## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 1[st] April 2022 To 31[st] March 2023** **Charity name: Knutsford and District University of the Third Age** ## **Charity registration number: 1139427** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|The object of Knutsford U3A is the
advancement of education, and in
particular the education of older people and
those who are retired from full time work,
by all means, including associated activities
conducive to learning and personal
development.| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|We are a self-help learning organisation for
all local retired people who wish to join
activities that will develop learning, skills,
personal development, enjoyment and
friendship. We have three main kinds of
activities.
We normally hold monthly meetings, with
speakers on a wide range of topics,
followed by refreshments and social
interaction.
We currently have 49 Activity Groups,
offering a wide range of learning
experiences to suit different interests. They
are led by Group leaders, giving their time,
often supported by a planning group. They
are supported by the Committee through
networking and training sessions.
We have subcommittees which organise
our speakers and outings, including trips to
places of interest, and to concerts and
theatres. We produce regular newsletters
to keep our members informed of our
activities, and those of our wider u3a
network (such as Summer Schools).| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|All trustees have regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity Commission on
public benefit.| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: SORP reference Para 1.38 Policy on grant making Para 1.38 Policy on social investment including program related investment Para 1.38 Contribution made by volunteers Other ## **Achievements and Performance** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|Our membership at the end of March 2023
was 682, with an additional 45 Associate
Members (those who are also members of
other u3as). Our membership is back to the
same level (about 700) as it was pre-Covid.
At the beginning of this period our activities
were still recovering from the effects of the
pandemic. While our u3a was fully open,
there was a lot of testing and some
disruption as members had to self-isolate at
short notice if they had a positive test result.
Also, a number of activity groups that had
stopped running during the lock-down
period, failed to restart as conditions
improved. Towards the end of the period, we
welcomed five new activity groups: two 5Km
walking groups, classical Greek, yoga and
senior fitness; bringing our total number of
activity groups to 49.
Our Outings sub-committee has been very
active this year organising six trips to places
of interest including a five-day trip to
Northumberland.
They
also
organised
seven trips to concerts or the theatre.
The Committee organised two events that
support our organisation to grow and thrive.
In the autumn we had a group leaders’
catch-up which also includes key members
involved in the organisation of our u3a, such
as the technical team, and the Outings’and| Speakers’ committees. This is a networking event, usually with a theme, so that key members can share ideas and experiences to develop our organisation. In September we held our ‘Showcase event’ with displays provided by many Activity groups so that both members and the wider public can get a better idea of what we do, and the groups themselves can attract new members. In addition to our monthly meetings where an outside speaker gives a talk, we have started our ‘Hidden Talents’ programme which involves presentations by Knutsford u3a members on a topic of their choice to the membership. During this period, we had four presentations on a diverse range of subjects which were very well received, and we intend to continue this new programme into the future. Towards the end of the period the Committee made the decision to claim for Gift Aid on our subscriptions starting with the renewals in April 2023. . ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |||| |---|---|---| |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|| |Other||| ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|Our ‘core’ income and expenditure relates
to the income (principally from membership
subscriptions), and the running costs of the
charity. This is ‘unrestricted funds’ in the
accounts. At the end of the financial year,
our income was £12,486, and our
expenditure was £8,778. Our other funds
are ‘restricted funds’, and they relate to the
Activity Groups and the outings, each of
which are self-funded. This income was
£49,210, and the expenditure was £46,327.
Our financial situation is healthy, and at the
end of March 2023, we held £12,434 in
unrestricted funds, and £8,816 in the
restricted funds.| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|Our reserves policy is to maintain a level of
reserves at a figure of 6 months running
costs for our ‘core’ organisation. This is to
allow for contingencies, such as the need
to replace or acquire necessary equipment,
and unexpected expenses. For next year,
we are planning to reduce our membership
subscription with a view to gradually reduce
the level of our reserves.| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|n/a| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|n/a| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|n/a| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|| |---|---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|| |||| Other ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|We are governed by our Constitution, first
adopted in 2010, and changed to a
modified version of the u3a model
constitution approved at our AGM of
November 2020.| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|We are an independent charity, which is a
member of the Third Age Trust, as an
unincorporated association.| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction
and training of trustees|Para 1.51|We carry out induction for new trustees,
using written information, discussion, and
observation at Committee meetings etc.| |---|---|---| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|We are an independent charity, and are
members of the national body, the Third
Age Trust. We maintain relationships with
other local U3As, through the South and
Mid Cheshire Cluster Group, and the North
West Network.| |Relationship with any
related parties|Para 1.51|| |Other||| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|Knutsford and District U3A| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|Knutsford U3A| |Registered charity number|1139427| |Charity’s principal address|10 Beechwood, Bowdon, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 3DW| ||| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Mark Barley|Chair||| ||Adrian Long|Treasurer||| ||Susan Allan|Secretary||| ||Roger Brown|||| ||TonyAxon|||| ||Georgina Blackburn|||| ||WendyBrooks|||| ||Stuart Allan|||| ||Irene Hardy|||| ||Helen Smith|||| ||Robert Watson|||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| ## – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity **Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year** ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** Description of the assets held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** |**Type of**|**Name**|**Address**| |---|---|---| |**adviser**||| **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details ## **Other optional information** ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** |**Signature(s)**
**Full name(s)**
**Position (eg Secretary,**
**Chair, etc)**
**Date**||| |---|---|---| ||Mark Howard Barley|Adrian Long| ||
Chair|Treasurer| ||22/11/2023|| ||22/11/2023|| Knutsford u3a Income Expenditure Account & Balance Sheet Financial Year 2022123 2021122. TOTAL Unre5trictg0 Restricted Funds TOTAL Incomg Subscrlpikjns 4,031.00 4.031.Tr) 3.2tr2. Paypal 8.1￿.05 8.1W.05 3.655.73 43.(b1.45 43.￿1.45 22.721.87 Sundry Cash Incoff 265.00 £ 6.148.92 6.413.92 3.803.38 Total Imtome 12A*OS £ 49210.37 61.696A2 33.462.9B Expenthture lI￿ty Paymenis Raotn Hlre l 40,24S.13 40,24S.13 22,458.06 %.fj(r>.(x) 676.50 U3ASuscripl(x 2.988(X) 2.988.00 2.611.50 U3A Be￿0￿ 796.(W) 736.00 725.00 U3A PublicalK)ns 1.￿29 1.669.29 1,687.02 691.(M) 891.00 1,948.00 Foslage stsbonvy EqUIpr￿n1 420.48 420.48 519.64 94.80 301.37 rr&web 240.IkS 240.06 180.00 T￿nit￿g & rtstw(wking 155.64 155.64 259.20 Travd Pronv)tional Cost SI￿.81 Act￿ntantY 97. 8undry 6.081.64 6.05164 4.OtQ 21 T¢knl Exppndtiure 55,105x14 35,375A1 us/ Deficlt 3,707.78 20&3.60 6,)91.38 Il*¥i*- 21122. TOTAL un￿st￿tted Restrieted TOTAL MonetaryAssets 8ank Currerrt 12.433.74 e 7.*1.24 20294.98 E 17.&J5 79 854.90 854. 787.62 12833.74 £ 801&14 21.249m £ I&W23A1 Accumulated FurKIs Balance 3101104f22 9,418.25 8217.54 17.635 79 15.745.10 Cash Opening Balanco 787.62 787.62 3.707.Y8 £ 2.883.eO 591.38 e 11,912.43) PP 1692.29} £ [3.072. (3.764.911 t 4.590.74 Balaneo at31103123 IZ433.74 1&14 *349tsB £ 14423A1 ance Error o.oK) £ 0.00 £ 0.00 (HARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGIAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the 31111*￿12023 1139427 lif •oy) 3,4.5 Responsiblllties and As the chantys trustees. you are respOr￿lI￿e for the preparation of the I report in respecl of my examinatH)n of the Trusys accounts carried out urthr *etM)n 145 of the 2011 Act arKI in fArfyifffJ fKrt my examin￿, I under sertion 145(5}(b) of the Ad. examine￿5 statement I have wnpleted my examination. I confinn that no material matters have the accounts did not ac(x)rd wtth the accounttng records" or {Ac¢ounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement I have no o)nwns and have come ac¥oss no other matter5 in connection . Please delete the b*t)rds in the brackets rf they (lo not appty. qualfficatlonqs) or body {If awj): Oet XS• 8FG Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight material matters of Con￿rn (see CC32, Independent examinati￿ of chaty accounts." directions and Give here brief details of any ttems that the ## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Knutsford u3a** A report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Knutsford u3a for the year ended 31 March 2023. ## **General Comments** The Knutsford u3a gross income exceeds £25,000 and therefore requires an independent examination to satisfy the Trustees that there are no material matters of concern. I have completed an examination of the Summary Income & Expenditure Account, the Spreadsheet Accounts and the support documentation. The accounts are accurately recorded on spreadsheets and the support documentation is clearly contained in a lever arch file. The records are kept in a way that makes it easy to track spreadsheet entries to the support documentation and hence the accounts are clear and transparent. The inspection included a detailed check on the income and expenditure figures in the Summary Accounts against the account spreadsheets. In all but one cases the information recorded was found to be accurate. The spreadsheet banking records and reconciliations were checked against the Natwest bank statements for the “Main” and “Activity” accounts. All were found to agree. As a secondary check of the accounting system, a random number of the individual spreadsheet entries were checked with the receipt and expenditure documentation. All the entries, that were checked, had support documentation which was accurate. My observations and queries arising during the inspection were raised with Adrian Long by email. They were also discussed directly in a meeting on 13[th] September 2023 ~~.~~ ## **Recommendations and Suggestions** - Knutsford u3a have a significant balance in their “Unrestricted” account. It represents the equivalent of 12 months membership subscriptions or 17 months of annual expenditure. The Trustees should consider reducing the annual subscription for next year in order to reduce this balance. - Groups and Activity incomes are recorded separately in the accounts spreadsheets but then the Groups Income is recorded under “Sundry Income” in the Summary Accounts. I would recommend that there is more clarity in how income is recorded in the Summary Accounts. 3 - There is also a lack of clarity in how the Groups Expenditure is recorded in the Summary Accounts. It is recorded under the heading “Sundry” and includes Hall rental and Other from the account’s spreadsheets. I recommend that these expenditures are recorded separately. Robert Beale 4[th] October 2023 The examiner is Treasurer and Trustee for Northwich u3a and is independent and has no connection with Knutsford u3a. Relevant experience includes 30 years of experience preparing and managing departmental budgets and as a qualified auditor of regulatory compliance, management systems and procedures. ## **Support Information** - 1 List of Checks made during the examination process. 4 ## **List of Examination Checks** 1. Accounts Reporting System Check There are acceptable computerised spreadsheets for data recording and report production ## 2. Accounts Records/Documentation System Check The main records are contained in a segmented lever arch file with separate sections for bank statements, invoices and receipts. ## 3. Summary Accounts Report Check All the entries in the Summary Account were checked with the source data in the individual spreadsheets and the carry forward figures were checked against the Summary account for the previous year. ## 4. Accuracy of Spreadsheets Check A random check was made on the row and column totals in the spreadsheets and some of the formulae for calculating totals was checked ## 5. Hardcopy documentation Spot Checks A random number of checks were made to verify that there were both receipt and invoice documentation and they agreed with the entries within the various spreadsheets. _No serious anomalies were identified but I was confused where some payments in were collectively recorded and SumUp payments “in” were recorded as including the transaction charge and then the transaction charge recorded as a payment “out”._ ## 6. Check on Assets and Reconciliations Hardcopy bank statements were checked against the monthly reconciliations for both the “Main” and the “Activity” accounts. 5