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Committee Meeting 8th October 2025

Registered Charity No.1192380  

Meeting Details

Agenda

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 20th August were reviewed. Attendees were asked if there were any corrections or additions. After a brief discussion, the minutes were approved unanimously as an accurate record.

3. Review of Action Items from Previous Meeting

Again, there has been no response.

Up date on opening times.  The times are on the website for Brinscall Baths but there aren’t any morning opening times.  Again, we can only sign post members to the Baths website and let them make their own arrangements should they wish to do so.

Clive Bass did send out an email immediately after the previous committee meeting and nobody responded.   However, everybody is actually very interested in doing a “session” but nobody saw the email which indicates that a “session” is most definitely required.  Clive is going away and did offer to do it in May or, at a push before he goes on holiday in the next few weeks.  Paul Brooking offered to do the “session” on 20th November at 9:30am at Withnall Fold Sports & Social Club.  A date for everybody’s diary.

Clive sent out a report re “groups” emails in respect of responses from group conveeners.  He looked at the ones that haven’t been viewed.  A reason they may not have been viewed is that they may have been read on an iphone and therefore won’t log as being viewed.  Groups that don’t appear to have read messages are Gardening;  Family History;  Spanish;  Strollers and Members on their Own.

Clive suggested that it is possible to divert the emails to somebody else for that group.

Maria stated that this is already happening with some group leaders and that she is happy to deal with the initial contacts but then speak to the group leader concerned.  She will contact those that don’t seem to be responding but also commented that she would rather have them as group leaders and do it for them / help them rather than have no group.

Clive Bass commented that only a third of the group web pages have been updated over the last few years.

Bronwen Hastings is on with this.  Nothing yet to report.

Ann has taken advice on this and Bronwen must be “Acting Secretary” until the next AGM when she can be voted officially onto the Committee.

Bronwen has to submit the Committee Update Form to the U3a and requires the consent of committee members to give their information ie. Names, addresses, telephone numbers etc. – Everyone agreed.

4. Reports and Updates

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0AKJ1-Jrwu9JTUk9PVA

Paul wanted to bring to everyone’s attention the overclaim of “Gift Aid” which appears to have been a glitch in Beacon’s system which has now been rectified.  The total overclaim would have been around £50. 

The new Poetry Group convener is now up and running and the email address for the group now needs to change to hers.

Paul had put forward an idea to Lynn to have on the website not only up and coming speaker events but also a section for past speaker events with maybe a brief synopsis of the talk and maybe a photo of the speaker.

Clive suggested that this is done through a link on the website rather than on the website / webpage itself as it would be relatively easy to do.

Limit this to the last 6 months for the time being.

All very positive.  Well attended – 103 members were counted.  The weather was good.  The buffet was amazing.  Suggested that next time we cater for 115/120.

Ann attended a Cluster meeting for U3a’s in a certain area.  Anne has the minutes should anyone wish to read them.

This is taking place on Wednesday 3rd December at Withnell Fold Sports & Social Club (no “drop in” /  “speaker” that day) at 10:00am.

Teams limited to 6 per team.

The prize for “Best Christmas Outfit Team” will be a hamper which Lynn Worden will source and which needs to be able to be split 6 ways.

There will be booby prizes ie. U3a pencils etc.

Committee to dress up in Christmas outfits.

Mince pies will be provided.

Anne to check the maximum people capacity of the room.

5. Any Other Business

There will be workshops available to anyone who is interested.  Please contact Ann if you are.

Ann has received an email from U3a suggesting that we should be using generic emails ie. Chair@; Treasurer@ and not personal emails.  Withnell Fold don’t use personal email addresses but we do have our names in the email addresses and this isn’t a problem.  The Treasurer’s email address is registered with HMRC, Charities commission and the bank and changing this would be an issue.  It was decided we are good to have our emails as they are but there are emails for chair@ etc which the U3a can use to contact us.

A “Truncated” version of committee meetings needs to be available on the website.  Bronwen is to truncate the last meeting minutes and this one and get them on the website.  Geoff has said he will help Bronwen with this.

The local doctors surgery has recently had a Flu and Covid Jab drop in session.  Maria observed that whilst standing in the queue she got talking to people and the U3a cropped up in the conversation and thought this could be an opportunity for next year to maybe have a little table in a corner with U3a leaflets on and maybe somebody there to “connect” with.  Just a thought for next year and with permission from the surgery.

Paul suggested we should consider a Disaster Recovery Plan especially in light of the lack of new committee members and has offered to investigate building a contingency plan to execute.  The current original members of the committee are good in office until 2027.  However, new members are required now and possibly a more direct approach could be instigated with asking directly at Speaker Meetings or other gatherings if anybody would be interested. 

6. Date of Next Meeting

Wednesday 26th November 2025 at 9.30am at Withnell Sports and Social Club.

7. Actions to be taken and by whom

To contact group conveners re non-response of emails.

Generic risk assessment.

Submit Committee update form and Annual Return Form to U3a

Create a truncated version of meeting minutes.

Newsletter shout out to anyone being interested in / creating a group for various activities.

Hamper for Christmas Quiz winners and mince pies.

Any one who knows lapsed members to follow up.

Compile a list of past speakers with photo’s? And  a brief synopsis of their talk.

To create a link re Speakers above.

Move Bronwen up the list of committee members.

Up load truncated meeting minutes to website when Bronwen has done them.

Disaster Recovery Plan