Chairman's Newsletter

Transcription

1 Chairman: Marlene Evans, 67 Normanby Road, Worsley, Manchester, M28 7TS Tel: Business Secretary: Mark Child, 50 Ashley Drive, Swinton, Manchester M27 OAX Tel: Website: Dear Member December 2017 Chairman's Newsletter We have come to the end of what has been another eventful year for us with many Group Activities taking place and new ones started. Contact details for your Committee are shown below: Chairman Marlene Evans Business Secretary Mark Child Membership Secretary Ann Teale Treasurer Lesley Valentine Minutes Secretary Ian Martin Publicity & IT Secretary Stephen Webb Website and Gift Aid Guy Besley Speakers Secretary Mark Child Social Secretary Ken & Janet Ball Group Co-ordinator Marlene Evans Shadow Speakers' Secretary Beverley Robinson Shadow Business Secretary Bill Newham Shadow Group-Co-ordinator Judith Gibson Shadow Membership Secretary Ian Martin

2 ANN HUMPAGE sad news that Ann passed away on the 9 th November in hospital. As many of you will be aware Ann was one of the first members of Salford U3A and played an active part in our U3A. You will remember, I am sure, that she cut the cake and gave a lovely speech at our 30 th Anniversary Meeting last year. FRIDAY MORNING SOCIAL MEETINGS - details on our website ( The Friday morning social meetings (every third Friday of the month) continue, am to 12 noon. Over the past few months we have seen an increase in the numbers attending which is very encouraging. If you have not been before why not come along and see what there is on offer, which includes a speaker (details of these shown below). an Information Table showing local events and activities, free refreshments and a chance to have a chat with other members. We have Meeters and Greeters at every meeting to ensure new members, or existing ones, coming for the first time, are made welcome and have someone to sit with. Our Speakers Secretary, Mark Childs, has arranged the following very interesting and diverse programme for the rest of the year as follows: 19 January St Anne s Hospice 16 February Trafford Park 16 Mar From Henry V to the full loving criminals 20 April Time for Shakespeare 18 May The Beat goes on 15 June Beat the Drum 20 July Manchester Martyrs 17 August Have Guitar will Travel 21 September How safe is your Car 19 October Gorillas in Misty Ruanda 16 November Customs and Culture of Malaysia 21 December Christmas Social SUBSCRIPTION FEES Our Subscription fee will remain at 20 for 2018 and I am sure you will agree this is very good value for money and although, as you know, we now have to pay for rooms at all the Gateways, the 1 contribution from members who attend Groups at any venue which has a room hire, helps towards the cost. You can pay your subscription at our Christmas Social Morning on Friday 16 th December, hand in to your Group Convenor or post to Ann Teale, 17 Waterdale Close, Worsley, Manchester, M28 1YP. Cheques only if possible please, made payable to Salford U3A. If you do not have a cheque book we can only accept cash if you put this in an envelope with your name and address on. Please do so as soon as possible as the membership list has to be sent to Head Office for Magazine distribution purposes by the end of March. You can also pay Ann in person at the Friday social mornings in January and February.

3 GIFT AID We have 153 members now signed up to Gift Aid and the amount we received back from Inland Revenue for 2017 was so as you can see it is well worth the work involved. If you are a UK tax payer we can reclaim 25% of your subscription in Gift Aid and you can sign-up for more than one charity. This helps offset our various expenses. If you pay tax and have not signed up, or not sure if you have, please contact Committee Member Guy Besley (contact details on page 1). Also if your circumstances have changed and you no longer pay tax can you please advise Guy as it is important, that when we claim what is due from the Inland Revenue,our records are correct. SOCIAL EVENTS Recent trips have been to Lancaster Castle & Canal Trip on the 26 th July, for the first time a weekend trip on the 30 th September/1 st October to Woburn Abbey & Bletchley Park and our Christmas one to Tatton Park on the 1 st December. All of these trips were extremely interesting and the members who attended thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Next year will start with our Annual Lunch and details of the social trips for 2018 will be announced at our Friday Meeting/AGM on the 19 th January Please support these as a lot of hard work goes into organising them by Ken and Janet. Annual Lunch Thursday 22 nd February 2018 The Annual Lunch this year will be held again at Monton Sports/Cricket Club. Last year s lunch proved a very successful change of venue and the food was extremely good and I hope as many as possible will attend If you have any problem with transport to this event please let me know so we can make arrangements for you. Please book by completing the attached form and return with your cheque for 25 at the Friday Social Meeting/AGM on the 19 th January Alternatively you can post this to Ken and Janet Ball, together with your cheque for 25, made payable to Salford U3A, no later than Friday 2 nd February GROUP NEWS The Group Activities List is enclosed showing details of all 24 different Groups we have available in our U3A and if anyone is interested in any of the Groups we run please contact the Convenor (details on the attached) in the first instance. However if you are unable to contact any Convenor, or require any general information, please do not hesitate to contact me as I am still continuing as Group Co-ordinator. New Groups The Committee always welcomes any member who is interested in starting up a new activity and there is always help available to get one up and running. So if you would like to start a new group please give me a ring so we can discuss.

4 The following Groups, which started up this year, are continuing to be very popular and further members are still welcome: Art Appreciation meet on the 4 th Wednesday of every month. Times will vary according to venue to be visited. They visit art galleries and similar places in the area to learn about and enjoy together things of artistic value. Full details of the programme for 2018 is on our Web Site. Handicrafts meet on the 2 nd Thursday of each month from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Walkden Gatewway and is for anyone who has a skill they would like to share or something they would like to learn. Members can learn from each other, share ideas and become creative in a relaxed, chatty atmosphere. Luncheon meet on the 4 th Thursday of each month at noon. This was a new venture and has proved very popular. Members attending have visited a number of different restaurants in the area. In fact it has encouraged members to take their families/friends to these restaurants. They are now looking forward to meeting up again next year to try other restaurants with different cuisines. This is another way of making new friends and seeing regular ones in a relaxed atmosphere. Other Group Information: Computer Group a further 6 sessions which finished on 7 th December where the sessions included getting an address, using search engines, photo editing, Word and Excel. We are hoping that further sessions can be arranged next Year if there is enough interest. Science Group would like new members it is a small friendly group, some with Science experience, others with none. Topics include Geology, Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy Biology. Everyone is free to bring their own ideas and questions or just come and listen. Birdwatching this is a very interesting group which also includes a walk so even if you are not a birdwatcher it is still worth going along just for the walk If you are interested in any of the above Groups, or other ones we have to offer, please contact the Convenor details on the attached Group Activities list. FREE LEGAL ADVICE This service is now available for all U3A members through Capita Tel Quote: The Third Age Trust Ref. No

5 GREATER MANCHESTER NETWORK Salford U3A is part of this Network, which meets in Manchester, with a view to exploring possible reciprocal arrangements with other local U3As and their Groups.This means that if there is an Activities Group that we do not run, but one is available in another participating U3A in this Network, then you are able to join them, subject to availability, (priority is given to their members as indeed we do the same). Details on this can be found on our website but if any member requires any details on this and are not on the internet please give me a ring. ADDRESSES I send out a monthly to remind members of our Monthly Meeting and other information. However if you are on and are not receiving this, and would like to be included, please send me your details. Thanks you for your continuing support of Salford U3A and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year to you and your family. Marlene Evans Chairman Salford U3A Enclosures: AGM Notification Annual Lunch Booking Form Group Activities List

6 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Annual General Meeting of Salford U3A will be held on Friday 19 th January 2018 at Eccles Town Hall from 10.00am to 12 noon. Agenda 1 Apologies for Absence 2 Minutes of the last Meeting (available on day of meeting) 3 Chairman s Annual Report 4 Treasurer s Report 5 Auditor s Report 6 Adoption of Annual Report & Accounts 7 Election of Auditors 8 Election of Committee for Any Other Business Notices of Motion must be received by the Secretary prior to 1 st January We will have 2 vacancies on our Committee. If anyone wishes to be nominated to fill these vacancies please complete and return the slip below. Nominations will be received up to the start of the AGM. NOMINATION FOR ELECTION OF SALFORD U3A COMMITTEE MEMBER 2018 Name of Nominee:. Signature: Proposer: Seconder:...