## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** ## **From 1[st] April 2023 Period start date to 31[st] March 2024 Period end date.** ## **Charity name: Heswall U3A Charity registration number: 1152217** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP
ref|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the
purposes of the
charity as set out in its
governingdocument|Para
1.17|The advancement of education, and in particular the education of
older people and those who are retired from fulltime work, by all
means including associated activities conducive to learning and
personal development, in Heswall and its surroundinglocality.| |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|In order to advance the education of our members, the
provision of activities of a mental, physical and social nature.
These are mainly in small topic related Interest Groups formed
by the members, monthly Speaker meetings and occasional
field trips. New Interest Groups were formed and actively used
by our members thanks to the efforts of numerous pro-active
members who believe in the ethos of u3a where learning is
informal, it is for the sake of enjoyment and self-fulfilment.
There is no distinction between the learners and the teachers
and a self-help collaborative learning approach is encouraged.
Members of our U3A draw upon their knowledge and
experience to teach and learn from each other (peer to peer
learning).| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees
have had regard to
the guidance issued
by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para
1.18|The Trustees have regard to this guidance in the provision of a
range of activities organised by the members.| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Policy on grant
making|Para
1.38|After initial funding support each Interest Group is planned to be
financially self-supporting with occasional equipment funding being
provided. Funds are used to provide for the administration of the
U3A, to assist the funding of activities available to members and to
support the setting up of new and progressive educational activities
to widen the membership base.| |---|---|---| |Policy on social
investment
including program
related investment|Para
1.38|Funds are used to seek and support new members, also to widen the
range and scope of activities and events.| |Contribution made
by volunteers||A considerable number of Members take on active roles in the
organisation, from teaching and assisting learning, through
organising meetings and groups, helping communications between
Members, to providing new joiners guidance and to provide the| 1 necessary administration of the organisation. These roles are all voluntary. ## **Achievements and Performance** |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|We consider our greatest success overall has been to maintain
member involvement throughout an extraordinary period and to move
forward in a controlled manner which has encouraged members to
return to both previous and new activities. Objective is lifelong
learning and laughter, all at extremely low cost. This for a post-
retirement membership who could be vulnerable to loneliness,
depression and ill-health brought about by inactivity, but who, instead
are given the opportunity to further their skills, learning and fitness,
regardless of their age.
Our U3A is advertised locally and via our website for the post-
retirement local community to join.| |---|---|---| ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review **||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the
end of the period|Para
1.21|£16,092 carried forward. This included a surplus of £208 in the
year to 31.3.24.| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding
reserves stating why they
are held|Para
1.22|It is our policy to hold reserves of circa six months normal main
account expenditure in order to ensure we can plan and book
ahead to obtain the most suitable meeting locations and topics
for our membership. Monies above six months normal
expenditure are currently held and it is planned they are used
over coming years by holding our subscription rate at the
current level. Certain required expenses to our umbrella
organisation, The Third Age Trust, and for room hire are
anticipated to increase.| |Amount of reserves held|Para
1.22|£ 10,000 included in above £16,092| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para
1.22|Not applicable| |Details of fund materially
in deficit|Para
1.24|Not applicable| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a
going concern|Para
1.23|Financially not applicable| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**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|Members pay an annual subscription, £15 in 23-24, this gives
them access to events and activities which are run on a not for
profit basis and the National Third Age Matters magazine
delivered to their homes 5 times a year. There are no general
fundraising activities. We are delighted to have maintained a
high membership renewal rate and have gained new members
who recently moved into the area.| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para
1.46|Our funds are kept in three HSBC current bank accounts**.**Social
investment policy is not applicable as our funds are not invested
outside of our bank accounts.| |A description of the
principal risks facing the
charity|Para
1.46|We consider the greatest risk is the lack of volunteers to take on
the necessary organisational and administrative roles. We are
continually approaching members and encouraging them into
gradually assisting.| 2 ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document|Para
1.25|Constitution| |How is the charity
constituted?|Para
1.25|Unincorporated association| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any|Para
1.25|Trustees resign at each AGM, prior to each AGM all
members are encouraged to put their names forward to| |constitutional provisions||become Trustees at the AGM. Should the number of| |||members putting their names forward exceed the number of| |||Trustees permitted then Trustees would be selected by| |||secret ballot at the AGM.| |Description of charity’s trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document|Para
1.25|Constitution| |How is the charity
constituted?|Para
1.25|Unincorporated association| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions|Para
1.25|Trustees resign at each AGM, prior to each AGM all
members are encouraged to put their names forward to
become Trustees at the AGM. Should the number of
members putting their names forward exceed the number of
Trustees permitted then Trustees would be selected by
secret ballot at the AGM.| |**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|All prospective and or appointed Trustees are asked to read
the Charity Commission guidance on Trustee
responsibilities and given the relevant paperwork and/or
weblink. All Trustees are given access to our Constitution,
to the current Policies and Procedures in place and to The
Third Age Trust guidance pages.| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para
1.51|The Trustees are all unpaid volunteers who plan and
manage the strategic operations and head up small sub-
committees who plan and manage the agreed regular and
occasional activities and events.
Heswall U3A is a member of the Wirral & Deeside Network
of U3As| |Relationship with any
related parties|Para
1.51|Heswall U3A is a member of The Third Age Trust,
registered charity number 288007, the National
Representative body of U3As in the UK.| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|Heswall U3A| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|Not applicable| |Registered charity number|1152217| |Charity’s principal address|c/o Heswall Community Hall, Telegraph Road, Heswall, Wirral.
CH60 0AF| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8|**Trustee name**|**Office**
**(if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body)**
**entitled to appoint trustee (if**
**any)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Jerry Playfer|Chair|Apptd as Trustee & Chair
27.11.23|Trustees were re-elected by
the Membership at the AGM
on 27.11.23| ||Elizabeth Stewardson|Secretary||| ||Neil Jones|Treasurer||| ||Beryl Ashburner|||| ||Susan Mousley||Resigned 27.11.23|| ||Raymond Allan|||| ||LesleyDibben|||| ||Alison Adlard|||| 3 Chair until 27.11.23 then 9[William Woods ] resigned 10 William Ashburner 11 Doug Maddock 12 Simon Cooper Appointed as a Trustee 13[Enid Grant ] 27.11.23 Corporate trustees – None Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity - None Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others - None Names and addresses of advisers – None Name of chief executive or senior staff members – none, no paid employees. ## **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**||| |---|---|---| ||Jerry Playfer|Elizabeth A. Stewardson| ||
Chair|Business Secretary| |||| |||| Approved and signed at Trustees meeting on 20[th] May 2024 4 00) Opaj (T) ro v 0> C r4 ￿ ID 17) f• o*r 0> Lnryu) >oN ¢0 ¢D ¢4 CD uJ£Lu&W¥ (nL)iZW)(L In 8￿0￿￿￿u) O)Oro Icq o OCT)0 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Independent Examiner's Report Iixiirr"'v. . Section A Report to the trusteesl members of Heswall U3A On accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024 Charity no (if any) 1152217 Set out on pages One I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (Ihe Trusf) for the year ended 3110312024. Responsibilities and As the chartty trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordan￿ with the reqU1￿MentS of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Acr). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){b) of the ACL I have completed my examination. I COnfi￿n that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ') in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's ststement I have no COn￿mS and have come across no other matters in connection WFth the examination to which attention should be dravm in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. . Please delete the worfs in the brackets rf they do not apply. Signed: Date= Name: 4¢CK Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: IER October 2018