## **Crouch End & District U3A - 2024 Annual Report**
The Executive Committee of Crouch End & District U3A (CEDu3a), being CEDu3a‘s charity Trustees, present their report and accounts in respect of the financial period from 1 January 2024 and ending 31 December 2024.
## _**Status**_
CEDu3a is an unincorporated association, registered as a charity by the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 25 January 2018 with registration number 1178165.
Its correspondence address is Crouch End & District u3a, PO Box 81702, London N4 9PS and its website address is www.CEDu3a.org.uk.
## _**Executive Committee**_
CEDu3a is managed by an Executive Committee which came into effect following CEDu3a’s first Annual General Meeting in April 2019. The committee comprises Officer Trustees, non-Officer Trustees and other members who may attend to provide specialist input.
As set out in the CEDu3a Constitution both Officer and non-Officer Trustees serve for a three-year term which can be extended one-year annually until a maximum of six years has been served. The dates in brackets below indicate when the individual joined the Steering Committee (SC) which preceded the Executive Committee (EC), when they became a Trustee and, where appropriate, when they were appointed following the AGM in 2024.
The following have served as members of EC from April 2024 until the AGM in April 2025, with dates they were appointed to other roles in brackets.
## _Officer Trustees:_
|Chair:|Sally Whitaker (Secretary SC July 2017; Trustee January 2018; SC Vice Chair|
|---|---|
||October 2018; EC Vice Chair April 2019; EC Chair April 2020)|
|Vice Chair:|Graham Bennett (SC Trustee January 2018; EC January 2019; EC Vice Chair|
||April 2020)|
|Vice Chair:|John Hemingway|
|(EC Trustee April 2021; Groups Organiser April 2021, Groups Coordinator April 2023; Vice Chair||
||September 2023)|
|Secretary:|Jackie Langford (SC Trustee October 2018; EC Secretary April 2019; EC Co-|
||Secretary October 2024)|
|Treasurer:|Barry Morris (EC Trustee April 2023; EC Treasurer January 2024)|
Groups Coordinator: John Hemingway (see above)
## _Non-OfficerTrustees:_
Sarah Dearman New Member Support (EC April 2022) Lesley Holland Social Events Lead (EC April 2024) Kathy McHale (EC April 2023) Vicci Midwinter Volunteers Lead (EC April 2024) Alison Miller Co-Secretary (EC April 2024) Charlie Sharp Membership Secretary (EC April 2020) Pat Spungin (EC April 2023) David Weatherby Beacon Administrator (EC April 2024) Paul Wedgbury EDI Lead (EC April 2023)
In September 2024 Andrew Sich, a previous Trustee and Vice-Chair, was co-opted to a vacant Trustee position until the 2025 AGM.
These are the current volunteers / Specialist Teams going forward:
## _Administration Assistant_
Liz Hill
## _Beacon Administration_
David Weatherby
## _Catering Team_
Sarah McMahon (Lead) Lucy Bailey Adrienne Banks Sheena Brown Jan Harrison Liz Hart Ruth Hayes Joan Lindeman Elma Skrebowski Hilary West
## _Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (_ EDI _) Team_
Phillip Benns
## _Eventbrite Administration_
Jacki Reason
## _Facebook_
Jacqui Osley
## _Finance Team_
Barry Morris (Treasurer) Jackie Langford (Finance Manager)
2
Anne Hutchings Paul Soper _Interest Groups Team_
John Hemingway (Groups Coordinator and Lead) Stephen Lustig (Groups Organiser) Susan Richardson (Groups and Members Support Officer)
## _Monthly bulletin_
Alex Kempner
## _Monthly Talks Team_
Liz Sich (Speakers Organiser) Gina Bujis (Helpers Coordintor) Jacki Reason (Reception) Belinda Ackerman (Reception) Kollyn Bailey (Technical Support) Cortland Fransella (Technical Support) Carl Parker (Technical Support) Jon Raper (Technical Support) Paul Soper (Technical Support)
## _Newsletter Team_
Sue Garland (Editor) Sally Geeve (Designer) Sandra Clark Stephen Lustig (Roving Reporter)
## _New Members’ Meetings Team_
Graham Bennett Sarah Dearman
## _Publicity and Recruitment Team_
Andrew Sich (Chair) Angele Cauthery Sue Garland Sally Geeve Christine Heath John Hemingway Alex Kempner Julian Osley Pat Spungin
## _Social Events Team_
Lesley Holland (Chair) Sarah McMahon Brian Merison Trish Moody Sally Shaw Maggie Watters
## _Volunteering Team_
Vicci Midwinter (Lead)
3
Sheena Brown
## _Website_
Julian Osley
## _**Public Benefit**_
The public benefit role of CEDu3a is the advancement of education and in giving effect to this role, EC have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
## _**Objectives**_
CEDu3a’s objectives are as follows:
## **The advancement of education and, in particular, the education of older people and those who are retiring from full-time work by all means, including associated activities conducive to learning and personal development.**
In September 2017 the then Steering Committee adopted the Constitution as recommended by the national body The Third Age Trust. CEDu3a members approved and adopted the CEDu3a Constitution at the first AGM in April 2019.
## _**Priorities that were set for 2024**_
The following priorities were set at the 2024 AGM and delivery against these priorities is addressed in the next section. We said that we would:
## **Activities**
1. support and develop the range of interest groups and launch new groups
2. develop innovative ways of managing demand for popular subjects
3. support all conveners and attract new conveners to the role
4. plan and deliver a range of social events
5. arrange monthly meetings and deliver monthly talks with a range of expert speakers
6. ensure all new members feel welcome and can take advantage of what is on offer
7. address equality issues and increase the diversity of our membership ensuring CEDu3a is an inclusive organisation that does not tolerate any form of discrimination
## **Communications and recruitment**
8. communicate regularly with our membership through the website, emails, email bulletin and newsletter and raise the external profile of CEDu3a
9. maintain and when appropriate increase our membership numbers
## **Operational**
10. manage the charity’s business efficiently and effectively
11. increase the number of volunteers and manage their contributions effectively
12. maintain succession planning to ensure essential core competencies are retained in EC and elsewhere throughout CEDu3a.
4
## _**Achievements in 2024 and looking ahead to 2025**_
## _Overview of the year_
We had a very successful year in 2024, our membership was buoyant with new members joining throughout the year. We surpassed our previous highest membership of 1,033 members by year end 2023, to approach 1,180 active members for the first time ever at the end of 2024. We managed our business efficiently and our finances remained on such a sound footing that we have been able to reduce the annual subscription fee for membership in 2025.
We performed well against each set objective for the year and are confident that we will continue to do so in 2025. As always, we are tremendously grateful to all our volunteers, conveners and trustees for all they have done throughout the year. We could not manage without you.
Below follows a summary of our work in different areas.
## _Interest groups_
The Interest Groups Team, led by John Hemingway - a Vice Chair of the Executive Committee - have worked hard throughout the year supporting current conveners and their groups or encouraging the creation of new ones. In particularly popular subjects, groups were duplicated where practicable to enable more members to access them. Information for members on the interest groups is now updated on the website every six months. As ever, we owe an enormous debt of gratitude to our conveners, who work tirelessly to keep meeting demand.
Due to the creativity and enthusiasm of members and conveners, we continued into 2025 with approximately120 interest groups, including those duplicated where demand exists, in a wide range of subjects from sports, outdoor activities such as walks and bird watching, book groups, craft groups, languages, and groups focusing on academic subjects ranging from art appreciation, current affairs to geology and economics. Although additional groups have been set up to meet demand where possible, we are constantly seeking new ways of increasing the number of places and encouraging additional conveners to come forward.
## _Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (_ EDI _)_
I’m grateful to the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Team who were very active throughout the year, led by Paul Wedgbury, and following the workplan they set themselves in 2023. A questionnaire was sent out to all members earlier in the year with a 47% response rate, an excellent outcome for such a survey. Learning from questionnaire responses was used to inform the work of four focus groups initiated by the EDI Team – covering Disability, Ethnic Minorities, Men and Younger People. The focus groups prepared recommendations at year end that are now informing the work of CEDu3a as a whole during 2025.
The work of the EDI Team is critical in ensuring that CEDu3a is an inclusive organisation that does not tolerate any form of discrimination. The EDI Team aims to work closely with the other specialist teams to ensure that EDI principles are built into all of our promotional materials, activities and social events to enable access for all wherever feasible. An article setting out how the team has completed the workplan set out in their Terms of Reference (TOR), is available on our website. The structure of the team and TOR are now being revised to inform future priorities.
5
## _Social events_
In the summer in 2024 we held two summer parties at the Crouch End Cricket Club, that were very well attended and a great success, despite the inclement weather on one of the evenings. The highlight of the parties is always the delicious buffet provided by the Catering Team. We enjoyed hearing the CEDu3a ukelele band and the Bakelites, originating from our jazz band group. The main aim of the parties is for members to meet old friends and make new ones and this was certainly achieved. However, demand for tickets exceeded the capacity of the Cricket Club and so in 2025 we will be seeking an alternative venue which can accommodate more attendees.
The Social Events Team also planned a broad series of other social events throughout the year, including quizzes, the first ever Open Mic session, a concert and community dinner. Their efforts continue into 2025 with another series of events this year beginning with a ceilidh in May. Regular coffee mornings and monthly pub lunches are both as popular as ever.
## _Monthly meetings_
Attendance at our monthly meetings at the Moravian Church Hall, which feature the monthly talk, regularly reaches up to 150 members. The move to the Hall in 2023 has proved to be a great success, being able to accommodate a larger audience than previously in the Union Church. The growing audience figures reflect the increasing popularity of our speakers and subjects, who in 2024 covered aspects of a broad range of topics including art/artists, various history subjects, and Simon and Garfunkel. A similarly interesting range of speakers is planned for 2025.
## _New members meetings_
We held several new member meetings during the year which served to give us useful feedback as well as help new members to find their way around. Additional meetings were held after the Open Day event brought an increase in new members. Learning from new members, regarding their views on CEDu3a, is fed back to the Executive Committee and specialist teams regularly.
## _Publicity and Recruitment (_ P&R _)_
A very successful Open Day was held in May 2024, having been efficiently organised jointly by the P&R and Groups Teams representatives. A number of volunteers and the Catering Team helped on the day and most interest groups were represented either by a convener or a group member. Following the day a number of new members were recruited.
Our newsletter, _news@...,_ is circulated online three times per year having been brilliantly produced since inception by Graham Bennett, outgoing P&R Team Lead, and Lindley Smith. They have now stepped back from these roles and been replaced by other team members. This last year, hard printed copies of _news@..._ have also been made available which are very popular. Our excellent website continues to provide up to date information in all areas of our work and we are very grateful to the web manager, Julian Osley, for all that he does. Our Facebook pages have increasing appeal with over 875 users now. The monthly email Bulletins provide essential information to all members (hard copies are sent to non internet users) and I want to thank Vivien Tesseras for all she has done as bulletin editor over the last four years.
## _Membership_
At the end of December 2024 there were approximately 1180 subscribed members recorded, 39 of whom were concessions. These figures show an increase in membership over the previous year 2023, when 1033 members in total were recorded. The renewal period commences after the end of
6
the year and although there is usually a small drop in numbers at the beginning of the year it is anticipated that the upward trend in numbers will continue.
## _Managing business_
The Executive Committee (EC) met every two months throughout the year, each time with a busy agenda. Usually in between EC meetings an Officers’ meeting was held to deal with any urgent business and look at our finances in detail. In 2024 the Officers consisted of the Chair, 2 Vice Chairs, Secretary, and Treasurer. From the AGM 2025 there will only be one Vice-Chair amongst the Officers.
A detailed report on our finances follows in a later section of the AGM papers. The annual subscription fee was £30 (£5 for concessions) in 2024 and we have been able to reduce this annual fee to £25 for the year 2025 due to prudent management of expenses. The concession fee remains the same. Reserves in 2024 continued to remain significantly above the agreed minimum level of £10,000.
## _Volunteers_
The Volunteers Team have been able to match volunteers to need, using a formalised request process set up in 2023 and which now works well. We are constantly seeking additional volunteers to help out, being an entirely volunteer run organisation with no paid staff, so we need all the help available. We are extremely grateful to all of you who have helped out and encourage others to take the plunge and offer to volunteer.
## _Succession planning_
Our Constitution only permits Trustees to hold a limited term of office. Given that we were set up in 2017, the charity established in 2018 and the EC formalised in 2019, many of the current Trustees have been there from the beginning and are now reaching the end of their terms of office or wishing to stand down for personal reasons. In 2024 four new Trustees were welcome to the committee.
However, myself as Chair and two current Officers must step down in 2025, having completed the maximum term of office. Knowing this was the situation, the Executive Committee set in place an effective succession plan during the latter half of 2024 so that the business of the organisation would not be disrupted. One of the two Vice-Chairs is stepping down and will not be replaced and the Secretary has been role-sharing with her eventual replacement since October to ensure a smooth transition.
Just as importantly for the organisation I must step down as Chair, having been in that role since 2020. I was previously Vice-Chair. The trustee nomination process in January 2025 included the opportunity for members to also nominate a Trustee as replacement Chair.
## _Goodbye_
It is always difficult to say ‘goodbye’ to those you have worked closely with over a period of years, but needs must when five trustees are stepping down. As already stated that is myself as Chair, one of the Vice-Chairs, Graham Bennett, and Secretary, Jackie Langford, but also an additional two further Trustees, Kathy McHale and Paul Wedgbury.
7
I have worked closely with Jackie and Graham for six years now, since 2019 when we were established as a charity. They have both been hugely instrumental in driving the organisation forward so successfully – Jackie as Secretary: an essential role keeping us on track, minuting so many trustee meetings, and ensuring our policies are up to date and so on; and Graham in a variety of roles: Vice-Chair, speakers’ organisers, publicist, newsletter editor, and one of new members meeting lead, among others. They have been excellent colleagues in our shared endeavour and I can’t begin to express my gratitude for all they have done.
And thanks also to Paul Wedgbury, a Trustee for two years and chair of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion team, leading, among other initiatives, on the member survey during 2024 which was an extremely valuable and committed undertaking. I must also thank Kathy McHale, who has been a pleasure to work with, for her two years as a Trustee. All these four named have been interest group conveners at the same time as being Trustees and so a big thank you for that as well,
Other volunteers are stepping down and I apologise for not naming you individually, but rest assured it goes without saying how grateful we are for all you have done. We couldn’t do it without you!
## _**Our priorities for 2025**_
As in 2024, we will continue to work to:
## **Activities**
1. support and develop the range of interest groups and launch new groups
2. develop innovative ways of managing demand for popular subjects
3. support all conveners and attract new conveners to the role
4. plan and deliver a range of social events
5. arrange monthly meetings and deliver monthly talks with a range of expert speakers
6. ensure all new members feel welcome and included, and are able to take advantage of what is on offer
7. incorporate the recommendations of the EDI Focus Groups to inform strategic decision making where feasible in order to address equality issues and increase the diversity of our membership
## **Communications and recruitment**
8. communicate regularly with our membership through the website, emails, email bulletin and newsletter and raise the external profile of CEDu3a
9. maintain and when appropriate increase our membership numbers through a range of initiatives including engaging with local community organisations, developing our social media presence and local press.
## **Operational**
10. manage the charity’s business efficiently and effectively
11. increase the number of volunteers and manage their contributions effectively
12. maintain succession planning to ensure essential core competencies are retained in EC and elsewhere throughout CEDu3a
Sally Whitaker
8
Chair, CEDu3a
March 2025
**CEDu3a – Annual Finance Report – 2024**
## **Overview**
CEDu3a had a stable financial year during 2024. An increase in membership, together with lower than expected expenditure resulted in a surplus for the year of just over £5k. In light of this surplus, the Executive Committee took the decision to reduce subscriptions for 2025 to £25 for a full year membership; £15 for part year membership and £5 for concessions.
## **Income**
The main source of our income is subscriptions. Income from these increased from £28k in 2023 to £31k in 2024 due to the increased number of members. Income from social events was reduced from just over £4k in 2023 to just over £3k in 2024. Other than the summer parties, events were broadly self-funding, with income from charges covering costs of the events. Interest was higher than 2023 as interest rates were higher and we had more money on deposit during the year.
## **Expenditure**
Total spending by CEDu3a in 2024 was over £30k, rising from £28k in 2023. The largest element of spending remained group venues, group expenses and monthly meetings. These accounted for over £16k of our spending in 2024 which was very similar to our expenditure in 2023
Increased spending on the membership fee we pay to the national u3a reflected the increased number of CEDu3a members, with the fee itself remaining at its 2022 level of £4 per member. We also carried out more social events in 2024 than 2023 but achieved savings on venue costs – particularly for the summer parties – which offset the additional cost of more events. There was also increased expenditure in 2024 for the Open Day – which proved successful and helped to increase our total membership.
Our budget for 2024 had made allowance for significant increases in venue costs and other spending which has not been required at the level provided. In addition, increased membership meant more income from subscriptions than we had anticipated. As a result, CEDu3a made a surplus of just over £5k in 2024, compared to a surplus of around £4.5k in 2023.
We now have two one-year fixed interest rate deposits for £10,000 each at Metro Bank. One of these matures on 29 July 2025, and the other on 2 January 2026. CEDu3a also holds a Paypal account into which most members pay their membership subscriptions. Funds are transferred from this account to our Metro current account on an on-going basis during the year.
Accumulated reserves of £32k at 31[st] December 2024 are higher than the £10k that the Trustees previously set as the level needed to ensure that CEDu3a had an adequate backstop. The expectation is that this level of reserves will be eroded over time as a result of the reduction in individual membership subscriptions for 2025, and the Executive Committee’s intention to maintain that subscription level for at least the next few years.
As Treasurer during 2024, I relied heavily on support from Anne Hutchings and Jackie Langford and the Trustees are grateful once again to Paul Soper for examining our Accounts and writing the opinion which follows the formal Accounts below.
Post year event: After 31 December some of our equipment was stolen from the Moravian Church Hall. An insurance claim has been submitted but if that does not pay out, replacing the equipment will have a significant effect on the accounts for the current year ending 31 December 2025.
Barry Morris Treasurer
## **CROUCH END & DISTRICT U3A ("CEDu3a")**
## **INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE PERIOD 1st JANUARY 2024 TO 31st DECEMBER 2024**
|**Notes**
**INCOME**
Subscriptions
2
Income from Social Events
3
Other
Interest
5
**TOTAL INCOME**
**EXPENDITURE**
U3A Trust Membership Fee
6
Room Hire and Meeting Expenses
Equipment
7
Social events
4
Administration, Publicity, Website and Sundries
8
**TOTAL EXPENDITURE**
**SURPLUS/DEFICIT(-) OF INCOME OVER**
**EXPENDITURE**
_Surplus brought forward from preceding year_
**Reserves accumulated at 31st December**|**2024**
**£**|**_2023_**
**_£_**|
|---|---|---|
||31,311|28,242|
||3,488
0
1,055
**35,854**
3,912
16,135
337
4,805
5,425
**30,614**
**5,240**
**26,854**
**32,094**|4,342
6
352
**32,941**
3,676
16,127
532
4,852
3,369
**28,556**
**4,385**
**22,469**
**26,854**|
## **CROUCH END & DISTRICT U3A ("CEDu3a")**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AS AT 31st DECEMBER 2024**
|||**31-Dec-24**|**31-Dec-23**|
|---|---|---|---|
||**Notes**|
**£**|**£**|
|**ASSETS**||||
|Metro Bank Community Current Account||12,023|4,011|
|Metro Bank Community Instant Access Account||10,185|3.059|
|Metro Bank Community 1 Year Fixed Rate|9|
10,000|20,000|
|PayPal balance|10|
901|0|
|Other current assets||0|761|
|**TOTAL ASSETS**||**33,109**|**27,831**|
|**LIABILITIES**||||
|Deferred income|11|
319|281|
|Accounts not yet paid|12|
697|696|
|**TOTAL LIABILITIES**||**1,016**|**977**|
|**TOTAL ASSETS LESS TOTAL LIABILITIES**||**32,093**|**26,854**|
|Signed on behalf of the trustees:||||
|Chair|Sally Whitaker|||
|Treasurer|Barry|Morris||
|Date||||
## **CROUCH END & DISTRICT U3A (CEDu3a)**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## Note 1:
These accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis except for the deferment of 2025 member subscriptions received before the end of 2024 and the inclusion of amounts in respect of payment of three outstanding bills due for 2024 which will be paid in 2025.
## Note 2:
The 2024 subscription (membership fee) for existing and new members was £30 (full year), £15 (part year) or £5 (concession). Many people subscribed through PayPal which deducted a fee before forwarding the subscription to CEDu3a - membership income is shown net of that fee.
## Note 3 & 4:
Social events in 2024 included two Summer parties, a classical music event, a Jazz evening, a line dancing event and an Open Mic evening. For most events, except the summer parties, income from ticket sales broadly covered the costs involved.
A late invoice received for 2023 summer party expenses has been included as a prior year adjustment in these accounts.
## Note 5:
Interest in 2024 was a combination of interest arising from 1. A Community Instant Access account held with Metro Bank 2. A Community 1 Year Fixed Rate account with Metro Bank which matured in December 2024. Interest is added when the deposits mature and no account has been taken of interest on those deposits that mature in 2025.
## Note 6:
In 2024, CEDu3a paid an annual fee of £4 per member to The Third Age Trust. The membership fee was unchanged from previous years.
## Note 7:
Purchases of equipment are treated as one-off expenditure and costs are not depreciated over a period of years. Equipment purchased this year was a new PA system.
## Note 8
The administration costs include a fee of £1 per member for the use of the ‘Beacon’ database and ongoing maintenance of the website. Other sundry expenditure is included here including bank charges, stationery and the annual cost of a PO Box address.
## Note 9:
During the year CEDu3a maintained two fixed rate Bonds of £10k each with Metro Bank. One matured in July and the capital and accrued interest credited to our Metro current account. The other matured on 22 December, capital and interest again transferred to Metro Bank. We took out a new fixed rate Bond in July which will mature on 29 July 2025. A new fixed rate bond was set up in December which will mature on 2 January 2026
## Note 10:
The majority of our subscription income is received via PayPal and periodically transferred to our Metro Bank account. At the end of December there was £901 in the Pay Pal account,which related to subscription income for 2024 of £630 and the balance for 2025.
## Note 11:
Deferred income relates to member subscriptions for the year 2025 which were received before the end of 2024 and will be recognised in the accounts for 2025.
## Note 12
There were expenses anticipated but not yet paid by 31[st] December 2024 which related to the 2024 financial year. One was for hire of table tennis tables at Hornsey Vale Community Association and two were for venue hire, due but not yet invoiced.
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the Crouch
End and District u3a Trust
I reportto the trustees on my examination ofthe accounts ofthe Crouch End and
District u3a Trust ('the Trust,) for the year to 31 December 2024.
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the prepardtion of the
accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the
Acrf). These accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis
perniitted by the Act because the total annual income does not exceed £250,000
but with adjustment. where prudent. for certain accruals and prepayments.
I report in respect of my examination of the Trusvs accounts carried out under
section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all of
the applicable dirertions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(b)
of the ACL
I have completed my examination. I confirni that no material matters have come
to my attention, in connection with the examination, giving me cause to believe
that in any material respett accounting records were not kept in respect of the
Trust as required by section 130 of the Art or, that the accounts do not accord
with those records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters In connectton with
the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to
enable a proper understanding ofthe accounts to be reached.
Paul Soper FCCA
Fellow ofthe Assoclation of Chartered Certified Accountsnts
78 IndeNick Road
London
N8 9lY
12 March 2025
**CEDu3a – Annual Finance Report – 2024**
## **Overview**
CEDu3a had a stable financial year during 2024. An increase in membership, together with lower than expected expenditure resulted in a surplus for the year of just over £5k. In light of this surplus, the Executive Committee took the decision to reduce subscriptions for 2025 to £25 for a full year membership; £15 for part year membership and £5 for concessions.
## **Income**
The main source of our income is subscriptions. Income from these increased from £28k in 2023 to £31k in 2024 due to the increased number of members. Income from social events was reduced from just over £4k in 2023 to just over £3k in 2024. Other than the summer parties, events were broadly self-funding, with income from charges covering costs of the events. Interest was higher than 2023 as interest rates were higher and we had more money on deposit during the year.
## **Expenditure**
Total spending by CEDu3a in 2024 was over £30k, rising from £28k in 2023. The largest element of spending remained group venues, group expenses and monthly meetings. These accounted for over £16k of our spending in 2024 which was very similar to our expenditure in 2023
Increased spending on the membership fee we pay to the national u3a reflected the increased number of CEDu3a members, with the fee itself remaining at its 2022 level of £4 per member. We also carried out more social events in 2024 than 2023 but achieved savings on venue costs – particularly for the summer parties – which offset the additional cost of more events. There was also increased expenditure in 2024 for the Open Day – which proved successful and helped to increase our total membership.
Our budget for 2024 had made allowance for significant increases in venue costs and other spending which has not been required at the level provided. In addition, increased membership meant more income from subscriptions than we had anticipated. As a result, CEDu3a made a surplus of just over £5k in 2024, compared to a surplus of around £4.5k in 2023.
We now have two one-year fixed interest rate deposits for £10,000 each at Metro Bank. One of these matures on 29 July 2025, and the other on 2 January 2026. CEDu3a also holds a Paypal account into which most members pay their membership subscriptions. Funds are transferred from this account to our Metro current account on an on-going basis during the year.
Accumulated reserves of £32k at 31[st] December 2024 are higher than the £10k that the Trustees previously set as the level needed to ensure that CEDu3a had an adequate backstop. The expectation is that this level of reserves will be eroded over time as a result of the reduction in individual membership subscriptions for 2025, and the Executive Committee’s intention to maintain that subscription level for at least the next few years.
As Treasurer during 2024, I relied heavily on support from Anne Hutchings and Jackie Langford and the Trustees are grateful once again to Paul Soper for examining our Accounts and writing the opinion which follows the formal Accounts below.
Post year event: After 31 December some of our equipment was stolen from the Moravian Church Hall. An insurance claim has been submitted but if that does not pay out, replacing the equipment will have a significant effect on the accounts for the current year ending 31 December 2025.
Barry Morris Treasurer
## **CROUCH END & DISTRICT U3A ("CEDu3a")**
## **INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE PERIOD 1st JANUARY 2024 TO 31st DECEMBER 2024**
|**Notes**
**INCOME**
Subscriptions
2
Income from Social Events
3
Other
Interest
5
**TOTAL INCOME**
**EXPENDITURE**
U3A Trust Membership Fee
6
Room Hire and Meeting Expenses
Equipment
7
Social events
4
Administration, Publicity, Website and Sundries
8
**TOTAL EXPENDITURE**
**SURPLUS/DEFICIT(-) OF INCOME OVER**
**EXPENDITURE**
_Surplus brought forward from preceding year_
**Reserves accumulated at 31st December**|**2024**
**£**|**_2023_**
**_£_**|
|---|---|---|
||31,311|28,242|
||3,488
0
1,055
**35,854**
3,912
16,135
337
4,805
5,425
**30,614**
**5,240**
**26,854**
**32,094**|4,342
6
352
**32,941**
3,676
16,127
532
4,852
3,369
**28,556**
**4,385**
**22,469**
**26,854**|
## **CROUCH END & DISTRICT U3A ("CEDu3a")**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AS AT 31st DECEMBER 2024**
|||**31-Dec-24**|**31-Dec-23**|
|---|---|---|---|
||**Notes**|
**£**|**£**|
|**ASSETS**||||
|Metro Bank Community Current Account||12,023|4,011|
|Metro Bank Community Instant Access Account||10,185|3.059|
|Metro Bank Community 1 Year Fixed Rate|9|
10,000|20,000|
|PayPal balance|10|
901|0|
|Other current assets||0|761|
|**TOTAL ASSETS**||**33,109**|**27,831**|
|**LIABILITIES**||||
|Deferred income|11|
319|281|
|Accounts not yet paid|12|
697|696|
|**TOTAL LIABILITIES**||**1,016**|**977**|
|**TOTAL ASSETS LESS TOTAL LIABILITIES**||**32,093**|**26,854**|
|Signed on behalf of the trustees:||||
|Chair|Sally Whitaker|||
|Treasurer|Barry|Morris||
|Date||||
## **CROUCH END & DISTRICT U3A (CEDu3a)**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## Note 1:
These accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis except for the deferment of 2025 member subscriptions received before the end of 2024 and the inclusion of amounts in respect of payment of three outstanding bills due for 2024 which will be paid in 2025.
## Note 2:
The 2024 subscription (membership fee) for existing and new members was £30 (full year), £15 (part year) or £5 (concession). Many people subscribed through PayPal which deducted a fee before forwarding the subscription to CEDu3a - membership income is shown net of that fee.
## Note 3 & 4:
Social events in 2024 included two Summer parties, a classical music event, a Jazz evening, a line dancing event and an Open Mic evening. For most events, except the summer parties, income from ticket sales broadly covered the costs involved.
A late invoice received for 2023 summer party expenses has been included as a prior year adjustment in these accounts.
## Note 5:
Interest in 2024 was a combination of interest arising from 1. A Community Instant Access account held with Metro Bank 2. A Community 1 Year Fixed Rate account with Metro Bank which matured in December 2024. Interest is added when the deposits mature and no account has been taken of interest on those deposits that mature in 2025.
## Note 6:
In 2024, CEDu3a paid an annual fee of £4 per member to The Third Age Trust. The membership fee was unchanged from previous years.
## Note 7:
Purchases of equipment are treated as one-off expenditure and costs are not depreciated over a period of years. Equipment purchased this year was a new PA system.
## Note 8
The administration costs include a fee of £1 per member for the use of the ‘Beacon’ database and ongoing maintenance of the website. Other sundry expenditure is included here including bank charges, stationery and the annual cost of a PO Box address.
## Note 9:
During the year CEDu3a maintained two fixed rate Bonds of £10k each with Metro Bank. One matured in July and the capital and accrued interest credited to our Metro current account. The other matured on 22 December, capital and interest again transferred to Metro Bank. We took out a new fixed rate Bond in July which will mature on 29 July 2025. A new fixed rate bond was set up in December which will mature on 2 January 2026
## Note 10:
The majority of our subscription income is received via PayPal and periodically transferred to our Metro Bank account. At the end of December there was £901 in the Pay Pal account,which related to subscription income for 2024 of £630 and the balance for 2025.
## Note 11:
Deferred income relates to member subscriptions for the year 2025 which were received before the end of 2024 and will be recognised in the accounts for 2025.
## Note 12
There were expenses anticipated but not yet paid by 31[st] December 2024 which related to the 2024 financial year. One was for hire of table tennis tables at Hornsey Vale Community Association and two were for venue hire, due but not yet invoiced.
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the Crouch
End and District u3a Trust
I reportto the trustees on my examination ofthe accounts ofthe Crouch End and
District u3a Trust ('the Trust,) for the year to 31 December 2024.
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the prepardtion of the
accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the
Acrf). These accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis
perniitted by the Act because the total annual income does not exceed £250,000
but with adjustment. where prudent. for certain accruals and prepayments.
I report in respect of my examination of the Trusvs accounts carried out under
section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all of
the applicable dirertions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(b)
of the ACL
I have completed my examination. I confirni that no material matters have come
to my attention, in connection with the examination, giving me cause to believe
that in any material respett accounting records were not kept in respect of the
Trust as required by section 130 of the Art or, that the accounts do not accord
with those records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters In connectton with
the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to
enable a proper understanding ofthe accounts to be reached.
Paul Soper FCCA
Fellow ofthe Assoclation of Chartered Certified Accountsnts
78 IndeNick Road
London
N8 9lY
12 March 2025