Shipston-on-Stour Area u3a
Draft Minutes of the 2026 Annual General Meeting
held at 2:00pm on Tuesday 23rd June 2026
- Welcome and apologies for absence.
Richard Davies took the chair and welcomed everyone to the 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM). He then introduced each member of the 2025/26 Executive Committee and described the AGM process and voting arrangements.
In advance of the meeting, apologies for absence had been received from the following 34 members:
Beverly Abson, Heather Addy, Sylvia Andrews, Sally Boreham, Brenda & Rob Boyle, Rob Bryan, Mary Campion, Margaret Clowes, Kerrith Carr, John Dunlop, Trish and Keith Edser, Cliff Fullwood, Jane Glanville-Thomas, Di Gowewrs, Jane Hale, Arnold Hall, Fionuala Hall, Chris Howarth, Marion Jones, Jean le Breuilly, Jill Moore, Ruth & Richard Moyle, Val Osborne, Helen Pendery, Philip Startin, Julia Stirman, Andrew Stringer, Valerie Ward, Maggie Wood, and Shirley Wynn.
- Confirmation of quorum.
45 members attended the meeting and Richard noted that, as the current total membership is approaching 400 people, and our Constitution states that at least 10% of the membership need to be present for a quorum, the meeting was therefore quorate.
- Resolution to approve the minutes of the AGM held on 24thJune 2025.
Minutes of the previous AGM had been sent to all members on 29th May 2026 together with papers for this meeting. Richard asked that ‘This meeting agrees that the Minutes of the 2025 Annual General Meeting are a true record’ and this was proposed by Richard Davies and seconded by Jackie Finlay and the minutes were approved unanimously.
- Matters arising from last year’s minutes.
There were no questions or comments made about the minutes of the 2025 AGM.
- Committee Reports for 2025/26.
a) Chair’s Report - Richard Davies began his report by bidding everyone a very warm welcome and thanking them you for turning up in such hot weather to support our AGM. Your loyalty is appreciated in this 13th year of Shipston Area U3A.
He also specifically thank our Executive Committee: Brenda Boyle, John Dunlop, John Keayes, Jonathan Lander, Jenny Shepherd and Richard Taylor.
A huge thanks goes to our interest group leaders whose work ensures the survival and success of our key activities.
Richard said that our monthly meetings have progressed successfully and fulfilled their roles as social and educational functions. Attendance has overall been very good, and they are both well managed by Brenda Boyle on arrivals and Richard Taylor’s team work with Bridget on hospitality.
He added that the landscape of the U3A year is defined by landmark events. The Christmas Party was well attended and supported by new volunteers under the watchful eye of Jenny Shepherd. The wine flowed, the food sustained and the entertainment put us all into a festive frame of mind.
Similarly, he noted that our Open Day in April attracted the crowds and saw membership rise and he thanked everyone who manned the Interest Group tables.
He said that the u3a at Shipston continues to embrace change and adapts to new challenges.
In conclusion, he must report that after six years on the Executive Committee and a lifetime of community service, Richard Taylor has decided to retire from this Committee. The Chair said “without doubt you will be missed Richard, but we do now record our grateful thanks.”
The report was well received and there were no questions or comments from the floor.
b) Interest Group Co-ordinators’ Report - Interest Group Co-ordinator Jenny Shepperd presented her report to the meeting. She started her report by recognising the huge contribution played by group leaders. Without them there would be no interest groups and we would only have a monthly meeting, which is really not the aim of u3a.
Currently there are some 38 groups, having this year lost the Pavillionaires, Italian and Ballroom & Latin Dancing. In addition, the IT groups have combined into one group. We have gained Wine Appreciation, Beginners French and Beginners Spanish. Hopefully there will soon be a Mahjong group.
She said she is always happy to hear of ideas for groups, particularly if someone has the knowledge to lead the group. Help and support is always available to anyone to get new groups up and running
To showcase the range of groups, the annual Open Day was held in April. One month later than previously, which made it a better fit administratively with the membership year. The time of the event was also changed to fit with the regular pattern of the monthly meetings. Many thanks go again to those who helped organise the stands for the event and for the group leaders and their helpers who put up such a range of displays.
The change of month and time did not seem to affect the event and there was a steady flow of people looking around and talking to those manning the stands. Most groups seemed to have new enquiries for membership.
Not only do groups come and go, but group leaders from time to time have or need to stand down. Jenny said she knows a leader who provides expertise is not easily replaced, but sometimes all that is needed is a facilitator to make sure communication is maintained within the group or that necessary monies are collected. If necessary, perhaps you could do this for your group should the need arise.
She reiterated the plea for helpers at the monthly meetings. To many it is their Interest Group. Bridget Smith has kindly stepped forward to organise refreshments, but she cannot do it alone. If 20 or so people would come forward to put their name on a rota, they would probably only have to help once or twice in a year. Please think about whether you could help.
Jenny reconfirmed that Interest Groups are the life blood of a u3a. All members should be grateful to those who put themselves forward to run these groups. She therefore recorded her thanks to the leaders all for all their organising and practical help they offer to members.
c ) Membership Secretary’s Report – As Membership Secretary was unavailable, John Keayes gave the report. He outlined the usual pattern of membership numbers throughout the year and was pleased to report that membership has grown to 394.
d) Secretary’s Report – John Keayes confirmed that 2025/26 has been a year with lots of positives, including increases in both member numbers and in the range of activities and learning offered through the Interest Groups and at the Monthly Townsend Hall meetings.
We welcomed 68 new members from 1 January 2026 and in November those people were asked to complete a short survey designed to help us to give new members as smooth and helpful an entry as possible into our u3a. We received positive opinions from that survey and from the reactions to the Update Newsletter and the website and have made a few changes to reflect new members’ opinions
The Executive Committee deals with a range of areas on behalf of the members to maintain a strong u3a. Those areas include Membership; Interest Groups; Strategy; Finances; Events (like today); Legal matters; Communications and Publicity; and Succession Planning.
As Chairman Richard has written to all member over the past months emphasising the one real negative we have experienced this year. This has been the difficulty in trying to recruit members to the Executive Committee and to manage meetings at this Hall.
However, John was very pleased to report three members have expressed an interest and will be invited to a Committee Meeting to check those people are pleased to join up.
- Resolution to approve the annual accounts for year 2024/25.
As Treasurer John Dunlop was unavailable at this meeting, John Keayes gave the Treasurer’s report.
He confirmed that copies of the annual accounts for the 2025/26 financial year, and the letter dated 31st May 2026 from Martin Fisher, an independent assessor, relating to those accounts, had been sent to all members before the meeting. The Accounts show a strong financial position.
Key points are:-
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- There was a £258 surplus of income over expenditure
- There were no very unusual expenditures during the year.
- The Shipston on Stour Area u3a’s reserves increased from £8,572 to £9,048 partly because of the surplus on the year but also because the Jazz Group’s reserve was absorbed when the group ceased to operate.
- The u3a holds £5,156 of reserve funds for groups. Groups are encouraged to use these funds for Group purposes during the coming year.
- At 31st March 2026 the u3a had £5,256 in the current account at Unity Trust Bank and £10,520 in the deposit account earning interest.
- The u3a is in a strong financial position going forward and is happy to support new Groups as they form or to provide existing groups with support for new initiatives.
Richard Henderson asked three questions:-
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- Do we hold too high a level of Reserves? – John Keayes said this was a topic that the Executive Committee debates annually as we prepare a u3a budget and we will discuss again as a result of this question.
- In view of the Chairman’s letters to members about the difficulty of getting members to volunteer for positions on the Committee etc should more detail be given to members about job responsibilities etc? - Richard Davies agreed this may widen our search but suggested if any members had some interest that let a Committee members know so more details can be given either face to face or phone conversations.
- Should the ‘Singing for Pleasure’ Interest Group be recommended for the TV programme “Britain’s Got Talent”? – this question was left unanswered!
As there were no other questions or comments, John asked the meeting to resolve that ‘This meeting approves the externally examined accounts for the year 2025/26’. This was proposed by Chris Reed and seconded by Richard Taylor then the annual accounts were approved unanimously.
- Election of the new Executive Committee Trustees/Members for 2026/27
John Keayes confirmed that as the Shipston-on-Stour Area u3a is a Registered Charity, the Executive Committee members are formal Trustees of our u3a. As required by our Constitution, the Executive Committee is obliged to stand down at each AGM and seek nominations from the members to form a new Committee.
John had sent an AGM Notice letter to all members on 4th May 2026 which reminded everyone that at the AGM we may elect up to 15 Trustees (including the Officers of Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary). Members had at that point been asked for nominations for the Executive Committee.
The Secretary confirmed that since that request, no nominations had been received by the due date to join the Executive Committee.
John confirmed therefore that 2025/26 committee members Richard Davies, Brenda Boyle; John Dunlop; John Keayes; Jonathan Lander and Jenny Shepperd had offered themselves to form the Executive Committee for 2026/27. Brief details about each of these individuals had been sent to all members with the AGM agenda letter and attachments on 29th May 2026.
The members were asked to resolve that ‘This meeting agrees that those members listed be appointed Trustees for 2026/27’. This was proposed by Helen Keayes and seconded by Marion Lowe and the proposal was approved unanimously.
- Election of Officers for 2026/27
Secretary John Keayes said the following individuals were candidates to take the officer roles.
Richard Davies, Chair
Brenda Boyle, Vice Chair
John Dunlop, Treasurer
John Keayes, Secretary
Geoff Olsson proposed that ‘This meeting approves the Officers for 2026/27’, and this was seconded by Jean Olsson and the proposal was approved unanimously.
- Motions for Debate
Following the Secretary’s AGM Notice letter to all members dated 4th May 2026 that asked members for any motions for debate, none had been requested by members.
- Any other business
a) Thank you to Richard Taylor – The Chair said a few words of grateful thanks about the service the u3a has had from Richard Taylor who has just stepped down from the Executive Committee. His work to set up and organise all the issues around the Townsend Hall meetings were very important and much appreciated. Richard was presented with a gift to recognise his help and the Chair hoped Richard would enjoy his “retirement”. Members present warmly applauded this.
b) Appreciation of the Update Newsletter - John Gabryliszyn offered a warm vote of thanks to Helen Keayes for her work on editing the u3a ‘Update Newsletter’
There were no further questions nor matters raised.
- Closure of the meeting
Richard Davies thanked everyone for attending the meeting which he closed at 2.46pm.
Minutes produced by John Keayes 26 June 2026