THE CHAIR

Chair's report AGM 2025

When I volunteered for this role last year, I didn’t have any specific objectives other than hoping to help recruit new members to our u3a and to encourage members to get back to the basic idea at the root of the whole organisation which is sharing skills, knowledge and enthusiasm with fellow members.

I think even now we are still suffering the after effects of the pandemic – our membership is still far lower than it was before the pandemic and we have fewer groups. Some groups have folded because even though they have members, no-one has been prepared to be convenor.

We do however have a large number of people who make an extra effort to keep our u3a active. I’m not going to name individual people but first is the committee with the role of being charity trustees and keeping oversight of our activities as well as the individual roles and responsibilities they take on; there are the convenors who organise their groups and are the backbone of our u3a; the sound and projection teams who are always there to make Thursday lectures accessible to all; the refreshments teams who keep us fed and watered; the chairs team who organise the hall for us; the meeters and greeters who welcome new members. Our new editor has reinvigorated the newsletter and it’s been very good to see it increase in size and in the range of contributors. The list of people who make our u3a work is longer than you might think and I would like to put on record, on behalf of all members, our sincere thanks for all that they do.

At this point I must record our thanks to Hazel Ward who has been secretary for the past year and who is now standing down.

We have had a great variety of Thursday afternoon lectures on an amazingly wide range of subjects and very positive feedback both from the audiences and the speakers themselves.

During the past year we have had recruitment stalls at both Swanland and North Ferriby Open Gardens and at the voluntary organisations open day in North Ferriby, as well as being represented at several other events. Articles and adverts in village magazines in Swanland, North Ferriby and Welton have also helped to raise our profile. We have a recruited a good number of new members during the year and I hope that they have felt welcome.

Rather than having a speaker, our meeting on 20^th February was specifically designed to encourage us to get to know a wider range of members, especially newer members, rather than only ever interacting with just those in our interest groups. As well as recruiting new members we want them to enjoy their u3a experience and stay with us. Feedback was very positive and we will be following up the suggestions which were made.

We have been represented at the local ACCORD meetings where the various East Riding u3as meet together to try to encourage the sharing of ideas and also finally, after some stumbles, to put into practice the “open door” policy between the constituent u3as so that members of one u3a can access groups in others without needing to pay an associate membership fee. There have been a few teething troubles where the message doesn’t seem to have permeated down to all convenors but on the whole it is working well.

We have also have had attendees at the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional organisation. Again it is an excellent way to share ideas and experiences with a wider range of u3as and it is a vehicle for input from our representatives to the national body. Your committee has met regularly and the annual convenors’ meeting was held and was a useful two way sharing of ideas and experiences. We also had a very enjoyable Christmas lunch at Cave Castle and thanks must go to those involved in its organisation. The final Thursday meeting of the year was the Choir’s Christmas concert, held in the Church Hall because of the on-going heating problems at St Barnabas. As always it was a very enjoyable afternoon, well attended and much appreciated for the obvious effort put into it. Next year will be the 30 th anniversary of the founding of Swanland u3a and we will celebrate it, but the best celebration and recognition of the efforts of those who got together and started it would be for us all to ensure that we recruit wherever and whenever we can and that we contribute at whatever level we can. I can guarantee that you will get out of your u3a membership far more than you put in, as long as we all do our bit.

The best, most effective recruitment strategy is for you to tell other people what you enjoy about your u3a membership face to face. Encourage them to come along and try it. Leaflets can do a good job but personal recommendation can do a great one. On a personal note, I have been really pleased to have got to know far more members during this past year. Thank you for your support and I look forward to the continuing success and development of Swanland u3a.

Alison Peck