From the Chair Nov. 2020

Here we are in another lockdown and it is likely that restrictions will be in place well into next year.  I had thought, for a while, that next May would be the time when most of our groups and our coffee mornings would be able to restart: maybe this is now a little optimistic, but for the time being, I shall hold on to that optimism.  What it means, of course, is that we will continue to promote and encourage as much learning activity as possible through technology.  For members who receive this newsletter in print and may be excluded from our Zoom coffee mornings, we have a limited number of Kindle Amazon Fire tablets available for loan.

In February, our Zoom coffee morning will  consist of presentations from a few of our U3A members, so I would love to hear from any of you who would like to, or be prepared to, give a ten-minute Zoom presentation either about your group, or a project undertaken during the last 12 months.  On Tuesday morning, 1 December 2020, we will be running a training event on Zoom for anyone interested in using it for presentations; it is open to everyone if you would like to improve your videoconferencing skills

Our new website is nearly ready for launch, so a massive thank you to Martin and his team.  They have created not just an information source but also a user-friendly interactive tool for us all to enjoy.

At its recent AGM, the Third Age Trust published a development plan.  The most evident outcome is the change to the logo, with different colours and letters in lower case: 

Their consultations and research indicated a decline in numbers and an increase in the age profile.  The plan seeks to widen participation, grow the brand and includes all other sorts of corporate speak including peer support networks.  Although this refers to groups for treasurers, secretaries, etc., it is the peer support that is at the heart of being a U3A member.  If I were to publish a Minehead and District U3A development plan, it would be just to encourage and promote peer support, both within your group and across the district.  We do not need to change what we do, we will just continue to support each other, welcome new members and, together, learn, laugh and live.