News Archive 2011
In this section - archived news items:
- Article for U3A News about the Network by the retiring chair Jean Hogg (posted 16th Dec 2011)
- New U3A in Ravenshead (posted 26th Sep 2011)
- U3A in Nottinghamshire Brochure available (posted 26th Sep 2011)
- New U3A in Beeston, first meeting 7th April 2011, (posted 17 Mar 2011)
- Burton Joyce U3A Open Day, Sat 9th April 11.00am to 4.00pm (posted 17 Mar 2011)
- Regional workshop for committee members, Wed 11th May 2011 (posted 17 Mar 11)
- U3A National Conference and AGM, 16th - 19th Sept 2011 (posted 10 Mar 2011)
- Workshop for group leaders, Thur 31st March 2011 (posted 2 Dec 2010)
Nottinghamshire Network U3A News Article
Having reached the end of my 2 years as Chair of the Nottinghamshire Network of U3As provides a good opportunity to summarise what has been achieved in less than 3 years.
The Network held its first meeting at the beginning of 2009. Alan Morris, who was then the Trustee for the East Midlands, was very keen to develop a new structure that would enable U3As in the region to work more closely together for the benefit of all. By the end of September the Network had a constitution, a bank account, officers, a website in development and a clear statement of purpose. Two representatives from each U3A were invited to attend meetings, which they did, and right from the start there was a consensus that the Network meeting should be a place where decisions were made and action agreed; to do things, not just talk!
Our main aims were to provide support for U3As and their officers and group leaders and to create new U3As. In many ways the County was under represented in the number of U3As and it was felt that many communities would welcome the chance to form one.
The Network has held a series of workshops over the last 2 years, which have all been very well attended. A group of committee members from several established U3As agreed to become mentors, particularly for officers in new U3As but also for anyone who felt in need of some support. A workshop produced a code of practice for mentors and a list of those happy to take on this role. Since then there have been meetings for officers, website masters, computer group leaders and over a 100 interest group leaders have met to exchange information, experience and advice. In response to several requests guidance has been written and made available to help those U3As applying for grants from ‘Awards for All’. Feedback from the participants has shown that these workshops have been greatly appreciated.
In addition six new U3As have been established in Nottinghamshire and a seventh is planned. By coordinating the launches and agreeing on the best locations these have been extremely successful with 250 people attending the most recent launch. There are plans for at least six more.
All this has been organised in three years and in 11 meetings of the Network, each lasting 2 hours, together with a few separate planning meetings. This has all required a high level of enthusiasm, hard work and focus, and been achieved through cooperation and agreement!
Plans for the future are for more of the same, but also to find ways of best supporting those U3As that are not proving as successful as they might wish to be or once were. This level of success shows that we were right at the outset to emphasise the need to be active and not just a talking shop or extra layer of bureaucracy.
Jean Hogg
The Network held its first meeting at the beginning of 2009. Alan Morris, who was then the Trustee for the East Midlands, was very keen to develop a new structure that would enable U3As in the region to work more closely together for the benefit of all. By the end of September the Network had a constitution, a bank account, officers, a website in development and a clear statement of purpose. Two representatives from each U3A were invited to attend meetings, which they did, and right from the start there was a consensus that the Network meeting should be a place where decisions were made and action agreed; to do things, not just talk!
Our main aims were to provide support for U3As and their officers and group leaders and to create new U3As. In many ways the County was under represented in the number of U3As and it was felt that many communities would welcome the chance to form one.
The Network has held a series of workshops over the last 2 years, which have all been very well attended. A group of committee members from several established U3As agreed to become mentors, particularly for officers in new U3As but also for anyone who felt in need of some support. A workshop produced a code of practice for mentors and a list of those happy to take on this role. Since then there have been meetings for officers, website masters, computer group leaders and over a 100 interest group leaders have met to exchange information, experience and advice. In response to several requests guidance has been written and made available to help those U3As applying for grants from ‘Awards for All’. Feedback from the participants has shown that these workshops have been greatly appreciated.
In addition six new U3As have been established in Nottinghamshire and a seventh is planned. By coordinating the launches and agreeing on the best locations these have been extremely successful with 250 people attending the most recent launch. There are plans for at least six more.
All this has been organised in three years and in 11 meetings of the Network, each lasting 2 hours, together with a few separate planning meetings. This has all required a high level of enthusiasm, hard work and focus, and been achieved through cooperation and agreement!
Plans for the future are for more of the same, but also to find ways of best supporting those U3As that are not proving as successful as they might wish to be or once were. This level of success shows that we were right at the outset to emphasise the need to be active and not just a talking shop or extra layer of bureaucracy.
Jean Hogg
New U3A in Ravenshead
Ravenshead U3A will be launched at 10.00am on Tuesday 8th November 2011 in the Church Hall, Sheepwalk Lane, Ravenshead.
U3A in Nottinghamshire Brochure
The Network has produced a 'U3A in Nottinghamshire brochure, available in the 'About Us' section.
A New U3A in Beeston
We will be holding a first meeting on Thursday 7th April at 10.30am in the Methodist Church Hall, Chillwell Road, Beeston.
The U3A offers education and recreation and all retired or semi-retired people are welcome.
Alan Morris
The U3A offers education and recreation and all retired or semi-retired people are welcome.
Alan Morris
Burton Joyce U3A Open Day Saturday 9th April 11.00am to 4.00pm
Burton Joyce U3A are holding an exhibition of interest group displays open to the general public. We would also like to meet members of other U3As. Why not pay us a visit?
Karen Highfield Taylor
Karen Highfield Taylor
A Regional Workshop for Committee Members
Dealing with Present – Facing the Future
The U3A in the East Midlands is organising a workshop for
members of U3A Committees which will address the crucial issues currently facing
U3As.
It will be held on Wednesday 11th May 2011 at the Notts County Football Club, Meadow Lane, Nottingham, NG2 3HJ, in the Masson Suite.
The workshop will address those issues U3As have told us are crucial for them currently. The workshop will be run on the basis of short lead presentations and group discussion. The issues addressed will include:
There are a limited number of places so please send me your applications as soon as possible as acceptances will be on a first come first served basis. Please email me on alandbev.morris@tiscali.co.uk by 26th April 2011 at the latest. I will acknowledge your application, inform you if you have a place and provide a few more details.
There is ample car parking at the ground (with staff to give directions) and access to public transport is quite convenient.
Alan Morris
It will be held on Wednesday 11th May 2011 at the Notts County Football Club, Meadow Lane, Nottingham, NG2 3HJ, in the Masson Suite.
The workshop will address those issues U3As have told us are crucial for them currently. The workshop will be run on the basis of short lead presentations and group discussion. The issues addressed will include:
- Increasing membership (and in some cases decreasing membership)
- Finding committee members
- Communications
- Finding new group leaders
- Working with new members
There are a limited number of places so please send me your applications as soon as possible as acceptances will be on a first come first served basis. Please email me on alandbev.morris@tiscali.co.uk by 26th April 2011 at the latest. I will acknowledge your application, inform you if you have a place and provide a few more details.
There is ample car parking at the ground (with staff to give directions) and access to public transport is quite convenient.
Alan Morris
The U3A National Conference and AGM 2011
To All U3A East-Midlanders
This year, the National Conference and AGM are being held at the East Midlands' Conference Centre, Nottingham, 16th to 19th September 2011. The theme of the Conference is:
This is U3A - A Celebration
You are the U3A and the reason for the celebration!
Whenever I share a Monthly Meeting, someone tells me how joining the USA has changed, enriched, enlivened his or her life. The U3A has given them more friends, opportunities, experiences, interests, pleasure, than they had before or believed that they would have. Now is the opportunity to tell everyone at the Conference why the U3A has given you reason to celebrate!
All you have to do is put a photograph of yourself on an A4 sheet and underneath, in about 150 words, tell us how the U3A has given you cause to celebrate or changed your life. If you want to remain anonymous just put your U3A name or logo on the top of the paper.
Please send them to me - Liz Wilson, 31 Richmond Street, Mansfield, Notts., NG18 3LQ - before the end of March, 2011.
These contributions from the EAST MIDLANDS will be displayed around the conference Centre for delegates from all over the British Isles to read and share.
Liz Wilson - Regional Trustee
This year, the National Conference and AGM are being held at the East Midlands' Conference Centre, Nottingham, 16th to 19th September 2011. The theme of the Conference is:
This is U3A - A Celebration
You are the U3A and the reason for the celebration!
Whenever I share a Monthly Meeting, someone tells me how joining the USA has changed, enriched, enlivened his or her life. The U3A has given them more friends, opportunities, experiences, interests, pleasure, than they had before or believed that they would have. Now is the opportunity to tell everyone at the Conference why the U3A has given you reason to celebrate!
All you have to do is put a photograph of yourself on an A4 sheet and underneath, in about 150 words, tell us how the U3A has given you cause to celebrate or changed your life. If you want to remain anonymous just put your U3A name or logo on the top of the paper.
Please send them to me - Liz Wilson, 31 Richmond Street, Mansfield, Notts., NG18 3LQ - before the end of March, 2011.
These contributions from the EAST MIDLANDS will be displayed around the conference Centre for delegates from all over the British Isles to read and share.
Liz Wilson - Regional Trustee
A Workshop for Group Leaders
The Nottinghamshire Network of U3As is organising two workshops for Group Leaders in 2011. This email is intended to let you have the basic details of the first one so you and colleagues can make your Group Leaders aware of it. For example, some U3As may want to include it in their January 2011 Newsletter.
The workshop will take place on Thursday 31st of March from 1.30 to 4.00pm at the Brackenhurst Campus, Southwell, of Nottingham Trent University. There will be no charge. Tea/coffee will be provided.
The 8 Interests covered will be:
These are all popular interest groups in the County and other interests will be addressed in later workshops. The intention is to give group leaders the opportunity to discuss matters of mutual interest with leaders of the same groups in other U3As.
Further details will be sent to you in January together will a request for your U3A to provide us with the details of those group leaders who you wish to attend in good time for us to provide participants with joining instructions and other information.
This workshop is part of the Regional plan for supporting group leaders.
Alan Morris
The workshop will take place on Thursday 31st of March from 1.30 to 4.00pm at the Brackenhurst Campus, Southwell, of Nottingham Trent University. There will be no charge. Tea/coffee will be provided.
The 8 Interests covered will be:
- Book, Literature and Poetry
- Crafts
- Discussion Groups
- Gardening
- Languages (French etc)
- Use of Computers
- Walking
- Wine
These are all popular interest groups in the County and other interests will be addressed in later workshops. The intention is to give group leaders the opportunity to discuss matters of mutual interest with leaders of the same groups in other U3As.
Further details will be sent to you in January together will a request for your U3A to provide us with the details of those group leaders who you wish to attend in good time for us to provide participants with joining instructions and other information.
This workshop is part of the Regional plan for supporting group leaders.
Alan Morris
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