Online talks
Tuesday 9 November, 11.00am – 12.15pm
Andrew-John Paterson: Organising your life
Most of our online talks are recorded and available for you to watch at leisure. Please email cedu3a@gmx.com with your membership number, stating which recording(s) you would like, and copies will be sent to you.
Monthly meetings
We are delighted to report that, subject to COVID-19 restrictions remaining unchanged, we shall be resuming our monthly meetings at the Union Church and Community Centre from December 2021.
Thursday 9 December 2021, 10.30am – 12.00 noon (entry from 10.00am)
Graham Bennett: Our wonderful West End
Festive refreshments will be available after the talk.
Camcorder or video recorder needed (and operator)
Do any members have a camcorder or video recorder and can film our live monthly meetings starting in December? The WiFi at the Union Church is not strong enough for us to Zoom the meeting to those unable to attend, but we could record them and make them available to view with the above kit and operator. If you can help, please contact Graham Bennett at vicechair@cedu3a.org.uk.
Interest groups update
More groups are meeting again in person in members’ homes and the completion of the risk assessment checklist by conveners or hosts has been both welcomed and reassuring. Conveners are advised to complete the checklist.
One of the unexpected bonuses has been the greater appreciation of meeting in person again, enjoying social contact and friendship. The success of your group lies in your willingness and enthusiasm to support and encourage, helping when you can, being constructive, participative and respectful. A timely reminder on How to be a Good Interest Group Member.
A number of groups are opting for a mixture of online and face-to-face activities. Others are continuing with Zoom for now and seeing how it goes over the next months. Keep checking the website for information.
In the meantime, our outdoor groups have been experiencing the unseasonal weather.
New interest group
A recent addition to our varied and ever successful craft interest groups. This is a friendly ‘drop-in’ group sharing members’ interest in knitting. The group welcomes knitters at every level – those wanting to learn from scratch and those who want to improve their skills.
Group looking for new members
This group ‘paused’ over lockdown, has been relaunched recently and has a few spare places. The purpose of the group is to explore issues of current importance, topics of general concern, aspects of significance affecting all our lives.
Welcome coffee morning for new members
We are excited to announce our next welcome coffee morning for new members. This is being held at the Hornsey Moravian Church Hall, Priory Road, on Tuesday 16 November 2021 from 10.00 am to midday. It is an opportunity to welcome you formally to your local u3a, introduce members of the committee, find out how you can get the most from your membership and meet other new members. If you joined from November 2019 onwards but have not received an email invitation and would like to attend, please contact Llorett our New Members Social Co-ordinator by email to nmsc@cedu3a.org.uk. Places are limited and we need confirmation of attendance by Friday 12 November.
Membership renewal
It will soon be time to renew your CEDu3a subscription for next year, 2022. Although we are gradually opening up activities, we are still running at lower levels of activity than normal. The Executive Committee has decided that our strong financial position allows us to continue lowering the cost of annual membership. When existing members renew their subscription for 2022, the fee will be £25. The concessionary fee will remain at £5.
The renewal process will start on 1 December 2021 and you will receive an email explaining how to renew your subscription nearer the time. Renewals cannot be accepted before 1 December. Renewals can also be made in January and February 2022.
Our charity has implemented Gift Aid and benefited from a £1500 reimbursement in 2020. Thank you to all who have agreed to gift aid their subscription. For those individuals, we will continue to apply for Gift Aid against their subscriptions in future years. In all cases, you will need to let us know if you are no longer a taxpayer and are no longer eligible for Gift Aid. HMRC rules indicate the individual taxpayer is liable for correctly identifying their eligibility status.
If you have any queries about membership you can always contact the membership secretary membership@cedu3a.org.uk.
Volunteering opportunities
The restarting of in-person of monthly meetings (hoped for in the coming months) is bringing new opportunities for volunteering. The following opportunities are now open, with more likely to follow. Contact Jenny or Beatrice at volunteers@cedu3a.org.uk if you are interested in either role.
Monthly meetings organiser
The monthly meetings organiser ensures that all the arrangements for monthly meetings are in place. This includes liaising with the Union Church on bookings and payment and checking that the volunteers responsible for specific functions (catering, a/v, member interface) will be at the meeting.
Light refreshments organiser
We are looking for someone to follow on from the great work done by Liz London and Jenni Slinn. Liz is now taking over events catering. The
light refreshments organiser heads a group of volunteers who organise supplies and prepare, serve, and clear away tea, coffee, etc, at the monthly meetings. Liz will be around to help with ideas and advice as you get used to the role. See website for a full description.
Treasurer update
Over the coming weeks Peter Stachniewski will be taking over from Andrew Sich as Treasurer. Any conveners (and others) who wish to be reimbursed for expenditure they have incurred while undertaking CEDu3a activities should continue to send their claims to Andrew until the end of November. From 1 December please send them to the following email address: treasurer@cedu3a.org.uk. A big ‘thank you’ Andrew for the considerable and essential contribution you have made as Treasurer over the last three years, and welcome and good luck to you, Peter.
We would like to remind members that Facebook posts about u3a group activities are very welcome. At the moment a fairly narrow number of groups are represented and it would be wonderful if we could spread the net wider and see what is happening across the whole range of our u3a. Be proud of what you do and show us your photographs! Posts about non-u3a activities involving our members or organised by them are also welcome but please note that commercial advertising is not allowed.
Use of members’ photographic images
Many CEDu3a groups produce a photographic record of their activities. These photos may be taken by the convenor or by other group members and are shared with the membership in three main ways:
They may appear on social media via platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp
They may be displayed on the CEDu3a website
They may be used in printed or electronic CEDu3a publicity material
When photos are to be taken, it is the responsibility of the convener to ensure they have the permission of group members for their images to be used as described. A brief announcement to the group at the beginning of the activity is sufficient to gain the consent of members. At this point any member who does not wish their image to be used should inform the convener. If the convener is not informed of this, then it will be assumed that consent has been granted.
An opportunity for members
Five Bells Computer Club (not a u3a group)
Currently on Tuesday afternoons in a room at Ally Pally. There is no charge. A friendly and supportive atmosphere providing an opportunity to address all manner of problems – phones, laptops, zoom, apps.
