Whitwick & District u3a Chair’s Report 2024-2025
Looking back over the past year I feel our u3a has had a very successful time and is back on track after earlier troubles.
Your Committee has worked hard to make sure things run smoothly and I would like to thank them all for their efforts. They are all volunteers who give their time and energy freely.
Similarly the Group Leaders make sure all our varied activities go ahead on a regular basis. They are the people who keep the wheels turning and we all owe them a big thank you.
In the back ground too are all the others who help: our Webmaster, our Update editor, our Speaker Seeker who has booked us some stunning speakers and entertainers over the last twelve months, our Equipment Officer, our Publicity Officer, our Refreshment Team, our Membership Secretary, the Groups Coordinator Team and all the rest who just get on with it. The list of volunteers is long and I thank them all.
I think the most significant event during the year was without doubt our Open Day in September. Everyone involved, and particularly the Group Leaders, pulled out all the stops to put on a terrifically impressive show. We had many visitors who commented on the vibrant atmosphere, and a lot of them joined our u3a, resulting in an increase of over 20% to our membership. Special thanks go to our then Membership Secretary who managed to get grant funding for the event and to support a special offer on membership fees for those who joined at the time. We followed up the recruitment campaign with a couple of meetings specifically for new members to make sure we are meeting their needs and to listen to their suggestions and feedback.
Increased membership has now filtered through to groups and in some cases this is causing a slight headache because large numbers can be difficult to manage. It’s quite a nice problem to have! Solutions will emerge, for instance the Short Mat Bowls group has now split in two to cope with demand. Some new groups have started or are under consideration so our range of activities is evolving.
Another significant development this year has been the change of venue for General Meetings, triggered by the closure of the small hall at St David’s Church. The new venue at Hall Lane Methodist Church has proved a comfortable choice, and attendance at General Meetings is high, mostly because of the influx of new members but also because some longstanding members have decided to return. The Committee is monitoring numbers but to date no measures have been needed to manage the situation. There have been a few teething troubles, notably with the audiovisual equipment, but we are now in a good routine and feel settled.
Our finances are in good shape and our Treasurer manages them very well. Expenditure has followed our predicted budget fairly closely and overall we are in good shape, with a reserve set aside in case of unforeseen problems, and currently earning interest. We have moved our accounts to a different bank to make it easier for Group Leaders to pay in funds, and this is working well. The accounts are examined by Roger Bisgrove both at the end of the financial year and at the halfway point to make sure things are in order. At the last AGM members voted for an increase in subscription fees to be effective from April this year. This was in the context of having
reduced fees some years ago and having had a free year during Covid lockdown, but increased running costs necessitated the uplift.
After the Open Day our Membership Secretary, Mell Gwinnutt, moved from the area and Sue Park has taken on the role. Carol Collier is stepping down from Committee at this AGM and Heather James has agreed to take over as Groups Coordinator Lead. Fran Johnson and myself are stepping down this time too, so there are vacancies on the Committee but the others are willing to be nominated again. Some new blood alongside experienced people would be a good mix.
I never expected to do a second term as Chair but I have to say I have enjoyed being involved in such a wonderful organisation once more. I can only thank everyone who helps in whatever small or large way to make Whitwick & District u3a what it is, for all your support. I wish my successor well as they move forward.
Pete Johnson Chair April 2025
WHITWICK & DISTRICT u3a
Financial Statements
Year ending 31 March 2024
Income and Expenditure Account
Income
| Income | ||
|---|---|---|
| Membership Fees | 4370.50 | |
| Gif Aid (Years x 2) | 1332.65 | |
| Christmas Rafe | 204.00 | |
| Sale of Eqipment | 20.00 | |
| Group Cash Income | 8801.65 | |
| Less Cash to Bank | -7170.91 | |
| Group Bank Income | 20057.46 | |
| Dance Group Funds | 81.21 | |
| 27696.56 | ||
| Expenditure | ||
| u3a Capitaton | 1064.00 | |
| Third Age Trust Magazine | 648.65 | |
| Speakers | 891.00 | |
| Website | 189.39 | |
| WAD Room Hire | 1233.00 | |
| Postage | 121.91 | |
| Print/Statonery | 88.39 | |
| Equipment | 182.98 | |
| Refreshments | 286.98 | |
| Bank Charges | 110.33 | |
| Leics & Rutland u3a | 5.00 | |
| Calandars 2025 | 49.33 | |
| Publicity | 69.75 | |
| Donaton Christmas Rafe | 204.00 | |
| Group Bank Expenses | 17096.92 | |
| Group Cash Expenditure | 3670.95 | |
| 25912.58 | ||
| Excess of income over expenditure | 1783.98 | |
| Balance Sheet | 3/31/2024 | |
| Group Cash | 287.39 | |
| Bank 31 March 2024 | 10420.87 | |
| 10708.26 | ||
| Group Cash B/F | 2327.60 | |
| Bank Balance B/F 31 March 2023 | 6676.68 | |
| Prepaid Membership Fees | -80.00 | |
| Excess Income over Expenditure | 1783.98 | |
| 10708.26 | ||
| Note: | ||
| Emergency Reserve | 4500.00 | |
| Groups Ring Fenced Funds | 4545.31 | |
| Available to Commitee | 1375.56 | |
| Bank Balance 31/03/2024 | 10420.87 |
WHITWICK & DISTRICT u3a
Financial Statements
Year ending 31 March 2024
Income and Expenditure Account
Income
| Income | ||
|---|---|---|
| Membership Fees | 4370.50 | |
| Gif Aid (Years x 2) | 1332.65 | |
| Christmas Rafe | 204.00 | |
| Sale of Eqipment | 20.00 | |
| Group Cash Income | 8801.65 | |
| Less Cash to Bank | -7170.91 | |
| Group Bank Income | 20057.46 | |
| Dance Group Funds | 81.21 | |
| 27696.56 | ||
| Expenditure | ||
| u3a Capitaton | 1064.00 | |
| Third Age Trust Magazine | 648.65 | |
| Speakers | 891.00 | |
| Website | 189.39 | |
| WAD Room Hire | 1233.00 | |
| Postage | 121.91 | |
| Print/Statonery | 88.39 | |
| Equipment | 182.98 | |
| Refreshments | 286.98 | |
| Bank Charges | 110.33 | |
| Leics & Rutland u3a | 5.00 | |
| Calandars 2025 | 49.33 | |
| Publicity | 69.75 | |
| Donaton Christmas Rafe | 204.00 | |
| Group Bank Expenses | 17096.92 | |
| Group Cash Expenditure | 3670.95 | |
| 25912.58 | ||
| Excess of income over expenditure | 1783.98 | |
| Balance Sheet | 3/31/2024 | |
| Group Cash | 287.39 | |
| Bank 31 March 2024 | 10420.87 | |
| 10708.26 | ||
| Group Cash B/F | 2327.60 | |
| Bank Balance B/F 31 March 2023 | 6676.68 | |
| Prepaid Membership Fees | -80.00 | |
| Excess Income over Expenditure | 1783.98 | |
| 10708.26 | ||
| Note: | ||
| Emergency Reserve | 4500.00 | |
| Groups Ring Fenced Funds | 4545.31 | |
| Available to Commitee | 1375.56 | |
| Bank Balance 31/03/2024 | 10420.87 |