Chairman’s Annual Report to Windsor and District u3a
Annual General Meeting, April 9th, 2025
Owing to personal circumstances the Chairman is not available to produce the Annual report for 2024. The summary report has been produced on his behalf.
Membership Growth: Membership increased from 689 to 718, a growth of 4%
Convenor conference:
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The conference was held in May at Slough & Langley College.
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Attended by 75 convenors and committee members.
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A talk and workshop on “Learning Revisited” was facilitated by Dr Peter Honey.
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College catering and hospitality students gained valuable experience through preparing and serving a three-course lunch to those attending.
Interest Groups and events:
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A number of new groups were created including: Indoor Short Mat Bowls, Having Fun with Puzzles, Thinking Inside the Box and Beginners Ukulele.
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Some groups closed including: Music from a Desert Island and Gardening.
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Throughout the year, an interesting variety of speakers at our monthly meeting gave a series of informative and entertaining talks on such topics as 1940, The Defining Year of WW2, and Secrets, Scandals and Salacious Gossip of the Royal Court 1660-1830.
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More than 20 Explore London trips were held providing opportunities to learn about the history, architecture and industrial heritage of the city.
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At the Christmas event, members exercised their singing and dancing skills at a Tea Dance, which also featured a quiz and was attended by almost 100 members. Feedback indicated that it was well received.
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A number of educational coach trips were run during the year, either directly by Windsor u3a or via third parties: for example to learn about the history, architecture and flora of National Trust properties; to learn about the life and works of Leonardo Da Vinci and the history and architecture of a number of French chateaux.
Publicising Windsor u3a.
- A number of steps have been taken to publicise our organisation and make prospective members aware of the opportunities to meet new people and learn new skills.
o12 members volunteered to help publicise Windsor u3a at Eton Action Fair.oWe now feature in the Windsor Directory.
Local Coffee Mornings Our “Come and Meet Each Other” (CAMEO) Groups – continue to be highly successful. Open to all, providing an opportunity to foster connections and friendships among our members. Committee Retirement: Peter Todd and Derek Gadd are both retiring from the committee at the AGM in April 2025. The committee would like to thank them for their hard work and commitment during their tenures.
Appreciation: The committee wish to thank convenors and volunteers for their dedication and efforts. Without them there would be no u3a.
Produced on behalf of Peter Todd, Chairman, Windsor and District u3a
Treasurer’s Report – Year ended 31st December 2024
The total surplus for the year (receipts less payments) was £1,741. This spans all our activities: our operations; groups operating through the bank account; social activities and groups operating in cash.
Operations
In our budget for the year, we planned to make a small loss of £268.
Whilst the surplus from our operational activity was only £157, we added a total of £446 to our operational reserves because our educational trips were extremely popular and generated an additional surplus of £289 which also passed to our reserves.
Once again, we saw an overall increase in membership, rising to 718 at the end of December compared to 689 for 2023 (+4%)
Groups operating through the bank account
Groups’ funds should tend to zero but for 2024, we saw a surplus of £1,058.
This is because we base our accounts statement on money flowing in and out of our bank account and during the year, we received money for groups’ activities but have not yet received (or paid) the corresponding group invoices; over £1,000 is yet to be paid out.
Social activity
Social activity funds should also net to around zero, but this year we show a surplus of £475. This is because the mystery tour proved incredibly popular! The Committee has decided to ring fenced this amount in our overall reserves to provide flexibility in organising future social events.
Cash groups
Finally, cash groups show a small surplus of £51 for the year; these are ring fenced funds accrued in 2024 for use in 2025.
Looking forward to 2025
In 2025, we aim to make a sizeable loss to reduce our operational reserves.
Windsor u3a Receipts and Payments - to 31st December 2024
| Year End | Year End | |
|---|---|---|
| 31/12/2024 | 31/12/2023 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Operational Receipts | ||
| HMRC Gift Aid | 1,468 | 1,292 |
| Membership (718 paid up at 31/12/2024) | 9,650 | 9,268 |
| Miscellaneous | 849 | 442 |
| Total | 11,967 | 11,002 |
| Operational Payments | ||
| Administration | 394 | 124 |
| Beacon levy | 618 | 591 |
| Convener conference | 2,785 | 2,147 |
| Equipment | 245 | 98 |
| Gardeners Hall Events | 1,276 | 1,644 |
| Membership fee to 3rd Age Trust | 2,480 | 2,360 |
| Miscellaneous outgoings | 421 | 248 |
| National conference expenses | - | - |
| New Members Meetings | 312 | 120 |
| Newsletter, printing and postage | 1,261 | 984 |
| Paypal and credit card fees | 148 | 155 |
| Speaker fees | 900 | 920 |
| Third Age Matters | 969 | 1,001 |
| Total | 11,810 | 10,393 |
| Operating surplus/deficit | 157 | 609 |
| Other activity | ||
| Groups Income | 11,071 | 3,776 |
| Groups payments | 10,014 | 3,813 |
| Groups surplus /deficit | 1,058 | -37 |
| Cash groups income | 7,951 | 6,221 |
| Cash groups payments | 7,900 | 6,096 |
| Cash groups surplus/deficit | 51 | 125 |
| Social events/outings income | 1,375 | 10,974 |
| Social events/outings | 900 | 13,656 |
| Social events/outings surplus/deficit | 475 | -2,682 |
| Total Surplus/Deficit | 1,741 | -1,984 |
| Opening balance | 14,723 | 16,706 |
| Closing balance | 16,464 | 14,723 |
| Represented by | ||
| Bank balance | 15,618 | 13,928 |
| Paypal balance | - | - |
| Zettle balance | - | - |
| Groups cash | 846 | 795 |
| Total | 16,464 | 14,723 |
| Year End balance includes | ||
| Operational Reserves | 14,332 | 13,411 |
| Group Funds - Explorer 2 | 57 | 248 |
| Group Funds - Flower Arranging | 15 | - |
| Group Funds - Insight Lecture | 220 | - |
| Group Funds - Old Bailey Lecture | 120 | - |
| Group Funds - Quiz | 81 | 181 |
| Group Funds - Short Mat Bowls | 576 | - |
| Group Funds - Standen House | 17 | - |
| Group Funds - Table Tennis | 201 | 87 |
| Cash Funds - Local History | 670 | 675 |
| Cash Funds - Scrabble | 106 | 40 |
| Cash Funds - Singing for Fun | 102 | 44 |
| Cash Funds - Tea & Jazz | -115 | 11 |
| Cash Funds - UKE3a | 42 | 25 |
| Cash Funds - 60s & 70s | 41 | - |
| Total | 16,464 | 14,723 |
Report of the Independent Examiner to the Trustees of the Windsor U3A I report on the accounts for the year ended 31st December 2024 which are set out attached. Respectlve responsibilities of Trustees and Examlner As trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. You, as the Trustees, consider that an audit Is not required for the year under section 144{2) of the Charities Act 2011 but that an independent examination is needed under that 2011 Act. It is my responsibllity: l) To examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act. 2) To follow the procedures laid down in the general directions of the Charity Commissioners under section 145 {5} of the 2011 Act and 3) To state whether particular matters have come to my attentlon Basis of Independent Examinerfs Report My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examinatlon includes a review of the accounting records kept and a comparlson of the accounts presented wlth those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seekin8 explanations from you as the Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all evidence that would be required In an audit, and consequently no oplnlon is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fairf vlew and the report is limited to those matter set out in the statement below. Independent Examlnerfs Statement In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: (l) whlch glves me reasonable cause to believe that In any materlal respect the requirements (a) to keep accountin8 records in accordance with Section 130 of the 2011 Act,. and {b) to prepare accounts in accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. SIGNED Eunice Stone, 10 Fairli8ht Avenue, Windsor SL4 3AL DATED 27th January 2025