2024-03-31-accounts - Bristol U3A

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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1[st] April 2023 Period start date to 31[st] March 2024 Period end date

Charity name: Bristol u3a

Charity registration number:291783

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	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 all associated activities conducive to learning and personal development in Bristol and its surrounding locality.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	Creation of interest groups for our members to facilitate learning via a wide range of activities. These will be at much lesser cost than equivalent educational bodies. Membership of Bristol u3a is open to all individuals who are interested in furthering the work of the u3a and who have paid the annual subscription.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	Bristol u3a confirms that it continues to ensure that its activities are carried out for public benefit, and that in doing so the Trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission ‘s public benefit guidance where relevant.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	Not applicable. All funds re used to support members participation e.g. venue hire etc. and Bristol u3a’s operating costs.
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	N/A
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	The organisation has no paid staff so operates by the active participation of a range of members. Trustees and postholders are all volunteers. Over 150 interest groups for members are led by

volunteers and further volunteers are involved in monthly meetings (with a public lecture) and social groups. Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	Membership had grown to just over 1550 by the end of the financial year, and 150 interest groups had formed, led by volunteers. These covered an incredibly wide number of subjects from practical outdoor activities such as walking, cycling & Tai Chi to indoor discussion groups on politics, ethics. Groups also cover crafts, languages, creative writing, and scrabble. We continue to have social events in several geographical areas and a monthly social with a talk by an external speaker in a central Bristol location. Attendance at these public meetings has averaged at 90 people and seems to be growing. An annual social for Group leaders has been run again this year and communication with them promoted by a regular_Group Leaders e- _update. We are managed by an Executive Committee, elected from membership which has met monthly, considering strategic and detailed issues, and overseeing the work of three teams: Organisational Effectiveness, Strategy and Groups and Diversity and Inclusion. The committee has been keen to look at ways of increasing the geographical spread of the organisation and ensure that new members are gained in the areas where we are currently underrepresented. We have applied for small grants from South Gloucestershire Council and Bristol City Council for small projects to move these initiatives forward in the next financial year. The Committee continues to manage the administration of a scheme to support groups by funding venue costs from members subscriptions allowing meetings to take place in public community settings. All our events are volunteer led and staged in response to members interests, not through any external curriculum. Through taking part in these and by volunteering to assist running events, there is a good participation by members in activities. We

assess one measure of our success as our low rate of members seeking not to resubscribe, in the region of 12% annually. Our survey of the members not renewing show people dropping out for a number of health and social reasons but do not highlight any disaffection with the range of activities we provide. The Governments ‘Tackling Loneliness Annual Report 2023’ stated ‘loneliness can affect every area of our everyday lives, and the pandemic only highlighted the importance of social connections for people of all ages and backgrounds.’ And goes on to highlight the benefits of social interaction and volunteering with people of an older age. We think that Bristol u3a is contributing positively to this agenda. We are helping members unlock the potential for leading an active and fulfilling third stage of their lives.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:


Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	During the current year there was an excess of income over expenditure of £8688 Bristol u3a has £41,561k in hand at the year- end including in the deposit account in accordance with the Executive committee decision to maintain £10.5k Reserves.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	Bristol u3a aims to maintain a level of reserves of about six months expenditure. This is in accordance with Charity Commission guidance.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£10.5k
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	N/A
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	N/A
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	No particular concerns.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	In the year £30,122 was received from membership subscriptions, £5,133 from HMRC Gift Aid, £3305 was received in grants, and £110 was received in donations.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	A deposit account is maintained with a High Street bank within the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, and it is used for reserves.
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	The Committee worried that the rise in heating and cost of living costs for our members could impact on subscription renewals, therefore the committee agreed to maintain subscription rates 23/24. The rise in utilities and heating costs could be passed on to us by rising rental costs by community centres and other providers but so far by looking at alternative locations and reducing frequency of meetings, these rises have been kept to our budget predictions. Future public health emergencies could affect again our ability to hold in person meetings but hopefully we are now post pandemic better prepared to operate online.
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Constitution as amended 17thApril 2018
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	Unincorporated association
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Annual election or re-election by membership at AGM (except for Treasurer who is elected for a three-year term of office).

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	Incoming trustees participate in a half day induction meeting introducing adopted policies and procedures and are provided with a copy of the Third Age Trust document, ‘Trustee Code of Conduct (England and Wales)’
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	The Charity is affiliated to the Third Age Trust, the national umbrella body for Universities of the Third Age. It is a member of the Southwest Region.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	Annual subscription of £5,424 paid to use the u3a Head Office infrastructure including paid staff, policies and procedures resources and group wide purchased insurance and copyright licences.
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Bristol u3a
Other name the charity uses	Bristol University of the Third Age
Registered charity number	291783
Charity’s principal address	11, Alexandra Park, Redland, Bristol BS6 6QB

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	Ian Bickerton	Chair
	Martin Bromberg	Treasurer
	David Wilson	Secretary
	Richard Johnson	Vice Chair
	Paul Baker
	Paul Buckley
	Norma Sherratt

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name N/A

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name	Dates acted if not for whole year
N/A

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity Name and objects of the N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for N/A safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of Name Address adviser

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

N/A

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

No paid staff

Other optional information

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) David Martin Wilson Position (eg Secretary, Secretary Chair, etc) Date 23rd January 2025

BRISTOL U3A

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION Opening balance as at 1 April 2023

BRISTOL U3A STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION Opening balance as at 1 April 2023	BRISTOL U3A STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION Opening balance as at 1 April 2023	BRISTOL U3A STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION Opening balance as at 1 April 2023
TOTAL ALL U3A ACCOUNTS Year to 31 March 2024 Year to 31 March 2023
ASSETS Opening Balance 32,881 29,281 INCOME Membership Subscriptions 30,122 27,780 Paper Newsletters 1,392 1,380 Venue/Hall Hire 2,221 1,255 Gift Aid Refund 5,133 2,497 Grants (Age UK , CAF & RWS) 3,305 2,067 Ring Fenced to groups 53 Not previously recorded Donations 110 140 Social 173 88 Interest 400 22 Total Income Received 42,909 35,229 DEBTORS Venue/Hall Hire 0 177 Total Debtors 0 177 PREPAYMENTS Licences Remaining Value 139 164 Venue/Hall Hire 67 Estimated Gift Aid Refund 3,098 4,932 Total Prepayments 3,304 5,096 Total Assets 79,093 69,783
		5,096

		69,783
LIABILITIES EXPENDITURE Membership 126 168 Annual Bulletin (inc. Postage) 3,194 4,186 Paper Newsletters 900 1,021 Postage 783 1,059 Third Age Matters 4,305 3,987 Stationery 46 86 Promotions 649 1,069 Third Age Trust Membership 5,424 5,432 Beacon Licences 1,419 1,378 Licences 252 264 Account Charges 739 722 Speakers Fees 460 735 Social 34 97 Venue/Hall Hire 15,728 11,296 Group Exp inclZoom 73 130 Gift Aid Refund 0 0 Equipment 35 0 Total Payments made 34,168 0 31,629
	34,168 0	31,629

CREDITORS Ring Fenced (Groups) Venue/Hall Hire o/s Invoices Total Creditors PROVISIONS Membership Remaining Value Newsletters Remaining Value Gift Aid payment to HMRC Venue/Hall Hire outstanding accruals Total provisions Total Liabilities	not previously recorded 0	not previously recorded 0
	0 11,575 690 910	0
		13,174

		44,804
		24,979
SURPLUS / (DEFICIT)
Assets over Liabilities
OVERALL POSITION Cash HSBC Current Account 2,620 HSBC Deposit Account 27,878 PayPal Account 11,124 Total Cash 41,622 Debtors/Creditors (201) PrePayments/Provisions (3,060) Total 38,361	10,474 15,499 6,908 32,881 177 (8,079) 24,979
		24,979

Accounting Treatments

Licences are prepaid assets which reduce in value throughout their life.

Membership Fees create a liability which reduces month on month until August.

Paper Newsletter purchases for 4 issues a membership year and the liability reduces accordingly.

TAT Membership is based on the Individual and Joint Membership numbers as at 31/3 but is paid the next FY.

TAM charge is postage costs based on the Individual and half the Joint Membership numbers as at 31/3 but paid the next FY

Beacon charge is based on the Individual and Joint Membership numbers as at 31/3 but paid the next FY Gift Aid Refund Prepayment is what is expected to be paid next FY. Value is 25% of the basic subscription paid by those signed up to Gift Aid

Venue/Hall Hire Debtors are the amounts owed by Groups which have exceeded the £400 subsidy limit.

Equipment expenditure was to purchase a card reader

Gift Aid Provision to HMRC is to payback incorrectly claimed amount in April 23

Independent Examiner Comments: