2024-03-31-accounts

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BUCKHURST HILL u3a

ANNUAL REPORT 2024

Chair’s report 2024.
Audited accounts for the year to 31[st] March 2024.
Appendix - reconciliation of gross income and expenditure to the audited accounts

Buckhurst Hill u3a - Chair's Report 2024

Writing this as the end of my first year as Chair approaches, I am pleased to be able to report that the last twelve months have been very successful for Buckhurst Hill u3a. This review gives me the opportunity to look back and highlight our successes.

Membership

Our membership year runs from 1st April to 31st March and at the end of March this year, the membership stood at 307 compared with a total of 274 at the same time the previous year. During the year we gained and lost some members, but the good news is that we now have the highest membership in our 10-year existence.

New members are always welcome as they can bring fresh ideas but at the same time, we are happy if our current membership is maintained. It has never been our desire to grow significantly as we believe that being a smaller group enables our members to participate in a wider range of activities without the need for too many waiting lists and for us to remain friendly and sociable.

Finances

Our finances are expertly managed by our Treasurer Sue Bird. Accompanying this report is a copy of the audited accounts for the year to 31st March 2024 which show a surplus for the year of £1,082.00 compared with a surplus last year of £1,628.00. Sue will report in detail on these figures at the AGM. My thanks to Sue for all her hard work.

Activities

Our monthly meetings, interest groups, outings and social events are what make us such a successful u3a, but none of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of the small number of members who give up so much of their time to make these things happen.

The monthly meetings are an integral part of any u3a group, and we aim to provide a wide variety of interesting speakers. We cannot always cater to everyone’s taste but the regular high attendance each month would suggest that our Speaker Secretary, Ann Denwood, has done an excellent job. Owing to ill health, Ann has reluctantly stepped down and handed over the role to Ruth Read, who has already booked a full and varied programme for us for 2025.

The subject matter of our talks ranged from “Tripe and Trotters, The Art of London, and Pirate Radio”. Interspersed with our talks we enjoyed Summer and Christmas afternoon teas.

We are fortunate that we have remained able to meet at Roding Valley Hall, which may be a bit run down but the car parking makes up for that. We have been informed that there may be renovations planned for the hall in the near future, and we wait with interest to see when this might be.

We currently have over 30 Interest Groups, including 2 new groups and I must take this opportunity to thank all of our Group Leaders for their considerable efforts. Running an

Interest Group can be a demanding and occasionally thankless task but, generally, the positive feedback from members does make it very worthwhile as Interest Groups are such an important part of u3a life.

We have seen a few new groups take shape during the year some of which have been shared with other local u3as. Sharing groups can make a new idea viable and we are always looking for new ideas and people to facilitate them.

I must thank Fiona Lucas, our Group Coordinator, for producing the Events Calendar each month and for her hard work supporting Groups that may have needed some assistance during the year as well as helping the new Groups get properly established.

During this year we have been able to arrange a full programme of outings. We have visited Brixton Prison's Clink restaurant for lunch, the Goldsmiths' and Freemasons' Halls, the Tower of London, Kew Gardens' Christmas Lights Festival, The Speaker's House, behind the scenes at the Drury Lane Theatre and many other places, as well as numerous West End theatre visits.

Meanwhile, Mary Nathan was busy arranging our Macmillan coffee morning, local “theatre” visits and other entertainments.

In addition to the outings, we also enjoyed a magic evening in November and various Afternoon Teas.

All of these outings and events were well supported and enjoyed by all who attended. My thanks to Mary and all of our very hard-working Committee for their unstinting work, and we are already busy organising outings and events for next year.

For the first time we are arranging a short holiday which is “The Highlights of Normandy”. This is being run by Riviera Travel and has already created a lot of interest and, indeed, some firm bookings.

Our main line of communication with members is our monthly Newsletter which has articles and information about our Interest Groups as well as forthcoming events. Members also submit interesting articles, and outings reports. These and all other contributions are greatly appreciated.

The credit for the success of our Newsletter must go to our Newsletter Editor, Christine Slade, who masterminds the production and distribution each month, and who, in addition to this role, is also our Membership Secretary, and Hall Hire Secretary. My sincere thanks to Christine for all her hard work.

We have also got some new methods of communications with our members i.e. our Facebook page, and thanks to David Dooks for taking on the task of setting this up for us.

Our website has undergone a major update. If you have not had a chance to look at it, please do so when you can, the changes are amazing:

https://buckhurst hill.u3asite.uk

Our thanks must go to Kevin and Fiona Lucas who spent many hours getting it right for us.

The Committee

The Committee is the backbone of the organisation, and I must thank all of the Committee Members for their support, commitment, and the time they give so willingly to ensure Buckhurst Hill u3a succeeds. We have had three new Committee Members: Ruth Read, David Dooks and Margaret Bint, who are already making their presence felt. Without all the time and effort from our Committee Members, we would not be able to function.

At the AGM all Committee Members have to stand down and I must thank all those who have agreed to stand for re-election.

Owing to the u3a 6-year Committee service rule sadly Sue Bird, who has done such an amazing job as Treasurer, has to stand down and cannot be re-elected this year. I personally want to thank Sue who has been an enormous help to me in my first year as Chair. It has not been an easy task to keep track of all the banking involved considering the quantity of events that we have run. Sue was also instrumental in helping me with our Magic Evening. I hope, she will not vanish and will continue to help us in our endeavours.

Many thanks to Sue Meredith who was persuaded to come out of retirement to re-join us and stand as Vice Chair for one year.

I am delighted to announce that David Dooks has agreed to become Vice Chair with a view to becoming Chairman next year when I must retire owing to the 6-year rule. This will ensure continuity for us going forward.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank those members who help each month with the setting up of the hall and help with refreshments. Every bit of assistance is appreciated.

The Future

We will, in 2025, be celebrating our 10[th] Anniversary and, whilst I am confident that the next twelve months will see Buckhurst Hill u3a go from strength to strength, it really does rely on you, the members, to continue embracing the u3a ethos of ‘run by the members for the members’.

Your u3a Needs You!

Finally, I must reiterate my thanks to the Group Leaders and the Committee for everything they do, and also to the membership whose enthusiasm and support make the whole thing worthwhile.

TEAM

Together Everyone Achieves More

Hilary Wrightman Chair Buckhurst Hill u3a 15 August 2024

laugh, live leorn, 3a

Buckhurst Hill u3a			allfigures£
Accounts
Vear to 31st March 2024		1 202312024 1	1 202212023 1
Income Membership subscriptions		5,515.00	4,97
		5,515.oo 1	4,9101
Expnditure
Hall Hire		(432.00)	(432)
Third Age Trust Costs	Note 1	(1,891.60)	(1,568}
Administration expenses	Note 2	{1,355.27)	(623}
Interest Group suppor		{8.30)	{205)
Speakers		{942.00)	{1,058}
Equipment purchases Refreshments - net expense/ {income)		{391.15) {4.66)	(77) (147)
		• (5,064.98)I	(4,110}
Net income		450.02 1	860
Social Account	Note 3	632.94 1	768
Total net income		1,os2.96 1	1,628
Branch funds Opening balance Surplus for the period		4,197.44 1,082.96	2,56 1,68
Balance carried forward		s,2so.40I	_4,197_l
Represented by:
Bank balance		13,884.54	10,712
Cheques & cash to be banked		411.36	500
Amounts receivable/ paid in advance	Note 4	18.00	885
Amounts payable/ received in advance	Note 5	{9,033.50)	(7,900}
		s,2so.4oI	_4,197_I

Hilary Wrightman {Chair) +t ! , Q W--, ~~!~~

Date ?-4 [' ) '1 l!

Sue Bird (Treasurer)[�] ,Ldi Date 1 LJ } ] ) ~~ �~~ ( 7_

Examiners report: I have examined these accounts and found them to be in accordance with the accounting records and explanations given to me

Graham Hurrell ACMA

Date ___ '_, .[,] '[4] ___ _

Buckhurst Hill U3A Accounts Year to 31st March 2024 Note 1: Third Age Trust Costs Capitation costs Third Age Magazine Note 2: Administration expenses Stationery Stamps Printer Ink Postage supplement Membership Cards Publicity material E-mail / Zoom costs Sundries Note 3: Social Account Coronation Lunch Ladies who Lunch (Glitz & Glamour) Ladies who Lunch (Autum Leaves) Ladies who Lunch (Turkey & Tinsel) Ladies who Lunch (Easter Bonnet) Thank you lunch Newmarket Summer Afternoon tea (AGM) Entertainment Evening The Clink Ely Andre Rieu Xmas afternoon tea Sister Act The King and I Goldsmith Hall Kew - Xmas lights Scott Elvis lunch Hits from the Blitz (Kenneth Moore) Kiss Me Kate Middle Temple St George' Lunch Ladies who Lunch (Jubilee - Afternoon tea) Ladies who Lunch (Blue Boar) Ladies who Lunch (Halloween) Ladies who Lunch (Red Rose lunch) Canal Museum Royal Albert Hall Southend Formans Lunch	2023/ 2024 (1,096.00) (795.60) (1,891.60) (170.62) (885.42) (109.58) 470.00 (40.04) (49.15) (324.00) (246.46) (1,355.27) 55.00 62.50 33.15 51.45 157.76 (420.63) 160.00 (110.87) 159.57 106.72 25.00 9.25 (502.95) 77.00 60.00 125.00 220.45 408.14 (3.60) 20.00 (60.00) - - - - - - - - - 632.94	*all figures £*
		2022/ 2023
		(948) (620)
		(1,568)
		(177) (314) (96) 425 (39) (78) (274) (70)
		(623)
		- - - - - (288) 98 (90) 299 - 277 (261) - - - - - - - - 293 50 28 35 70 45 70 87 55
	632.94	768.00

Buckhurst Hill U3A Accounts Year to 31st March 2024 Note 4: Amounts paid in advance (or receivable) Third Age Trust - credit note Goldsmith visit deposit The Clink - deposit Entertainment Evening 2023 deposit Prince Regent (Xmas 23) Coronation Event 2023 - deposit Note 5: Amounts received in advance (or payable) Prince Regent - Motown Xmas lunch Roydon Gardens Gunpowder Mill Drury Lane visit Sandhurst Xmas Lights - Kew Newmarket - 2023 Coronation Lunch Wimbledon 2024/25Membership fee and P&P paid in advance 2023/24 Membership fee and P&P paid in advance	2023/ 2024 18.00 - - - - - 18.00 (1,081.00) (119.00) (456.00) (351.50) (1,950.00) - - - - (5,076.00) - (9,033.50) -	*all figures £*
		2022/ 2023
		30 100 225 130 150 250
		885






		(1,120) (700) (1,200) (210) - (4,670)
		(7,900)
		-

o the audited ac	counts							*Appendix* *all figures £*
		ADJUSTMENTS
Gross income	Gross expenditure	Monies paid / rec'd in prioryear	Cash / cheques to bank	Monies rec'd in advance	Monies paid in advance	Surplus / deficit
							Audited	Accounts
	(38.00) - (432.00) (573.00) (360.00) (72.00) (1,096.00) (783.26) (170.62) (885.42) (109.58) (5.00) - (40.04) (49.15) (324.00) (346.46) - (188.80) (942.00) (391.15) (44.66) (910.00) (812.50) (475.00) (686.40) (501.60) (420.63) (540.00) (110.87) (847.93) (618.28) (1,205.00) (1,510.75) (502.95) (553.00) (690.00) (120.00) (1,179.55) (1,044.26) (222.00) (1,100.00) (1,860.00) (210.00) (1,830.00) - (50.00) - - - (607.50) (200.40) (60.00) (760.00) (168.00) (240.00) (111.00) (632.00) (375.00) (240.00) (280.00) (850.00) (701.00) (48.00) (199.80) (629.20)	3,960.00 240.00 (4,730.00) (30.34) 18.00 270.00 112.00 (346.00) 890.00 59.36 700.00 (130.00) (225.00) (100.00) 1,120.00 210.00 (150.00) (1,950.00) (456.00) (351.50) (119.00) (1,081.00) 629.20				5,515.00 - (432.00) - - (1,096.00) (795.60) (170.62) (885.42) (109.58) 470.00 - (40.04) (49.15) (324.00) (246.46) - (8.30) (942.00) (391.15) (44.66) 55.00 62.50 33.15 51.45 157.76 (420.63) 160.00 (110.87) 159.57 106.72 25.00 9.25 (502.95) 77.00 60.00 125.00 220.45 408.14 (3.60) 20.00 (60.00) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
								5,515.00
							(432.00)
							(1,355.27)
							(8.30)
							(942.00)
							(391.15)
							(44.66)
								(5,064.98)
								450.02

								632.94
								1,082.96
33,497.00	(30,953.76)	7,143.86	411.36	(9,033.50)	18.00	1,082.96