ian Smith has provided the Committee with clear reports and forecasts on which to base our financial decisions, ensuring that we are in good shape for the future. Please read the Annual Accounts, which form part of the Annual General Meeting paperwork, where Ian provides an explanation of the reasons behind the headline numbers and in particular, the year-on-year differences.
The success of this financial year is due to each and every member that stepped forward to contribute in whatever way, large or small. It is volunteers that make the u3a such a wonderful organization, so if you have given your time and energy this year, then everyone in our u3a owes you a debt of gratitude.
Jackie Jolley, Chair, December 2023
The team behind the every-day workings of our u3a deserves a special mention. My fellow Committee members, who are also our Trustees, work quietly behind the scenes to make sure all the administrative functions needed to run a charity are carried out efficiently and effectively. They are a dedicated and conscientious team and I am grateful for their commitment and support. “Thank You” to all of you.
Sally Whyte – Vice Chair and Speaker Coordinator Ian Smith – Treasurer Mary Greer - Membership Secretary Jill Wilson – Business Secretary John Wright – Groups’ Coordinator Ingrid Fox – New Members’ Facilitator Peter Burnham – Beacon Administrator and Zoom Technical Support Rosie Chandler – Newsletter Editor
P•rshore & Di51rlEt u3a. Financilll StAbkmAnts R891816rsé Ch8nÈyNo t093328 Year end4d: 30 Septomhr 2023 arn. lauÉh. Ywto 3t)AW2022 Ineh• nd ExwndltUr• Giou - u33 man4ged Grouw . sdf M¥naged 5.105.08 11,391.89 74nA 9.458.77 2,377.93 89.DO 8447 2,506.50 1Q,258.48 Membetsh HPARC Funtho Bank Interest 7,797. 4.31 Tolal Income 28.591.22 20.633.89 Group5. . u3& rnaged Grou . BeMan8ged Group Conttibuts)ns New Mambats Meeting5 stetionery NaDond 3,780.29 11,478.77 171.41 1.y 117.09 5.348.¥ 194.3a 255.11 2.059.12 9,830.53 8743 79.50 100.30 4,366.W) 219T2 331.20 Printing MM- Room Hire MM- $aker6 MM. Zoom hlonthly Mtlnyi 655.60 844.70 181.08 987 80 789.20 268.68 1.661.38 268.QO 125.19 120.23 705.75 50.00 330.00 2808 1045.48 106.40 143.C Room HKe Bank Char065 MClneOU FuncbDn5 216t Cdebratson TThIng EquikYn8nt 522.87 455.10 T¢)l•l Exwditur• 24,843.94 21,nl.47 N•t1n¢omrfexp•ndlr0j 3,747.28 I.58} NetGroup Incom(ExpendIuf&l 1.231.91 273.33 Not Retsln•J InComExpendkn> 2.515 37 1889 911 Babncesheet Cash st88nk9nd h8nd SJring5 Curlem Cath held by Grov PÉtyCBBh 9,28134 518.14 1,668.83 577.59 6,088 87 76.46 1,753.71 315.18 12.045 fi.224 22 Rbtèin8¢1Funds 8roust Forward Not lntr)m4(E¥pon(lrfr1 8,155.13 2 515.37 7,025.04 869.91 8.870.50 6,155.13 87.40 23.00 n)rfjmup$ 8roughtforw&rd Net in year movernent 2.056.09 1.231 91 1,782.76 273 33 3,288.IXI 2,056.09 12,045. 8,234.22 SwJned.' joJ(A, Chwi 10th March 2024 lan Smrth. 10m Maich 2024 rer P8r8tiore& Du8thc u38
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