East Antrim THE UNIVÉRSITY OF THÉ n41RD Ar Charity Registration nQ NIC 103317 TRUSTEE ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD I" FEBRUARY 2022 TO 31 JANUARY 2023 The purposes of East Antrim University of the Third Age (East Antrim u3a) are to advance the education of the public, particularly the education of older people no longer in full time gainful employment in East Antrim, including the Boroughs of Newtownabbey, Larne and Carrickfergus. Membership of East Antrim u3a enhances the lives of retired people in the Boroughs of Newtownabbey, Lame and Carrickfergus, through improving the mental and physical well-being of 3rd Agers. We are governed by our Constitution. Trustees (Committee members) at the end of the reporting period were". Jennifer Baker; Teresa Connor; Anne Cunningham; John Cunningham; Moira Foster. Christine Harpur; Margaret Liggett,. Ann Mcclinton; Eveline Service. Throughout the year the Trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's guidance on public benefft to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the Charty's purposes and provided a benefit to the beneficiaries. East Antrim U3A has a comprehensive programme, both educational and social, available to all retired and semi-retired people within the East Antrim district. The various Interest Groups encourage and enhance the mental, physical and social well-being of the members and provide friendship, social interaction and help combat loneliness in our communrty. During the reporting period our groups continued to meet. We have over 30 groups whose interests include: French, Spanish, Irish, Gennan, Reading, Walking, Canoeing, Art, Crafts including pottery, Needle Natters, Tai Chi, Calligraphy, A Bird for all Seasons, Family History, Gardening and Quizzers. These interests and shared leaming eXperIenS enhan the quality of life and are available at a minimum or no cost. Our monthly meetings held in Joymount Church hall resumed in June and we had several very interesting speakers each month. In Dernber we held a Christmas
lunch at Carrickfergus Cricket Club, which was well attended, and our Singing for Fun group entertained us afterwards. It was a very sucSsful event enabling many members to socialise more than normal. We are grateful to Mid and East Antrim Council for the grant that enabled us to subsidise the payments for the meal. Our expenditure for the year InCaSed due to the continuing rising cost of the utilities. As a result of this, plus the slow increase in our membership due to people being still cautious after Covid, our expenditure was higher than our income. The committee is continually looking at ways of increasing our income, and possibly reducing the expenditure. As always, we are gratefvl to our members who for their voluntsry donations towards the running costs of the hall, ie. Gas, electricity, phone etc. Basic Maintenan of the hall continued during the year. We are grateful to all our members, without whom there would be no East Antrim U3A. Teresa Connor Honorary Secretary On behalf of the Trustees