Havering

Havering U3A Notice Board

Summer School Under Threat
Chairs-Please cascade this information to your
membership through your normal channels
As you’ll know London Region has run very successful Summer Schools over many years. But now it’s under threat – currently it looks like we will not be able to put one on next summer. This is due to the lack of volunteers to help organise. Catherine Ware in particular is standing down from the SS Committee (and thanks go to Catherine for establishing such successful Summer Schools) and other volunteers are also stopping. If you would be willing to work with others in trying to form some sort of Summer School or Study Days next summer, please contact Vivek at communications.lru3a@gmail.com

Treasurers Peer Support Group
Chairs- Please forward this information to your treasurer.
To all Treasurers: Please note that our next meeting is on Thursday 26th October, at 4.00pm. We talked of a different date at our last meeting but you’ve also asked for different days of the week for these meetings. Hence this one is a Thursday. You can always pick up the ‘Notes’ for these meetings on the LRU3A website and a copy of the last ones are here: https://u3asites.org.uk/files/l/london-region/docs/meetingnotes-2023.07.251.pdf As always, let Derek (at VChairN.londonregionu3a@gmail.com ) know if you want anything added to the agenda.

London Parks and Gardens Trust - Project proposal.
Chairs-Please forward this onformation to your
Group Cordinator and Gardening Groups
We are looking for a small group of people who would be interested in a proposal to set up a u3a project with London Parks and Gardens Trust. Before reading further, please look at their website. All the aims, work and achievements of the trust are there. Quite fascinating. See link here: https://londongardenstrust.org/conservation/inventory/
If you think you might enjoy getting involved, please email Jo to have a chat about it. Obviously it is all just an idea at the moment, but with your help, we can have a sociable and flexible plan of action by November. Possible Ideas to develop or reject:
1. Inventory review and update of green spaces in an individual borough. Additions? Changes?
2. Gather information on 3 specific parks with known benefactors?
3. Research into individual benefactors of land. Sites? Are the wishes of the benefactor still being complied with?
4. Garden designers across London. Comparisons? Changes?

Do get in touch.
Jo Walters, at jo.walters.slp@gmail.com

CLIMATE RESILIENCE

There is an independent piece of work happening in London regarding Climate resilience - ie manage extreme heat/ flooding - I am including details here in case any of the u3as in London may be interested.
The survey will not launch until September but the call for evidence is open:
https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/environment-and-climate-change/climate-change/climate-adaptation/london-climate-resilience-review

Respondents do not need to answer the specific questions they have outlined there but hopefully they are a useful guide. If anyone wants to tell them or ask them anything that might be useful the email address is londonclimateresiliencereview@london.gov.uk

SPEAKER LIST

Some u3a are aware that there exists a Speaker List and some of you do not know that this valuable piece of information is kept by Jo Livingston. Her email address is jolivingston@hotmail.com.
Please pass this information onto your Speaker Organiser in order for them to contact Jo should the need arise.

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GROUPS AND GROUP COORDINATION
Following the fire and severe damage to St Michael’s Church Hall monthly meetings have been transferred as of that in November to the Baptist Church Main Road Romford where it is anticipated they will remain for the foreseeable future. November being the first time in that hall we had to work out exactly how the various activities and functions of a main meeting could be accommodated and the result was that we did not have the usual information and group coordination table; however we hope that this will return for future meetings. Without the table as a focal point it was harder to meet any new or potential members and provide information for them or indeed for existing members. We are sorry if we missed you and hope we can catch up in December.

In respect to meeting and greeting new members, in the limited time available at meetings prior to the speaker starting we often find it quite hectic. Previously there have been requests, albeit without too much success, for others of you to assist with welcoming and looking after new people. We know that you like to talk to your friends but how about also assisting us by talking to some new ones and telling them about the u3a and what you do in it? Remember the u3a is a mutual self help organisation, we don’t have ‘customers’; assisting in the welcoming of others could be part of your contribution.

Some good news has been the formation of new groups, the most recent being the start of a further Freedom Pass Travellers Group to replace the closed group 3. Our thanks to all involved in this and indeed all new groups. Information about this group may be found in the Group Meetings section that follows.

Following the two years of lockdown and its consequences many groups now have vacancies; also we have never been able to restart the original jazz appreciation, astronomy and various language groups. You all have cameras, if not directly, then by virtue of your phone being fitted with one. How about joining Digital Photography and getting better shots of the grand kids?

For some while, and to get the direct input of those coordinating or hosting groups, we have wanted to hold a group leaders meeting. Circumstances have delayed this but the intention is to have one early in the New Year, so group leaders watch out for more information.
So, as we reach the end of a another somewhat fraught year for both Havering u3a and for the country, the group coordination team would like to wish you a peaceful and merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year in 2023
Graham Fenegan – Groups Coordinator