LONDON REGION of U3As U 3 A WWW.U3ASITES.ORG.UK/LONDON-REGION THE UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE DELEGATES MEETING Friday 12th July 2019 2.00 - 4.00 p.m. UCL Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL Present Apologies Committee & other posts Chair Catherine Ware Vice-Chair, North Chris Bulford William Smith Vice-Chair, South Rona Black Secretary Frank Rowe Treasurer Jim Jenkins Membership Secretary Jo Livingston Outreach Liaison Liz Day Webmaster Summer School Sub-Committee Events Co-ordinator Libby Barton SLP Co-ordinator Jo Walters Regional Trustee John Bent BOB Sally Stalley Greater SE London Network Angela Brown SW London Consortium Libby Barton Sue Leigh U3A Representatives Abbeywood & Thamesmead David Cross Barnet Jim Jenkins Beckenham Sally Stalley Bexley Brent Bromley Steve Woods, S. Boden Crouch End D. Janus Croydon Jenny Wilson, D. Apps Dagenham Dulwich & District Liz Day Roman Bednarz Ealing Derek Atkinson Enfield Hackney Hammersmith & Fulham Sue Adams Hampstead Garden. Suburbs Haringey Kathy Westhead, Harrow Anne Gerrard Havering Alan Clayden, John Gordon LRU3A Delegates Meeting 12 July 2019: Minutes Page 1 of 4 Hillingdon Hillingdon South Hounslow Gail Herbert Islington Sally Fox Kenton Kingston Linda Foreman Ireni Esler London South East Lena Ghose Merton Rosemary Mattock Mill Hill North London Northwood Fred Butterworth Norwood Brenda Whitaker Orpington Frank Rowe Palmers Green & Southgate M. Bleach; Sue Cook Lennart Christensen; Redbridge Liz Kite Richmond Elaina Gardiner Sidcup Sandra Applegate Stanmore Sutton Area Tower Hamlets U3A in London Maggie Cranford Upminster Robert Soper Christine Farnes, Waltham Forest Dorritt Okoye Wandsworth Kate Woodruff Wanstead & Woodford William Smith Marlene Harmer, Welling M Guest-Naharnowicz 28 members present (20 apologies received) TOTALS 17 (39%) LR U3As represented 25 U3As not represented (of which 15 sent no reply) MINUTES After registration, Catherine Ware welcomed Delegates and noted the smaller than usual number in attendance. 1. Minutes of the last Delegates meeting 26th April, 2019 Acceptance of these minutes with minor modification to spelling of Delegate names. Proposed: Catherine Ware (Chair); Second: Frank Rowe (Secretary) 2. Matters arising from the Minutes (not covered elsewhere in the agenda). There were none LRU3A Delegates Meeting 12 July 2019: Minutes Page 2 of 4 3. Reports from Regional Committee and Networks (paper disseminated with Agenda) Catherine Ware (CW) provided the following updates: 3.1 BBC Prom Rehearsals: Details were expected shortly regard in 5 Prom rehearsals (only 25 places expected per rehearsal) and information would be disseminated to Delegates as soon as possible for forwarding to their members. Booking would primarily be online. 3.2 Study Day on Family History/Genealogy: CW had received an email from the U3A National Subject Adviser on Genealogy, saying that all Subject Advisers had recently been asked to offer presentations on their subject to regional networks. This could be for relevant group leaders or for a study day on the subject. The LRU3A Committee considers this a good opportunity, and Delegates also expressed enthusiasm, so the Committee would set things in motion. 3.3 Hampton and Kempton Waterworks Railway: Jo Walters had announced a new Shared Learning Project entitled: Building the Railway Archive. The project will run from September 2019 to early 2020. Details have been uploaded to the SLP page on the LRU3A website. 3.4 Music Study Day: A small sub-committee has been working on preparation of this year’s music study day which will focus on the ‘Music of the Czechs’. The event will be held on 9th November at King’s Place. LRU3A music group leaders and others have been contacted for help in finding potential speakers/performers. Recommendations to CW via the LRU3A website. 3.5 Report by Regional Trustee John Bent (JB) 3.5.1 National Conference/AGM to be held 27th/28th August at Nottingham University. This would be an opportunity to hear about the Trust’s new Development Plan which would be focusing on learning, digital transformation, and raising the profile of U3A. 3.5.2 Growth in numbers of U3As and membership has slowed, and several initiatives are planned such as a U3A Day during Volunteers Week (3/7/20). 3.5.3 Beacon is being upgraded, and Beacon 2 is expected around April 2020. 4. Delegates Meeting 26.04.19 – Evaluation Report analysis Chris Bulford (CB) had analysed responses to the evaluation form completed at the Delegates Meeting in April. (Report disseminated with the Agenda of this meeting and available in the Delegates Meetings Archive on LRU3A website). The report highlighted several areas for improvement of future Delegate meetings. Amongst other things, the Committee noted the desire for more time for unstructured networking amongst Delegates, and this would be reflected in future agendas. A Feedback box would be made available at future meetings for idea and comments. LRU3A Delegates and other members were also encouraged to contact any of the Committee via the LRU3A website. 5. Survey – ideas for LRU3A activities 2020 A survey form was disseminated with the Agenda, and is also available for downloading from the Delegates page of the LRU3A website. The form is intended to help with planning regional activities that London U3As would consider useful. A few ideas have been seeded by the Committee for consideration. LRU3A Delegates Meeting 12 July 2019: Minutes Page 3 of 4 Delegates are urged to discuss these ideas with their committees and post-holders. Feel free to reject them and suggest others. Please email your ideas to: Chris Bulford [email protected] Deadline: 31st August 2019. Results to be discussed at the Delegates meeting on 1st November. 6. AOB 6.1 Revised constitution expected to be put to Delegates for approval at AGM (November 1, 2019) to enable LRU3A registration with the Charity Commission. 6.2 CW is preparing a brief history of LRU3A. If anyone has any information relating to the early days (up to 2015) please get in touch via the website Contacts page. 7. Next Meeting: Date: 1st November 2019 Venue: Canada Water Library (Rooms 5&6), 21 Surrey Quays Road SE 16 7AR. Directly above Canada Water station. Canada Water Map. Registration & free networking lunch 12.30-1.30pm. Meeting 1.30-4.30pm. Meeting will include AGM. Guest speaker: Ian McCannah, Chair of the Third Age Trust, to give a talk entitled "New Decade: New Horizons for U3A". Followed by discussions. NB: Maximum room capacity is 60 -- enough for one Delegate per U3A (44), plus LRU3A Committee members, Regional Trustee, Guest Speaker, 3 local network representatives, Summer School Chair and SLP Coordinator. If you are unable to attend, please notify Jo Livingston. We will maintain a waiting list for additional Delegates in case there are any vacancies. ************************ Presentation: “Keeping your U3A Vibrant” by Hilvary Robinson (former S.E. Region Trustee, now Trust volunteer and assisting SE Region Trustee) The presentation is available to view in the Delegates Meetings Archive on LRU3A website. Subjects covered included: ➢ Where your U3A stands, Group membership as a percentage ➢ Focussing on building the right culture ➢ Being open to opportunity ➢ Trusting your instincts ➢ Maintaining your standards ➢ Measuring the essentials ➢ Options if you decide to grow no further Delegates were asked to discuss 3 case studies Handouts included: • Principles of the U3A Movement • The Essential Trustee – 6 main duties • U3A Health Check – 10 key questions to help monitor the health of your U3A Further relevant advice on the national U3A website includes: • Waiting lists • Growth Matters LRU3A Delegates Meeting 12 July 2019: Minutes Page 4 of 4 .