If you are like me, you will probably wonder where the time has gone and here, we are preparing to have another AGM for our u3a, I often think about the old saying. “The older you are, the quicker time goes.”

It has been great to get back to some sort of normality for our monthly meetings.  I must thank Mabel Hepplewhite for arranging such a variety of speakers for these meetings.  I know this is not an easy task and every year she comes up with a varied programme of speakers and entertainment.

Unfortunately, we have only been managing to get about 50% of the members to attend monthly meetings.  Please encourage any member you know to come back and join us again. We miss them.

At the recent committee meeting Joan Temple agreed to try and compile attendance numbers for the various interest groups.  It will be interesting to see how the two figures compare.  Thank you, Joan, as groups coordinator.

Your u3a was very lucky that Marian Atkinson agreed to become Business Secretary.  She keeps detailed records of the Trustee meetings as well as updating our Constitution and some of the policies that we must have in place.  On your behalf I want to publicly thank Marian for her efforts and commitment.

I am also very grateful to Gordon Ayre, the Vice Chair, who has successfully chaired the monthly Trustees’ meetings – not always an easy task, believe me.  Gordon is also a fount of knowledge when it comes to giving us advice as well as promoting the use of Beacon, the new operating system.

Mike Bacon, our Treasurer, has done a sterling job looking after the accounts and updating the Trustees at every meeting.  Thank you, Mike.

Seaham Harbour u3a has about 120 members.  Thanks must go to Carole and George Fairweather for looking after the membership records and updating the Trustees every month.

I would also like to thank the Trustees on the committee who give up their time every month to attend meetings.  Also, to those members who have attended with a view to joining the committee or taking on new roles.

Any organisation like the u3a is dependent on new members joining and new activities for its members.  Please encourage any friends to come along to a meeting and see what a friendly bunch we are.  Also, if you have any suggestions for new groups, please speak to one of the Trustees about it.

We need Seaham Harbour u3a to have a healthy future because it is so important to all of us.

Finally, heartfelt thanks from me to you for supporting me as your Chair through these recent, difficult times.  It has been a privilege.

Malcolm Wilkinson