TEESDALE U3A
CHAIRS’ REPORT TO THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, THURSDAY, 24 APRIL 2025
This year the position of Chair has been shared between three members and this report is on behalf of all three of us. The year 2024-2025 has been another excellent one in every way. Our membership (472 this year against last year’s previous record of 420) has been both a challenge (fitting group members into the available accommodation at times!) and an inspiration. Our monthly meetings have often filled the main Witham Hall, with over 150 present on a number of occasions to hear the excellent talks arranged by our Speakers Group, with thanks to Pauline Fawcett, Elizabeth Formstone, Stella Kirton, Sue Overton and Ian Reid.
Arising from the ‘Inbetweeners’ meetings suggested by Annie Clouston a couple of years ago, we have been running monthly ‘Coffee and Chat’ sessions held in between our main meetings. This year we have taken a number of those out into the towns and villages to improve communications with the membership beyond central Barney. This has allowed members living in Middleton, Staindrop and Cotherstone among others to meet socially within their own local areas; we intend to spread these further as we find suitable venues.
Perhaps our most significant area of development this year has been in our Saturday workshops. Although these have been running for a few years now, we have increased the number of these and expanded the range of topics covered. The next three months will see a Poetry Workshop, a chance to explore Tynemouth and a dip into Ancient Greece and Rome. The beauty of these sessions is that their one-off nature suits those members who cannot commit to a regular monthly attendance, while there is the potential for them to be developed if enough interest is shown. Well done Sue Overton, Hilary Dunnighan and Peter Colley for producing such a varied and popular programme. Credit too to Jane Mathieson and Dorothy Jameson for running day trips and some longer holidays. None of these things happen without a lot of effort on the part of the organisers.
We have also run a series of regular social events this year, starting with a Summer picnic in 2024, continuing with our first Wine and Cheese evening in November and most recently a musical evening in February 2025. Plans are already well advanced for more to come and, although these have been very much a team effort, particular thanks are due to committee members Julie Archer, Liz Colley, Annie Clouston and Sue Overton for spearheading these.
Alongside all these new ventures, many of our traditional monthly groups continue to attract increasing numbers. Some, such as the Gardening group, are on the point of needing to ration attendance which is at least the right sort of problem to be faced with! The 40 interest groups continue to offer a great mix of academic study, practical activities, forums for discussion, opportunities to walk in and beyond our beautiful Teesdale countryside, and a host of fun activities. Again, thanks to Sue Overton and her team for their support to our army of convenors without whom this u3a could not operate.
Does any other UK u3a produce a monthly newsletter to rival our Forum, whether you read it online or join the queue for the sell-out printed edition at our monthly meeting? Great thanks are due to Annie Clouston who has stood down as editor after a decade in the job, but Ian Royston and Kate Bailey with their assistants will be following in her footsteps and continuing to keep us fully informed. Thanks again also to those convenors and their deputies whose reports each month bring to life the goings-on of the various groups, not to mention all the photographers who have produced so many beautifully appropriate seasonal cover pictures.
Our Committee has met monthly to guide Teesdale u3a through the hazardous business of operating a charity in the modern world. Our Treasurer, Hazel McCallum, has continued to oversee our finances prudently, but with an understanding that a successful u3a requires sensible investment on a regular basis. Our Business Secretary, Liz Colley, has kept us in touch with the wider u3a world out there, as well as helping oversee the revision of our policy documents, not the most exciting task perhaps but vital given the many legal challenges that face charity trustees today. Thanks too to Kate Bailey for work in this area. We are sad to be losing the services of our Web Master Martyn Radcliffe and thank him for his hard work over the last year. We are however very fortunate that Mike Sweeting, Martyn’s predecessor as Web Master, has agreed to return to the post, so all things IT-based remain in very good hands, especially given the support for our Beacon system provided by the ever-reliable Peter Colley. Celia Chapple deserves great credit for keeping the Committee on track with her meticulous minute taking.
To conclude, we are proud to have been involved again this year in an organisation that we feel provides a genuine service and opportunities to the people of Teesdale. Never has it been truer than it is with our u3a that its strength emanates from and is entirely dependent on all its members, so, well done to ALL this year and here’s to a great 2025 – 26.
Julie Archer, Tim Meacham, Ian Royston. April 2025
Teesdèle u3a ststement ofACuMw:III ar(ouNs Flnah¢lal Ye•r tsl M•r¢h ¥J24to 281h Febnwry2025 Prlnted15thAry112025 12..15 Inrome & Exp•ndlWrn SLIMMARY Totsl Income recorded E32a39.99 Total Expendyture recorded In Bexan Bank8lF GrtyJps cash 8fr E20.39J.53 El.134.Ql t25.95 CutttDt Acrount Ba(c¢ays&na £6.715.29 Unpresented cheques 4IY5JO MembershlpAuount Ba1 Bank Gruup5 Cash É1.011.76 TOTAL Examlnerfs Report T•wd•kn uY•Tr•4•unr Hazel Mccallum Arther Stu•rtAbbott Date 11412oz5 ./,/,, PaBeiof2
Teesdale u3a statement of Actount5.' all acwJnt5 Flnanclal Year 1st March 2024 to 28th Febrnary Z025 Pflnted 15thApril 2025 12..15 Income & Expendlture, 1st M•r¢h- 281h F•bw•ry Cate90ry Out Adverttsln8 Calend•r 12.00 365.50 360.05 Donation5 44.00 Equipment Forum PrInng/Sales Glft Ald 466.98 1034.70 1758.23 1810.37 Groups $h 6265.80 6388.05 Group Meetln8 Recelpts Group Meeyng Room Hlre 1453.01 1053.80 Group Speaker Fee5 Group Trip Contrlbutions GroupTrlp Expen5e5 Meefjngs & V151ts 285.(KJ 103C6.10 1163.10 9769.79 18. Membership Monthly meen8 Rot*lpts Monthly MeeYn8 Room Hlre Mtsnthly Speakers Fees Other 7560.00 1224.51 1524. 505.(KI 76.00 P05ta8e & StrOnery Publlc 13.70 139.72 Soclal 18SO.00 1931.81 V3A NaJon•l 2873.81 Walkln8 8ooks Web Sltt 338.00 Totals 32339.99 28260.58 Pa8e2of2