2025-07-31-accounts - Havant U3A

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HAVANT u3a ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 18[th ] September 2025 CHAIR’S ANNUAL REPORT

This year’s AGM marks a major transition for Havant u3a, as six Committee members will be standing down:

Alison White – served as Membership Secretary since Havant u3a inception (13yrs),
Elizabeth Jorge – served for 12 years as Groups Coordinator, Speaker’s organiser and lately as Chair,
John West – served for 11 years as Speakers Organiser and Chair,
Margaret Stanger – served for 8 years as Treasurer,
Martin Owen – served for 7 years as Technical Support and Quiz Master,
Fran McQueen – served for 5 years as Publicity Officer.

We thank them all for their outstanding commitment and the vital role they have played in the growth and success of Havant u3a.

Recruiting new Committee members has been a challenge. Peter Newman has agreed to take over the Chairmanship and has worked tirelessly to encourage volunteers. We are grateful that four members have come forward for nomination. However, this will result in a smaller Committee (organisation chart below), with certain responsibilities delegated to supporting assistants.

I fully support these new organisational arrangements and commend the incoming Committee members to you.

1.Membership Trends

Our membership for 2024/25 has grown by 4.4% from 320 to 357 members. Although many new members joined in 2024/25 a significant proportion did not renew their membership. Special attention will need to be paid in 2025/26 to improve retention and recruitment.

Havant u3a Membership Trends 2021-2024

Membership Type	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
Full	233	267	279	297	306
Associate	15	11	31	23	51*
Total	248	278	310	320	357*

23 out of the 51 Associate members belong to the National Online Bridge Group, thus not actually Havant u3a members.

2. Subscription Fees

Despite rising costs, we will be able to maintain our subscription fees at last year’s rates: £18 for Full membership and £12 for Associate members.

3. Groups

Jean Munday , our new Groups Coordinator, has quickly settled into her role and has already made a significant impact. She has successfully launched four new groups: Needlecraft , Spanish for Beginners , Pilates , and Birdwatching .

Unfortunately, two groups— Wine Tasting and Current Affairs —have now closed.

In addition to supporting group activities, Jean organised the annual Group Leaders’ Meeting in May and hosted a very successful Volunteers’ Tea Party in June, to thank everyone who contributes to Havant u3a—whether by running groups, serving on the Committee, or supporting our wider activities.

4. Monthly Talks

Our monthly talks programme under John West’s leadership has continued to stimulate, educate and entertain us through a wide variety of topics. John’s choice of speakers has been well received with increased attendance at monthly meetings. Sadly, John will be standing down from the Committee but has agreed to continue to source speakers for special talks.

5. Special Events

Talks by senior personalities in 2024/25 included a talk by Col. Chris Davies, former Royal Marines Principal Director of Music about his service on the Royal Yach Britannia.

6. Social Events

Our Social Sub-Committee worked tirelessly to ensure that our regular events were enjoyable, well-organised, and offered good value for money. Margaret Stanger , supported by her dedicated team, has led much of the planning and coordination. Her exceptional organisational skills will be greatly missed.

At our Christmas Party , we were entertained by Judy Theobalds , who amused us with her light-hearted talk “Christmas and Other Problems.” A festive sing-along followed, led by Peter Newman and Vince Ibbs , performing as a ukulele and guitar duo.

At the Summer Party , the musical group Folks in Harmony provided lively entertainment, which was warmly received.

Despite the success of these events, attendance at our parties has been declining. We may need to consider whether changes to the current format are needed to better suit members’ interests.

In addition, two popular Quiz Nights were held during the year, hosted by Martin Owen and Peter Newman —both proving enjoyable and well-attended evenings.

7. Outings

Val Worthington has delighted us with four excellent coach trips this year, all very well subscribed. We visited Salisbury Christmas Market, Polesden Lacey, Exbury and The Vyne. We are indebted to Val for her efforts and look forward to her exciting outings choices in 2025/26.

8. Community Events

We continue to participate in local Community Events to promote Havant u3a and recruit new members. This year we participated in the Bedhampton Show and the Manor Fair.

We are deeply grateful to Fran McQueen for distributing our publicity materials at local fairs and for her tireless efforts in promoting Havant u3a to the wider public. As Fran prepares to step down from the Committee, her enthusiasm, dedication, and approachable manner will be greatly missed.

9. Havant u3a Groups Fair

Our Annual Groups Fair will take place on 3rd October , scheduled to avoid the busy holiday season. This event is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our wide range of groups. Members of the public and existing members are warmly invited to come along, meet group leaders, discover what’s new, join groups, and subscribe to Havant u3a .

9. Website

In December 2024, we successfully migrated our old Site Builder website to the new SiteWorks platform. This upgrade has resulted in a more visually appealing site and enhanced user experience. Our sincere thanks go to Geoff Worthington and Peter Mumford for their dedication in ensuring a timely and efficient transition.

10. Conclusion

Thank you to all our members for your continued support, enthusiasm, and contributions— these are the foundations of Havant u3a’s ongoing success.

This year marks a significant moment of change for our committee. Six long-serving members are stepping down, and we are immensely grateful for their years of dedication, leadership, and service. Their contributions have shaped the u3a we enjoy today, and they will be greatly missed. We also warmly welcome our new Committee members and look forward to the fresh ideas and energy they will bring.

As we move into 2025/26, we remain committed to providing a rich and varied programme of groups, talks, and events. Your participation—whether as a group member, leader, volunteer, or supporter—ensures Havant u3a remains a vibrant, inclusive, and friendly community.

Let’s continue to learn, share, and grow together in the year ahead.

Havant U3A

Registered Charity 1188205

Annual Accounts 2024-25

Summary statement

Last Year

5,522.00 0.00 7,170.50 0.00 0.00 4.00 7,328.00 780.00 30.00 548.31 184.00	£ 6,198.00 0.00 9,957.45 0.00 0.00 13.00 7,069.50 720.45 330.00 645.24 54.00	£ 24,987.64 21,414.41
21,566.81 1894.66 872.15 3207.20 3900.00 0.00 14.40 0.00 0.00 480.00 7283.98 770.19 386.60 298.00 85.20 0.00 26.31 376.86 196.96 91.47 743.80 184.00	2,097.96 844.60 3,510.82 3,880.00 1,495.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 726.00 5,743.46 0.00 573.88 348.00 39.36 50.00 47.49 594.08 405.90 96.81 925.05 36.00

20,811.78 5,034.08
		3,573.23
		5,789.11
5,789.11		9,362.34
Brought Forward 4,790.57 998.54		6,317.31 3,045.03
5,789.11		9,362.34

includes £80 cash float

Approved by the Trustees on and signed on their behalf by

Chairman

Treasurer