## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** ## **From 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023** ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|**University of the Third Age (Merton Branch)**| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|**Merton u3a**| |Registered charity number|**291074**| |Charity’s principal address|**c/o The Treasurer**
**54 Princes Road**
**Wimbledon**
**London**
**SW19 8RB**| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Name of person (or
Dates acted if not for whole
Trustee name Office (if any) body) entitled to
year
appoint trustee (if any)
1 Jane Fisher Chair From 22 March 2023
Paul Evans Vice Chair
2
(to 22 March 2023)
Linda Thomas Vice Chair From 12 May 2023
3 David Drummond Treasurer
4 Christina Evans Business Secretary
5 Alain Hendrich Groups Coordinator To 29 September 2023
6 Tom Conway Groups Coordinator From 29 September 2023
Sue Lovell-Greene Membership Sec – subs To 31 December 2023
7
(to 22 March 2023)
8 Clare Gray Membership Sec – subs From 22 March 2023
9 Sue Southwood Talks Organiser
10 Roger Frost Minutes Secretary
11 Fleur Jeremiah Comms Coordinator
12 Karl Schneider Media Editor From 12 May 2023
14
15
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Structure, Governance and Management** |**Description of charity’s**
**trusts:**|| |---|---| |Type of governing document|**Constitution (as amended) adopted 20 March 2024**| |How is the charity
constituted?|**Unincorporated Association**| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions|**Trustees are appointed or reappointed annually at the**
**Annual General Meeting held in March**| ## **Objectives and Activities** |Summary of the objects of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|The charity’s object is the advancement of education, and in
particular the education of older people and those retired from
full time work, by all means including associated activities
conducive to learning and personal development in the
borough of Merton and surrounding areas.| |---|---| |Summary of the main
activities undertaken for the
public benefit in relation to
these objects|The charity’s main activities are to arrange a varied
programme of talks for the charity’s members and visits to
interesting places around London, together with promoting
and supporting around 80 interest groups designed to enable
members to stay active, keep learning and have fun.
Throughout our activities the trustees keep in mind the
Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.| |Contribution made by
volunteers|We are grateful for the many hours our member volunteers
have spent in arranging and supporting the talks, visits and
other events during the year and especially those who have
led and inspired our interest groups.| ## **Achievements and Performance** ||Summary of the main
achievements of the charity
during the year|With Covid restrictions behind us, the year’s talks were live
and very well attended. Subjects included Charles Dickens,
Merton Park Film Studios, London’s Railway Stations, the Silk
Roads and Astronomy.
The visits during the year were similarly well attended and
varied, including Cutlers’ Hall, Chiswick House, Dancesport
International (who make the dresses for Strictly!), the Garrick
Club and Hatfield House.
All the while, our interest groups met regularly for learning
foreign languages, discussing current affairs, undertaking
handicrafts, playing board games and music and keeping fit
by walking, cycling, playing table tennis – and much more.| |---|---|---| ## **Financial Review** |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period
~~Review ofthecharity's~~
financialposition at the end
oftheperiod
|Including restricted funds of £894, bank balances at
31 December 2023 totalled £38,558 – a very healthy position,
following large surpluses of income during the pandemic years
of 2020 and 2021.
lncludingrestrictedfundsof~~f894,~~bank balances at
3'tDecember2A23totalledC38,558-averyhealthy position,
followinglargesurplusesof income duringthepandemic years
ot202A and2021.
| |---|---| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held
~~Statement explainingthe~~
policyforholding reserves
stating why theyareheld
|As the charity’s accounting is on a receipts and payments
basis, the above bank balances equate to the charity’s
reserves and amount to approximately three years of unfunded
expenses.
The charity’s business model is that the interest groups should
be self-financing, although the aggregate payments made by
groups for equipment and venue hire are reflected in the
charity’s accounts. The charity itself is responsible only for the
costs of centrally organised events, such as the programme of
talks and general meetings, together with the charity’s
administration, IT and publicity expenses.
~~As the charity'saccounting is on a receipts and payments~~
basis,theabove bank balances equatetothe charity's
reserves and amounttoapproximately threeyears ofunfunded
expenses.
The charity'sbusiness modelisthattheinterest groups should
be self-financing, althoughthe aggregatepayments madeby
groupsforequipment andvenuehirearereflectedinthe
charity'saccounts.Thecharity itself is responsible only forthe
costs of centrally organised events,suchastheprogrammeof
talksand general meetings, together withthecharity's
administration, lTand publicity expenses.
| |The charity’s principal
sources of funds
~~The charity'sprincipal~~
sources of funds|The charity’s principal source of funds is members’
subscriptions, which are set at a relatively low rate when
compared to those u3a organisations which fund all costs and
expenses. The principal costs covered by our members’
subscriptions are the affiliation fees and magazine
subscriptions paid to the Third Age Trust, the umbrella
organisation for all UK u3a organisations.
The accounts include other amounts received from members
each year in relation to organised visits and the Christmas
lunch in particular, but these receipts are matched with the
relevant costs, subject to timing differences between the
receipts and the payments.
Exceptionally in 2023, our Table Tennis groups applied for and
received grants from the Wimbledon Foundation’s “Get Set,
Get Active” fund and the Co-op’s Community fund. These
grants are held in a separate bank account and their use is
restricted to the Table Tennis groups, in keeping with our
model of interest groups being self-financing. At the end of the
year, £894 of these grants remained to be spent.
~~The charity'sprincipal~~sourceof~~funds~~is members'
subscriptions,whicharesetat a relatively lowratewhen
compared tothoseu3a organisations whichfundall costs and
expenses.Theprincipalcostscoveredbyourmembers'
subscriptionsaretheaffiliationfeesand magazine
subscriptionspaid to the ThirdAgeTrust,theumbrella
organisation forallUK u3a organisations.
Theaccounts include other amounts receivedfrommembers
eachyearin relationtoorganised visits andtheChristmas
lunch inparticular,butthesereceiptsarematched with the
relevant costs, subject to timingdifferencesbetweenthe
receipts andthepayments.
Exceptionallyin2023,our Table Tennisgroupsappliedforand
received grants from theWimbledonFoundation's "GetSet,
Get Active"fundandthe Co-op'sCommunityfund.These
grants are held in a separate bank account andtheiruseis
restricted to the Table Tennisgroups,in keepingwith our
modelofinterestgroupsbeing self-financing. Attheendofthe
year,f894of these grants remainedtobe spent.| ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** |**Signature(s)**
**Full name(s)**
**Position**
**Date**
Signature(s)
Fullname(s)
Position
Date|| |---|---| ||
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~~lJ~~\n{rr.'*h.r)$tLt-| ## **Merton u3a** ## **Final Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023** |**RECEIPTS**
Subscriptions
Gift Aid
Talks
Visits
Group Activities
Social (Christmas Lunch)
Grants - Wim Foundation & Co-op
Miscellaneous
Bank Interest
**Total Receipts**
**PAYMENTS**
TAT Affiliation
TAT Magazine
Stationery & Postage
Printing & Publicity
Visits
Room hire
Catering
Talks
Equipment - Technical
Groups' equipment and coaching
Social (Christmas Lunch)
Beacon and other IT
Bank Charges
Miscellaneous
**Total Payments**
**Surplus for year - General**
**Surplus on Table Tennis grant**
**SURPLUS FOR YEAR**
Balances b/f
Balances c/f
**Balances as at 31 December**
CAF Cash account
CAF Gold account (Norah)
HSBC
HSBC Restricted account
PayPal|**2023**
**£**
13,714.00
1,216.26
505.10
3,811.50
5,533.48
1,752.00
2,420.47
0.00
77.45
**29,030.26**
3,412.00
1,934.30
1,380.35
1,560.17
4,175.65
5,508.60
1,334.18
1,270.00
0.00
2,529.18
1,933.50
962.20
329.61
163.53
**26,493.27**
**1,642.93**
**894.06**
**2,536.99**
36,021.25
**38,558.24**
**2023**
18,276.78
1,965.06
15,782.42
894.06
1639.92
**38,558.24**|**2022**
**£**
12,868.50
1,791.83
268.45
3,072.00
3,853.21
1,386.65
0.00
0.00
15.39
**23,256.03**
3,208.00
1,739.80
1,084.68
2,415.47
2,698.00
4,007.80
839.97
610.40
2,000.00
757.21
1,396.65
1,269.58
405.42
61.39
**22,494.37**
**761.66**
**0.00**
**761.66**
35,259.59
**36,021.25**
**2022**
16,608.94
1,928.86
12,825.12
0.00
4,658.33
**36,021.25**| |---|---|---|