2024-08-31-accounts - Guildford Area University Of The Third Age (U3A)

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

GUILDFORD AREA u3a ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24

Governance: The Trustees hereby submit their Annual Report and Financial Statements for the period ended 31st August 2024.

The financial statements relate to Guildford Area u3a (Gu3a), registered charity no: 296975; registered office: PO Box 1631, Guildford, GU1 9HA.

Gu3a has been governed during the current year by the Trustees: Julie Beattie (Chair), Jackie Ring (Vice Chair), Sandi Layton (Secretary & Publicity), Alex Kundert (Treasurer), Margaret Clements (Prospectus), Moira MacQuaide (Director of Studies), Roger Philo (Webmaster), Jane Robertson (Venues), Caroline Sawers (External Relations), Sue Watson (Membership) and Justin Jackson (Beacon).

Changes to the Trustees (the Management Committee) became effective from the AGM in November 2023 and Trustees were voted in by the membership for a one-year term at the AGM.

All trustees are required to undertake an induction, to understand their role and their legal obligations.

Other members who have assisted the committee significantly are: Jennifer Margrave (Monthly Meetings), Margaret Morgan (Newsletter Editor), Jackie Deyong (Prospectus) and Liz Rye (Venues Costs Controller).

The Trustees met on 6 occasions during the financial year (01Sep- 31Aug) and an AGM was held on 27th Nov 2023, for the financial year 2022/23.

Activities: Gu3a is affiliated to the University of the Third Age movement. The Trustees follow the Charity Commission’s general guidance in relation to Gu3a aims and objectives and in management of the organisation.

Activities including a busy schedule of visits and outings which provide opportunities to learn and mix socially, all enabled through member volunteers.

Guildford Area u3a is self-funded through membership subscriptions, with costs kept as low as possible. Over 110 groups were created under eight faculties: Arts & Crafts, Humanities, Literature & Drama, Languages, Music, Games & Indoor Pursuits, Sport & Outdoor Leisure, and Science & Computing. Study Days, Monthly Meetings and Coffee Mornings, both at venues and on Zoom were planned along with a busy programme of visits and outings.

The 2022/23 AGM took place at Queen Elizabeth Park Centre and on Zoom in November 2023 and voting was enabled electronically or by post prior to the meeting, as well as on the day for those attending in person.

Due to poor attendance in previous years, the Annual lecture was not held this year.

Three New Members’ meetings were held in October, March and May, enabling members who joined Gu3a mid-year to attend these sessions.

The Annual Group Leaders’ Lunch was hosted by the Chair at the Lakeside Restaurant at Surrey University in late April, as a thank you and in recognition of the huge amount of hard work that continues to be undertaken by the Group Leaders.

Guildford u3a manned a stall at the Farmers’ Market on Guildford High Street in June, July and August. The Management Committee recognises that these events could not take place without the volunteers and kindly thank them for their support and effort.

A huge piece of work was undertaken this year to amend the Constitution, following a similar exercise conducted by the Third Age Trust. This new Constitution has been sent to you for validation.

The Management Committee at Guildford u3a is fully committed to ensure that our organisation can continue to function in its daily business for the benefit of its members.

Group Enrolment Day took place in August at the Spectrum in Guildford where we welcomed many new members.

Membership and Finances

As in previous years, the Trustees are required to prepare the Annual Report and Financial Statements giving a true reflection of the Charity, in accordance with applicable law, the United Kingdom Accounting Standards and complying with Charity regulations 2008 and the provisions of the Memorandum and Articles Association.

In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to: i) identify accounting policies and apply them consistently; ii) observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP; iii) make decisions and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; iv) confirm applicable accounting standards have been followed and if not explain the deviations in the financial statements; and v) prepare the financial statements on an ongoing basis, unless it is inappropriate to assume the Charity will continue to operate.

They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and for taking reasonable steps in the prevention and detection of fraud or other irregularities. The Trustees confirm that the following applies: i) so far as each Trustee is aware there is no relevant audit information (information needed by the Gu3a Independent Examiner in connection with preparing his report) of which he is unaware; and ii) each trustee has taken all the steps necessary to make herself/himself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the Gu3a Independent Examiner has the information. An independent review, as required by Charity Commission takes place annually.

The number of members at the end of August was 1560, including 8 associate members(versus 1326 at the end August 2022/23).

This year there was a deficit of £2,465 as venue costs began to rise, with reserves sitting at £78,581, though slightly higher than recommended, gradually declining.

As such it is proposed that the subscription for 2025/26 be kept at £30, though increases may be. required beyond that to manage the impact of inflation, increased venue and TAT capitation costs.

Gu3a continues to fund two Zoom licences which are used for Management Committee meetings, AGMs and some group meetings, though most groups have now moved back to face-to-face meetings so the number of licences fell as the year progressed.

Some of the Guildford Area reserves were moved into a higher interest account to take advantage of increasing interest rates.

Management Committee

Lastly two Trustees and members of the Management Committee are standing down at this year’s AGM. They are Caroline Sawers and our Chair Julie Beattie.

Caroline served as Gu3a Chair until 2019, before being replaced by Julie, and has since been our External Affairs representative and the Chair of Surrey Network. She is a fountain of knowledge and has contributed enormously to the Management Committee and Gu3a over the years. She will be replaced by Margaret Sharp on the Committee. Caroline will also stand down as the Surrey Network Chair this year, but will continue with her role on their Committee to assist with the Study Days.

Julie has served for 5 years as Gu3a Chair and as per the Constitution, she is now required to stand down having completed her tenure. She will be replaced by Profs. Bernard Cohen and Philip Harris who will be joint Chairs. Prior to serving as Chair, Julie was Director of Studies. Julie has kindly agreed to

be co-opted onto the Executive Committee for the next year, to support the new Chairs and the Committee in the coming months.

The Executive Committee would like to offer both Caroline and Julie a huge vote of “Thanks” for their dedicated service to Gu3a. It is as a result of their outstanding leadership that Gu3a is the thriving organisation it is today.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Dated 25 Oct 2024

……………………………………………………………….

Guildford Area U3A

Income and Expenditure Account

For the Year to 31 August 2024

Income Membership subscriptions Outings and concerts Gift aid rebate Interest received Miscellaneous inc donations Total income Expenditure Hire of venues Outings and concerts Annual lecture Enrolment day Study events Printing and stationery Postage and telephone Honoraria-in-kind Equipment and maintenance National membership subscription Beacon fee Publicity Online activities Miscellaneous Total expenditure Surplus/(Deficit) for the year	2024 £ 44,900 49,566 4,262 2,429 1,805 102,962 40,815 47,773 - 285 490 1,928 1,947 1,400 2,025 6,052 1,515 766 307 124 105,427 (2,465)	2023 £ 43,440 34,622 3,415 704 1,845
		84,026
		35,680 33,279 1,046 280 600 1,385 1,592 1,035 - 5,760 1,441 - 1,047 800
		83,945
		81

Guildford Area U3A

Balance Sheet

As at 31 August 2024

Assets and Liabilities Current assets Santander current account Santander interest / deposit accounts Paypal account United Trust bank accounts Debtors and prepayments Current liabilities Membership subs received in advance Other income received in advance Sundry creditors Net assets Reserves Accumulated fund as at 1 September Surplus/(Deficit) for the year Accumulated fund as at 31 August	2024 £ 20,877 41,005 1,126 50,940 13,737 127,685 (35,670) (11,123) (2,311) (49,104) 78,581 81,046 (2,465) 78,581	2023 £ 40,852 31,932 1,156 50,000 8,485
		132,425 (30,640) (17,433) (3,306)
		(51,379) 81,046 80,965 81
		81,046

Chairman …........................................ Treasurer …..................................... Julie Beattie Alexander Kundert

Date Signed …............................................

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Charity Name GUILDFORD U3A TRUST	Charity Name GUILDFORD U3A TRUST	Charity Name GUILDFORD U3A TRUST

AUGUST 31, 2024	Charity no (if any)	296975

1 & 2 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended31 / 08 / 2024. As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address:		OCTOBER 27, 2024

	DOMINIC BEATTIE

	FCMA

	36 KINGSWAY, GERRARDS CROSS, BUCKS, SL9 8NU

Oct 2024

IER

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

There were no material matters of concern in relation to the accounts for the year ending August 31, 2024.

Oct 2024

IER