Registered Charity No.1192380

Minutes of the Meeting

Meeting Details
● Date: Wednesday 17 th June 2026
● Time: 09:30 to 10:30am
● Venue: Withnell Fold Sports and Social Club
● Present: Ann Furlong (Chair); Bronwen Hastings (Secretary); Paul Brooking (Treasurer); Geoff
Tittensor (Membership Secretary); Mike Smith; Lynn Robinson (Speaker Secretary); Pam
Kirkham (Groups co-ordinator); Steve Perry; Kay Aldred (Accessibility Officer; Clive Bass (Web
Editor); Enid Povey (Observer); Elaine Webb (Observer);
● Apologies: Ali Prior; Lynn Worden (Publicity Officer)
Agenda
● 1. Welcome and Opening Remarks
● 2. Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
● 3. Review of action items from previous meeting
● 4. Reports and Updates
● 5. Any Other Business
● 6. Date of Next Meeting
● 7. Actions to be taken and by whom

1. Welcome and Opening Remarks
   The chairperson called the meeting to order.
2. Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
   The minutes from the previous meeting, held on Wednesday 13th May were reviewed. The minutes
   were approved unanimously as an accurate record.
3. Review of Action Items from Previous Meeting
   ● New Members Social Event 20th May 2026
   Considered a success though the uptake was a little disappointing of the 54 members invited
   about 20 attended.
   ● Conveners Thankyou Afternoon Tea Update – AF/PK
   This is booked for Thursday 24th July at WFSSC.
   PB will organise catering with Roccoco.
   Email to be sent out to Group Conveners.
   ● Groups “remote payments” via Square Up App or Card Reader – PB
   The issue with one convener is hopefully sorted but as PB hasn’t seen any payments coming
   through the bank he doesn’t yet know if there is a problem or just that everyone is still paying
   cash for that particular group.

● Room hire agreement with WFSSC
All good. No further action/discussions required.
● Suggestions for spending surplus monies

• New sound system
  Update from CB. Lots of things to consider when purchasing a new sound system for
  both WFSSC and u3a. How many speakers are required etc. Cost will probably be
  £200-£300 which was agreed to be OK.
• Coach Trips
  AF suggested organising a coach trip paid for from u3a funds to take members to a
  venue and bring them back – the day is theirs to enjoy. EP has a list of possible places to
  visit. EP/AF
  ● Safeguarding Training
  KA is to organise a date.
  ● Response to a newsletter item
  A shout out was included in the last newsletter for anyone who may wish to organise a Classic
  Car get together. A friend of a member has responded but they are not in the u3a. Pending.
  ● Link to Deafway
  BH to sort this out on the website.
  ● Amendment to the Finance Policy
  PB. The policy states that WPVu3a are happy to accept any form of payment ie. cash, cheque,
  electronic etc so as to be inclusive. This is to ensure that the “Treasurer” can’t decide that we
  wouldn’t accept a particular form of payment ie. cheques. This would need to be passed by the
  committee as it would mean amending the Finance Policy.
  ● Chair Yoga
  PK Looking to see how this can be set up as a new group with either an instructor or videos with
  the instructors permission. Hopefully to take place at WFSSC. A suggestion was to contact “The
  British Wheel of Yoga”, explain what it is we are looking for and see if there is anything they can
  suggest to help.
  ● Directing members to the Website
  In an attempt to get members to look at the website at all or more frequently a sub committee
  is to be set up (CB/BH/LW/PB) to look at ways of doing this. Different ways suggested:
• Through links on the Newsletter.
• MS suggested highlighting one group per month in the Newsletter.
• Sending out an email every 2/4 weeks with what groups are up to.
  CB can monitor “clicks” on the website so it could be seen if anything we do is effective.
  Some groups’ website pages are rarely updated so PB has suggested to run a session with Group
  Conveners to show how to do this and how easy it is to do.
  ● Suggestion for the Newsletter
  To put a link up for the recipe as sometimes it can be quite long.

1. Reports and Updates
   ● Treasurer’s Report – All good. Nothing new to report.
   ● Membership Update – We currently have 284 members.
   ● Speaker Update
   Bookings secured for the remainder of this year and two months of next year.
   The number of members who attended the last meeting was disappointing. AF noted that no
   committee members were present and asked everyone to make an effort re speaker meetings.
   ● Groups Report
   MS noted from the new members event that new groups were suggested ie. Line Dancing and
   cycling. PK has taken note.
   ● Item for Newsletter
   AF noted that the u3a as an organisation are now organising holidays for any member to take
   should they wish to do so.
   ● Business Continuity Management
   PB attended an online presentation. Suggested that two sub-committees are formed:
2. Succession Planning – AF; GT; PB
3. Continuity Management – LR; MS; PB
   The presentation is running again on 7th July. Everyone has been sent a link for this.
   Both sub-committees to view the presentation at WFSSC on 7th July 10-11:30am plus anyone
   else who wishes to attend.
   ● Role Descriptions
   These are currently on the website for Chair, Secretary, Treasurer etc. However, they seem to
   be quite onerous, perhaps a more friendly role description could be devised by each officer on
   the committee describing their role so as not to frighten people off from joining the committee.
   ● Members meeting
   To outline the roles and responsibilities of the committee with emphasis on support, friendliness
   and enjoyment. A future consideration as 5 current members will have to stand down next year
   so succession planning is now crucial.
4. Any Other Business
   ● Request for music stands
   GT requested to purchase 10 music stands at £14 each. This was agreed.
   ● Chair’s Forum Group
   AF will attend a Zoom meeting and report if anything of interest arises.
5. Date of Next Meeting
   ● Wednesday 29 th July 2026 at 9:30am at Withnell Sports and Social Club.
6. Actions to be taken and by whom
   ● Group Conveners Afternoon Tea AF / PK / PB
   ● New Sound System CB

● Coach Trip AF / EP
● Safeguarding Training Date KA
● Classic Car Get Together GT
● Link to Deafway BH
● Chair Yoga PK
● Directing members to website BH / PB / CB / LW
● Newsletter items LW
● Role Descriptions All committee members