The Men’s Matters Film was produced in 2021 – this is the script. Watch the Film on our website: www.mensmaters.org
Men’s Matters is a social group for older men. The group was formally established in 2017 and operates in Maidenhead and Windsor.
It provides a weekly sanctuary for retired men to get to know each other in a friendly environment.
The UK population is now ageing at a significant rate. The number of people aged 65 and over will increase by more than 40% within 20 years.
This has led to an emerging crisis, especially for older men, of isolation and loneliness. Society needs to adapt to meet the unique needs of older men. That’s what Men’s Matters is trying to do.
Men’s Matters organises group activities including visits from guest speakers and exercise classes, such as chair yoga.
We encourage our members to engage with their local community and use the facilities available, such as the Desborough Bowling Club.
For the past 80 years Harvard University has been conducting a study to discover what keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life. It found that social connections are vital, and that loneliness can lead to mental illness and an early death.
What’s most important is how satisfied we are with our close relationships – with friends, family and in our local community. This is the key to our well-being throughout life.
Men’s Matters Windsor Group – 2021 Report
The year began with group Zoom meetings on Monday afternoons, typically attended by 8 or 9 members. Phone calls were made to members who wouldn’t or couldn’t go onto Zoom. None had covid-19 but two reported major health problems, one who was undergoing cancer treatment (Moore) and another who was diagnosed with onset of Parkinson’s Disease (John).
Three of the Windsor group took part in weekly Zoom seated exercise and yoga sessions.
On 27[th] January, Tim Walker represented the group at the funeral of one of our members, Anthony Brailsford, who died at home in December of a heart attack. Men’s Matters paid for a funeral wreath.
On Monday 1[st] March Tim gave a talk on Zoom about Men’s Matters to Windsor and Eton Rotary Club. This was soon followed by a donation from Windsor and Eton Rotary Club of £250 sent by cheque.
Talking Therapies gave our group a talk via Zoom on Monday 1[st] March.
10[th] May – with the easing of lockdown restrictions, our face-to-face meetings at All Saints Church in Dedworth commenced. Rather than meet in the small and stuffy meeting room, we agreed with the church to hold our meetings in the large space at the back of the church, well ventilated, and with access to a small kitchen to make our own hot drinks. We spread out the tables and chairs so that there was 2m distance between each attendee. Handshakes and hugs were outlawed. A temperature gun was used to take body temperature, with the rule that anyone with a body temperature above 38 degrees would be deemed to have a fever and would be sent home. Attendees wore masks and used sanitiser gel. They remained seated unless going to the toilet. Tim and Malcolm served the teas, coffees and biscuits. Tables and chairs were wiped down afterwards. This system continued until the summer break, and resumed on 6[th] September. No members caught covid-19 during the year.
Members reported when they have been double vaccinated and boosted, showing evidence to Tim and Malcolm. All were vaccinated.
Monday 21[st] June – fish and chips lunch for 14
Monday 28[th] – group card signed for Ken Bedford, a long time member and trustee, leaving the area to live in Lincolnshire near his son.
August – summer recess, no meetings.
August 26[th] – Brooklands Museum excursion organised by Paul at Maidenhead Group. Four Windsor members joined the coach at our All Saints Church pick-up point.
Monday 6[th] September – meetings re-start at All Saints Church. New member, Tim Madden, referral with early onset of Alzheimers. Now Men’s Matters is a part of the NHS Berkshire Social Prescribing Network, we are seeing more referrals from GPs and other health support groups.
Since September we have had an increase of membership and generally are attracting a total of about 15 quite dedicated followers each Monday. In addition to Tim Madden (69), other new members who have joined during this period include David Wallis (80s, restricted mobility); John Foot (70s, a neighbour of an existing member); Mike Samuels (70s) and Dennis Williams (80s – both All Saints Church congregation members); and Stan Barnett (local resident, early 90s, registered blind/partial sight).
All have gelled well into a very cohesive group and are active participants. They enjoy the chance to chat and swop stories, and take turns to hand out the teas and coffees and wash up afterwards. We have started doing a 40 minute team quiz in the run-up to making teas and coffees – winning team does the washing up!
September 30[th] – group day excursion to the Watercress Steam Train Line in Hampshire. This involved hiring a 14-seater minibus with a full complement of men for the one hour each way journey to Alresford. We carried packed lunches. Return tickets had been bought and the train travelled, as if through time, to beautifully renovated period train stations and through the rolling countryside. We had a period rail compartment to ourselves. This prompted the men to share their memories of travelling on steam trains. One member, Eric, revealed he had worked on steam trains, shovelling coal. We stopped at a rail museum on the way. All thoroughly enjoyed it and returned home in high spirits.
Guest speakers to the group during the last quarter included our trustee, Johnson Mall, and a local author who has written and published a memoir, Phil Appleton. We also had a bring-and-swap book day.
December 9[th] – Windsor group Christmas lunch at the Prince Albert pubrestaurant, attended by 19, including our patron, Sir Michael Parkinson and two trustees, Edward and Johnson. The meal was very good and Sir Michael delivered an entertaining speech. Everyone enjoyed themselves – a huge success after a difficult year with the covid crisis.
December 20[th] – our last meeting of the year.
DocuSign Envelope ID: F539F515-8B68-4EB8-ADA2-B87029800DDE
| Men's Matters | 1172854 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts andpayments accounts | CC16a | |||
| For the period from |
Jan-21 Period start date |
To | Dec-21 Period end date |
| Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 2,100 900 617 - - - - - 3,617 - - - 3,617 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 2,100 900 617 - - - - - 3,617 - - - 3,617 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
||||
| Grants | 2,100 | 19,149 | |||||||
| Donations | 900 | - | |||||||
| Misc Receipts | 617 | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
3,617 | 19,149 | |||||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
|||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Sub total | - | - | |||||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
|||||||||
| 19,149 | |||||||||
| Fixed Costs(Website,Insurance) | 664 | - | - | 664 | 603 | ||||
| Marketing | 5,609 | - | - | 5,609 | 2,300 | ||||
| Events & Meetings | 2,282 | - | - | 2,282 | |||||
| Trips | 1,768 | - | - | 1,768 | 158 | ||||
| Facilities / Rent | 660 | - | - | 660 | 330 | ||||
| Health & Safety (inc COVID) | - | - | - | 665 | |||||
| Phone,Print,Stationery | 266 | - | - | 266 | |||||
| Misc | - | - | - | 2,205 | |||||
| Support Costs | 3,438 | - | - | 3,438 | 1,590 | ||||
| **Sub total ** | 14,686 | - | - | 14,686 | 7,851 |
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
- - - - - |
- - - - - |
- - - - - |
- - - - - |
- - - 14,686 - 11,070 |
- - - 14,686 - 11,070 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | |||||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
|||||||||
| 7,851 | |||||||||
| - 11,070 | - | - | - 11,070 | 11,298 | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 27,303 | - | - | 27,303 | - | |||||
| 16,233 | - | - | 16,233 | 11,298 |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
2/11/2022
1
DocuSign Envelope ID: F539F515-8B68-4EB8-ADA2-B87029800DDE
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B1 Cash funds |
Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Metro Bank 31/12/2021 |
Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Metro Bank 31/12/2021 |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 16,233.00 - - 16,233 OK Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 16,233.00 - - 16,233 OK Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - OK Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - OK Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||||||
| - | |||||||
| - | |||||||
| - | |||||||
| OK | |||||||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| Details | Fund to which liability relates |
Amount due (optional) |
When due (optional) |
||||
| - | |||||||
| - | |||||||
| - | |||||||
| - | |||||||
| Signature | Print Name Edward Harte Paul Samuels |
||||||
| Date of approval |
|||||||
| 2/11/2022 | |||||||
| 2/11/2022 | |||||||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
2/11/2022
2
DocuSign Envelope ID: F539F515-8B68-4EB8-ADA2-B87029800DDE
| Section A Receipts and payments A1 Receipts Grants Donations Misc Receipts Sub total(Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). Sub total Total receipts A3 Payments Fixed Costs(Website,Insurance) Marketing Events & Meetings Trips Facilities / Rent Health & Safety Phone,Print,Stationery Misc Support Costs Sub total A4 Asset and investmentpurchases, (see table) Sub total Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) |
2017 2018 6,000 17,220 3,650 2,500 8 181 9,658 19,901 9,658 19,901 166 445 626 505 1,227 4,578 2,295 1,005 162 318 461 309 2,337 9,760 2,337 9,760 7,321 10,141 Previous Years - Actua |
|---|---|
DocuSign Envelope ID: F539F515-8B68-4EB8-ADA2-B87029800DDE
DocuSign Envelope ID: F539F515-8B68-4EB8-ADA2-B87029800DDE
| al | Budget | |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2020 | |
| 14,120 | 20,000 | |
| 152 | ||
| 14,272 | 20,000 |
| 14,272 | 20,000 |
|---|---|
| 974 | 1,000 |
| 1,116 | 3,200 |
| 6,401 | 600 |
| 2,224 | 1,000 |
| 1,028 | 500 |
| 216 | 300 |
| 1,124 | 400 |
| 2,266 | 400 |
| 15,349 | 7,400 |
| 15,349 | 7,400 |
|---|---|
| -1,077 | 12,600 |