2021-12-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the Year 2021

Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year From 01 01 2021 To 31 12 2021

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name U3A Chepstow Group

Other names charity is known by Chepstow u3a

Registered charity number (if any) 702771

Charity's principal address Riverbank House, Brightlands, Church Road, Newnham Postcode GL14 1AG

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

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Dates acted if not for whole Name of person (or body) entitled
Trustee name Office (if any)
year to appoint trustee (if any)
Derek Shottin Chairman Jan – Mar 2021 Chepstow u3a AGM
Committee Member Jan – Mar 2021
Nicola Lee Chepstow u3a AGM
Chairman (joint) Mar – Dec 2021
Committee Member Jan – Mar 2021
Shelagh Davies Chepstow u3a AGM
Chairman (joint) Mar – Dec 2021
Hugh Hutton Secretary Chepstow u3a AGM
Ruth Harper Treasurer Mar- Dec 2021 Chepstow u3a AGM
Pat Allard Treasurer Chepstow u3a AGM
Irene Hullah Membership Sec. Chepstow u3a AGM
Marion Huckle Committee Member Chepstow u3a AGM
Anne Pitman Committee Member Chepstow u3a AGM
Jan – Mar 2021 Co-opted by EC
Alison Broughton Committee Member
Mar – Dec 2021 Chepstow u3a AGM
Pamela Harrison Committee Member Mar – Dec 2021 Chepstow u3a AGM
Jenny Channing Committee Member Sept – Dec 2021 Appointed by EC
Laraine Golding Committee Member Oct – Dec 2021 Co-opted by EC
Ann Tyson Committee Member Oct – Dec 2021 Co-opted by EC
Sandra Gregory Committee Member Mar – Dec 2021 Chepstow u3a AGM
Wilf Summerbell Committee Member Jan – June 2021 Chepstow u3a AGM
Chris Stott Committee Member Jan – Mar 2021 Chepstow u3a AGM
Susan Williams Committee Member Jan – Mar 2021 Chepstow u3a AGM
EC = Executive Committee
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Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

Page 1

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) Type of adviser Name Address None

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

None

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Original Constitution of 1[st] December 1989 Revised Constitution approved by Third Age Trust and then by members on 7[th] Type of governing February 2018. Further changes to allow electronic meetings, introduce proxy document voting, formalise electronic communications and revise the quorum definition to include proxy voters were voted through at the 2021 AGM. How the charity is constituted[Unincorporated Association ] Elected by members at AGM – all trustees are subject to re-election every year. Trustee selection Appointment by the Executive Committee for (casual vacancies) methods Co-option by the Executive Committee

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

• You may choose to Policies for Induction of Trustees: include additional 1. Charity Commission’s Charity Trustee – What’s Involved information, where relevant, 2. u3a Advice Sheet on Conduct for Trustees about: 3. u3a Induction of Trustees  policies and procedures Organisation adopted for the induction Chepstow u3a is an operationally independent organisation under the umbrella of and training of trustees; the Third Age Trust. The Committee deals with the financial and practical running

•  the charity’s of the charity. We have formed loose links with other u3a’s and other organisations for the promotion of our objectives.

• organisational structure and any wider network Major Risks

• with which the charity No major risk considerations and management plans are currently in place but

• works; areas which could be of major risk are:

•  relationship with any 1. Financial: these are controlled within the committee thus minimising the related parties; risk of fraud or error.

•  trustees’ consideration 2. Governance: each Trustee has specific responsibilities within the committee so they feel an integral part of the u3a.

• of major risks and the 3. Compliance: Annual Accounts are reported to Charity Commission.

• system and procedures 4. u3a Risk assessments are completed by conveners to assess risk factors

• to manage them. at the venues used for their activities.

• 1. A major review of our Risk Management was implemented in 2017 and the Risk Register is reviewed twice a year by the Committee. This was enhanced to cope with the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Page 2

Section C Objectives and activities

Objectives Summary of the objects of The advancement of education and, in particular, the education of older people the charity set out in its and those who are retired from full time work by all means, including governing document associated activities conducive to learning and personal development. The Main Activities Despite being a border town, we are a Welsh u3a and therefore come under Welsh Government Covid restrictions. During the 2020 lockdown we established groups meeting via Zoom and WhatsApp. We also instigated twice monthly Zoom meetings with a speaker, called Tuesday Live. This was a successful strategy and our u3a remained a cohesive organisation with a higher member retention than the average. As lockdown eased in May 2021 our groups began to meet in person. Each group convener completed a risk assessment which was approved by the committee. Although many community events were cancelled, our art, photography, flower arranging, and performance groups participated in the Chepstow Festival of Arts in July. Our first large u3a gathering was a picnic by the Bandstand. Three of our performance groups entertained over 100 members who gathered on the grass with their picnics. We also ran an Open Day in October and, despite inclement weather, 28 new Summary of the main members joined on the day, with another 27 joining subsequently in October. activities undertaken for the public benefit in Tuesday Live/ Monthly Meetings relation to these objects Monthly meetings were held on Zoom until September, when we had a limited (include within this number of members in the Drill Hall, and more joining us on Zoom. section the statutory The second Tuesday Live each month carried on via Zoom throughout the declaration that trustees year, and we were able to secure a wide breadth of speakers from around the have had regard to the country. guidance issued by the Charity Commission on Saturday Coffee Mornings public benefit) From September, these restarted on a monthly basis, moving home to the Chepstow Club. These have been very successful and regularly attract around 40 members. Activity Groups Eighty educational and leisure activity groups meet regularly to explore their area of interest: intellectual, physical, or creative, for the benefit of our members. Normally some of these groups involve trips to the theatre, various historic and artistic venues and walking trips of between one day and one week. Slowly, over the second half of the year, most of the groups met face to face again. Theatre group ran their first trip in October breaking new ground with a visit to Bristol to see Madam Butterfly. The AwayDays group ran a trip to Kew Gardens in July, a trip to Highclere Castle in August and a shopping trip to the Victorian market at Stratford upon Avon. Apart from some start up grants and help with purchasing capital equipment all groups are self-funding.

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Communication with Members

We keep members fully informed of all our activities by sending out information emails and maintaining a web site for those of our members who are ‘on-line’ (currently 95%). We publish a monthly Magazine which is normally available on our web site, at Monthly Meetings, Coffee Mornings, and at Chepstow Library. Since these outlets have been unavailable until September, we relied on members downloading the magazine from the web site and have mailed the magazine to those members who are not on email.

Public Benefit

Our charity is welcoming and inclusive to anybody within the criteria set out in our constitution. There are no qualifications needed and we endeavour to keep the membership fee as low as possible and provide our core facilities, the Tuesday Live monthly meeting, the monthly Magazine, and the Third Age Trust magazine, free to members. The u3a Zoom is available for groups to use free of charge.

The activity groups are made up of our members. Knowledge is exchanged as a process of learning and groups are particularly conducive to forming friendships which is part of our objectives.

The trustees have ensured that everything our charity has done has helped (or is intended to help) to achieve the purposes for which it is set up, and to no other purpose .

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

Grants

Grants are given to existing groups towards purchasing equipment. Grants are given to new groups to help them to ‘start-up’

Volunteers

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

• policy on grant making;

• policy programme related investment;

• contribution made by volunteers.

All Activity Groups, administration, and support activities are run by volunteers from the overall membership. For example:

• All of our Activity Groups are led by our members, we call them Conveners.

• Members take a role in teaching the Activity Groups, leading walks, organising educational trips etc.

• Members normally offer their homes for the smaller Activity Groups to keep costs to a minimum. However, this has been subject to Welsh Covid regulations and has been sporadic.

• Members also assist in many other more minor ways such as general administrative duties, providing refreshments etc.

• Members help in running the Tuesday Live monthly meetings.

• The Activity Groups provide speakers or entertainment for some of the Tuesday Live monthly meetings.

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Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

Membership : In 2020 we focused on retaining existing members in the face of the Covid Pandemic. In 2021 our strategy widened to recruitment and retention. 2021 finished with 954 members, 55 of whom joined after visiting the Open Day in October. As 2019 ended with 948 members we feel that we are moving out of the difficult Pandemic years. We believe that our u3a has bounced back from the Pandemic in a more positive way than many u3as because we kept our members engaged during the difficult lockdowns with zoom and the monthly magazine, so our groups were ready to meet face to face as soon as regulations allowed.

Website : The website continued to be updated. A decision was taken to invest in a new website as Sitebuilder is now 20 years old and has significant restrictions. A group was formed to develop a brief and to investigate potential suppliers.

Magazine : The change to the format of the magazine because of Covid proved to be very successful and participation by the members is still very high. Visits to the magazine page on the website remain at around 1400 per month. Those who could not access it via the internet were sent the magazine to keep them engaged until pre-Covid distribution channels were open again in September.

Groups : Virtually all of our groups kept operating virtually during the lockdown and as restrictions relaxed met face to face. Considerable effort by the convener liaison team and the secretary went into supporting this reemergence.

Social Events : In August we held a picnic by the bandstand celebrating our return to face-to-face meeting. 3 of our groups: Recorders, Ukulele and Wyenotes performed, over 100 people attended and it was a great success. In November we ran a wine tasting evening in Mencap’s beautifully renovated Board School with 70 members attending, celebrating the opportunity to meet and enjoy each other’s company.

Marketing : u3a had a big presence at the Chepstow Festival of Arts in July which raised awareness and interest. In October we held an Open Day which attracted potential new members, but also gave our conveners a chance to chat after a long absence and reminded existing members of all the opportunities that we offer.

The u3a Family : We have been proactive in maintaining activity within the South Wales Network of u3as during the Pandemic by using our Zoom for their meetings and making significant contributions to their discussions. We have shared our Facebook experience with 2 presentations handing on our learnings.

We have also been very active within the National Pathfinder group, contributing articles and sharing best practice with u3as across the country. We continued as members of GAVO (Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations) and became members of the Monmouthshire County Council Volunteer Organisations group. We are now a MCC stakeholder.

Page 5

Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the To keep between £3,000 and £4,000 in reserves or about 3 to 4 months of charity’s policy on operational costs to meet any unforeseen expenditure that may occur. reserves Details of any funds None materially in deficit

Further financial review details (Optional information)

The majority of our cash flow relates to funding by the members of individual group activities. Apart from some central seed-funding, these activities are essentially self-funding. For all other expenditure: Principal sources of funds

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

• the charity’s principal sources of funds Principal sources of funds (including any 2. Gift Aid – about 12%

• fundraising);

• Members subscriptions – about 85%

• Grants & Donations – about 2%

• how expenditure has 4. The source of all our funds is England or Wales. supported the key objectives of the charity; Main areas of expenditure are:

• Subscriptions to the Third Age Trust

• Investment policy and 2. Providing a monthly Magazine which is free for u3a members. This

• objectives including any also acts as publicity at our marketing events and is normally freely

• ethical investment policy available to the public at Chepstow library.

• adopted. 3. Direct mail of the national Third Age Trust magazine, free to u3a member households who have opted to receive it.

• 1. All of our expenditure takes place in England or Wales.

Section F Other optional information

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

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Signature(s)
Full name(s) Shelagh Davies Nicky Lee Hugh Hutton
Position (e.g. Chair,
Secretary, etc.) [Chairman ] Chairman Secretary
Date 1 [st] February 2022 1 [st] February 2022 1 [st] February 2022
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Page 6

SECTION A : RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS

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A1 : RECEIPTS 2021 2020
£ £
Group Activities 22,378 20,431
Membership Subscriptions 9,555 9,249
Gift Aid 1,347 1,512
Marketing 0 0
Bookstall 0 12
Donations 85 1,184
Diaries 60 88
Walking Week 4,800 1,950
Open Day 200 0
Interest 1 12
Administration 20 0
Summer and Christmas Parties 180 0
Sub Total 38,626 34,438
A2 : ASSET AND INVESTMENT SALES 0 0
TOTAL RECEIPTS 38,626 34,438
A3 : PAYMENTS
Group Activities 23,411 17,675
Admin 216 313
Beacon System Subscription 904 967
CLA License 60 60
Coffee Mornings 35 0
Convenor's Meetings 141 0
Diaries 12 78
Grants/Donations 0 234
Magazine Expenditure 1,832 1,475
Marketing Expenses 723 130
Membership 206 0
Membership Fee to TAT 2,982 3,028
Monthly Meetings Expenses 704 218
Open Day Expenses 637 128
Speakers Expenses 775 310
Xmas and Summer Parties 332 30
Third Age Matters 1,314 1,295
U3A Meetings (New Members etc) 95 0
Zoom Licence 480 165
Walking Weeks 0 4,475
Sub Total 34,859 30,581
A4: ASSET AND INVESTMENT PURCHASES 0 0
TOTAL PAYMENTS 34,859 30,581
NET OF RECEIPTS/PAYMENTS 3,767 3,857
A5: TRANSFER BETWEEN FUNDS 0 0
A6: CASH FUNDS LAST YEAR END 25,192 21,335
CASH FUNDS THIS YEAR END 28,959 25,192
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SECTION B: STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT END OF PERIOD

B1 : CASH FUNDS	2021	2020
Treasurers Main Account(General) Treasurers Activities Account(Designated) Membership Subscriptions Account(General) Walking Week Account(Designated) COIF Main Account COIF Activities Account Petty Cash	£ 2,916 14,011 7,102 4,923 0 0 7	£ 3,059 9,858 4,638 123 2,204 5,303 7
TOTAL CASH FUNDS	28,959	25,192
B2 : OTHER MONETARY ASSETS	0
B3 : INVESTMENT ASSETS	0

B4 : ASSETS RETAINED FOR CHARITY'S USE

Laptop PC Projectors for PC with screen and stand Portable hard drive Extension leads and cables Hybrid meeting equipment Sound systems Keyboard Drum machine Hot water urn, teapot and flask Banners and notice boards Flip charts Lectern Bridge equipment Table tennis tables Badminton equipment Dance equipment Sheet music

B5: LIABILITIES	Fund	Amount Due
Outstanding Rent	Activities	791
Uncleared Cheques	Activities	31
Monies held for Awaydays Visits in 2022	Activities	1,120
Uncleared Payment	Main	92
Purchase of 2022 Diaries	Main	48
Walking Weeks 2022	Walking Weeks	4,800

SIGNATURE OF TRUSTEE:

NAME OF TRUSTEE PATRICIA A. ALLARD POSITION TREASURER

DATE

16th January 2022

Section B Disclosure Only Gomplele If the examinei needs to hWJhI￿ht matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Give horp brief details of any items that tho examiner wishgs to disclose. None IER

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANO AND WALES, Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl mombers of U3A Chepstow Group On accounts for the year ended 31" December 2021 Charity no (if any) 702771 Sot out on pago8 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (Ihe Trusf) for ihe year ended 31•t December 2021 Ro•ponslblllllo• and b••i• of r•port As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 <lh8 Acr). I report in respect of my ex8minatM)n ol the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the appluble Directions given by the Charty Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I wnfinn that no matorial matters have come to my attention ') in ￿nneCtIon with the examinalN)n which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respe¢t.' accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Ind8p•ndent •xamlnerf8 8tatom•nt I have no ¢oncem8 and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please dekt8 Ihe V•onls in th8 brackets rfthey do not apply. Slgnad: D•t•: 17 January 2022 Namo: Robert Anthony Wi180n R•lev4nt profo•8ional qualification(s) or ljody Ilf any): Retired Chartered Accountant in England and Wales Addrgm: Ty Twr Diich Hill Lane. Shir8n8wton. Monmouthshire NP16 6RG IER