2024-03-31-accounts

EMS VALLEY UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE

Registered Charity 1117497

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT and FINANCIALS for 2023/2024

1. This report relates to the period: 25.05.23 to 23.05.24

2. Our Monthly meetings with a speaker, refreshments followed by a short presentation, (usually by one of the current u3a groups) continue to be held at The Emsworth Baptist Church on the 4th Thursday of the Month at 2pm.

3. Membership numbers this year are 510 at the end of March, that is 10 down from last year, mainly due to members leaving the area. Our Welcome coffee mornings for new members continue to be a success.

4. There are currently 52 groups, which is 3 down from last year. The new groups this year were Creative Art, CAMEO 1, 2 and 3, (Come And Meet Each Other.) All CAMEO groups later closed this year after serving their purpose, but can be resurrected should any feel they would like to lead or join a CAMEO group. Pubs and Churches also closed however all the information is available should anyone wish to re -start this group. Plenty of support is also available for anyone wishing to start a new interest group, just contact our Group Co-ordinator.

5. Our Newsletter is digitally published and emailed on a monthly basis keeping members informed, entertained and up-to-date, it is also available on our website. Subject matter is always welcomed and anyone wishing to submit a paragraph or two should contact our Newsletter Editor.

6. Our website: emsvalleyu3a.org continues to be updated with contact details, current information, group details and our calendar of events. Feel free to submit any suggestions for the website or our u3a via the on-line suggestion box.

7. Our communication tool is Beacon, and our Administrator offers training to any who require it.

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1. The Charity correspondent is: Dbee Robinson, 16 Chartwell Drive, Havant, Hants, PO9 2QB

2. With the advice and guidance of the Third Age Trust, the committee would like our members to view and approve an updated Ems Valley u3a Constitution. This Constitution is the preferred Model Constitution the Third Age Trust offer all the u3as. We have included our current and proposed new Constitution for you to view and compare should you wish to. (Current Constitution: Adopted originally on 16th March 2006 with minor amendments accepted in May and October 2018.)

WHY CHANGE?

The Constitution is a legal document held by the Government as well as the Third Age Trust. It is a set of principles and rules by which our u3a is organised and managed. Our current Constitution is out of date and required a full review as it was no longer relevant to our u3a. The Third Age Trust offer a model Constitution which has been legally written and ready for use. The latest version includes updated guidance related to casual vacancies, proxy voting, electronic voting and holding Trustee meetings online. It also gives us all better guidance on Trustee roles and the management of our u3a as well as clarification on many items including Membership and Finances to name just two. We do hope you support your Committee in this matter.

1. The objectives, as per our new Constitution, of Ems Valley u3a are:

‘The charity’s object (‘the object’) is the advancement of education, and in particular the education of older people and those retired from full time work, by all means including associated activities conducive to learning and personal development in Emsworth and the surrounding area’

1. On the advice of the Third Age Trust, all Committee Members and Co-opted Members become Trustees of Ems Valley u3a. Ems Valley u3a elect Committee members at the Annual General Meeting and these people are required to become Trustees of Ems Valley u3a so, essentially, the members elect the Trustees.

2. The following individuals were appointed as Trustees of Ems Valley u3a at the AGM on the specified date: 25th May 2023 and held their positions at the time of the signing of this report.

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• Trustee Officers as follows:

   - Tim Mathews (Chairman & Webmaster)
  
   - Rod Lipscombe (Vice Chairman & Speaker secretary)
  
   - Dbee Robinson (Business Secretary)
  
   - Hilary Street (Treasurer)
  

• Trustees as Follows:

   - Sue Kent (Membership)
  
   - Ann Sims (Groups)
  
   - Karen Rodger (Beacon Administrator)
  
   - Liz Rosoman (Minutes Secretary)
  
   - Margaret Melhuish
  

• Co-opted members as follows:

  • None

  • Note - Jane Yoward became a Co-Opted member after the 2023 AGM for the duration of 2023/2024 but has since resigned her position on the committee.

• No other person other than those named above has been a Trustee during the period: Date from 25.05.23 to 23.05.24

• The Trustees consider that the Ems Valley u3a continues to carry out, to the best of its ability, the requirements laid out in the original Constitution mentioned above.

Signed for and on behalf of the Trustees for the time being of Ems Valley u3a.

Tim Mathews

• …………………………………………… Date: May 1st 2024 Chairman, Ems Valley u3a

Dbee Robinson

• …………………………………………… Date: May 1st 2024 Business Secretary, Ems Valley u3a

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Financial accounts examined and ready for Charity Commission

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Ems Valle u3a - Financial Balance Sheet Peity ush 19. 7.619 3210 3L149 -9.170 .L792 A04 8338 rpktsl dekit l.) -1491 5241 6￿47 4917 /defic l.) LW 6557 Ekn, VAUC J4L PwJe1c11 Page5of5