Minutes of General Meeting 1st June 2015

University of the Third Age Moraira-Teulada

Minutes of the Meeting held on 1st June 2015

At Salon de Banquettes, Teulada

 

It is confirmed that the President and the Deputy Secretary attended this Monthly Meeting as voted in at the AGM on 1st December 2014.

Jill Cole welcomed all the members to the June Meeting and especially the 12 new members. Jill explained the emergency procedures and said that the lift should not be used in the case of evacuation. It was requested that mobile phones were either turned off or put on silent.

David Haxon read out the Synopsis of the Minutes from the Meeting held on 4th May 2015. The full minutes had been posted on the Website and they were proposed by Frank Lee and seconded by Ed Morley. The minutes were approved by the members with a show of hands.

There were no Matters Arising from the Minutes.

President’s Address. Jill thanked all those members who had made Pillow Case dresses, which meant that Val was able to send 30 to Kenya and she is hoping to receive photos of the little girls wearing their dresses for the website.

The Font Santa Spanish Themed Party had been a great success, thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended, despite the weather. Jill thanked the Sub-committee for arranging the event and also thanked the helpers who had arrived early on the day to set everything up. The two completely different types of music were both fantastic, the Loco Polo Steel Band got everybody in party mood and Duo Intermezzo received a standing ovation. Jill said that when it started to drizzle the stoic Brits simply took out umbrellas and jackets and continued to enjoy themselves, as everyone is used to that happening in the UK.

Jill said that it had been a shame that the Golden Oldies Music night had been cancelled at short notice, but as well as several band members being away, the Musical Director, Ian Mair, was needed at home to support his wife who had a broken vertebrae. All the U3A members wish Angie a full recovery.

At the elections Teulada-Moraira had voted in a new Mayor, and the current Mayor and Sylvia Tatnell, who are both retiring later on in June, had been asked to the meeting so that they could be thanked. Jill had a gift for Sylvia as a small token of our thanks and appreciation for the help she has given to our U3A over the years.

REPORTS

Travel Report. Jill read the report on behalf of the Group as a lot of the team were away on a trip.

23rd September. Second trip to the Turrron and Chocolate Factory (the first trip is full). There are places still available at a cost of €10.

30th September. Visit to the Ducal Palace in Gandia, lunch at Viva España, then on to Xátiva with a train ride up to the castle. Total cost including entrances and lunch is €40, and there is one space left.

14th – 18th September. Peñiscola. There are still a number of spaces available on this trip, which will have to be cancelled if it is not full. The trip coincides with their Moors & Christians, and includes 5 days and 4 nights on a half board basis and also visits to surrounding cities. The cost is €320 p.p.

2016 – There are two proposed trips for next year.

In May details are being planned for a 6 day, 5 night trip to Granada at an estimated cost of €375 depending on numbers. This will include entrance to the Alhambra, a flamenco evening in the caves and a visit to the Alpujarra Mountains.

In September a cruise is being planned with 3 days overland, and the U3A occupying the whole cruise ship. Places being visited include Split, Dubrovnik and Mostar. The estimated cost is €2000 for a cabin with deck and €1800 for one without a deck. The single supplement will be about €900.

The Travel Group hope to be taking bookings for these 2016 trips at the July meeting but meanwhile members can email Carol Mantle to register their interest.

Group Coordinator. Jill also read this report because Shirley Baehr was away.

The Chess Group meets every Thursday at La Senieta from 10 – 12.30. New members of any level will be welcomed as there are some spaces. This group will continue throughout the summer.

Some of the other groups will also continue through the summer, so Jill advised members to check with their group leaders or on the website.

Treasurer. This report was read out by the Treasurer Cain Derksen.

Carin said that since the Monthly Meeting on 5th May, income was €1107.66, made up from 17 Renewals, 36 new members, bank credit interest 0.16, and Ticket Sales for Font Santa €427.50 and repayment of a loan of €150 from the Mosaic Group.

Expenses for May were €2088.06 made up as follows:

April 30 2 Gazebos & Leg Weights                                                476.82
May 1 Bank Account Charges                                                   6.81
May 4 Speakers Gift & Raffle                                                      69.78
  Cribbage Group                                                   31.20
  Drama Group                                                      17.00
  Newsletter printing                                                      60.00
  Group Leader Farewell Gift Voucher                                                      50.00
  Salon Rent & Coffees                                                    131.00
May 19 Font Santa Party (Music & Paella)                                                  1202.50
May 26 Ink Cartridge (Dep Sec)                                                      42.95
Total                                                    2088.06

 

Therefore as at 1st June 2015 the following amounts were held

Contingency Fund                                 4000.00

Current Account                                   11248.66

Cash in Hand                                          1620.97

Total                                             €22869.63

There were no questions regarding the Treasurers Report.

Cultural Arts. This report was read by Eileen Hodson Wright due to the Cultural Arts Organisers’ absence.

Sunday 7th June. The 11th Moraira Music Festival will take place in front of the castle, as the start of the 25th Moors & Christians week.

Saturday 20th June. The Teulada Moraira Lions present U3A band (formerly the Golden Oldies) at the castle in Moraira as the first of the Lions’ free summer concerts.

Saturday 27th June. “Musicals of Tonight” – A garden show at Finca Jacaranda, Pedramala, tickets will cost €10.

Advance Notice:

11th September. There will be a concert by Duo Intermezzo at the Finca Jacaranda. Tickets are €12, bring your own picnic, chairs and tables. The bar will be open.

17th October. A concert by the Costa Blanca Male Voice Choir will take place in the theatre underneath the Teulada Town Hall.

Footlights Theatre will perform “Annie” in November.

Member/Committee Liaison. Brian Nicholls explained his role to the 12 new members, that he sits in at the Committee Meetings and reports back to the members any pertinent items.

Brian said that he had received a request to sell poppies at the October and November Meetings, as this year is the 70th anniversary of VE day. This had been put to the committee as our U3A has a policy of not supporting any particular charities. As this appeal is non denominational, non political and supports all nationalities the committee had voted unanimously to allow collection boxes, which will be under the care of the Royal British Legion or the Lions Club.

The second point raised by several members is the continuing item of having too much money. Brian said the committee discussed this and are keeping a close eye on the balances and how best to reduce them. Several suggestions had been made and most of these were unworkable. However the best way would seem to be to reduce the membership fee for 2016 and the committee will look into this carefully at the end of the year when an EGM will be called for the members to vote on the new fee.

Any Other Business

A member asked if arrangements could be made for people who would like to attend events but are not here beforehand, to pay for the tickets in advance. This lady said that there were about 6 people who would have liked to attend the Font Santa Party. Jill and David Haxon agreed that this will be considered for future events.

Eileen Hodson said that members in other organisations could pay for things by bank transfer. Jill said that as a former treasurer she was aware of the problems that this would bring with the administration and workload and that there would be bank charges. This is an ongoing item that is considered from time to time.

Jill asked the members what they would like to see in the way of entertainment at the December Meeting. She hoped there would be a lot of suggestions from the members. The committee had considered Duo Intermezzo as they had been so popular at the party, but there was a worry about the acoustics at the Salon.

Jill apologised that Sylvia hadn’t arrived and said she would make sure the plant would be given to her with the thanks from all of the U3A members.

The guest speakers were introduced and Noelene and Brian Cummins told us about their visits to Argentina and the Falklands. The talk was very interesting and the members gave them a round of applause after which they were presented with a gift.

The raffle, a gift voucher for the restaurant Ca Pepe, was drawn and the winner was Ruth Saunders.

 

There was no further business and the Meeting closed at 11.35.

 

The next monthly meeting will be on 6th July 2015.