Ross on Wye & District

Committee

This page is under development

Co-opted personnel

William - Chair
I joined Ross & District u3a in 2023 and since joining have become a member of the Ancient and Medieval, and Modern World History groups, and also had the somewhat unexpected honour of being made Chair.
I was born and bred in Hove, now formally the city of Brighton & Hove, but have lived in and around Ross on Wye since 1976 when my then employers, the British Steel Corporation, transferred my office from central London to South Wales. Let us just say that my late wife and I decided that Herefordshire and Ross in particular, offered a more pleasant quality of life than Newport! I left BSC in 1984 but remained in the Steel industry for a few more years, running my own metal building and tube stockholding company, before becoming involved in various business entities including being Herefordshire Manager for the Chamber of Commerce Herefordshire & Worcestershire and Chairman of a Hereford based Web development company.
My life sadly changed in 2009 when my wife died of cancer, but I remarried in 2019 and now live a blissful life with fellow member Lesley in the middle of Ross on Wye, and my two London based daughters have produced five grandchildren for me to dote on. During the time that I had on my own I decided to do something that I had always wanted to do but never got round to it and via the Open University I started studying for a degree. I was awarded a First Class BA History degree in 2017 followed by an MA in Classical Studies in 2021 – at age 76 which just shows that age is no barrier – a good u3a example of what keeping mind and body active can do!

Mark - Vice-Chair
Mark is Vice-Chair and a member of the u3a Gardening, Genealogy, Geology & Landscape, and Pub Walking groups.

In 2018 he ceased employment to care for his wife Linda who had a rare form of early onset dementia. Following her passing, he soon became vice chair of the u3a, he is also chair of the Ross-on-Wye and District Civic Society, supports people with dementia (Ross Meeting Group, NHS dementia forum and speaks about his experiences through Rare Dementia Support), a co-leader of the Ross Carers Group, a Trustee of Carers for Herefordshire, and supports Ross Action Bus, a Town Ambassador, and a Committee member of the Ross Tourist Association. When he has time, he is also a keen photographer, walker, cyclist, and flies a drone (previously holding CAA permission for commercial aerial operations for 5 years). He sings with the Roaring Megs Community Choir at Goodrich and is a member of Ross/Betzdorf Twinning Group.

He has a daughter and two grandsons in Bristol.

His career started as a qualified agronomist, working in the crop protection industry for 11 years in Wales, Lincolnshire and then the Cotswolds. Changes in agricultural policy in 1992 caused a contraction of the industry, seeing a career move to Holme Lacy College where he managed built environment, evolving into capital development, and health & safety with the Pershore Group of Colleges. After 14 years he moved to Stroud College to manage the total redevelopment of the College, and then to The University of Bristol to work in the Capital Development Team managing major development projects within the faculties of medicine, veterinary science, and arts.

Alan - Treasurer
We moved to Ross a few years ago mainly to be nearer to our family and young grandchildren. Not knowing the area at all we have spent a lot of time finding out what this beautiful part of the world has to offer, which has been great fun. In a previous life I used to commute to London working in Whitehall for various different Government Departments. Aside from family my other main interests are gardening, especially fruit and veg, walking and travelling. Since retiring I have also taken up beekeeping which has turned out to be both fascinating and time consuming in about equal measure. I never realised how much there was to discover and learn about these intriguing creatures.

Anne - Business Secretary
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Heather - Membership Secretary
I moved to Ross-on-Wye with my husband in July 2022 after many years in North Worcestershire where we raised our family and commuted to Birmingham. We wanted a small town in a more rural location and a community we could get involved with. Ross hasn't disappointed and we joined u3a to meet people and build a new life. We have been made to feel very welcome so when I was asked about becoming membership secretary it felt right.

Marilyn - Groups Secretary
Having spent my childhood on a farm in Canada, I travelled to London to train as a nurse at St Thomas’ Hospital. Peter & I met within eighteen months and so began my life as a military wife. We’ve lost track of the number of house moves! Our last two postings were in South America – Venezuela and Argentina. Whilst in Argentina I trained as a yoga teacher. The first eight years of retirement were spent in Spain. Returning to UK in 2013, we were eager to get involved in the community, hence we joined the u3a.

My renowned ‘bossiness’ as the u3a yoga teacher led to me being persuaded to take on the Ross Chair role from 2017 – 2020. After relinquishing the Chair role, I found I really missed the camaraderie of the committee, and the feeling of doing something of value. I volunteered to take on Group Secretary in 2021

Caroline - Beacon Administrator
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Catherine - Publicist & Speaker Secretary
“I have been a U3A member since March 2023. I wanted to join a book group and a beginners bridge group. The U3A supplied both in a more than satisfactory way. My interests are gardening, yoga, Bridge, walking our dog and looking after my little colony of feral cats.
I was brought up in Enfield. My working life was in nursing and for the last 20+ years district nursing.
I responded to the chairman’s call for a volunteer for the speaker secretary role which I took on in August 2023 along with publicity. Keeping me more than busy but no complaints.”

Jane - Outings Secretary
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Judith - Deputy Groups Secretary
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Jacqui - Member without Portfolio
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Saleha - Newsletter Editor
I’ve been a journalist most of my professional life, as a reporter, a subeditor and an editor. I’ve been around the world a bit for my job, working on national newspapers in Singapore, London, Abu Dhabi and most recently in Bangkok. Now retired I spend my time enjoying walks in the Forest of Dean and beyond, reading (I’m in Book Group 2) and travelling. I’ve been producing the quarterly Ross u3a newsletter since 2022, a pastime I thoroughly enjoy. Another gratifying hobby I’ve taken up since joining the u3a is doing cryptic crosswords with our very own delightful group.

Jim - Webmaster
Following my retirement from the RAF in 2010, I joined Ross & District u3a as a member of the German Conversation group and later as the group coordinator. I was our u3a Chair from 2020-2023 and am now the webmaster. My interests are many and varied and include photography with Photo Group 2, aka the Waterpump Shutterbugs.