Bridlington Chair’s report for the year 2008 – 2009

Welcome to you all to this our second Annual General Meeting

So where did we leave off this time last year? First of all membership, which stood at 331 with about 40 interest groups. In June this year we  welcomed our 500th member and we have finished the year with 525 members and with about 60 interest groups. This represents a nice steady growth across the year of about 20 additional members a month, and mirrors our growth in our first year.

Monthly meetings are central to our venture and we have enjoyed some wonderful speakers.

We started the year with MP Greg Knight, In March we welcomed back John Swift with his usual enthusiasm told us about music from 1920-1960, accompanied by  his spoons and the Barmston Stirrers, followed by his offer to become a spooning group leader. We finished the year with  Martyn Coltman, the Chair of the Bridlington Renaissance Partnership and Liz Philpot, the Project Manager, told us about their work and in particular the plans for the renaissance of Bridlington. 

Accommodation and venues

In October the Drop-in sessions began at The North library, a particularly hospitable host and friend to Bridlington U3A. Last June 2008 we moved into the Spa, initially into the theatre.  In January 2009 we had to hold our monthly meeting in the Royal Hall and it was then that we realized the benefits of the unified space. It was becoming obvious that the theatre and the surrounding rooms could not  accommodate us and so we took the plunge, after consultation with the meeting in February, to move into the Royal Hall with an entry fee of £1. Although we have not yet been able to make this a regular venue to date, we are now firmly booked into the system. We see the Monthly meeting as an important event in the life of our U3A and we value attendance highly. We now have no worries about space.  Our treasurer Christine will add some more details in her report, including the Grassroots Grant

 

Some highlights of the year included some lovely theatre outings, a trip to the Harrogate show and at last a Puffin Cruise even if it was too rough to get near to Bempton Cliffs - and then our first public Gig at Emmanuel Church by the orchestra and Choir in aid of the RNLI, followed subsequently by another one in Flamborough at Easter.  Then in June our very own band, the U3Mix held a wonderful Party Night at The Ransdale which got people up on the dance floor, some for the first time in years.  We look forward to their next gig in October 26th at the Ransdale-and shortly to hearing them at this AGM, along with the two choirs and the orchestra. I believe every AGM should be helped along by music. 

Looking further afield:

Your committee felt very honoured to receive a highly commended mention in the Pride of Bridlington Awards 2008 in the section for an Outstanding Contribution to the Area. We have also given support to Howden and more recently to Hornsea as they take their first steps in establishing their own U3As.  We have given talks to The Rotarians and to the Soroptomists and set out our stand at the Bridlington is Good news events here at the Spa.  Perhaps some of you here today are here because of our meeting at the event on Saturday.  We were also pleased to establish our own Bridlington U3A website during this past year.              

The new Yorkshire and Humberside Region

A new U3A regional group has been set up, as an umbrella organization for the Region of Yorkshire and The Humber, with its own constitution and committee, and its own regional trustee, Anne Firth who very much enjoyed her visit to Bridlington some months ago to attend one of our meetings. The inaugural meeting was held in York June 3rd with about 20 out of the possible 37 U3As from Yorkshire and Humberside in attendance.

The AGM and the national Conference

This will be held in Edinburgh at the beginning of September.  Your treasurer Christine and Membership secretary Wendy hope to attend.

I raised some key issues with you at our last AGM and I want to re-visit them

1.    Will we maintain our membership as the time comes for renewal?

Yes we did - after a small initial drop in September, membership re-established itself by the beginning of November.

2.     Can we keep in touch with the views of members as our numbers grow?

We have used formal methods of questionnaires and the suggestion box. We have met with group leaders and asked for their views. We engage in as much conversation as we can with our members. But this is always going to be one of our questions.

3.     Can we sustain and improve quality with reference to our interest groups?

We believe we have a wonderful range of interest groups which are the envy of our neighbouring U3As

4.     Can we meet the demands of new members?

We have worked hard to keep up the growth of our groups. The national recommendation is that group numbers should represent about 10% of the membership. With 525 members and more than 60 groups, we are well inside that recommended level.

5.     Will we remain financially viable given the cost of our new venue?

We are certainly financially viable, given the support of the Grassroots grant for the next two years.

6.     Can we ensure we are an inclusive organisation where all members enjoy equality of access to what is on offer?

This is another question which we can never stop asking.  We look at venues and we feel that the Royal Hall is more comfortable for those of limited mobility. We try and ensure nobody is excluded because of lack of transport. We believe we need to grow so that everybody who wants to join can do so-we have resolved that perennial question for most U3As of how to meet on a monthly basis and we are constantly seeking out new venues, so space is not a limiting factor for us.

So I will leave you with just one question this time: let me remind you of our mission statement

Coming together in friendship to find joy and renewal in recreation, learning and teaching, through a vibrant, effective and inclusive local U3A supported by a community of dedicated volunteers

Can we ensure that all members play a part in supporting the mission statement of Bridlington U3A, including ‘coming together’ at meetings and enabling them to run smoothly, volunteering to support the work of the committee, joining the committee, hosting, facilitating and contributing to interest groups, contributing  to the newsletter and website and above all appreciating and valuing the work of the community of dedicated volunteers,  which make up Bridlington U3A?

So this leaves me only to thank these special people (which is scary in itself because of people inadvertently omitted): the wonderful committee, the volunteers here at the meeting including Jean Newsum, Janet Smith, Wendy Harrison Gillie Andrews, Steph Naylor, Dorothy Mockridge, too, Sally Wilson on raffle, Jim McGonigle on books, Ann at the Theatre stand. To all those who take money for groups, set up rooms, recce the walks-we thank them.

Also to  John Miller and Gille Andrews our fundraisers, Mike Wilson our webmaster and Hilda Slater our unofficial press officer. Also  to North Library, The Station Arts Centre, Emmanuel Church and to Bean There, all wonderful hosts, to Bridlington School Sports College for printing our newsletter and finally to the lovely Spa staff, notably Jonathan, Nigel, Emrys and Anita.

But above all, we thank our group leaders, both past and present who give so generously of their time, expertise and enthusiasm. There would be no U3A without them.

Just to finish on a more serious note:

‘Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely, in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid sideways, Chardonnay in one hand, chocolate in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming ‘WOO HOO WHAT A RIDE!’ (Anon. but stolen from Rugby U3A’s newsletter)

Sue Gollop
(Chair, Bridlington U3A)