Chair’s Report for AGM 2025- Anne Pinnock
It has been yet another busy year for Beeston u3a, as numbers have continued to grow. We finished the year 2024/25 with almost 1200 members. Numbers will fall temporarily as the inevitable resignations are processed at the beginning of the new year, but the trend is still a steady rise.
This enables us to maintain a relatively low annual subscription, and still have enough in reserve to support interest group activities through grants and loans when needed. Thank you to our treasurers, Richard and Lindsay for their fearsomely efficient financial management.
Successful Volunteer Recruitment
The only reason that our u3a continues to go from strength to strength is because of the loyalty and hard work of all the volunteers who make things happen. Fortunately, as our u3a grows in size, so does the number of volunteers who help us manage such a large organisation. As we explain at every monthly new members’ meetings, the only things that happen within Beeston u3a are the things that one of our members has volunteered to help to organise. It’s very much “by the members, for the members”.
Firstly, an enormous thank you to our committee, who work tirelessly for the benefit of the u3a. I can honestly say that they are one of the best teams I have ever had the privilege to work with- supportive and teamoriented, though never afraid to discuss issues in depth and to challenge when needed. I reach the end of my term of office at May’s AGM after spending over 6 years on the committee in various roles, including Welfare Officer, Groups’ Coordinator and most recently, Chair. Alison Wilson also reaches the end of her term of office after 6 years, which is the maximum permitted under Beeston u3a’s constitution. Her work as an extremely effective membership secretary has been very much appreciated, and without her invaluable support as a loyal and trusted vice-chair, I would have found it much more difficult to carry out my own role as chair.
Fortunately, we have people waiting in the wings to be elected to the committee in May- and want to welcome Noel Kelly, and Julia Tabreham. I am pleased to say that all other committee members are standing for election for another year.
Now that Beeston u3a has such a high membership, it is essential to continue exploring new ways of making sure that it is sustainable for the future. Our committee is still responsible for setting the direction of the u3a through discussion and policy making, as well as taking on the responsibilities required of all charity trustees. Committee roles continue
to be kept under review, to try to ensure that the weight of tasks is kept manageable. At this point, I must highlight Pauline’s work as Business Secretary, ensuring that we adhere to the policies of the Charity Commission, as well as the Third Age Trust.
Gradually, a wider range of roles are being carried out by volunteers. Our Groups Coordinators’ team of four people support the work of interest groups and their facilitating teams. This team is now fully established and continue to develop their role. Our Outings team is now successfully selfmanaging, as is the Refreshment Team for open meetings. A request to the Meeting and Greeting team to head along the same route immediately produced results. We are delighted with the number of people who have come forward to take on additional tasks and are very grateful for this support.
January’s excellent special newsletter, produced by Karen and Dee was successful in attracting many offers from new volunteers. Karen has also worked hard to break down volunteers’ roles into manageable, bite-sized chunks to encourage as many members as possible to feel that they have enough time to help out.
Activities
With over 100 interest groups, we hope that everyone is able to find something that they enjoy. Thank you to all the facilitating teams who make these groups possible. Physical activity groups continue to be particularly popular with recently joined members, and we are thrilled that Pickleball (for example) has gone from strength to strength, even designing its own Beeston u3a t-shirts. Table tennis 6 is about to open, thanks to the kindness of the facilitator of one of the other table tennis groups offering his time and skills. A new Medium Walks group has also been set up and is proving very popular.
I am pleased to report that the challenge of ensuring that each interest group has an effective risk assessment has been completed this year. The focus has fallen particularly on our physical activity groups in recent months and the hard work and willingness of the facilitators for these groups to formulate a risk assessment has been much appreciated. It is essential to ensure that the safety and well-being of our members is always kept in high profile.
A new archaeology group has just been set up and has already attracted a large membership. We thank everyone involved in the organisation of these new groups, as well as acknowledging our long-standing facilitators, who continue to run such successful groups year after year. Some groups have needed to find new facilitators to keep their group running, and we are grateful to everyone who has stepped up to do this.
A programme of one-off monthly events has continued: some based around practical life skills and some “taster sessions” for leisure activities. Audiology, Optometry and CPR have proved particularly popular, alongside Estate Planning, Footcare, Remedial Massage and Dry Needle Felting.
Our outings team has organised several local visits, including Strelley Hall, Wollaton walled garden, Wollaton Dovecote Museum, Greens Mill, Bromley House, GH Hurt, Nottingham Playhouse backstage and St Barnabas Cathedral. Thank you to Sue and the team for their hard work.
Many of these activities are only possible because of our supportive local venues. Karen Jowett, office manager at Beeston Methodist Church always goes out of her way to help us in any way she can. Her flexibility and understanding are much appreciated, and even though costs have needed to rise for room hire this year, they are still reasonable and manageable compared with other commercially run local venues.
The large-scale refurbishment programme that started earlier this year has created challenges for us, but we have found ways of working around these, with Karen’s support. Thank you to our members for bearing with us during this project, when we never quite know what new issues may pop up at very short notice!
The need to move out of the church, into the church hall for our monthly open meeting speakers has not affected numbers attending. This is in no small part down to the high quality of speakers organised by Karen Attwood, and members have adapted to the need to move to the small church backrooms for refreshments temporarily, even though we realise that this is not ideal. The option to listen in via Zoom continues to be offered regularly for those members who are unable to attend in person, thanks to our excellent and growing technical team.
Events
Large events such as Fine Wine, “Not the fine wine” and Quiz have taken place, involving a lot of hard work by the committee.
January’s Group Facilitators’ lunch was also very much appreciated by attendees. However, we are very aware that we also need to find ways of ensuring that our growing band of additional volunteers feel appreciated and are working on new ways to do this. Work has begun in finding ways of showcasing the wonderful work of our interest groups, though this is still a work in progress. Dee’s excellent newsletters have contributed towards helping to promote this area.
Finally…
As I step down from the committee, I feel proud of the organisation that Beeston u3a has become. I realise that everyone who volunteers to help to ensure that we continue to develop is “standing on the shoulders of giants” who had the vision to open our u3a group back in 2011. I have every confidence that volunteers both new and experienced will enable Beeston u3a to remain an important and vibrant hub for the community it serves and will continue to go from strength to strength.
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| to the nearest £ |
to the nearest | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | ||||
| A1 Receipts ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ |
| GroupAccounts ~~===~~ |
- ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 36,505 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 36,505 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 26,687 ~~===~~ |
| Social Account ~~===~~ |
- ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 17,984 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 17,984 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 16,122 ~~===~~ |
| Subscriptions ~~===~~ |
16,967 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 16,967 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 16,638 ~~===~~ |
| Visitors ~~===~~ |
- ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 52 ~~===~~ |
| HMRC Gift Aid ~~===~~ |
2,562 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 2,562 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 2,355 ~~===~~ |
| Miscellaneous ~~===~~ |
3 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 3 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 131 ~~===~~ |
| Inierest ~~===~~ |
552 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 552 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 427 ~~===~~ |
| ~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) ~~===~~ |
20,084 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 54,489 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | - ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 74,573 ~~===~~ |
~~===~~ | 62,412 ~~===~~ |
| ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ | ~~===~~ |
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ |
| ~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
| ~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
| Sub total ~~———————~~ |
- ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
| ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ |
| Total receipts ~~———————~~ |
20,084 ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | 54,489 ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | - ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | 74,573 ~~———————~~ |
~~———————~~ | 62,412 ~~———————~~ |
| ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ | ~~———————~~ |
| A3 Payments | |||||||||
| GroupAccounts ~~08~~ |
- ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 36,644 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 36,644 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 25,995 ~~08~~ |
| Social Account ~~08~~ |
- ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 16,617 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 16,617 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 15,406 ~~08~~ |
| Administration ~~08~~ |
1,994 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 1,994 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 1,691 ~~08~~ |
| Affiliation Fees ~~08~~ |
4,183 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 4,183 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 3,802 ~~08~~ |
| Third Age Matters Publication ~~08~~ |
3,226 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 3,226 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 2,639 ~~08~~ |
| OperatingCosts ~~08~~ |
5,881 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 5,881 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 6,632 ~~08~~ |
| Equipment ~~08~~ |
291 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 291 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 25 ~~08~~ |
| Expenses ~~08~~ |
- ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
| Miscellaneous ~~08~~ |
472 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 472 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 192 ~~08~~ |
| ~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
| ~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
| Sub total ~~08~~ |
16,047 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 53,261 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | - ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 69,308 ~~08~~ |
~~08~~ | 56,382 ~~08~~ |
| ~~08~~ ~~——————~~ |
~~08~~ ~~——————~~ |
~~08~~ ~~——————~~ |
~~08~~ ~~——————~~ |
~~08~~ ~~——————~~ |
~~08~~ ~~——————~~ |
~~08~~ ~~——————~~ |
~~08~~ ~~——————~~ |
~~08~~ ~~——————~~ |
~~08~~ ~~——————~~ |
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ |
| ~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
| ~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
| Sub total ~~——————~~ |
- ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
| ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ | ~~——————~~ |
| Totalpayments ~~——————~~ |
16,047 ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | 53,261 ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | - ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | 69,308 ~~——————~~ |
~~——————~~ | 56,382 ~~——————~~ |
| ~~——————~~ ~~————~~ |
~~——————~~ ~~————~~ |
~~——————~~ ~~————~~ |
~~——————~~ ~~————~~ |
~~——————~~ ~~————~~ |
~~——————~~ ~~————~~ |
~~——————~~ ~~————~~ |
~~——————~~ ~~————~~ |
~~——————~~ ~~————~~ |
~~——————~~ ~~————~~ |
| Net of receipts/(payments) ~~————~~ |
4,037 ~~————~~ |
4,037 ~~————~~ |
1,228 ~~————~~ |
1,228 ~~————~~ |
- ~~————~~ |
- ~~————~~ |
5,265 ~~————~~ |
5,265 ~~————~~ |
6,030 ~~————~~ |
| A5 Transfers between funds ~~————~~ |
- ~~————~~ |
- ~~————~~ |
- ~~————~~ |
- ~~————~~ |
- ~~————~~ |
- ~~————~~ |
- ~~————~~ |
~~————~~ | - ~~————~~ |
| A6 Cash funds lastyear end ~~————~~ |
38,669 ~~————~~ |
38,669 ~~————~~ |
8,181 ~~————~~ |
8,181 ~~————~~ |
- 46,850 ~~————~~ |
- 46,850 ~~————~~ |
- 46,850 ~~————~~ |
~~————~~ | 40,820 ~~————~~ |
| Cash funds thisyear end ~~————~~ |
42,706 ~~————~~ |
42,706 ~~————~~ |
9,409 ~~————~~ |
9,409 ~~————~~ |
- 52,115 ~~————~~ |
- 52,115 ~~————~~ |
- 52,115 ~~————~~ |
~~————~~ | 46,850 ~~————~~ |
| ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ |
| APPENDIX A2 ~~————~~ |
~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ | ~~————~~ |
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Beeston U3A On accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 Charity no (if any) 1152882 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 3110312025. Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordan with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act.). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention 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 statement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: Name: Bernard Whelan Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): NIA Address: 194 Meadow Road Beeston,Nottingham NG9 1JR IER October 2018