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BARNSLEY AND DISTRICT U3A Internet: Barnsley U3A / Charity no. 1077654 Send info. and photos to: [email protected] 1 Well, this is not the message that I expected to be writing for this Summer Buzz. It was going to be full of my enthusing over the arrangements for our part in the National U3A Day due to take place on 3rd June, but as we all know, the Coronavirus outbreak has put paid to all that and just about everything else U3A related for the time being at least. As I write this message, we have no idea when things might get back to normal and when some or all of our activities might be able to start up safely again. These decisions will have to be judged as the present restrictions are relaxed and, for insurance purposes, we will await advice from our National colleagues on our options. In the meantime, I hope that all our members are coping with the social-distancing and potential isolation that the Government rules require of our age group. If there is any positive coming from all this, it has to be the way that many of our members and groups are rallying round and keeping the interaction going. Many have found new ways of talking to each other, either individually or in groups, with a good number now using the range of video conferencing options which most of us didn’t know existed before the close-down. I have been heartened by the examples shown of groups meeting regularly by video on ‘Zoom’, ‘Messenger’ and ‘WhatsApp’. For example, our Golf Group, of which I am a member, meets every Thursday morning for a coffee on the Messenger video app, where we talk the usual range of nonsense for around an hour or so. Additionally, the Executive Committee have held a number of ‘Zoom’ meetings and we have had similar meetings with members of our Coordinators Group. These work well and stand us in good stead to add the video option even after things return to normal. I also recognise that many of you are keeping in touch by creating group Facebook sites or by email and telephone. In the latter case, we know that around 170 of our members do not have internet access and we have set about telephoning these members to offer them the opportunity to join with fellow members in small groups in order to keep in touch with each other. I am pleased that enough members wanted to join in with this initiative and we have been able to create five small groups who are hopefully benefiting from these additional contacts. Can I also say a special thanks to the dozen or so members who offered their time to ring around in order to get these arrangements off the ground. Your efforts are truly appreciated; another great example of our members’ willingness to step forward and offer to help out when needed. Now let me talk about this edition of our brilliant Buzz magazine. I know that members really enjoy our newsletter with many, like me, keeping it on the coffee table for ease of reference whilst proudly displaying it for non-members to see. However, we know that our normal distribution arrangements will not be available at this time and so we have made the decision to post the Buzz to every member’s address held on our membership system. In the case of those of you who already pay for the postage this will be credited for future reference. As you all know, it was due to be our Annual General Meeting on 1st June but that date has clearly not been an option to us for a little while. You will see that we have included all the relevant papers (pp 4/5) which members should keep available as we still intend to hold the AGM at the first opportunity at a future Monday meeting. If the lockdown looks likely to continue for a longer period, we may take the opportunity to run a ‘virtual’ AGM where we email or write to members to seek support for any resolutions and committee appointments. Watch this space on that one. Lastly, as we have reached the cut-off date for membership renewal, let me welcome all members receiving this newsletter to another twelve months with BU3A. Your commitment to our organisation is much appreciated and I truly hope for a speedy return to our normal activities. Take care everyone and stay safe and well. Alan Swann 2 Buzz Editor and Vice-chairman: Derek Bacon CONTENTS Thank you for all your contributions. Welcome to the P2 Chairman’s Message 2020 Summer Buzz. P3 Editor / Contents I hope that you P4-5 BU3A 24th AGM Agenda/Chairman’s 2019 Annual Report enjoy it. P6 BU3A 2019 Accounts P7 Development News / Marjorie Townend P8 Birdwatching P9 The Old Blowers My overriding passion in editing ‘The Buzz’ is P10 Naturequest / Classical Music and Opera to try to let us all ‘meet’ in print some of the P11 Table and Board Games outstanding people in Barnsley U3A. As always, I have included items where much P12 Flix @ 6 P13 The Buzz / Stitches time and care has been taken to entertain and P14 You Remember This? inform us. One member has written P15-18 New Members / Meet Our Musicians in Lockdown anonymously; ‘Celia’ is desperate for others P19 Creative Writing 2 to know and learn about alcohol addiction. P20 Staying Cheerful Amidst the Crisis I immediately offer my apologies to those P21 Sue Walshaw / Wednesday Ramblers members whose submissions to ‘The Buzz’ P22-23 Who is this man, Sinatra? are not included for reasons of space; I always P24 Doderth Ramblings P25 My experiences with BU3A / Cycling feel guilty about this but please be reassured P26 The Knights of the Kettle that all material is saved for future editions. P27 Meet our Artists in Lockdown Alan has stated already the obvious problems P28-32 BU3A Activities / BBC Radio 4 ‘News Quiz’ snippets we have at present. ‘The Buzz’ exists to report P33 Tuesday Walkers / Robina Crabtree on our group activities and, clearly, I have P34 Thursday Longer Walks / Thursday Walkers received very little of that. I have included the P35 Book Forum 2 P36 Family History (Priory): Enigma five ‘Group Activities’ pages (pp 28-32) in the P37 In Pain, Insane and in Denial Again event of groups somehow managing to meet P38 Oh, to be in England / Theatre up over the next three months; I have not P39 BIADS included the ‘Venues’ page this time. P40 Humiliation / Rivers Quiz Lots of people have sent in jokes and visual P41 My Olympics humour. The use of these is difficult at a time P42 Meet our Artists in Lockdown like this when friends and families can be P43 Reminiscing in Lockdown feeling stressed and unhappy but I have P44 Eleanor Ingram / Creative Writing 2 P45 Staying Cheerful Amidst the Crisis included some light-hearted items that I trust P46 Poetry page. Four BU3A poems will not offend. P47 Another fab Jo Kasparek Quiz The Summer ‘Buzz’ always has some pages of P48-51 2019 AGM Minutes annual reporting ‘business; I have placed them at the front and the back of the magazine. Page 46 makes it clear to me that we need our DEADLINE FOR THE lapsed Poetry group to be re-formed; the four poems are just a sample of the many sent in. The BIADS advert on P39 has been paid for AUTUMN ‘BUZZ’: anonymously by a BU3A member. It will TH appear in the next three editions; “It is a vital FRIDAY 14 AUGUST charity doing important work for Barnsley people”. 3 BARNSLEY AND DISTRICT U3A TWENTY FOURTH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: 1ST JUNE 2020 AT PRIORY CAMPUS (POSTPONED) Agenda: 1. Chairman’s Welcome and Introduction to the meeting 2. Minutes of Twenty-Third AGM 2nd June 2019 (PP 5 & 6) 3. Approval of Minutes and Matters Arising 4. Chairman’s Annual Report (below) 5. Treasurer’s Report (2019/20 Accounts P6) 6. Business Secretary’s Report 7. Social Secretary’s Report 8. Travel Secretary’s Report 9. Development Officer’s Report 10. Appointment of Tellers 11. Nominations and Election to Executive Committee 12. Appointment of Independent Examiners of Accounts 13. Coordinators’ Updates 14. Any Other Business BARNSLEY AND DISTRICT U3A – ANNUAL REPORT TO 31ST MARCH 2020 Barnsley U3A has continued to grow significantly over the last twelve months. This comes against a background where national colleagues have explained their concerns about the reductions in growth in U3A member numbers across the UK. It is reported that a third of U3As have witnessed falls in numbers whereas in BU3A we have experienced a net growth rate of over 10% over the last twelve months. We listed over 1300 members on our books and around 130 activities on offer at the end of our membership year in March 2020. We believe that this continues to confirm that we are offering something valued by retired people in our area. As a National Officer said to me, “Barnsley U3A is bucking the national trend on membership growth”. Whatever growth we achieve is down to local effort. In BU3A we believe that our destiny is in our own hands and whilst we appreciate whatever national prominence the Third Age Trust can achieve for the U3A movement, it is what we do within our own area that counts. This is why we are putting more energy into getting our name out there into the public arena. Our declared main aim is not to grow our U3A but to ensure that everyone knows who we are and what we do.

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