## **Bramhall u3a ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING**
**Thursday, 16th March 2023 at 2.00pm**
## **at Bramhall URC, Robins Lane, Bramhall**
Dear Member,
Please find attached the documents for the AGM.
## **AGENDA**
1. Welcome
2. Apologies for absence
3. Minutes of the 2022 AGM
4. Chairman’s Report
5. Treasurer’s Report
6. Groups Report
7. Election of Officers
8. Any Other Business
Yours sincerely,
## **Alaister Macrae**
Chairman
February 2023
## **BRAMHALL u3a COMMITTEE MEETING ABBREVIATED MINUTES**
## **Held via Zoom on Thursday, 17[th] March 2022 and showing 2021 AGM results**
**Present:** Alaister Macrae (Chair), Bob Dumbarton, Alistair Gardner, Chris Hollingsworth, Mike Hollingsworth, Dudley Newell, Meg Rowell, Chris Stubbs, Helen Webster, Peter Webster, Kay Witham and Vera Moore.
## **1. Apologies for absence**
None
## **2. Minutes of last AGM and matters arising**
The minutes were approved and there were no matters arising.
## **3. AGM 2022**
Bramhall u3a requires a quorum of 80 to keep the AGM legal, and we had 134 responses. In response to the individual voting questions, the returns were reviewed and the results listed below.
Total postal votes received = 4 Total electronic votes received = 130
Acceptance of the Minutes of 2021 AGM as a true record
YES = 126, NO = 0, ABSTAIN = 8 Approval of the Chairman's Report? YES = 130, NO = 0, ABSTAIN = 4 Approval of the Treasurer's Report? YES = 130, NO = 0, ABSTAIN = 4
|Approval of re-election/election of the following members|Approval of re-election/election of the following members|to serve|on the|
|---|---|---|---|
|Committee?|YES|NO|ABSTAIN|
|Alaister Macrae|132|0|0|
|Peter Webster|132|0|2|
|Alistair Gardner|133|0|0|
|Meg Rowell|133|0|0|
|Kay Witham|132|0|2|
|Chris Stubbs|133|0|1|
|Bob Dumbarton|132|0|2|
|Helen Webster|132|0|2|
|Dudley Newell|132|0|2|
|Frances Bell|132|0|2|
|Mike Hollingsworth|132|0|2|
|Jill Rickman|132|0|2|
|Vera Moore|132|0|2|
|---|---|---|---|
|Graham Porter|131|0|3|
All Motions carried.
## **The 2022 Committee will be:**
|Alaister Macrae|
Chairman|
|---|---|
|Peter Webster|
Vice-Chairman and Newsletter|
|Meg Rowell|Business/Meetings Secretary and Archivist|
|Alistair Gardner|Treasurer|
|Kay Witham|Membership Secretary|
|Helen Webster|Speaker Secretary|
|Bob Dumbarton|
Events and Newsletter|
|Dudley Newell|Outings|
|Chris Stubbs|Groups Co-ordinator|
|Mike Hollingsworth|Holidays|
|Frances Bell|Theatre|
|Vera Moore|Dining Group|
|Jill Rickman|Admin Assistant|
|(vacant)|External Relations|
With no other business, the Chairman formally closed the meeting at 2.20pm.
## **BRAMHALL u3a**
## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT**
## **CHAIRMAN’S REPORT For Year ending March 2023)**
Papers for the AGM have been circulated to all members by email and by post. Members will be able to vote on line or at the AGM meeting on the 16[th] of March 2023.
This last year has seen our membership numbers come back to pre-Covid level and we have quite a number of new members. In December, we launched our revised new website very successfully thanks to a great deal of time and effort put in by Barrie Roberts. All in all, we have had a successful year.
Since we started in 2010, Bramhall u3a has acquired well over 1600 members. Although there are annual fluctuations, we average more than 750 paid-up members per year. A very satisfying figure.
Our groups have again gone from strength to strength and some existing groups having to expand, so that in some cases there may be up to three sub-groups covering the same subject. Only a very few have closed. There are 48 individual groups available to our members.
We continue to enjoy the facilities of the United Reformed Church at Robins Lane. Our members deserve the best that we can provide for them. The numbers attending our monthly meetings have risen steadily throughout the year.
Bramhall u3a’s strength, of course, comes from its members and the proactive and dedicated team of volunteers who form the Committee. It would not be the organisation that it is today without any of these individuals. All are worthy of mention and thanks for their unfailing application to the tasks that they have all voluntarily taken on. No one is paid.
The Committee work together to keep your u3a enjoyable and interesting. They meet once per month and have wide-ranging discussions. We currently have some vacancies but all members, even new ones can be involved, so do please volunteer to join in.
As Chairman, I have found it an interesting, if sometimes challenging role. Our Vice-Chairman, Peter Webster and I have been ably supported by the rest of our committee. I am most appreciative of the hard work done by them. Special mention should be made of several of the committee who go beyond what might be expected of them. Peter Webster organises our monthly newsletter. Alistair Gardner, our Treasurer, continues after many years in the role, to provide the kind of essential advice and support for
financial and other matters that is needed in such a large, active, organisation. Our secretary, Meg Rowell has a wealth of background knowledge of all things, at district and national level, and really did keep us up to date with all points of order, vital to the smooth and legal running of our u3a. She also acts as our committee minutes secretary. Kay Witham maintains all things to do with your membership. She has looked after membership for many years and continues to ensure that all things in that department run as smoothly as possible. Chris Stubbs, as Groups Organiser, ably supports 50 plus individual Co-ordinators, their groups, and all the issues associated with them. No mean task. Helen Webster, as Speaker Secretary, finds us excellent speakers to educate and entertain at our monthly meetings. Bob Dumbarton tirelessly organised and oversaw the running of our social events and provided excellent support in the publication of the monthly newsletter. Dudley Newell, who took over Outings, ran some very successful educational trips and weekend visits. Michael Hollingsworth, aided and abetted by his wife Christine, managed the annual and very popular Bramhall u3a holidays. Frances Bell, aided by Kay Witham, has equally successfully made the theatre group become even more popular. Jill Rickman, as our Almoner, keeps in touch with those members who are poorly or have lost a close relative. Vera Moore, who also runs the dining group, adds general input.
I must also thank the team who work away in the background and are never seen, the Website Team, Barrie Roberts and Brian Preece. They keep our website the best u3a one around and organise all the Web and email connections associated with Bramhall u3a.
I also want to thank that other huge team of volunteers, the Group Coordinators, for taking the time and effort to arrange and make the groups educational, informative and fun. Finally, thank you to our Catering Team who provide refreshments at our monthly meetings.
Members voluntarily continue to support our nominated charities most generously. The Wellspring in Stockport and St. Ann’s Hospice both benefit. The Wellspring is also supported by members with donations of practical things such as non-perishable food items, clothing and toiletries.
Lastly, I and the committee would like to say a big thank you, to you, the members. It’s the reason we are all involved in this great organisation. Long may it continue.
## **Alaister Macrae Bramhall u3a Chairman 2022 – 2023**
## **Treasurer’s Report**
The financial implications of our thirteenth year have been more manageable, despite the continuing challenges and uncertainties during the year. A copy of the financial accounts for the period to 31st December 2022 is attached.
Income for the year totalled £29,920 (2021: £19,767), from which we incurred a loss of £2,280 (2021: Loss £185). The only Restricted Reserves, which total £140, are funds held on behalf of the North East Cheshire Network Group of u3as.
Whilst there was an overall loss for the year, this included the purchase of a new Laptop and Projector, replacing our original equipment purchased over 12 years ago, together with the cost of establishing a more up-todate ‘fit for purpose’ Website.
Other points worth noting include:
1. As a registered Charity, we continue to reclaim Gift Aid under the Gift Aid Scheme. In 2022 we generated £630 (2021; £655).
2. Group Income is shown separately to Group Expenditure. While most Groups are self-funding, some Groups have been slower in returning to pre-Covid numbers, resulting in them running initially at a small loss.
3. Once again, we have had a steady flow of interest from new members which has seen our numbers returning towards the 800 mark. Most newcomers enquire about membership using our website or are recommended by friends or family.
4. Donations to Charities: As a charity, we are not permitted to give to other charities. However, we have two chosen charities to which our members contribute, namely St Ann’s Hospice and The Wellspring. These monies do not pass through our u3a’s accounts but are passed direct to the charities by the members. However, for the record, in 2022, our members donated £853 to The Wellspring and £754 to St Ann’s Hospice.
- In particular, I would highlight that since 2019, the Knitting Group has donated a total of £1,232 to St Ann’s and £515 to the Poppy Appeal.
5. The ethos of the u3a is ‘ **Education of the Members by the Members** ’. Members really benefit from what they put into their membership rather than what they take from it. On that point, I would wish to thank those Group Coordinators that are required to provide financial statements for their Groups for their cooperation in keeping an accurate account of their Group’s income and expenditure. They make my life as Treasurer so much easier.
Finally, in terms of our Constitution and our statutory requirements as a Registered Charity, with our income rising over a £25,000 threshold, it has been necessary to have our accounts ‘Independently Examined’ by Robert Hayden & Co, Chartered Accountants, Davenport.
**Alistair W Gardner Treasurer**
## _**Bramhall u3a**_
## **Statement of Accounts**
**for the year ended 31 December 2022**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT**
## **To the trustees of Bramhall u3a**
## **Charity number: 1138641**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Bramhall u3a consisting of a receipts and payments account for the year ended 31 December 2022 and a statement of assets and liabilities at 31 December 2022.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of Bramhall u3a you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of Bramhall u3a’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of Bramhall u3a as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records
I 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.
AMANDA DUFFY FCA Robert Hayden & Co Chartered Accountants 195 Bramhall Lane Stockport SK2 6JA
Date: March 2023
## **BRAMHALL U3A**
||**BRAMHALL U3A**|**BRAMHALL U3A**||
|---|---|---|---|
||**RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS STATEMENT FOR THE**
**YEAR TO**||**31 December 2022**|
||**RECEIPTS**||**31/12/22**
**31/12/21**|
|||||
||Membership Fees||7,451
7,515|
||Monthly Receipts||644
0|
||Group Income||7,721
7,053|
||Outings/Theatres (Income)||13,095
4,305|
||Gift Aid||630
655|
||Third Age Matters (TAM)||164
223|
||Newsletter||168
0|
||Misc Income||0
3|
||Interest||47
12|
||**Total Income**||**29,920**
19,767|
|||||
|||||
||**PAYMENTS**|||
||Rent|1,763|384|
||Capitation Fees|2,656|2,083|
||Print/Post & Stationery|1,358|3,815|
||Speakers|638|265|
||Refreshments|57|25|
||Storage|1,034|917|
||Website & Licences|858|188|
||Equipment|3,047|0|
||Group Expenses|8,179|7,212|
||Outings & Theatres Expenses|12,345|4,707|
||Sundry Expenses|265|356|
||**Total Expenses**||**32,199**
19,952|
|||||
||**NET SURPLUS**||**(2,280)**
(185)|
## **BRAMHALL U3A**
||**BRAMHALL U3A**||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**STATEMENT OF ASSETS & LIABILITIES**
**AS AT**|**31 December 2022**|||
||||**31/12/22**|**31/12/21**|
||**ASSETS**||||
||Bank|18,084||21,134|
||Bank-Outings/Theatres|1,398||648|
||Petty Cash|232||326|
||Petty Cash Group|530||497|
|||0|||
|||**20,244**||22,605|
||**CURRENT LIABILITIES**||||
|||0||0|
|||**0**|**20,244**|0|
||||**20,244**|22,605|
||**GENERAL RESERVES**||||
||General Reserves||22,383|22,651|
||NECN Funds||140|140|
||Additional Funds||0|0|
||||22,523|22,790|
||Add
Surplus/(Defcit)||(2,280)|(185)|
||||**20,244**|22,605|
## **Groups Report**
Following Covid the year 2022 found all our groups meeting face to face with the exception of Line Dancing and Scottish Dancing, which decided to close permanently in Nov 2021 due to members' worry about the close contact in the aftermath of the pandemic.
I set up two new groups:-
Beginners Bridge. This began as a teaching group but after several meetings has developed into supervised play for beginners.
Gardening Group 2. This followed the success of the first group which had a waiting list. Carol Wilson, coordinator of the first gardening group, has helped with ideas and is planning some collaborative sessions with the second group.
Unfortunately, we had several groups close throughout the year; Adventure, Embroidery, Singing for Fun and Photography. In addition to this we ended the year with Holidays and Outings having to be suspended. In all cases this is because no members could be found, who were willing to take on the responsibility of running a group.
Our largest group continues to be Science with 150 members, followed by Art Appreciation with 74. Pickleball comes in third with 45, a rise from 16 when the group first set up and in most weeks they play every day.
The Card Making and Knitting group continued to sell their handiwork and donated their profits to our two charities. (see Treasurer’s Report Note 4)
We ran one Personal Image Course at the beginning of the year and intended to run another in April. This didn't happen due to low numbers making it unviable.
We also tried once again to set up Tennis coaching and play, which was offered at a very low cost. Despite only 4-6 members being needed for this to go ahead, it failed to do so through lack of interest.
We ended the year with 48 groups listed of which Creative Writing and Video and Film Making are 'open'.
## **Chris Stubbs Groups Organiser**
## **BRAMHALL u3a AGM 16th MARCH 2023**
The Committee currently comprises the following members:
**Alaister Macrae Chairman Peter Webster Vice-Chairman and Newsletter (vacant) Business Secretary Alistair Gardner Treasurer Meg Rowell Meetings Secretary Kay Witham Membership Secretary Helen Webster Speaker Secretary Bob Dumbarton Newsletter (vacant) Outings Chris Stubbs Groups Organiser (vacant) Holidays Frances Bell Theatre Vera Moore Dining Group Jill Rickman Almoner Graham Porter Accommodation Officer (Vacant) External Relations**
In terms of our Constitution, none of our current Committee Members are due for re-election at this time with the exception of Alaister Macrae, our Chairman.
However, as a result of the resignations of Mike Hollingsworth, Dudley Newell and Meg Rowell (Business Secretary role), there are vacancies and we have received nominations, with the appropriate support, for the following to be elected members of the Committee.
Barrie Roberts (Website Manager) Frank Tucker (Outings) Clare Forrest (External Relations)
Please submit any nominations to the Chairman.
Email: alaistermacrae17@gmail.com
Post: 20, Southpool Close, Bramhall, Stockport, SK7 3PU
CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES
Bramhall U3A
Receipts and payments acc
For the period
from
0110112022
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted
funds
lo the nearest
Restricted
funds
EndowTnent
funds
to the neaiesl £
lo the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Membership Fees
Monthly Receipts
Group Income
OUthngsheatreS Ilncomel
Gift
Misc Income
Inleresl
7,451
7,721
13,095
630
332
47
Sub total (Gross income for
AR)
29.920
A2 Asset and investment
sales. (see table
Sub total
Toral receipts
29,920
A3 Payments
Rent
Capitation Fees
PrinVPost & Stabonery
Speakefs
Refteshments
storage
VleL¥site & Licences
Professional Fees
Equipment
Group Expenses
Outs"ngs & Theatres Expenses
1.763
2,656
1.358
638
57
1.034
858
3.047
8261
12.345
Sundry Expenses
265
Sub rozal
32281
A4 Asset and investment
urchases. {see table)
Sub rozal
Totalpayments
32,281
Net of receipzs/(payments)
A5 Transf•rs between funds
A6 Cash funds last yoar Qnd
Cash funds this year end
2.361
22,465
20,104
140
140
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end o
Unrestricted
funds
to nearesi £
Categories
Details
B1 Cash funds
Bank Accounts
19,342
Petty Cash
762
Total cash funds
20.104
(agree babnces wth recepts aTrd payrTEntS
accountlsl)
Unrestricted
funds
to nearest £
Details
B2 Other monetary assets
Fund to which
assel l)elongs
Detalls
B3 Investment assets
Fund to which
assel bthnos
Details
B4 Assets retained for the
charity's own use
to which
a"lIty relates
Details
B5 Llabilities
Signed by one OT two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
Signature
Print
ifan
ounts
CC16a
3111212022
Total funds
Last yeai
to Ihe nearest £
to the nearesl £
7,451
7.515
7,721
13,095
630
332
47
7.053
4.305
655
226
12
29.920
19.767
29.920
19,767
1,763
2,656
1,358
638
57
1.034
858
2.083
3.815
265
25
917
188
3.047
8.261
12,345
7212
707
265
356
32.281
19.952
32.281
19,952
2.361
185
22,605
20.244
22,790
22.605
the period
Restricted
funds
lo nearest£
Endov•Thent
funds
to nearesi £
140
140
Restricted
funds
lo nearest £
Endowment
funds
to nearesl £
Cosl {oplional>
Currenl value
(optN)nal)
Cost {optionall
Currenl value
(cwtKrf)al)
Arnounl due
loptN)nal)
When due
{opts)nal)
lame
Date of
roval
## INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT
## To the trustees of Bramhall U3A
## Charity number: 1138641
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Bramhall U3A consisting of a receipts and payments account for the year ended 31 December 2022 and a statement of assets and liabilities at 31 December 2022.
## Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of Bramhall U3A you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of Bramhall U3A’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of Bramhall U3A as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records
I 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.
AMANDA DUFFY FCA Robert Hayden & Co Chartered Accountants 195 Bramhall Lane Stockport SK2 6JA
Date : 7th March 2023