Minutes of A.G.M. held on the 14 February 2024 at St. Martins Church Hall, East Looe.
Chair, Alison Currah, welcomed everyone to the A.G.M. and was delighted to see so many current, with some new, members attending. The usual in-house safety regulations were read out.
Apologies:
Sylvia Abbiss, Hazel Barber, David and Jenny Barker, Harry Barnett, Serena Blake, Andrea Brocklebank, Wendy Collins, Angela Deacon, Lynda Fenn, Glenys Hant, Margaret Hearn, Ann and Chris McArdle, Rob and Karen Nevshehir, Andrea O’Connell, Ann Redgrave, Chris and Paula Roy, Lynne Taylor (Polperro), Nicky and Roger Thornhill, Paul Toms, Beryl and Colin Tregear.
Chairman’s Report:
“Another year has flown by in the life of Looe & District u3a. Member numbers have remained constant at around the 200 mark and initial worries about getting rid of the waiting list and being overwhelmed in the hall, have been unfounded. Members have slipped into the routine of booking places at meetings and the system is working well. Thank you all for cooperating, enabling this and being able to open our doors to those who wish to join us. And, of course, especial thanks go to our Membership Secretary, Angie, for her efficient running of the system.
Speakers this year have been as varied as always: some very memorable – the talk on Mercy Ships moved members so much that a retiring collection raised nearly £300: and some speakers have been memorable for other reasons: we had our first ever no-show with WaterAid leaving us high and most definitely dry and who can forget the much-anticipated Women in Crime talk only to be left, for some, rather wanting! However, Tina our Harbourmaster was entertaining and informative, Policing in the Isle of Wight, Prime Ministers to Prostitutes, Rame Church and our own in-house speakers on Breeding Weimaraners and Third Age Thespians kept us entertained and informed. I’m sure we all learnt something over the year. Speakers are all booked for this year and in to 2025.
A busy Social Calendar in 2023 was thanks once again to our hardworking Social events team. Musical events included the informal Cornish sea shanty evening and the more formal Last Night of the proms. Our ever-popular eating events; the Coronation Tea, Summer and Christmas lunches were very well attended and received. Entertainment and fun came with a trip to the Minack Theatre and the Murder Mystery evening had us all scratching our heads trying to solve the cleverly devised clues. The Quiz night in October, fuelled by fish and chips was enjoyed by all and our most recent event, the Scottish Night was a huge success – hard work but worthwhile, I think. A Visit to Wheal Martin and Rum tasting in Liskeard added to the varied mix.
Our Interest groups have been in, what I would describe as, stasis. This is by no means a criticism of the groups that continue to provide fun, learning and companionship for many of our members and I thank those Group Leaders wholeheartedly for their time and continued commitment to providing for our members. But efforts to get new groups off the ground have been largely unsuccessful.
However, perhaps 2024 is the year for more groups! Recently, a new Holiday Group has started with nearly 20 interested members, and they will be embarking on their first trip this Spring. And watch this space for Walking Netball and a World Food and Drink tasting themed group starting in March (which I will give the details for after the AGM business is complete). Between us, we have so many skills and interests that we can share and starting a new group just requires the will and some time. Support is always on hand both from our Committee, established group leaders and at National level.
Having thanked the Group Leaders for their hard work it is now time to acknowledge the work of the Committee. Here are a group of volunteers who give up a lot of their time to provide a variety of opportunities and experiences for us all.
Thanks go to our Treasurer Rob who has continued juggling our figures so conscientiously and effectively this last year whilst also dealing with a family bereavement and having to spend time sorting things out in Spain! Thank you, Rob.
I have already mentioned our Membership Secretary Angie and I simply could not do my job without her fantastic efficiency at sending out all my emails, organising new members, collecting subs and registering members at all the Main Meetings.
The Events team of Jackie, Jenny and most recently Linda, lead so dynamically by Chris keeps delivering winners and this coming year will be no different. Thank you all!
Kath volunteered during the year to take on the role of Speakers’ Secretary and has now booked us up until February 2025, however she feels that it is now time to sit back, relax and let someone else take the job. Any takers please see me!
Marilyn our Welfare officer continues to contact members suffering from ill health or loss. I thank Linda and Di (who has decided to stand down from the committee) as parking attendants and am delighted to welcome back Andrea after her illness. I thank each and every one of you personally and also on behalf of the members. I am delighted that the majority of these here are standing for Committee again this year. However, I must end this section of my report with a gentle warning: next year some of us will have to stand down as stipulated in the constitution and some will be choosing to do so. So please, consider joining the Committee. There are 2 places available and even though we will have had our AGM, new members can be co-opted. This time next year, I will not so much be handing over the baton, but the clicker!
You may have thought that I have overlooked someone – our Minute secretary, Carole. She has done so much for us here at u3a over many years that she deserves a special mention. She has carried out a number of roles on the committee for goodness knows how long but finally she is stepping down. However, I sincerely hope and trust that she will continue to reserve her seat on the front row each month so she can heckle the speakers for many years to come But, seriously Carole, on behalf of all the members and personally, I’d like to thank you for your many years of service to Looe & District u3a.
As is always the case as the year passes, the membership changes: new members bring new energy, established members enjoy the routine of meetings, groups and events, and inevitably some members suffer illness, and we experience losses. We remember those who are no longer with us and, in respect to them, try to live our best lives – our best third age.
Finally, I thank you all for your support over the past year helping to make Looe & District u3a possibly the largest and certainly one of the most successful organisations in our community. We look forward to all the possibilities that 2024 presents for us to Learn, Laugh and Live Together. Thank you.”
Alison then presented retiring Minute Secretary, Carole Day, with a beautiful orchid as a ‘thank you’ for her work on the Committee over a great many years.
Treasurer’s Report: for figures referred to in this report, please read the Audited Accounts and Minutes as emailed to all members previously.
As Treasurer Rob had sent his apologies, this was read by Christine Barwell. Audited accounts were emailed (or posted) to all members prior to the meeting and printed copies were available at the meeting.
“I trust everybody has received a copy of the accounts and notes sent by email. Similarly, as last year I don’t propose to go through all the accounts line by line but would like to highlight some points of interest on the income and expenditure account.
Slide 1: Income and Expenditure, Main Account
My thanks again go to Nichola Roberts for a very thorough and speedy audit. We would like to re-appoint her for this year’s audit which will unfortunately be her last as she is retiring – motion to be proposed after the accounts.
Slide 2: Balance sheet for Main Account
The only thing to point out from this slide is Looe U3A finances are in good shape. Year end bank account balances increased by the surplus from the income and expenditure account and from interest from our savings account.
Slide 3: Income and Expenditure for Social Account
Turning to the Social account which has a separate Bank Account for our events and group activities.
That’s all from me – If anybody has any questions, I will provide answers at the next meeting in March.”
The audited accounts were accepted along with the appointment of Nicola Roberts as independent auditor for the coming year. Proposed by Yvonne Toms and seconded by Dot Dunning and agreed by a simple majority.
Annual Subscriptions of £17 are now due and can be paid by BACs, cheque or cash, (into the Main Account, not into the Social account). Payment details also available in the current programme. Members who had paid the old subscription of £15 were asked to pay the extra £2.
Election of Committee and Officers:
The Chair then asked member, Peter King, to take over the Meeting as the present Chair and Committee stood down.
The following Chair and Committee were then re-elected en bloc with one member, Laurie Watson, seeking election. Proposed by Rod Pritchard and seconded by Jill Joce and agreed by all those present.
Chair – Alison Currah, Treasurer – Rob Nevshehir, Secretary – Laurie Watson, Membership Secretary – Angela Cadman, Vice Chair and Events Co-ordinator – Chris Barwell, Events Team – Jackie Pritchard, Jenny Barker and Linda Harwood, Welfare Officer – Marilyn King and Committee member– Andrea Brocklebank.
This concluded the AGM.
The Chair then updated the members present on recent and forthcoming events.
Promoting our U3A:
The Chair, Alison Currah, commented that although the membership stands at 200, new members and groups should be welcomed and encouraged and to that end has obtained promotional posters for distribution in Looe and surrounding areas by volunteers.
New Programme:
The new Programme for 2024-25 is being compiled by Dot Dunning and the Chair asked if any amendments to Groups’ phone numbers, venues, times etc. be sent to her or Dot. Tickets for forthcoming events, especially for March as the new programme was not yet out, could be bought on-line by BACs and Chris Barwell would hold them for collection. Included in the forthcoming Programme will be the following diverse and interesting events:
Trip to Immersive Dome, Devonport, Spanish themed evening at St. Martins Hall. Guitar by Mark Barnwell, St. Dennis recycling Centre, Backstage tour of Theatre Royal, Plymouth, Midsummer Picnic on East Looe Wooldown, Wine tasting and talk – Looe Valley Vineyard, Bodmin Steam Railway – Murder mystery Evening, Pencarrow House visit, Beetle drive. St. Martins Hall and Jazz Night, St. Martins Hall.
New Groups:
Walking Netball, a proposed fortnightly group, meeting at the Looe Academy, organised by Chris Barwell, An introductory video was shown. A signup sheet was available for members to show their interest. More details to follow.
World Food and drink group – being organised by member Amanda James, to be held at her Hannafore home. Members to bring a plate of fork food appropriate to the selected country (the first being Italy) for sharing, plus drink. Amanda will be decorating her house and organising a quiz on the country. There will be no joining fee. A signup sheet was available for members to show their interest.
Community News:
Cinema by the Sea – Wednesday 21 February. Looe Community Hub at the Barbican, The Great Escaper with Michael Caine. £5. Doors open 7 p.m.
Looe Raft Race – Sunday 16 June. There will also be a whole week of water-based events.
Alison suggested that it would be good if our U3A could enter a raft, as in previous years and asked interested members to see Laurie Watson.
Following the raffle and coffee break, the Looe Mayor, Tony Smith, gave a very thorough and informative talk on the composition and workings of the Looe Town Council and answered numerous questions from the floor. He was warmly thanked by Alison and received much applause from those present.
Next Month’s Speaker:
Mike Griffiths- ‘Listening to the enemy’. Mike’s father worked at the St. Erth Radio Station during WWII intercepting broadcasts from the Germans.
Carole Day
Minute Secretary, Looe & District u3a
Looe & District u3a 