2023-12-31-accounts - Salford Life Long Learning (U3A)

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CHAIR’S REPORT TO 2024 AGM.

INTRO

Thanks to all of you for attending our AGM and thanks for all your involvement throughout the year. It’s the members that make this such a lively, stimulating and friendly u3a to belong to

It’s been a busy year and a time of transition.

It’s the first year we’ve been free of disruption or the threat of disruption from Covid since 2019 (though we know it’s still lurking around) – and we’ve taken full advantage of this to grow in membership and activities.

Everything we do is built on what went before, and this is a summary of the past year.

MEMBERSHIP

We ended 2022 with 335 members and ended 2023 with 401 – a 19% increase and by a considerable margin the highest membership we’ve had since Salford u3a began 37 years ago.

We welcomed 136 new members last year and checking the numbers this morning, we’ve had another 30 new members since the beginning of January so our membership today is 396.

Why is it important to increase our membership? Maybe you think we’d be happy as we are, with the groups and activities we enjoy and the people we know.

It’s important for several reasons, basically because standing still isn’t an option

every year, we lose 10-15% of the membership who don’t renew, for one reason or another
as we all age, we need new blood,
people who are willing to take on roles
and bring in fresh ideas
and there are so many of our fellow Salford residents who are missing out on everything we enjoy about our membership of the u3a.

Being able to join online from July was immediately popular, and most members are joining and renewing that way, or paying by card using our new card reader.

Making it easier for members to join is an important element of our strategy to grow the membership and we’ll continue to look into further expanding our payment options this year.

Andy Scutt leads in this area and I’d like to thank him for all he’s done this year.

GROWING THE MEMBERSHIP: HOW HAVE WE DONE IT?

This has been a combination of

what we offer
letting people know what we offer
making ourselves visible
raising our profile
making it easier for new members to join (online option)
reducing the membership fee also adds to the appeal

A. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO OFFER?

GROUPS

Alongside growth in membership, there has been a proportionate growth in the number of groups. A rough guide is that we should aim for a ratio of 1 group per 10 members and we are have more than reached that, with an increase from 34 to 43 groups during the year.

Since the last AGM, we’ve added Spanish, Crown green bowling, Tai Chi x 2, Games and puzzles, a second Quilting group, a 4[th] Book club and a new walking group about to start.

New groups are a great way of attracting new members – that’s happened for all of our new groups this year. Tai Chi was the star attraction, with 29 sign ups within days including 5 non-u3a members.

We lost one group – Theatre 2 – and a couple have come close, not for lack of interest but because of the difficulty of finding anyone willing to take over as convenor.

Some groups have changed convenor: Bird watching, Photo club, Play reading, Science and tech, Short Walks – thanks to all those convenors, past and present. Plants and Gardens took on a new name to reflect its interests and activity.

Several groups tried something different. Paint and sketch have offered tuition in landscape and portrait drawing; Concert goers had a day out in Buxton for the Gilbert and Sullivan festival; Wine appreciation visited a vineyard); Science and tech visited a solar farm; and – rather less glamourous – Family history visited Weaste Cemetery.

Walking group members had an enjoyable holiday in Dovedale: thanks to Ken McMahon for organising another successful trip

We are gradually increasing what we do beyond 10-4, Monday to Friday, and have added an evening book club to Saturday Strollers and Sunday lunch club. Pacemakers will also be walking at the weekend. There’s always scope for more: maybe an evening diners club, or beer and ale tasting or a craft group?

All this activity and variety is something to be proud of, so many, many thanks to all our convenors and to the group members who help with running groups

SOCIAL PROGRAMME

Another highlight of what we offer is our Social and Trips programme. Members enjoyed our Annual lunch, a holiday in the Netherlands, a day trip to Bowness and a short break in the West Country.

We always hear fantastic feedback about these events, with every day being packed with activities and experiences, so they’re great value for money as well as an opportunity for members to spend time together and get to know each other.

Our thanks to Janet Ball for the time and attention she puts into running these events, and also to Ken for his support to Janet.

MONTHLY SOCIAL MORNINGS + OTHER

We have had an interesting and varied programme of speakers and regular high attendance: we routinely have 80+ attending, with highs well over 100. We know there are concerns about this venue in terms of acoustics and accommodation size and we’ll do our best to address this.

Thanks to Carolyn Siddall for managing these meetings and for finding a great variety of speakers.

Many thanks also to our Friday support team for the welcome they offer and for ensuring everything runs smoothly. We now have a team of 10 meeters and greeters + our two signers-in – newly identified with lanyards.

From the March meeting, we’ll have a table specifically for newcomers and meet and greeters: it will be clearly signed so please leave that table free – and it won’t necessarily be the same one each time.

Thanks also to Carolyn for arranging 1[st] Aid training in May: it proved more difficult than expected to find a trainer but I know it was appreciated by those who attended

B. MAKING OURSELVES VISIBLE

It’s not much use having all these activities if no-one outside Salford u3a knows about them. So, how do we make ourselves visible? How do we let potential members know what we have to offer?

OUR WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA

Our website is constantly evolving. I know I shouldn’t but, if you compare it with other u3as’ sites, I find ours much more informative (particularly about groups) as well as being attractive and easy to navigate.

We continue to attract more and more visitors to our website and 2023 was another record year with an amazing 85,000 page views by visitors from across Salford and beyond.

We’ve increased our postings on Facebook (reaching a wide local audience) and X (reaching other groups and organisations who can put the word around about us) and this has vastly increased awareness of Salford u3a and attracted many new members. Our posts are varied and those that highlight our new groups have played a huge part in attracting new members: all our new groups in the past year have attracted members that way.

That’s why I say – it’s a combination of having something good to offer and making it known as widely as possible.

Thanks to Debra Charnley for her systematic and consistent approach , to updating the website and social media posting and to Andy for his backup. And thanks to Debra for this morning’s slide show.

We look for any opportunity to raise the profile of Salford u3a. We have attended

Salford Integrated Care Partnership: Citizens’ Panel
Age Friendly Salford Alliance
Local Neighbourhood team meetings
Manchester and Lancashire Family History Society fair

 Salford Local Histories fair

We have a mailing list of organisations who receive our newsletter.

And we have spread our flyers around the borough, thanks to you.

Thanks to all who have helped in any way.

SEEKING MEMBERS’ VIEWS

We’re a small committee and we think it important to hear a wide range of members’ views about how Salford u3a is doing, what we could improve and how we might develop.

This past year, we’ve held a survey of new members and a series of Qs of the month where you gave us some good pointers about spreading the word on Facebook, demand for another walking group, which is getting underway, and ideas about the monthly Social mornings.

It also generated ideas about attracting younger members, which some of you have been working on in a sub-group with Debra, so thanks to those who have helped with this.

We also invite all new members to an informal Welcome mtg within 3 months of them joining so we can tell them how the u3a works, but also to hear from them what they would like to get out of their membership and what suggestions they have for groups or activities.

Thanks to all of you who have responded when we’ve asked you - ~40% for our surveys - and I hope you’ll help us again.

And thanks to Debra, who collates all the information you give us

As I said, we’re a small committee and we’re all multi-tasking so it has been a big benefit to have Jean Martin join us as Minutes Secretary. Jean has taken on some of the Admin work including the never-ending task of dealing with our incoming emails.

Thanks to Jean for her work, and for minuting today.

FINANCES

I’m not going to say much about finances as David Jenkins will be giving his report. Just to say that everything we do is underpinned by sound finances and to thank David for taking over probably the least popular role! His regular reports and our move to online banking have enabled us as a committee to be on top of the finances as well as offering new payment options for you that most of you have taken up.

We have also been very pleased to be able to reduce the membership fee for 2024. At £12, it’s at its lowest level for many years and we’ve also introduced a joint membership fee (and 100 of our members are now joint) which, at £21, I think you’ll agree represents remarkable value.

These are also important factors in making Salford u3a more attractive to new members.

Thanks to David Jenkins for all he’s done to take us forward this year.

CLOSE AND LOOKING FORWARD

Before I close, I’d like to mention that, along with all the growth and positive developments, we also remember those members we have sadly lost during the year. Many of you will have known them, they were our friends and they will be sorely missed.

I hope you’re all feeling positive about the year ahead, as we are.

To take us forward we need your help

to spread the word
we’d like to have a stand at local fairs and events
we need you to tell us about them and to help run them
to start and run groups/activities
remember: by the members, for the members
to update us with what you and your group are doing, with photos to keep the website fresh and up to date, and for the newsletter
to volunteer in any way you can.
anything from joining the committee or convening a group to making the coffees or organising a Christmas lunch for your group
if you have an interest or a skill to share, that can be the start of a new group – guitar players, crafters, beer experts, historians …
any contribution, no matter how small, is a help.

What would help, ideally at committee level but up for discussion, is someone to co-ordinate our publicity efforts, to keep an eye on what’s going on and to make sure we’re in there … and a personal plea: a newsletter editor: the newsletter is due for a refresh and a new eye.

If you’d like to know more about those roles and whether you could help us, please get in touch with me

Thanks again to you all. Whatever contribution you make, it is appreciated.

Thanks to my fellow committee members for all the work they put in and for their support to me in my first year as Chair. Here’s to a positive 2024.

Mary McBride, Chair, Salford u3a

2023 Y•ar Er Salford u3a Accounts Maln Accounts 17.79153 13.499.54 4.291.99 Trnvel Accounts 44,118. 45,705J5 11.586.551 See septyth tYA•E" 1705.M Total 61.910.33 59.204A9 Bank openlng blAbKe {lt Maln Ltsrrent Maln Ltoyds- Maln Maln Ltoyds- Mwnbersh Maln Lloyd> DeFX MaSD RB5 L)eFoslt Travel Natvvest Trnvel Lloyds Cuh Book openlnl bAlanc (1st JAn) 6.Y)IW2 HB5 Curiert 1.16U2 261.CQ 5.698.71 1665J4 690.71 I¢S5 De 1065.Y Nrtwesi IS.S27.07 201.00 15.216.07 8nk doslng balnc• IJ 1st Dec) Mlln RBS Curr¢ Maln Lloyds- Maln Maln Lloyds- Membershli Maln Lloyd5 L)eFol Main W L)epx"t Travel N¥(We5t TTrvei Lloyd5 Book doslnz (3 1st Déc) R&5 Curreni LBgIJZ Uoyds. Maln Q.¢Xl Uoyds. t1P 14.(#xI. Lloyd5 DeFK¥It O.(N) R8S L)eposit NatWe5r 1,163ffjJ 3J.Q) 1.681JS 1.120J5 l.Qn.99 1.077.W4 17.895.•1 .720.35 17.971.51 1705.44 IYQS.44 At4)rova OD bthaff of the Tru5 14.0l.W_ Ind•pwKl•nt Examiner'5 repwt to Salfwd Lif• Long l•arnng (U3A) (Charity 700706) on thè actounts for th¢ y•ar •nd•d 31 st D•c•rnb•r 2023 Rupr11tIe5 aTrJ t4s15 of re The charfty trLM¢¢eS are re$Fk the F¥eprntlon of th? Kcots in Kcord the clthe Chdlles kn 205 I rtF A(¢). I rwt In respect ol my eMnaOn d SaKord u3a's atcouttts 12rTknI wt secty)n 145 of the 2011 Aa aThJ kn carm twt my I have IdloW the applKabk lyeTr ty the Chvi¢4 C¢ynmisSi(¢ 14515)(bl £L deFnOent exxmkne¢s suieinEni to belthe t¢ +n any matertal res l the accounts do not accord Wlth thrfje r I hve ro Cor and have come across m othtr matters In wlth the ex3MthaU to attentkffl SWI t* dravth rrymxr In order fo wibte a utKkntsndin8 of the aryoun¢s io be reach 5•lSxd4LI•

2023 Year End Report

Salford u3a Main Account

2022 figure includes Donations (£1407), Sundries (£1648) & surplus from Walking Holiday (£200)	2022 Membership 4,942 Income for current year - Income for next year 819 Gift Aid - SumUp Commission (1,152) Third Age Subscription (780) Third Age Magazine (296) Beacon Subscription *3,533* Surplus / (Deficit) Hall-based Groups 4,280 Income (6,735) Hall Hire - 2022 - Hall Hire - 2023 *(2,455)* Surplus / (Deficit) Monthly Friday Social Meetings 965 Entrance Fee (2,400) Room Hire (485) Speakers - December Refreshments *(1,920)* Surplus / (Deficit) Other 12 Bank Interest Convenor's Meeting Support to Groups First Aid Course (80) Welcome Meeting Refreshments (36) Web Page - On your Doorstep - Leaflets (255) Print & Postage - SumUp Card Reader (25) Accountant  3,255 2022 Donations and Sundries (1,446) Sundry Expenses *1,425* Surplus / (Deficit) *583* Total Income less Expenditure	2023 5,441 2,959 - (11) (1,272) (1,113) (318) 5,686 7,042 (2,322) (4,660)  60 2,301 (2,200) (748) (28) (676) 60 (78)  (13) (30) (163) (105) (50) (281) (57) (36) (25) - - (778) 4,292 No room hire invoice received for Sept 2022 Meeting An estimated £2,461 has not yet been invoiced

Printed from 2023 u3a CashBook.xlsx on 20/01/2024

Salford U3A Main Accounts

2023 Year End Report

Salford u3a Travel Account

2023

2022	2022			202	3
Income	Expenditure			Income	Expenditure
			Annual Lunch
1,950	1,949		This year	2,167	2,167
			Next year	288	100	a)
			Trips :
29,508	30,189		Giverney	-	-
1,431	1,333		Dorothy Cline	-	-
16,855	16,428		Thursford	-	-
1,800	-		Holland	22,590	24,390
-	-		Bowness	1,794	1,706
-	-		Cheddar Gorge	12,780	12,757
-	-		Germany	4,500	4,400	b)
-	29		Expenses	-	186	c)
51,544	49,927		Total Income	44,119	45,705
1,616		Total Income less Expenditure			(£1587)
	Notes:	a)	Includes £100 deposit for 2024 Lunch
		b)	Includes deposits received and paid
		c)	Postage, Ink Cartridges and visit to Travel Show	in Oct 2023

Printed from 2023 u3a Travel Cash Book.xlsx on 20/01/2024

Salford u3a Travel