Safety message
Dear Members,
It has become necessary to introduce a new U3A policy following recent accidents happening to members while on our day trips or members being taken ill during those events. So I am writing to update you and explain the reason for the changes. As always the welfare of our members is of paramount importance to us, but we have to accept as a retirement organisation, health issues are going to happen from time to time in all our lives and we need to be ready with assistance if it is needed and of course to avoid as many problems as possible. I am pleased to tell you that those members who recently ended up in hospital during their outings are now safely home and fully recuperated.
However it has meant that the Executive Committee has had to look very thoroughly into our policy and procedures for outings and day trips to safeguard both our members and the trip organisers. After several meetings and discussions, we are introducing new Terms & Conditions for our outings, and procedures are being put in place should any accident or incident occur while members are away on a U3A day trip. Overseas holidays usually require mandatory insurance and acceptance of the Terms and Conditions of the holiday tour provider. However, members still need to agree to our own procedures and policies. Insurance is not mandatory for UK holidays, so it is up to the individual to decide whether this is needed or not for their own circumstances and the venue being visited.
Click on our new Terms & Conditions to read for your reference and these will need to be read and accepted whenever members book for outings and holidays in the future. We hope you will understand the need for this safeguarding to be put in place and assure you that we will always try to do our best to ensure our members’ welfare at all times. To assist with this, we are going to trial a new system whereby members on outings will wear a U3A Newbury lanyard for the duration of the event so that they can be quickly identified in a crowded venue. The emergency phone number of the organiser will be clearly labelled on it so that help can be obtained at once even if the member should become too ill to speak or has no-one with them. We also remind you that whilst mobility issues are usually quite obvious, some frailty issues are not always at first apparent but could well result in a member becoming confused and consequently disoriented or lost in an unfamiliar venue. In more severe cases it may mean that the member is not able to be accepted on some trips unless accompanied by a carer to look after them. Unfortunately, fellow members on the trip cannot fulfil that role as it could affect our general insurance cover.
The Newbury U3A Terms & Conditions will remain on the website for your future reference but should you have any further concerns on this quite sensitive matter please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely
Rosemarie Franklin
Chairman