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Well, it’s been a busy month for the new committee as we all continue to settle into our new roles and look at the future of our u3a. We had to look at one area in particular – the newsletter. As you know the long-time editor Margaret Shaw left the committee in May and we introduced two new newsletter editors, Gillian Lusk and Pam Bartlett. Unfortunately, Gill has had to resign from the committee and her editor role, as her commitment to her work on Sudan is her priority. Pam Bartlett will continue as editor, but she is not part of the committee and gives her time voluntarily. We’ve also had to look at the costs of the newsletter. Most of you view it on the website, but some members receive the newsletter as a print version. Currently those members pay £8 extra per year for this and it covers 10 newsletters so they pay 80p per edition. Unfortunately, the costs of printing, and in some cases posting, the newsletter has always been subsidised, but this cost is rising. We have looked at the costs and the average printing cost per edition is £1.39 and where we post it, it adds £1. So each printed newsletter potentially costs £2.39 which is almost three times the 80p paid by these members. It’s why the newsletter last month was not printed professionally. We do not feel we can ask those receiving it to pay the full cost of the printed newsletter nor can we continue to subsidise it, so we have taken the decision to move to a bi-monthly newsletter. It will continue to contain details of events for your diary, group news but also editorials. So this is the last monthly newsletter. September will be the first bi-monthly newsletter and will cover October events as well. We are sorry that we have had to make this decision but it was necessary.
We also welcome this month three new committee members. Nic Pettit is leaving us as treasurer and his replacement is Rwth Hunt. We have also been joined by Fiona Chamberlain (Trips) and Linda Marlton (Publicity).
Pam Young