Summer at last! How long before we get a hosepipe ban, I wonder? The poet Byron said, “English winter ends in July – only to recommence in August”, but I think we do a bit better than that on the whole.
First of all, a reminder: I mentioned last month that we have had to change the date of our Drop-in this month. We hope to see you on TUESDAY 2nd July, as the General Election has bagged Burnby Hall on Thursday from under our noses. It’s at the usual time – 10.00 until 12.00, so we shall hope you can make it. Apologies to those who can’t, but we’ll hope to see some of you who can’t usually make Thursday mornings.
And don’t forget, when you go to vote on Thursday, that we have to take some photo identity with us now!
Speaking of identity, some of us on the Committee have received a few dodgy emails lately, which pretend to be from one of our colleagues but are actually trying to get money from us. This kind of crime is frequently the subject of television and radio reports, but these people can sound very convincing. Please be alert, and if you get any messages which don’t sound right, call one of us. I promise we will never ask for your money apart from your £12 subs! Which reminds me – our hardworking Membership Secretary, Christina, is still chasing a number of people who haven’t got round to this year’s renewal yet. Please, if you’re one of those, do get in touch with her as soon as you can!
Now, regular readers may have noticed the frequency with which I invite members to join the Committee. Following our AGM, it’s perhaps time to introduce us all and explain a bit about the u3a Constitution and why we’re so keen to attract more members:
· Les Smith is our new Chair – this is a fixed one-year term of office and may not be reappointed to the same office at the end of that term.
· Simon Eggleston is the Vice-Chair, and will become next year’s Chair. Again, Vice-Chair is a one-year term of office and may not be reappointed to the same office at the end of that term.
· David Hebden is the Treasurer, and I am the Secretary; both these posts have a fixed two-year term of office and may be re-appointed to the same office for one further two-year term. We are both now in our fourth year of office, so will need replacements by next AGM.
· Christina Burn is Membership Secretary, and Ralph Voke the New Members’ Secretary. These roles are not ones defined by the central constitution, but they perform an invaluable job for us.
· John Senior, last year’s Chair, is now President – an honorary appointment to give continuity and prevent us from making the same mistakes twice!
· All other members have a fixed two-year term, and may be returned for a further two years. Currently our members are Neil Barrett, Gerry Hutchinson, Jean Kay, Rosemarie Kennedy, Pauline Slater, and Margaret Stubbs.
The u3a rules about terms of office are designed to give all members a chance to participate, and to prevent any branch becoming run by a clique. So, as you can see, we are always hoping for new recruits for our rolling cast! Our meetings are never argumentative or aggressive, always cheerful and companionable. Please think about coming forward – especially if you have experience and skills to offer for any specific post. If you’d like to know more, contact any of the committee; you can come to a meeting as a guest before deciding, if you’d like to.
I apologise if that last piece was a bit long, but it is so important to our u3a that we have a continuing roll of people willing to get involved, and give a little time to helping us to keep going. Without a committee we can’t function as a branch, and keep running all our activities.
You’ll be able to see us in action at the annual ‘Pockdown’ family fun event, on the afternoon of Saturday, July 27th, where we shall be hosting a stall to tell the community about all we offer. Last year’s event was a great success and a very enjoyable occasion, so do come and say hello – or bring a friend who doesn’t know about the u3a yet!
Now that we finally have some good weather (fingers crossed) , why not have a look on the website (https://www.pocklingtonu3a.org.uk/) at the activities of some of our outdoor groups – walking, birdwatching, pétanque, croquet… ? Both croquet and pétanque will be happy to welcome newcomers with no previous experience. Or, if you ever think about making sense of life, you might find the Mindfulness and Meditation Group offers some answers – or you could join in around the table for ‘convivial, enjoyable and challenging’ discussion with the Philosophy Group? Check them out, and get in touch! New ideas come up often, and it’s always worth taking a look and considering something new.
July this year has been designated ‘Plastic-free Month’, to try to make us aware of our use of man-made resources. July’s also the month not only for many village fetes and fairs, but also ancient summer traditions like Swan-Upping and the Derbyshire Well-Dressing. And of course, we must all hope it doesn’t rain on the 15th, St. Swithun’s Day, or we’ll be in for forty more days the same!
Rosemary Waugh (Secretary)
Enjoy the summer!
