Verulam u3a Trustees’ Annual Report 1 Aug 2023- 31 July 2024
www.verulamu3a.org
Reference and Administration Trustees’ Report 1 Aug 2023 - 31 July 2024 Charity name: Verulam u3a Registered Charity Number: 1155517 Principal Address: c/o Secretary
Trustees who managed the charity during the period Barbara Bennett as Committee Rick Hanson as Chair up to and Member and Trips Treasurer including the AGM on 14.11.2023 Madelaine Skinner -as Committee Member from 01.08.2023 to the end Malcolm Two as Chair from the end of the AGM on 14.11.2023 of that AGM Geoff Priseman as Committee Joan May as Secretary up to and Member from 01.08.2023 to the end including the AGM on 14.11.2023 of the AGM on 14.11.2023 Maria Littledike as Committee Edmund Jankowski as Committee Member and Groups Co-ordinator Member up to and including the AGM from 01.08.2023 to 14.02.2024 on 14.11.2023; as Secretary from the Giles Harrison as Committee Member end of that AGM from the end of the AGM on 14.11.2023 Ray Bloom as Treasurer Ann Dean as Committee Member from the end of the AGM on 14.11.2023 Sylvia Walker as Committee member Ian Marshall as Committee Member and Groups Coordinator up to and from the end of the AGM on including the AGM on 14.11.2023 14.11.2023 Jennifer Edie as Committee Member from the end of the AGM on Trevor Taylor as Committee Member 14.11.2023 and Groups Co-ordinator and Trips Coordinator up to and from 14.06.2024 including the AGM on 14.11.2023; as Vice-Chair and Trips Co-ordinator from Susan Calverley as Groups Cothe end of that AGM ordinator and Committee Member from the end of the AGM on 14.11.2023 to 26.05.2024 and 16.06.2024 Jill Fisher as Committee Member from 01.08.2023 to 20.09.2023
Structure, Governance and Management
The governing document of the charity is its constitution, initially adopted by the Steering Committee on 1.3.2013, formally adopted at
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Verulam u3a Trustees’ Annual Report 1 Aug 2023- 31 July 2024 www.verulamu3a.org
the AGM on 29.10.2013, and amended at the AGMs held on 9.11.2021 and on 8.11.2022
The trustees are the members of the Executive Committee, elected by the membership at AGMs (or occasionally co-opted).
The charity is affiliated to the Third Age Trust (charity no. 288007), the national coordinating body for u3a groups.
Objectives:
The advancement of education and, in particular, the education of people not in full time gainful employment who are in their Third Age ( being the period of time after the first age of childhood dependence and the second age of full time employment and/or parental responsibility ) residing in St Albans Hertfordshire and its surrounding locality.
Activities
In accordance with the aims of the u3a movement, we are committed to promoting the benefits of learning in later life, and the attractions and advantages of the u3a. Members give their time freely to provide identifiable benefits to members in St Albans and the surrounding area, helping them to keep mind and body active, with resulting health benefits and improvement to quality of life. We have held monthly speaker meetings , run a variety of special interest groups , circulated to members a monthly newsletter and organised many trips and holidays.
The Trustees, in exercising their powers and duties, has taken into account the public benefit guidance as published by the Charity Commission.
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Verulam u3a Trustees’ Annual Report 1 Aug 2023- 31 July 2024
www.verulamu3a.org
Chair’s report, August 2023 / July 2024
Chair’s Report 2024
Our November 2023 A.G.M. saw the end of Rick Hanson’s 3 year term as Chair after all his sterling efforts in steering us through the unprecedented challenges of shutdowns. He instigated and arranged monthly Zoom meetings which kept us alive and kicking as an organisation and we all remain so grateful to him for not allowing us to founder.
This was a lively year with much activity on all fronts. Our indefatigable Trevor yet again provided a wonderful mix of holidays ( South Africa, Herefordshire, Jordan, Gower Peninsula) and trips to stately homes, gardens, castles, theatres, opera houses, concert halls and the seaside.
Your Committee as well as attending to routine matters have been reviewing and expanding the various governance policies of our u3a, and have had contacts with neighbouring u3as on number of matters. Our Secretary has been taking part in the consultation over the proposed changes in the organisation and governance of the Third Age Trust.
On the social front, Rick Hanson organised another very popular and successful 60s/70s Night in November, and Trevor arranged a very enjoyable and well attended New Year’s Lunch. Both these events are becoming regular fixtures with repeats coming shortly.
All of this has taken place against the backdrop of our regular activities. Brian Songhurst continued to produce an eclectic series of high quality entertaining and informative speakers for our increasingly well attended monthly meetings.
Finally and crucially there has been the constant flow of Group meetings and activities which are the lifeblood of our organisation. Our thanks go to all those who arrange them and just as importantly to those who attend them.
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Verulam u3a Trustees’ Annual Report 1 Aug 2023- 31 July 2024
www.verulamu3a.org
Malcolm Two.
Chair, Verulam u3a
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Verulam u3a Statement of Accounts: Trips Income and Expenditure 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024
| Income Account transfers Social events Day trips 2024-25 Day trips 2022-23 Day Trips 2023-24 Holiday trips 2023-24 Holiday trips 2022-23 Theatre trips 2022-23 Theatre trips 2023-24 Sub totals Expenditure Refund b/f from 2022-23 Account transfers Social events Day Trips 2023-24 Day trips 2022/23 Hoilday trips 2023-24 Holiday trips 2022-23 Holidays 2021-22 Theatre trips 2022/23 Theatre trips 2023-24 Sub totals Agreed operatonal expenses Sundries Printng, Postage & Statonery Trips refund Sub totals Balance Sheet as at 31 July 2024 |
2023-24 £1,000.00 £5,413.30 £1,078.20 £0.00 £13,741.25 £18,270.80 £0.00 £0.00 £27,977.32 £67,480.87 £10.35 £5,500.00 £4,677.00 £10,368.15 £0.00 £19,416.62 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £27,971.16 £67,943.28 £880.00 £215.99 £15.60 £0.00 £69,054.87 £7,461.75 -£1,574.00 £5,887.75 £5,887.75 |
2022/23 £0.00 £165.00 £0.00 £20,071.20 £0.00 £0.00 £30,013.00 £11,118.40 £0.00 |
|---|---|---|
| £61,367.60 £0.00 £1,606.10 £0.00 £18,741.05 £0.00 £29,875.50 £17.00 £13,186.30 £0.00 |
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| £63,425.95 £800.00 £253.72 £0.00 £0.00 |
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| £64,479.67 | ||
| Brought forward from July 31 2023 Surplus/Excess for Year Accum'd Funds at 31 July 2024 Cash at bank 31 July 2024 |
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 Verulam u3a On accounts for the year ended July 312024 Charity no (if any) 1155517 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 3110712024. 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 confinn 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 statsment 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 the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: IER October 2018