Registered Charity No 1182852 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To Year End 31/08/2022 Trustees’ Annual Report – ## Charity Details Charity Name Thorley U3A Charity Registration Number 1182852 Address c/o The Chairman Thorley U3A Meadow Cottage Butlers Hall Lane Thorley Bishop’s Stortford CM23 4BL ## Trustees – Officers Carmen Konopka Chair Sue Warren Vice Chair Duncan Palmer Business Secretary Ken Blethyn Treasurer ## Trustees – Non-Officers John Bailey Assistant Treasurer Diana Austin Groups Co-ordinator Roger Doughty Membership Secretary (Elected 7th March 2022) Tom McNeeney Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Officer (Elected 7th March 2022) Ian Hudson Newsletter Editor (Elected 7th March 2022) Nick Ambrose Web Support (Non Trustee) David Aitken Website (Non Trustee) ## Advisers Others who served as Trustees for part of the financial year: Jenni Kemp Vice Chair (Retired 7th March 2022) Anne Willett Membership Secretary (Retired 7th March 2022) Rosemary Hoskins Groups Co-ordinator (Retired 7th March 2022) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Document Date 29th October 2022 Page 1 Registered Charity No 1182852 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ## Governance The governing document of the charity is its constitution adopted on 4th March 2013, as amended at an Emergency General Meeting on 9th April 2018. Thorley U3A is an un-incorporated charitable organisation with a financial turnover of between £25,001 and £250,000. As such, the charity is required to file a Charity Commission Annual Return. The Return comprises an online form, a PDF copy of accounts (independent examination required), and the Trustees’ Annual Report. These items are due to be filed within ten months of the charity’s financial year-end of 31st August. Trustees are nominated and elected by members, usually for a period of three years. Appointment of new Trustees takes place at the AGM, normally in January. The Trustees manage the charity by way of monthly committee meetings which all members are welcome to attend. Thorley U3A is a member of the Third Age Trust. ## Financial Review Principal sources of funds are membership subscriptions and payments from members for the activities in which they participate. The Trustees constantly review the level of reserve funds and will adjust membership fees according to our financial expectations. Our aim is to maintain a level of funding approximating to between 6-9 months' annual income in reserves. Subscriptions for the financial year (to 31st August 2022) were £15.00 per member and it has been decided to maintain them at that level for the following financial year (to 31st August 2023). Accounts for the year to 31st August 2022 have been approved by the charity's independent examiner and are appended to this report. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Document Date 29th October 2022 Page 2 Registered Charity No 1182852 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ## Public Benefit Statement In carrying out their duties, the Trustees have had full regard to the guidance issued by the Charities Commission on public benefit and that of the Third Age Trust. ## Objectives and Activities ## Objects The advancement of education, and in particular the education of older people and those who are retired from full time work, by all means including associated activities conducive to learning and personal development, for those residing in Thorley, Bishop’s Stortford and its surrounding locality. Activities for achieving objects - Held monthly meetings available to the entire membership at which invited speakers delivered talks on topical and educational subjects. This was via Zoom during Covid-19 restrictions. However, by September 2021 face-to-face monthly meetings were restarted, with Zoom being maintained at the same time for those unable to attend in person. - Operated more than 40 Interest Groups, covering topics such as art, customs & cultures, languages, gardening, bridge, photography, walking, singing, pilates, etc. Almost all of these groups went back to normal face-to-face meetings following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions. We were able to restart the suspended calligraphy and history groups and to start a new craft group. - Organised a Quiz Night in November 2021, with 80 members attending, and a Christmas Lunch in December 2021 with 86 members attending. Organised a meeting for all new members in May 2022 – the first we had been able to do for two years because of Covid-19 restrictions. Held a ‘Come and Sing For Fun’ afternoon in July 2022. - Organised a number of trips and outings for members, including a tour of a local church, visit to the Crossness sewage pumping station, several theatre trips, outings to Leeds Castle, Thursford, the Cambridge Eco Mosque and Fitzwilliam Museum, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and a number of other gardens, plus a Bengal food tasting - Ran a four-night visit to Weymouth & the Jurassic Coast in September. - Developed guidelines and user-friendly risk assessments to promote safer meetings. - Continued to develop the website and issue monthly news Update emails to promote the organisation's activities and provide access to members' news and Interest Group activities. In addition, restarted the bi-monthly Newsletter from March onwards. - Ongoing programme to maintain and expand the activities offered. The operation of Thorley U3A relies upon the dedicated contributions made by members on a voluntary basis. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Document Date 29th October 2022 Page 3 Registered Charity No 1182852 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ## Achievements and Performance - Provided a University of the Third Age for approximately 550 retired and semi-retired residents of Thorley, Bishop's Stortford, and the surrounding locality. - Provided educational and informative talks for members attending monthly meetings. - Provided Interest Groups for members covering a wide range of educational and associated activities. - Provided news and information to all members about Thorley U3A and the wider U3A movement's activities. - Enabled members, some of whom are isolated people, to make new friends and acquaintances and to participate more fully in the local community. - Membership as of 31st August 2022 is 565. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Document Date 29th October 2022 Page 4 u3a Re01t•￿ No I1121￿2 Declaration Signed ￿ iKhalf of th¢ cbatity. (Chair io References: S¢Dd Annual On-lin¢ rclurn Charity R¢pirting and Awuntin8 F￿￿tialS 29th (ktobff 2022 Pag¢ 5 7horleyU3AAc