For Facebook users, see the group https://www.facebook.com/groups/U3AKeepingInTouch/
Lots of U3A members from all over the country, very friendly and fairly busy group
Lots of U3A members from all over the country, very friendly and fairly busy group
The first ever u3a radio officially launches at 2pm 29th September directly after the national AGM. The national office learning team have been working with member volunteers who are skilled in broadcasting and you can keep listening to u3a radio wherever you are as it is delivered as a recorded podcast. This pilot will feature a series of interviews and features from across the movement – for the launch - all themed around looking forward. We are very excited about this project which we aim to grow and develop over the coming year. There will be another pilot before Christmas. We hope you enjoy our first broadcast. Please tell your friends and colleagues to tune in! If you have an interesting story to tell - get in touch - you can email us at communications@u3a.org.uk
U3A Radio - Episode 1
U3A Radio - Episode 1
COVID-19 Coronavirus
The latest information from our Secretary is now on the COVID-19 page
Please look after yourselves.
The latest information from our Secretary is now on the COVID-19 page
Please look after yourselves.
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ZOOM Draft ideas, will be sorted permanently soon
(but this gives time for thinking or objecting) We have decided to take out a U3A Subscription to Zoom. This means that: • The 40-minute limit on the free Zoom service will no longer apply. • You get help to set up your own Group meetings. • We can organise ‘catch-up’ chat meetings that will be open to all Burnham U3A members, not just Group members. You will need to book in advance obviously, and only one meeting can take place at a time. Think of it like a virtual ‘room’ in the Community Centre that is available to use any time, as long as it isn’t already booked out to someone else. So if you are a Group Leader (or any member) and you want to arrange a Zoom meeting that is free of time limits, all you need to do is email me (Gary) at zoom@burnhamu3a.com. Tell me when you want to meet (date(s) and times) and whether it is a regular meeting or a one-off. I will reply with a ‘one click link’ code to get in, which you then need to share by email with everybody else that you want to invite. That’s all! It is advisable to install Zoom on your computer in advance of your meeting. Use this link, and click ‘agree’ or ‘yes’ to everything: https://zoom.us/support/download. It is available for tablets and smartphones as well as desktop and laptop computers (Windows, Apple, Linux…) If you don’t want to do that, you can run Zoom in Firefox, Google Chrome, or Chromium Edge; or you can join in by landline telephone (without video obviously, and best if you are on a free tariff). The suggestion has been made that Groups that so wish can collect 50p per attendee, (rather like the Community Centre Room Rent) which will be used to pay the Zoom subscription and any surplus will go to the Community Centre Rent fund. However this is strictly voluntary. Catch-up Online- Every Thursday! Many of miss the weekly Coffee Mornings, or the monthly Socials, and the opportunity to chat about nothing in particular. We can’t go back to that yet, but we can do it ‘virtually’. So starting next Thursday, 26th Nov, 10.00 to 11.00am, that is what we will be doing. Ask Gary for the link Just come and go as you please. You can arrive up to 15min early. “See you there!” U3A Subscriptions If you haven’t already done so, we would really like you to pay your subscription now please. It is clear that we won’t be able to open the Coffee Morning Membership desk any time soon, but as explained last time, the funds are running down much faster than normal, because there is no income from Room Rents (the meeting £1s) but outgoings are much the same as ever. We will survive if members pay their dues, but only just. Our ‘rainy day’ Reserves are already very depleted. You can pay:
Community Centre Supporters Still on the financial front, a few Groups decided early in the pandemic that they would continue to collect their ‘room rent pounds’ in aid of the Community Centre, even though (or because) it has been impossible to hold meetings there. Well, U3A has been doing our bit to sustain the Centre by electing to continue to pay our rent, albeit at a lower rate. But it is clear that can’t go on for ever, because little or nothing is coming in. If the Groups concerned would care to send in their donations to Treasurer Les Hughes (remember, this is completely voluntary), he will ring-fence them for rent purposes, and it will allow us to maintain our support a little longer. Les is at 106 Carlton Mansions, Beach Road, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1SW. Make sure cheques are payable to ‘Burnham U3A’. Or you can pay in by Bank Transfer: The bank account sort code is 30-98-90 - Lloyds, account number 18317960. Use your Group name as the ’Reference’ and Les will know what it is about. Thanks again! The Magazine
The current edition is labelled Autumn, Any further editions will depend entirely on Editor Harriet getting contributions to fill it. What she would particularly like are contributions from the Groups that have been meeting during the pandemic; (what have you done, how have you coped?) not to mention the Groups that are thinking of restarting, (when, how?) and even from those who haven’t met- (what have you missed most?) Photos, stories, all welcome. Join in writing the history of these extraordinary times! I have started work on the Winter issue. Like all the Coronavirus editions, the normal publication schedule has been suspended, and effectively the next Magazine goes out when there is material available to fill it! So if you have a contribution for it, please get it to me the sooner the better and before the middle of November at the latest. Any suitable photos for the middle pages especially accepted U3A Diaries We have been asked if we are supplying U3A Diaries this year. The answer is YES, and we have a small stock already in, price £3.50. If you have ordered a diary and not heard anything, it is because Margaret is not well and when you read these words she should be in Southmead for a few days following an operation.I'm afraid Margaret is still in hospital, and we don't want to overtax her when she comes out, so we have made alternative arrangements for those of you who have asked for a U3A Diary for 2021. Diaries may now be had from Ken in the Community Centre office, price £3.50. There is usually someone there in the mornings, but telephone first (792666) if you need to make a special journey. Needless to say, if you have already reserved a diary with Margaret, we can't access her records at the moment, but you can "re-reserve" a copy by contacting Secretary Gary. The Community Centre
The Community Centre, which is such an asset to the U3A, is having financial problems. The roof needs repairing, and one of the outer walls needs work on it too. For this reason, the Centre's Committee has decided to put up the rent we pay for the use of the Centre. It will be increased by 5% from this April. This will mean a small increase in the money we collect for Groups to use rooms, and also in the price we charge for drinks at the Thursday Coffee Mornings. The actual amount will be determined by the Committee and will not happen until sometime after it and we manage to open again. Some members are under the impression the U3A owns the Community Centre. This is not so, it belongs to Burnham via the Council. It is an amenity for everyone, but the U3A would have a much more difficult time if it wasn't there. It now has its own website : http://boscommunitycentre.btck.co.uk/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Members' News I regret to have to inform you that Malcolm Gibson, husband of June Gibson, died a few weeks ago. Our thoughts go out to June at this time. Robert Bridges (641853) is not well and is shielding. Laraine has had to suspend Yoga for this reason soon after it restarted, and she is suffering from a mystery sickness herself. Clive Adams, stalwart of French 2 is seriously ill, and our very best wishes go to him and Caroline in this difficult time. Brian Smith (Creative Writing) is recovering from a stroke in South Petherton Community Hospital Our best wishes go to all our members on the sick list, including any others not mentioned above Margaret. Chris Noble writes “She's very positive and hoping to be sent to Burnham Memorial Hosp for rehabilitation asap. She showed me her X-rays. Wow! Impressive surgery alongside her pre-existing hip replacement. Recovering well from mini heart attack. Main problem is mobility and she relies on a walking frame at the moment. Unfortunately physio is sadly slow at Southmead but she's been given some exercises to do whilst sitting down. We had a lovely chat and she's in the process of ordering a chair lift for her home." Margaret is glad to see visitors or receive emails; if you would like to go to see her, contact me or Chris Noble for details. Marie Lindsay recently suffered the loss of her beloved husband John, and our thoughts and prayers go to her. Brian Turner (Classical Music 5) also sadly passed away recently. Our condolences go to his friends and family. Irene Puplett (Supper Club2) is relinquishing the Supper Club and will shortly be moving to Taunton. We thank her for her contribution to Burnham U3A while she has been here, including a spell on the committee. Have you ever thought of writing your own memoirs? Not necessarily for publication, but for the benefit of your family and perhaps your friends. Joan (Mrs Secretary) has already done this and is involved with a possible project to get other people to do it, so if you would like more information write to her here. There’s no time like a pandemic! Stay safe ----------------------------------------------------------
All the following are cancelled till further notice |
AGM News
At its meeting on 10th August 2020, the Committee decided, that since it remains both illegal and undesirable to attempt to hold a quorate AGM in any premises currently available in Burnham, and in line with the general advice to Charities on the Coronavirus published this year by the Charity Commission, we would abandon our intentions to hold an AGM this year. Essentially this is because the Constitutional requirement (in clause 14.i) to hold an AGM is overruled by a temporary statute that makes meetings of the size required illegal. Our current intention is to combine the 2020 meeting into the regular meeting that is due to be held in May 2021. The effect of this is that the period of office for committee members elected/re-elected in May 2019 will end after 2 years, not the normal one year. There are no Special Resolutions that would need to be put before a 2020 AGM. The only other outstanding duty is the approval of Accounts for the year 2019-2020. This will be necessarily have to be deferred until the 2021 AGM. However, the Treasurer’s Report and Final Accounts for that period, have been prepared by our Hon Treasurer Mr Les Hughes and examined and certified by the Examiner, Mr Rob Carey. I would draw your attention to the endorsement by Mr Carey which your committee entirely support. These will be published in the next Magazine. RUNNING BURNHAM U3A
We have a Committee, which has 3 important officers, the Secretary, the Chairman and the Treasurer. The rules of the TAT have limits as to how many years one person can hold an office without a break. There is good reason for this, it stops an individual from taking over and it encourages other members to get involved in running the U3A. Now I have agreed to be Chairman for one year. I have enough to do with producing the magazine, running the website and also my Groups to agree to do it any longer than that. Gary is asking for someone, maybe new to U3A, to ‘understudy’ what the Secretary does for when he has to stand down. We do have a nearly full committee, but most of those have been doing it on and off for a long time. What this boils down to is, we really would welcome new ideas. We know we have new younger members, many of you must have had some experience of Committees during your working life, and your expertise (however small) would be valued. If at any time we have no-one to be an Officer, the whole U3A would have to close. Whichever bit you joined for will no longer exist. You would be very welcome to attend committee meetings as an observer, just to see what goes on. We have over 600 members, of whom at least half should be reasonably young and fit! So where are you ? GROUPS LATEST
Please contact your Group Leader to find out if your Group is running or has been cancelled
GROUPS NEWS
So When Can U3A Groups Start Up Again? Part of the answer is that many Groups never stopped, as mentioned in previous Bulletins; they just decided to meet in different ways! The rest of the answer is more complicated, but here goes: 1. Expect everything to be different, in big ways and small ways. It is clear that many small restrictions (e.g hygiene, handwashing, masks) will be with us for many months, possibly years. The bigger restrictions (on meeting sizes, and activities) may get changed, so look out for announcements, and devise ways to adapt. It will be a long time before things return completely to ‘normal’ so you could even consider completely new Group activities temporarily, better suited to pandemic conditions. (Example: Table Tennis is -er- currently off the table indoors, and impractical outdoors, but members enjoy it for the fitness and coordination benefits. How about a temporary switch to an outdoor game that is permitted? Croquet, Boules, and Walking Cricket require minimal equipment and might fit the bill in the meantime.) The activities that will take longest to return to normal will be the large-scale gatherings; Coffee Mornings and Evening Socials. When we are clear to restart these, you’ll be the first to know! 2. Different Rules for different activities. Keep Fit, Table-Tennis and other Physical Activity Groups, including Singing and Drama: These activities remain impractical indoors, because of social distancing, or (in the case of singing, and performing) subject to an outright ban because of the risk of spreading the virus through deep breathing. But for the fitness activities, although the (various) community halls cannot host you for the time being, you could consider arranging meetings outdoors, while the weather is fine. Easier with some activities than others, I know… Groups that normally meet in Private Houses. You are not supposed to meet indoors at the moment, but up to 6 can meet in any outdoor space. If your group is bigger than this, consider dividing into sub-groups, or having some members take part remotely by video, perhaps in rotation. Outdoor non-Sporting Activities Walkers and Villagers can start again, with a few adjustments (Split into sub-groups? Don’t share cars. Check whether Refreshment Facilities have outdoor tables or require advance booking). Lunch groups probably fit this category too. Consider a new activity. The Gardening group is overdue for reviving, but don’t think in terms of its ‘old’ activities or the previous scale of membership. Start with half-dozen like-minded members, meet outdoors, and extend as the rules allow… Groups that normally meet in the Community Centre As long as your activity is not one of the ‘currently banned’ sort, you can discuss meeting again. Contact Ken. Expect to be in a different room (room 2 or 3), with different seating arrangements, and maybe not meeting every week. Some Groups have already made their arrangements: Painting for Pleasure, Book 3 and Patchwork 1 are believed to be amongst them. 3. There are more things that the Group Leader needs to do. Can you help him/her out? The Third Age Trust has just published a set of Guidelines which you can read here, but they can be summed up as:
……………………………………………………………………………… Holidays. Lynn Mathews and the rest of the team have decided this is too difficult for them to manage under the current circumstances.. All outstanding moneys have been dealt with. If someone would like to take this on once the Covid-19 is under control, please let the Committee know. Lynn will give any help needed. Yoga , It is with much regret that I have to cancel the yoga classes. Robert's chemo begins shortly and we will have to self-isolate for 6 months. I can't tell you how sad this makes me but obviously his health comes first. Hopefully you will continue to practice and I will be back to teach again next year. Laraine Bridges The Philosophy Group is now conducting online meetings .
Anyone interested please send a message to Roger Miller <r.miller365<a>btinternet.com> Ukelele , I would confirm to you that the Ukulele Group is buoyant (I was going to say thriving but with the lockdown that would be exaggerating). However we hold 2 hour Zoom sessions on Monday and Friday mornings when the majority of our members get together to maintain a regular contact, enjoy a chat and put the world to rights, and fight the vagaries of the Internet to play some music (but not necessarily together). With the current restrictions on indoor meetings, limited number gatherings etc, we cannot visualise a situation when we might get together in person to play, so we expect to be meeting on Zoom until 2021. Terry Smith Table Francaise (FR conversation) restarting late Aug/early Sept subject to weather (meeting outdoors at Dunstan House) Robert Bridges Painting for Pleasure Jane Lee has attempted to keep this running, but the constraints and restrictions have made this too difficult. This Group will be stopped again for now Table Tennis I have been reading Table Tennis England’s Covid guidelines and came across that under current legislation “playing doubles” is not permitted unless from the same household, so if , a big IF, we were to proceed it would have to be singles games only. Peter Manning More Additions to Group restarts
Table Tennis 1 (BAY Centre, Weds PM) Contact John 787200 or Martin 783012 Brush Strokes Contact Sue 792021 French 3 (Temporary contact Geoff@burnhamu3a.com) French 4 (Contact Robert 641853) |
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