News Archive - Kent Network

The Network Link Team have an exciting meeting planned and would like to invite you to
The Network Link Spring event, to be held via Zoom, on Wednesday February 5th, 2024,
1000 to 1230.
Our next meeting will be on 5th February at 10am on zoom. The meeting is open to all u3a members so if you cannot attend, please encourage someone else to come along in your place.
Our first speaker will be John Butler. John is part of the Let’s Talk Tech team on Facebook and will discuss how LTT came about, how it developed and the way in which its meetings on Facebook and the website are useful to members.
Our second speaker is Iain Cassidy, CEO of the Third Age Trust. Iain became CEO of the Third Age trust in October and is keen to meet as many members as he can. He will outline his vision of the future for the u3a movement.
Both Iain and John are willing to take questions.
As usual we will end with a chance for you to “Air and Share”. Let me know in advance that you have something you want to raise, and I will call on you to speak at the meeting.
Attendance is free, and open to all u3a members from all u3as.
Registration is via TicketSource – please use this link
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/booking/t-mopgylx
and follow the instructions to register.
Please answer the two questions on the booking form – if your u3a is not currently a member of a network, or if you are not sure which one, please say so.
(As always, Network Link is grateful to the Thames Valley Network team for their technical assistance with TicketSource links.)
If you have any problems with registration, please contact Avis Furness at u3anetworklinkmeeting@gmail.com
The Zoom link will be sent out nearer the time to all who have registered.
Sue Russell
Chair, Network Link

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY --PRELIMINARY SOUTH EAST REGIONAL NETWORK AGENDA

January 22 nd 2025 4pm By Zoom

LINK TO BE PROVIDED

 Welcome and apologies
 Points from the notes of the last meeting
REPORTS
 News and information from TAT- Allan or his representative
 SE FORUM and the SE Summer School update - David Ashton or FORUM
members
DISCUSSIONS
 The structure of support and opportunities across South East Region
Role, scope and future development of
 SERN
 SE Forum
 SE Support Team

 Publicity ,Communication and PR across SERN –Rob White
 Establishing a SERN peer to peer group for PR?

URGENT ITEMS not covered by the agenda

Dates for your diary

Could you stand on the u3a Council?

There is still time for u3a members to stand as regional representatives on the new u3a council. This is a brilliant opportunity for members to step forward, make themselves known, and contribute to the future of the movement.
It's in the hands of our members to make this new venture a success. Please do think about whether you could stand to be the voice of u3a in your region, helping to steer u3a forward. You can find a pack for the council and Board roles below, along with details on how to apply.
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to talk about the u3a movement for a new programme hosted on the ITN Business hub, Redefining Later Living. It was wonderful to talk about how impactful u3a can be - something that has only become clearer to me the more members that I meet and the more of your stories that I hear. You can watch the interview further down this newsletter.
With very best wishes
Iain Cassidy
CEO of the Third Age Trust

Redefining Later living

From Iain Cassidy

We are excited to announce our involvement in a news-style programme Redefining Later Living produced by ITN Business. Growing older is a privilege – and it can be a time of freedom, adventure and reinvention.

Redefining Later Living features organisations at the forefront of the sector, sharing case studies and contributions from industry thought leaders. It seeks to challenge the traditional connotations around ageing and explores ways to embrace later life, manage postmenopausal changes, and discover age-related medical developments.

Our CEO, Iain Cassidy, makes an appearance where he discusses the many benefits of non-formal learning and how we promote this within u3a.

You can find the full programme, including Iain's interview, on our website here.

Please do share this widely with your members.

Would you like to help the Kent Network?

INVITATION to join committee Download

What’s Going On Post-AGM?

Here is the link to the PowerPoint presentation: https://1drv.ms/p/s!AomLjWQxkyT2i-lEvI1HhjfpDVYrEg?e=F3iuMr

Timetable

18 Nov ‘24: Nomination for Council and Board open
19 Dec ‘24: Nomination for Council and Board close
13 Jan ‘25: Voting for Council and Board open and
Nomination for Council Chair opens
21 Feb ‘25: Voting for Council and Board closes and
Nomination for Council Chair closes
w/c 24 Feb ‘25: Results of Council and Board elections announced
w/c 10 Mar ’25: Council elects and Board confirms council chair
w/c 17 Mar ’25: Training
w/c 24 Mar ’25: Training
26/27 Mar‘ 25: Old/New board handover meeting
2 April ’25: First council meeting

Candidate Pack for the new Council

_~Council-Representative-Candidate-Pack Download

u3a CHAIRS FORUM 4TH NOVEMBER

TLDR: Thanks to John Russell for providing this summary of the Chairs Forum:
'The implementation of the new u3a Council raises some concerns but also a real opportunity to address the communications and reporting processes between individual u3as and TAT.
I was part of the Consultation 4/5 years ago on behalf of the Kent Network, where we argued strongly that Networks should become part of the formal TAT structure - this was rejected but did give rise to the creation of Network Link , which itself was not to be a formal element but where the Vice Chair of TAT would run it and so carry forward to the Board the views expressed
Social media has allowed the creation of more informal routes for ideas and concerns via the use of Facebook pages for u3a discussions, such as the Fit for the Future, the Chairs Forum and the Kent Network FB page and WhatsApp group
I think the Council concept has partly come in response to these changes so that individual u3as and Networks have a formal route for representation at the Council, through their 2 reps per Region. It might mean that the informal routes are not needed ; although I guess no one would or should want to stifle informal discussion
I hope there will be some form of consultation on this subject run by TAT before April, so it would be interesting to collect the thoughts and views of the Kent Network on how this could best work'

More detailed version:

At the November meeting we talked about the priorities for u3as over the next 12-18 months with a view to identifying where the Trust might provide support. The meeting notes and presentation are attached, along with a summary of suggestions made by members. This brings together issues that were raised and makes suggestions for follow-up by the Trust taken from meetings and various other documents. These are being passed to the Trust to support the development of next year’s plan and budget. We welcome any feedback you have.

We circulate the notes of meetings and presentations to the Trust and Chairs are encouraged to share these within your u3a and also with other u3as and networks.

Our next meeting will be Monday 9 December at 7 p.m. The working title of the meeting is, From Baby Boomers to Generation X, the intention being to understand better our new, younger members and potential members and how u3a might engage with them. The invitation will be sent about one week before.

At last month’s AGM, there was a high level of support for the new governance structure and nominations for representatives to the new u3a Council and Trust Board open on the 18th. We hope that members make the most of this opportunity to get involved and ensure that the ‘new’ u3a starts off with the best possible chance of success.

November update for u3as Download

Susie Berry-late South East Regional u3a Trustee

On behalf of the Trustees of the South East u3a Forum, and of the many u3a members within the South East and from around the UK, who have attended the Chichester Summer School, I wish to express sincerest condolences to Susie’s family on their sudden tragic loss.

Susie was a power house of encouragement, support, and enthusiasm for all things u3a, and as Chair of the S.E u3a Forum, I have been privileged to work with her over the last few years. She encouraged and supported me together with the Trustees and the Summer School Team members to pick up the challenge after the Covid period, to resume the ever-popular Chichester Summer School. I am so pleased that she was able to visit the 2024 Summer School in September, accompanied by the then Chair elect of the u3a, Allan Walmsley, and witness the happy vibes of all the attendees at the school.

Her family have lost a loved one, and our thoughts go to them in this difficult period. u3a members have lost an outstanding Regional Trustee and friend. We must all try to maintain the enthusiasm and energy in our u3a activities, as an ongoing memorial to Susie.

David Ashton,

Chair, South East u3a Forum.

You can catch up on the latest from the Third Age Trust on u3a NEWS

ANNOUNCEMENT Susie Berry

We were deeply saddened to hear today that Susie had died last night.
Susie has been a wonderful champion of the u3a movement and a staunch friend to many of us.
I hope we will be able to provide more details in due course but for now she will be sincerely remembered and missed.
On behalf of Chris Short and the Kent u3a Network.

The Third Age Trust welcomes a new leadership team at its 2024 AGM

Published : 16 October 2024 Views: 315

A crowded room with three people sat at the head table.

A new CEO and Chair joined the Third Age Trust at its 41st AGM in October.

The meeting began with an update from Head of Policy and Communications, Liz Drury, about the work that had been done to reach the target of 500,000 u3a members by the end of 2028. The update mentioned key press coverage, an advertising campaign on Boom Radio, and additional advertising in newspapers and on social media.

The AGM saw key changes to the Third Age Trust leadership team. Allan Walmsley, from Kings Norton u3a, became the new Chair of the Third Age Trust. He had been Vice Chair and, prior to that, Trustee for the West Midlands. He succeeded Liz Thackray, who had served as Chair of the u3a movement for three years.

The movement welcomed a new CEO, Iain Cassidy, who joins The Third Age Trust from CEO of Open Age, a London based charity that champions an active life for older adults. Iain replaces Sam Mauger, who has led the u3a movement for the last eight years - championing digital connection through the pandemic, celebrating the movement's 40th anniversary, and attending the first ever u3a festival.

Sherburn & Villages u3a member Margaret Fiddes became the Vice-Chair of the u3a movement and Croydon u3a member Jenny became the new Trustee for London.

In the meeting, Allan Walsmley recognised new u3as which had been set up in the last year - Borough Green and Wrotham u3a, and Cowal u3a. He also congratulated all u3as who had reached milestone anniversaries in 2024, and especially those celebrating 40th anniveraries - Abergavenny u3a, Bradford u3a, Bristol u3a, Harpenden u3a, Merton u3a, Saffron Walden u3a, Stevenage u3a and Tynedale u3a.

The AGM saw members vote on a resolution to change the articles of association of The Third Age Trust, with a view to change the governance structure of the u3a movement.The resolution needed to have a 75% majority to pass - and did, with 905 out of 1073 total votes in favour of the resolution. The Third Age Trust will now move towards having a smaller Board of Trustees and a new Council with regional representatives, both of which will be in place by April 2025.

A recording of the AGM video will be available to watch on the u3a YouTube channel in the coming weeks.

LEARN TO LIVE REPORT 2024

The report 'Learn to Live, A blueprint for better health and wellbeing' has just been published. Link is here

u3a Brand Centre is having an end of season sale.

Items on offer shown below.

https://u3abrand.org.uk/catalogue/category/merchandise-publicity?order=featured&tags=end-of-season-sale

(Note: Our autumn meeting took place on 2 October and was well attended. Update to follow soon)

Extract from News for Networks - September

(Click here to view News for Networks in your browser.)

A river flows through Canterbury
Canterbury in Kent - the location of the network featured in our Five Questions piece further down this newsletter.

As summer draws to a close, I’m looking back at the big event of the summer, the u3a Festival in York. I’m sure if you were there, like me, you had an amazing time. It was so good to get the opportunity to meet and chat with fellow u3a members and take part in the various activities. You can see a new film from the Festival below. This was launched on Monday as part of the u3a week celebrations.

Moving onto our Autumn event: our next meeting will be on 2 October at 10am on Zoom. The meeting is open to all u3a members so if you cannot attend, encourage someone else to come along.

Have you considered running an event in your own network? Many networks run study days or have social events, but some have never dipped a toe in the water and some that have, have only tried something small scale.

Pat from Yorkshire and Humberside and David from South East region both have experience of organising events such as the recent Festival and Summer Schools. They will be presenting a talk, explaining all the pitfalls, the requirements and excitement in setting up an event, large or small. Come and listen and see if they can inspire you to have a go!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is all around us these days but do you know what it can do for you to help you run your network and u3a? How about on a personal level? It seems to change every day and it is difficult to keep track of the developments. Barry, AI Subject Advisor, is the man to ask and he will explain about AI tools and how networks can utilise them.

As usual we will end with a chance for you to Air and Share. Let me know in advance that you have something you want to raise by emailing sue.russell@u3a.org.uk and I will call on you to speak at the meeting. Details on how to book are below.

Best wishes

Sue Russell
Chair Network Link
Network Link Upcoming Event
Network Link Autumn Event:

What You've Been Up To

A Brilliant Summer School in the South

The South East u3a Forum’s summer school was once again a resounding success. Twelve subjects were on offer, covering both academic and practical, including Art & Mythology, Mahjong (pictured) and US and UK Politics.

David, Chair of the South East u3a forum, says "Our thanks go to all the staff, the tutors, many of whom stepped up to the task for the first time, and delegates for making this a brilliant summer school!"

Notts Network celebrate u3a week

The Notts Network marked the first day of u3a week with a conference, which featured a talk about why our minds conjure the paranormal, a range of workshops including a walk around the arboretum (pictured) and an address from u3a Chair Elect Allan Walmsley.

Rosie, the Network Support Officer and member of the Conference Planning Team, says, "Our workshops were really enjoyable. Each one gave us the opportunity to learn and mix with other u3a members from across the county.

"For the planning team, a year of preparation has culminated in a day of fun, laughter and learning. A warm glow of a day well spent and back home to a restful evening."

Table Tennis Turnout

London Region, to support u3a Week, held a gathering of table tennis playing members from across the London u3as. London Region member Derek says, "With the purpose of having some fun it was the taking part that counted, not the winning…… All standards were welcome. We played a mixture of singles and doubles and mixed people around to maximise contact."

Calling all u3a Treasurers

Would you like to join a forum to chat to fellow Treasurers, share ideas and solve problems?

Following the success of peer support groups in some areas, it has been suggested that a national Treasurers Forum would be of value to new and experienced Treasurers throughout the movement. It will be open to all Treasurers no matter how large or small your u3a is.

Meetings would be via Zoom and arranged in accordance with the wishes of the members.

To express an interest, contact Sue Russell at sue.russell@u3a.org.uk. If there is sufficient interest to start the forum, you will be notified of the first meeting and sent the Zoom link.
u3as in Your Networks

Ilkeston u3a - Consistent and Ever-Improving

Ilkeston u3a was launched in 2012, has just short of 230 members and serves Ilkeston and surrounding areas. We currently have cluster group affiliations with Long Eaton, Beeston, Stapleford, and Derby u3as.

Whilst Ilkeston u3a is a small organisation, it really punches its weight in participative activities: there are 35 interest groups, most meeting monthly except for seasonal outdoor sports like flat green bowling and the garden group. We know that more than 87% of our membership attend at least one group and 55% attend more than one. In addition, 50% of our membership attend the monthly meeting which is a goodly number indeed.

At Ilkeston u3a, we understand the importance of digital communication and our website is currently being refreshed. We are embarking on a social media presence very soon with the launch of a Facebook page to promote u3a generally and attract new local membership. That is all happening right now!

As part of u3a Week, we have a week-long promotional display at our local library and will hold our showcase Interest Groups Fair on Tuesday, 1 October at The Arena in Ilkeston beginning at 10am. We are looking forward to welcoming many new faces at the fair and beyond!

Mailings

All of our recent mailings can be seen on the members' area of the u3a website. You will need a member's log in to access this section.

The latest mailings sent to Chairs, Secretaries and Treasurers, and mailings about the upcoming AGM, can be seen by clicking here

Five Questions

Every newsletter we ask one network five questions. In this edition, thank you goes to Rob from the Kent Network.

What location does your network cover?

From the River Medway in the north to the English Channel and those well-known White Cliffs in the south, Kent is one of Britain’s largest counties. The u3a movement started as early as 1984 in Kent, and now there are 33 u3as.

Why did you form a network?

Kent is just one out of nine counties in the u3a South East Region and it soon became apparent that a more local organisation was needed to fill the gap. The Kent Network of u3as was founded in 1995.

How does your Network work?

Today it has a complete set of elected officers from around the county who meet regularly as a committee and in a plenary session with representatives from all the u3as.

Kent Network is actively supported by our Trustee for the South East Region, Susie Berry and we have great help from Sue Russell, chair of Network Link and from the Third Age Trust team including Nelly Mair, Liz Drury and Alison May.

What is great about a Network?

From the beginning the network delivered many services to its members including the three Study days per year, but soon expanded to offer advice and information, share resources and promote the movement.

This year the Network is supporting the creation of a new u3a by providing the interim chair, technical advice on setting up a website and a Facebook presence and providing a cash grant.

Turnover of u3a officers and training of newly elected officers is a constant task. Networks provide an excellent means for making this much easier. Not all u3as are the same! But it is amazing how often they have the same challenges.

What are you most proud of?

We have always encouraged members and officers of the Kent u3as to help each other at meetings, swap advice and share resources but now we have three new tools to catalyse this every day:
A WhatsApp group for all the Chairs and Vice Chairs to chat informally and confidentially.
A Kent Network website.
A Kent Network Facebook group.https://u3a.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=656ad5962b370cc9e2731d1ed&id=04afdbafa1&e=cd4b510073
Read more about Kent Network on our u3a blog, Sources.

How will your u3a vote?

Here is the latest update on the proposed arrangements for the new u3a trust Council, taken from the Fit For The Future Facebook site:
"I've just received Sam Mauger's September update for u3as. It contains confirmation that there have been major changes to the FFTF documentation and provides a link to where they can be found. Some of these changes are really significant. I would encourage you to look at them but here are the highlights.

We now have full disclosure. All the details as to how the Council will be formed and operate are available.
The Board cannot act unilaterally but must take the Council's views into consideration.
The Council can effectively select its own Chair.
Via the Chair, the Council can set its own agenda. (There's no longer any need to consult with the Vice Chair of the Board although, in my opinion, it would be wise to do so.)
This all suggests the Council will enjoy a greater degree of independence (although the Board will still have ultimate authority as it bears ultimate responsibility).
These changes follow representations made by members of both the Pilot Council, the Chairs' Forum and u3as over recent weeks. They show that the Board is prepared to listen and make adjustments where appropriate.
They also demonstrate a distinct change of tone. I'd like to think this is partly as a result of the atmosphere of trust which has been built up between the Board and the Pilot Council and which was evident at the meeting last week where both sides worked together for the benefit of the movement. If the resolution passes at the AGM (as I hope it will), mutual trust between the acting partners will be essential in order to collaborate effectively."
There are a lot of Comments added to this post and I refer you to the FFTF Facebook site to read them all.

A look at the events planned for u3a week 2024
Published : 18 September 2024 Views: 413
u3as around the country share their plans to celebrate u3a week, which starts Saturday 21 September.

u3a week, a yearly celebration of the learning, fun and laughter of the u3a movement, starts this Saturday 21 September. u3as up and down the country are planning events, talks, lunches and day trips to mark the occasion. Here’s a taster of some of the events u3as will be getting up to.

Havant u3a will host a full week of talks, taster sessions and walks which they are encouraging the public to attend. Chair Elizabeth says, "We’re excited to welcome both current members and newcomers to our week of celebration. It’s a wonderful opportunity for people to discover new passions and connect with like-minded individuals."

Also taking the opportunity to attract new members are Ravenshead u3a, who have invited all 6000 village residents to their annual event at Ravenshead Village Hall. Throughout the day, 42 interest groups will promote their activities and the Mölkky (Finnish Skittles) group will demonstrate a game outside on the village hall lawn. Similarly, Harborough Welland u3a will also encourage the public to come and meet their u3a creative groups as part of a wider community event, Creative Harborough.

On a more musical note, Cheltenham u3a are holding an evening of music for members and the public. Chelmsford u3a are hosting a free concert by Song Cycle, an all singing, all cycling male voice quartet, who cover everything from Bach to the Beatles.

Weston-super-Mare will celebrate their 30th anniversary in style this u3a week with a sandwich tea at the ballroom of the Royal Hotel. Alongside 200 members, the local MP, town mayor and leader of the North Somerset Council will be attending.

Members can also attend three online events this u3a week:

The Development of Barnsdale Gardens
Upgrade Your Brain: Dementia-proof your diet and lifestyle
The Secret Lives of Garden Bees.
As well as u3a members, these are open to the public, so if you are not a member and are curious, or if you have a friend who you think may enjoy the events, please invite them along. Find out more on the u3a week page.

If you do get involved with any u3a week events, please let us know what your local u3a gets up to and please send us photos of the festivities at u3aweek@u3a.org.uk.

Fit for the Future

The changes to be voted on at the AGM.
A Personal Message from Allan Walmsley, Chair-Elect of the Board of Trust.

To Chairs, Vice Chairs, Secretaries and Treasurers

As you know, there has been much debate about the changes proposed to the u3a Board and the creation of a Council to represent all u3as. I welcome constructive criticism, but I feel that so many comments have been misinterpreted and I really want to put the record straight so that your u3a can make a decision based on the facts.
Development of the Proposals
The FFTF proposals were developed over two years, and we continue to encourage ideas and comment. We’ve given everyone the opportunity to contribute, and all manner of details have been shared publicly. The Board has listened, and a number of the original proposals have changed. The FFTF section of the Members Area on the u3a website has the latest information.

How Much Detail is Enough?
Some members have “FFTF fatigue”, while others favour a forensic approach with every detail agreed before they will consider the wider picture. The Board has created lots of details, but because nobody yet fully understands how the proposals will work in practice, we also think that some flexibility is necessary, and its up to us working together to make it work. There’s also a commitment to formally review the governance proposals within 3 years, when we can make changes based on experience.
What will the Council be able to do?
The Council’s role is described on the website. Again, it’s a balance. Legally, the Board is responsible for the health of the Third Age Trust and that legal responsibility cannot be changed. However, the proposed changes aim to introduce a u3a Council which will not only represent the interests and opinions of u3as but will also be able to make significant decisions that reflect their collective wishes. This includes making decisions about how the movement achieves its strategic aims, through the work of Strategy Groups. I truly believe that a u3a Council can transform the future of the movement.

Why does the Board think this is a good idea?
The proposals will result in more robust, governance arrangements as new Board trustees get to grip with complex requirements. Those u3as that want a greater involvement will also have a great opportunity to influence the development of the movement through the u3a Council. The u3a Council representatives will be able to move things forward and build a relationship with the Board that can result in much better decision-making all round. The concept was supported by many u3a members during the consultation period.
What if this change isn’t passed at the AGM?
If the proposals are not accepted, there will continue to be claims that the Trust lacks true representation and the opportunity to strengthen the Board’s governance role will be lost. The Board will continue to struggle to find trustees who are willing to shoulder the current responsibilities. There is no Plan B, so developing an alternative and consulting once again will all take time.
What can u3as do?
If you or your u3a want to play a role in the future of the movement, then I urge you to register and vote for the Special Resolution at the AGM. If you don’t think that it benefits your u3a, then I ask you to consider the wider role that the Trust plays, and the many volunteers who make up the Third Age Trust. These members need your support to make their roles more effective.
The AGM papers were issued to all u3as on 15 August 2024. An email was sent yesterday with details on how to book to attend and how to register to vote. You can read the content of these emails using the buttons below or on the AGM page of the u3a website. You can also allocate your vote to the Trust’s Company Secretary, or to another u3a, as a proxy to vote on your behalf.
Thank you for reading this far – let’s make a change, together!
Best regards

Allan Walmsley
Chair-elect of the Third Age Trust

PUBLISH YOUR u3a's ACHIEVEMENTS IN NETWORK LINK!

The next Network Link newsletter will be published in the next few weeks. If you have anything you would like to have included/boast about, please send straight away to Liz Drury at elizabeth.drury@u3a.org.uk or Nellie at eleanor.mair@u3a.org.uk

Photographs are good!

Sue Russell

Chair Network Link

THE YORK FESTIVAL- a short report from u3a Central Office Communication Team

There were 80 activities across the three days, which spanned sports, arts, sciences, humanities and maths.

On the sports field and in the sports field, members were given the unique opportunity to play against members from across the country. Members played pétanque, walking netball, and competed in the first ever national u3a walking football tournament, with groups from Barnsley u3a, Rotherham u3a, and Balsall Common u3a.

Many artistic workshops were held across the three days. Highlights included a life drawing class, a Viking portrait session featuring James Wright from York Museums Trust wearing traditional Viking dress, and a flower crown workshop led by Margaret Fiddes.

The Festival was the brainchild of Margaret Fiddes, the Trustee for Yorkshire and the Humber. She worked alongside a team of eight u3a volunteers, and staff member Julie Travers, to make the Festival a reality.

Attendees of the festival were treated to a wide range of musical performances from u3a groups across the UK. There was a 50 piece choir, a ukulele orchestra and a guitar band – to mention a few.

The Festival could not have happened without the contribution of numerous volunteers across the UK. Many of these were from the Yorkshire & Humber region, and especially from York u3a. Speaking at the opening, Margaret Fiddes said, “We’re so lucky in York to have so many wonderful volunteers. I want to thank everybody who has had a hand in doing this and putting on this wonderful Festival. It’s so great to see members doing so many different things and having such a wonderful time over these three days.”

NEW CHAIR FOR U3A BOARD

Message from Sam Mauger

I am pleased to announce that Allan Walmsley has been elected as the new Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Third Age Trust.

A founding member of Kings Norton and District u3a, Allan has served on the Board since 2020, first as Trustee for the West Midlands and more recently as Vice Chair.

Allan said “I'm delighted to become Chair-Elect. It will be an honour to lead one of the UK's leading member organisations, and a movement that already influences the lives of so many people. I hope to lead on continued growth and creating an ever-widening range of learning and social opportunities for our members.”

Outgoing Chair Liz Thackray welcomes Allan to the role and says “When I was elected Chair 3 years ago, one of my predecessors told me I had the best job in the world. When visiting u3as, hearing their stories and sharing these with others, I would agree this is a great job to have. I wish my successor well as he takes his place at the helm and wish him calm waters. Welcome Allan to the best job in the world!”

Allan has been elected by a clear majority, receiving well over half the votes cast, and will start this role on Wednesday 16 October 2024 after the AGM.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the candidates who chose to stand and all u3as for taking part in the election process.

Best wishes

Sam Mauger

CEO of the Third Age Trust

YORK FESTIVAL NEWS

Hear the interview on the link below about the u3a Festival

It is between Margaret Fiddes and Kat Cowan on BBC Radio Sheffield http://[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0j71m1b](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0j71m1b), it starts around 2:20:49

Also for your information, Diana should be on Channel 5 News today around 5.45 and will mention u3a too. She was also here on This Morning is here around 0:58:14 in ... she mentioned u3a.

https://www.itv.com/watch/this-morning/1a1960

Message from Kent Police Cyber Prevent & Protect Officer

Recently I and my colleague, Steve, gave a Fraud and Cyber presentation to Tonbridge U3A at the Angel Centre to an audience of approximately of 78 members, both online and in person. From the feedback forms that were given back to us, we had a great response from members. It really resonated with them and highlighted the importance of ensuring they are safe online and spotting the signs of fraud and cyber-crime.

My full job title is Kent Police Cyber Prevent & Protect Officer. The role of a Cyber Prevent and Protect officer is to be provide support to individuals and businesses who may have been affected by Cyber-crime by providing practical solutions to cyber security at minimal/no cost to the individual or business.

If you would like us to present to your U3A then please get in contact with me on 61736@kent.police.uk. The presentation is completely free of charge and we can be flexible on how much time is needed.

Message from Sue Russell. Chair Network Link:

                                                                                                                                                     The AGM Special Resolution

How will it affect our u3a?
If the resolution is passed:

from April 2025, we will have a more inclusive, modern, UK wide organization where u3as
will have better opportunity to influence the development of the u3a movement, with
enhanced representation and two-way communication speeding up the implementation of
agreed changes.
u3as’ independent operation, committee and trustees’ responsibilities and charity status
will remain unchanged.
No increase to the annual subscription is anticipated as most meetings will be on-line to
save on administrative costs.
Extensive details about the Fit for the Future project were mailed to all u3as during the five-month
consultation process, together with on-line and in person presentations delivered
to Networks, Regions and Home Nations. Following detailed analysis of all the
feedback received, at its meeting in June, the Board of the Trust agreed the
terms of a Special Resolution to be put to the AGM on 16th October. These
papers were distributed to all u3as on 5th July.
This is a very short summary, highlighting only the main points of the Special
Resolution and how to vote.
The special resolution will require a 75% majority of the votes cast to be in favour in order
for it to be passed.
As it is a special resolution proposed by the Board, no amendments are permitted.
In order to vote, u3as must have completed their annual return and paid their subscription
to the Trust. Please remember to register to vote (when invited to do so) and ensure you
use the same email address as you will use at the AGM.
The Special Resolution: THAT the draft Articles of Association [circulated to members of the
Company and a copy of which is produced to the meeting] be adopted as the Company's Articles
of Association in substitution for, and to the exclusion of, the Company's existing Articles of
Association which will, inter alia, establish a new Board and Council with effect from 1 April 2025.
The changes will allow for:
the formation of a much smaller Board, all of whose officers and members are elected
nationally. (Their suitability to stand for election will be checked by a Nominations
Committee, composed mostly of ex-trustees.)
the formation of a Council of elected representatives from all nine English
regions, the three home nations, and the chair of Network link, together with
some ex-officio members such as Strategy Group chairs. To ensure effective
liaison, the chair of the Council will be an ex-officio member of the Board (without
a vote) and a Board member, probably the vice-chair, will attend Council
meetings (also without a vote).
All appropriate elections will be held between November 2024 and March 2025.
A brighter future:
A more realistic workload for both Trustees and Council members, which should encourage
more volunteers.
The special resolution has deliberately been kept as simple as possible on legal advice.
This is to allow for maximum flexibility as the new system is rolled out and used in practice.
Regular reviews have been built into the programme, as small adjustments are inevitably
going to be required.
Full details: further details and all the papers are available at www.u3a.org.uk/agm
The email governance@u3a.org.uk is still being monitored if you wish to send comme

'The Green Goddess' Diana Moran BEM to open the first ever u3a festival

The first-ever u3a festival of learning, activity and fun will take place on the 18 - 20 July 2024 at the Exhibition Centre at the University of York.

Diana is a broadcaster, author and fitness expert and also a regular commentator across all broadcast networks. Diana was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2019. Festival 24 has a veritable treasure trove of superb events on the programme including jewellery making, sports, writing short stories, meditation, dance exercises, painting, life drawing, Pilates, Tai Chi and Qigong. There will also be many talks given on subjects such as Astronomy, the History of Medicine, Environment and Climate and Minesweeping in WWII…just to name a few! .

SEVENOAKS U3A SCIENCE SEMINAR

On 5 June a science seminar entitled "AI and You: Understanding Artificial Intelligence", organised by
the Science Group Committee, was held at the EMR East Malling Orchards Conference Centre. The 108
attendees came from U3As across Kent, as well as Sevenoaks, and heard three speakers: Ian Hawker
(Suffolk U3A), Peter Lord (Wokingham U3A) and Hooman Oroojeni (University of Greenwich).
The talks explained the structure and use of Artificial Neural Networks and how they are “trained” in
what is now called classical or analytic AI. The talks then explained some of the more recent advances,
initially by Google, in developing Generative AI, of which ChatGPT is one example. A very wide range of AI
usage in health care, transport, climate change, finance and education was illustrated with examples,
reflecting the $100bn annual investment. In addition, an alternative approach to neural network
methodology was outlined based on the concept of “swarming”, an analogy to flies swarming around
food.
The talks were well received providing a stimulating, topical and sometimes challenging insight which
was followed by a lively Q and A session.

Isle of Sheppey Interest Groups

Here is the Monday Walking Group on our way to Minster Cliffs on the Isle of Sheppey

Beautiful flowers arranged by our Flower Arranging Group on an Ascot Day theme in Queenborough Church.

ORPINGTON SCIENCE -FUN FOR EVERYONE

"Lots of ideas for activities to do with the grandchildren"

"Learning and laughing was certainly taking place!"

"It was really interesting to redo some of the experiments we did as kids"

This popular and informative event was organised by the Orpington u3a Science and Technology group on 11th June as a 'hands on', encouraging members who may not have undertaken any Science activity since school, but also appealing to those with a more specific interest. Activities included: owl pellet dissection; fermentation; optical illusions; river pollution; bees and food production; flotation; acidity testing; and many more.

More pix on the Gallery page.

VOTE FOR NEW U3A CHAIR

To Chairs, Secretaries and Treasurers
We are pleased to let you know that voting is now open for the Chair of the Third Age Trust.
We have three candidates standing for the role:
John Dollimore, Wymondham u3a member
Laurence Wale, Worcester u3a member
Allan Walmsley, Kings Norton & District u3a member and Vice Chair of the Trust

You can find out more about each candidate and read their supporting statements on our website.There is also the opportunity to attend an online hustings on Monday 24 June at 1pm. To join the hustings you will need to register for a place via Eventbrite - you can do this using the light blue button below.Your u3a nominated person is eligible to vote on behalf of your u3a.
Please complete the voting form by clicking the blue button at the end of this email. Please note that voting closes at 5pm on 15 July 2024.
Thank you for taking the time to vote, it is very much appreciated.

If you have any queries about the voting process, please get in touch by emailing agm@u3a.org.uk.

Very best wishes,Sam Mauger
Company Secretary
The Third Age Trust

Third Age Trust AGM 2024: Voting details at a glancePlease cast your vote on behalf of your u3a by clicking the button belowThe voting form should be completed by 5pm on 15 July 2024Please ensure the form is only submitted once per u3a.
You will need to enter your details including your u3a ID which is 260Please see the candidates' statements and supporting videos on the AGM page on the u3a website.

Voting Form

INFLUENCING AND SOCIAL CHANGE AT CENTRAL U3A--YOU ARE INVITED TO COMPLETE A SURVEY

Influencing and social change encompasses all the work being done to support members, and the movement more broadly, to use our combined voices and get involved in our communities about issues that matter.

u3a founders were clear that the movement should have a voice in public policy discussions:

“The u3a movement was originally conceived to play a number of roles – including to have a strong public voice and take action on issues of importance to members and people in later life more broadly.”

Eric Midwinter, u3a co-founder, July 2022

Help make an impact at a national level

What do you think a national u3a campaign should look like? How should we as a movement choose an issue?

We know that our founders always intended for the u3a to have a strong public presence and to use its voice on issues of importance. Now, it’s our chance to make this a reality.

Many u3as are doing great things and having an impact in their local communities, but members are also asking how the movement can have more of an impact at a national level.

We need your help to shape what this might look like by completing a short survey. There's also an opportunity to tell us what issues matter to you. The survey closes on 10 June.

Start survey

Volunteers Week

The volunteers that are giving back to u3a this 'Volunteers Week'

u3a is a UK wide collection of 1000+ charities that provide the opportunity for members to come together and learn for fun. For over 40 years the basis through which the u3a movement has thrived has been from members sharing knowledge and skills to others in their groups and beyond.

Sam Mauger, CEO, and Liz Thackray, Chair of u3a state that, "The u3a movement would not exist without members contributing and sharing their skills. A huge thank you to every volunteer for the time, skills and knowledge you share with us and u3a members across the UK."

The benefits of giving back to society are well known and by sharing their skills the following u3a members have indeed found this to be the case.

Dacorum u3a member Henry – Local u3a Treasurer and nationally member of finance committee

"I am a Chartered Accountant - my background is in audit, risk and IT security. I volunteered for 25 years with ICAEW (the chartered accountants’ professional body), mainly in their IT community. I was also on their audit committee for 3 ½ years.

At Dacorum u3a, I am a member of a number of groups, including badminton, Money Matters, industrial history, military history and science & technology.

On retirement I signed up for the audit and assurance committee of another chartered professional body and then spotted the article in the u3a magazine, looking for members for the finance committee. I was pleased to be selected and have been in that role since November 2023. When Dacorum u3a was looking for a new treasurer, I thought that this would assist me in the Third Age Trust role and vice versa.

I like to be able to give back by applying the skills and experience gained over my career.

u3a is very much about getting out as much as you can put in, whatever that may be. You do not need to be the local Chair (or Treasurer!), but there are always situations where your u3a is looking for assistance, whatever your skills.

I have enjoyed it all so far."

SiteWorks: The volunteer-team leading on website software for u3as – Pam talking about her volunteer experience

"I joined the SiteWorks project in February 2023 as a Pioneer. The last 15 months has been challenging at times but the feedback from Web Managers makes the work that we have all put into this project worthwhile. There has been the added bonus of working with a great bunch of people within the project team but also interacting with the wider u3a community. I have learned a lot about u3a and how it works at both Third Age Trust level and the grass roots movement.

The project was running for several months before I joined. In 2022 a steering committee was formed to select and implement a replacement to the Site Builder web software. A tailored version of WordPress now called u3a SiteWorks came into being. The SiteWorks project is huge. Over 700 u3as will be migrating to the new platform and more than a quarter of a million of our members will be affected.

Additional volunteers joined the project during 2023 with 60–70 on board at any one time. SiteWorks was built and tested with a further 30 Pioneer volunteers from all over the UK. Working on a volunteer project is interesting as there are no fixed roles. We voluntarily take responsibility for the areas where we have expertise.

Early February 2024 we were ready to launch the roll out and in just over three months all eligible u3as have been invited to start the process. Over 500 u3as are now at some stage of the training and migration process. Over 130 u3as have already migrated to the new SiteWorks site with dozens more not far behind them. It’s great to see the results of our months of work being put into practice on so many of the new websites.

Every Wednesday evening for more than a year the Team Leaders have met at 7 pm for a couple of hours to report and discuss the progress in their respective areas. It is worth noting that we are all over the UK and most of us have never met."

To find your local u3a, visit the website – u3a.org.uk/join

Changes to the Constitution--the Pilot Council

The proposed new Council structure is the greatest change made to the central u3a structure in the last 10 years. There's lots of discussion around the country. Here is the latest summary of discussions at the meeting of the Pilot Council which has been set up to review everyone's different views on the way forward.

Pilot-Council-Summary-May-24-4 Download

Network Link News

Here is the latest News for Networks letter from Sue Russell (Chair of the National Networks). ( The full version includes a report on the successful Kent Study Day in March and is available on https://mailchi.mp/u3a/news-for-networks-may-2024?e=3bfa616de8)

May

As Spring is drawing to a close, I am thinking about Summer and about the Network Link Summer meeting on 13 June 2024. More details on the meeting can be seen below.

The Network Link webpage on the u3a website has had a makeover. It is now much clearer, but still gives you lots of information about networks and Network Link. To find our page, go to Members Area, Support for u3as and click on u3a Networks.

We think that there are more networks and clusters than are currently displayed on the list linked to at the bottom of the page. If we don’t have your network or cluster details, or if you have a webpage and the details are not included, please contact me at sue.russell@u3a.org.uk and I will get them added.

We have had so many lovely stories submitted for this edition of News for Networks - thank you to everyone who contributed. We always love to hear what is happening in your network - let us know by emailing communications@u3a.org.uk

I’m looking forward to welcoming you to the Summer event.

Best wishes

Sue Russell
Chair Network Link

Pilot Council

Update on Fit For The Future Proposals To Trust Volunteers

As the Fit For The Future consultation process nears a conclusion, I would like to take the opportunity to update u3as, and particularly to thank all those u3as who attended a presentation and sent comments to the governance email account. This has probably been the most extensive consultation process on any subject in the history of the u3a movement, and I hope everyone has had the opportunity to express a view.As you can appreciate, it has been a mammoth task to draw together all the threads involved but a report has now been produced that analyses the feedback from u3as and individual members. The report is a very comprehensive, but easy to read, collection of views taken from the many presentations and presenters themselves, written comments from u3as, comments on social media, and results from the survey of u3as. The report has also been reviewed by two independent u3a members, and their comments are included as an appendix to the report.The full report is available to read in the button below. The main message is that there is significant support from u3as for the concept of governance changes. However, as expected, u3as require clarification of a number of issues of detail before they may be required to vote at an AGM in October.

Read the evaluation report
The next stage is that the Board will decide at its meeting on 19 June whether to go ahead with an AGM resolution and if that's the case, there will be many further opportunities for u3as to discuss and question the final proposals before the AGM in October.In the meantime, to help those u3as who need more information, a number of statements and documents have been drafted that provide much of the clarification and explanations highlighted in comments received during the consultation period. These extra documents fall into 3 main categories and all the documents can be viewed on the Fit For The Future section in the Members Area on the u3a websiteThe three categories areNew documents that would become effective if a resolution is considered and approved at the October AGM. These set out the status of main bodies that will be key to the introduction of the governance changes and they include revised terms of reference for a u3a Council; draft protocols that would govern the relationship between the Board and a Council; and terms of reference of a proposed Nominations Committee.Explanations about the revised Articles of Association and election processes that would be required if a resolution is to go ahead.Clarification statements on issues raised by u3as such as the size and cost of a u3a Council; how it might benefit u3as; how communications might be handled within a Council and how it might communicate with u3as; and why it would be inappropriate to delay the current process.

Once again, many thanks to everyone who took the time to consider and comment on these important proposed changes. The Board continues to welcome comments on these documents or any aspect of the governance proposals. Comments should be sent to governance@u3a.org.uk.Regards

Allan Walmsley
Vice Chair of the Third Age Trust

View the Fit for the Future documents

The Centre for Policy on Ageing

Having just discovered its existence, I was sad to read that after 77 years the Centre for Policy on Ageing (CPA) is being wound up and has gone into voluntary liquidation. However there is a wealth of information on its website which remains available for the moment (http://www.cpa.org.uk/)

U3a Press releases

Here are some of the recent national press releases Press Releases and below is a sample:

It's BOOM time for u3a with a brand new campaign

2024 is an exciting year for the u3a movement, with its first ever festival taking place in York and a new look magazine. A new campaign on Boom Radio has been showcasing how beneficial being a member can be.

The radio campaign will be running for twelve weeks and includes three vignettes of members of the u3a, John, Christina and Marian. They are just three of the almost 400,000 members who benefit from the connection and learning taking place within the u3a everyday. There are more than one thousand u3as throughout the United Kingdom where members join together in interest groups to share their skills and learn new things – everything from sea shanty singing to practical science.

This is what they have to say about their experiences:

John - The Sea Shanty Captain
John Cushion, a retired insurance broker, set up the Hayling u3a Island Shanty group in April after discovering the sunshine island did not already have one.
John said “I couldn’t believe there wasn’t a sea shanty group on the island so, with encouragement from the u3a, and particularly group co-ordinator Trevor, Island Shanty was formed." John continues “There was a huge response, and, within a few weeks, we had 30 members meeting up in the community centre every fortnight. Everyone is so friendly and enthusiastic, and they put their heart and souls into learning the words for each new song"”
An exciting short film about the group can be seen on the u3a YouTube channel.

Christina - The Joyful Member
Christina Blair of Croydon u3a says "You can see me smiling, I believe it has added so much to my life, I cannot imagine how I would be feeling if I didn't have those activities and the joy I get from doing them. The joy of meeting other people, the friendships you build in u3a, looking after one another and looking out for one another."

Marian - Surrounded by Friends
Marian joined Saxon Shore u3a five years ago, as she had found that it was becoming harder to form friendships as she got older, especially after she found herself alone after 40 years of marriage. Marian says "My circle of friends and acquaintances has been steadily growing. From first walking into the meeting hall and not knowing a soul, I now find there’s not enough time to chat with everyone that I’ve got to know since I first joined my u3a nearly five years ago."

If you are interested in joining u3a, contact info@u3a.org.uk

STUDY DAY TONBRIDGE U3A ON THE ROLE OF WOMEN

David Johnson has circulated the report of the Tonbridge Study Day on the Role of Women which they ran so successfully on 26th April, and has kindly agreed to attach it to this site: Tonu3a SD Overall Summary v2.pdf

NETWORK STUDY DAY 27TH MARCH AT THE PRIORY, AYLESFORD

We were pleased to welcome Susie Berry, the SE Region Representative and Trust Board member. Susie spoke to us after the AGM midday, about the Fit For the Future initiative to set up a Council to handle u3a matters at Trust level, about the new emphasis on recruiting members and on encouraging and supporting new u3as, and on the role of Networks . She admired the Kent Network for its strong activity level and initiatives.

After the Welcome and Introduction by Chrys Short, Jenny Akehurst started the meeting with and Icebreaker and invited all the 6 tables of attendees to list the best ideas for Welcoming New Members. You will find links to a number of presentations on the Events page.

John Russell spoke about 'Attracting New Members to the Committee’.

Jenny Carney, who is a registered nurse, also gave a fascinating talk about how she and two others had set up a Monthly Welfare Presentation table at Paddock Wood U3a's monthly meetings and had met great success. To the extent that she has advised a further 7 U3As on how to set one up.

A key message throughout the day was that the first principle of the U3A movement is 'For the members, By the members ' Similarly, Alan Scott of Gravesend reiterated this in his presentation: 'u3a are caring but not carers '

Conclusions
Afterwards, attendees at the Study Day declared that they had learned a lot and had many ideas to take back to their u3as. Thanks we're given to the many volunteers who had worked hard to make the day a success