FARNHAM U3A

Minutes of Committee meeting, 24 October 2016, 15.35, at Farnham Maltings

1 / Present
Sue Willson (Chair), Jo Watson (Vice chair), Mary Williams (Hon Secretary), Ann Vickers, Nickie Brander, Anne Connolly, Erica Currie,Margaret Ham, Val Atkinson, Mike Love.
In attendance: Ron Mansfield, Pete Wisbey, Bernard Whelan.
The chairman welcomed Malcolm Ellis and Ian Webster present as observers.
2 / Apologies:
Glennis Turner.
3 / Minutes of meeting 19 September 2016
The minutes were approved by the Committee and signed by the Chairman.
4 / Matters arising
i / Photographs of committee were due to have been taken today, postponed until November meeting.
ii / History of Farnham U3A: Eileen has taken it on, needs guidance as to what is envisaged – length of the work, format, whether to be published in print or online, whether to be produced in instalments or as one single item. It was agreed that it should be in a booklet approximately the size of the Owl, printed, but also available online, to be sold at cost. Brian Arthur can be asked for help with the layout and formatting.
iii / Independent Examiner vacancy: the treasurer is waiting to hear from Stewart Edge, she has another possible candidate in mind if Stewart does not take up the vacancy.
iv / New Members Reception on 26 October:All arrangements are in hand, the event starts at 10 am, committee members are asked to be there at 9.30 am.
v / Handbook 2016: this is now available on the Committee section of the Website.
vi / Website update: there is now a password-protected Committee section. Those present were advised of the password.
Members who want to place documents on the section should send them to Jo. All standard documents are to be held and made available on this section.
vii / Winterfest event at St Andrews: St Andrew’s Church is allowing local groups to promote themselves by having stalls at this event. It was agreed that we would not take part, but wait until the Maltings retirement fair in February before seeking to recruit more members.
viii / Problematic group members: The Third Age Trust Committee Reference Handbook has an advice sheet on dealing with difficult members, Nickie to circulate Nickie
5 / Reports from committee members
i / Membership: there have been 154 new members since the beginning of June.
Group leaders are to be reminded to tell the database manager and membership secretary the death of any members in their groups.
Action: Nickie
ii / Secretary’s report: the list of committee members and other officials on the website is to be updated. This is a public page, not part of the private committee page.
Action: Mary and Nickie
6 / Points for discussion
i / Group Matters
The budget allowed to the Swimming Group for venue hire is to be increased in line with the increases in Maltings, room hire fees. If the Swimming Group wants more sessions, members will have to pay the extra themselves.
Mike Love will check and report on the cost of venue hire for all groups that meet outside the Maltings.
Action: Mike
Nickie reported that she has not received full information about waiting lists, and suggests that somebody be appointed to collect information about waiting lists from group leaders at Registration Day.
The question was raised as to whether small groups should be required to hold their meetings elsewhere. It was agreed that we are not yet at the stage where that might become necessary, but the possibility is to be kept in mind.
ii / Equipment matters
Ron Mansfield reported that there had been two equipment training sessions. There is an ongoing problem of equipment not being put away correctly and logbook not being completed. The projector was not being used properly, and he has had to buy a new remote controller. Equipment users need constant reminders, and after each fortnightly inspection a report should be sent to group users indicating anything that has not been done properly concerning use or storage of equipment.
Crates are being checked
The Maltings have been allowed to use some of our equipment, Ron will liaise with the Maltings technical manager to agree on procedures.
New projector stand – probably not needed, but Ron will check the cost.
Mike Love offered to help liaise with group leaders to try to pinpoint those not returning equipment properly. He also offered to liaise with the Maltings staff and discuss any requests to use U3A equipment with the Equipment Team.
iii / New committee members: any committee member planning to stand down at the end of the current year should let Sue know as soon as possible, to allow for future planning.
Positions still to be filled: Webmaster, Newsletter Editor, 2017-18 Theme Leader. Sue will draft advertisements to be circulated to members by mail chimp, and vacancy for a theme leader will be mentioned at the next Study Day.
7 / Any other business
Jo reported that the trip to the Ashmolean Museum went very successfully.
8 / Next meeting – 28. November 2016 at 12.15 pm

Items of a personal or commercially sensitive nature have been omitted from this summary.