U3A Roseland and District
About U3A
Getting Started and Established
1982 to 1994 by Dianne Norton
1982… First National U3A committee – Michael Young (Chairman) Peter Laslett, Eric Midwinter and Dianne Norton first ‘meeting’ of the National Committee took place in Michael Young’s car on the road from Cambridge to London at the conclusion of that March ‘Easter School’
First U3A National office was established in Dianne Norton’s ‘spare room’ (where it stayed until 1988)
1983… Third Age Trust was registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee.
The first newsletter sent to local organisers but by the middle of 1983 it was obvious that some device was needed that would reach the individual members so the first newspaper was launched, edited by Dianne Norton.
U3A DIY pack designed to provide would-be organisers with the help and support they needed to get started.
Grants received from The Gulbenkian Foundation and the National Extension.
A second national seminar – 22 U3As represented – discussed progress and prospects.
Enlarged National Committee.
By the end of 1983, 8 U3As had become members of the Third Age Trust.
1984… Second grant from the Nuffield Foundation to hire National Organisers – Harry Muscutt from the West Midlands and Jenny Betts from Lancashire
The first truly
representative U3A National Conference –
1985… An appeal to Local U3As and members for funds to help run the National office raised the sad total of £142 and the Committee gave serious consideration to how their work was to be supported.
National Conference
Joined the International Association of Universities of the Third Age (AIUTA).
1986… Department of Education and Science (DES) grant of £14,900 to help run the National Office, subsidise the newspaper and provide funds to develop new U3As.
Michael Young replaced as Chairman by Frank Pedley.
Conference in
First Regional Networks in Oxfordshire and Sussex'
Local U3As to pay affiliation fee – ranging from £50 for large U3As to £15 for those with less than 50 members.
53 member U3As.
1987…
Conference in
New Chairman – Eric Dyke
Introduction of a £1 per capita membership fee.
1988… Becoming increasingly difficult for one person to undertake all the work of the national office.
October – moved into our first ‘proper office’. A part-time Administrative Assistance was employed.
1989… An Extraordinary General Meeting was agreed to revise the constitution for the national organisation.
Four U3As –
Rank Foundation funded a
Fellowship to assist in the development of new U3As throughout the
Graham Woodman became Chairman of enlarged Committee.
Part-time Chief Executive took charge of the National Office, leaving Dianne Norton as Publications/Publicity Officer. A number of sub-committees were established to develop particular areas of work: Services to Local U3As; Travel; Finance; Research; and Conference.
For the first time the Committee had the services of a Vice-Chairman, an Honorary Secretary and an Honorary Treasurer.
1990… Chief Executive died and Dianne Norton stepped in as acting Chief Executive with support from the current Administrative Assistance Barbara Adkins.
Moved to a new and better office in Stockwell.
The first national Language Forum.
The Travel Club was founded.
125 member U3As.
1991… ‘Profile’ of U3A members was published, based on a research project carried out by Lancashire U3As. Members ranged from 51 – 85 with a mean age of 67. Almost 50% or members had been in managerial/professional type occupations (including 21% teaching). Only 3% were in skilled or un-skilled manual jobs. 8.5% said they were housewives.
The annual conference,
held in
1992… 10th anniversary of U3A in the
Individual membership was around 22,000 in 161 U3As.
Chairman Len Haynes died and Jean Thompson took over.
Funding from the
Gulbenkian Foundation was focused at developing U3As in
U3A representatives became involved in planning for 1993 – the European Year of Older People and Solidarity Between the Generations.
A grant of £5,000 was
received from Barclays Bank and a group of members attended the AIUTA
conference in
The first U3A badges, scarves and ties went on sale.
1993… A U3A Reference File was sent to each member U3A containing important background and factual information.
Annual Conference at
A Policy Review was launched and after wide consultation and discussion proposed the expansion of development work (to encourage new U3As) and the consideration of appointing a ’chief officer’ for the national organisation.
1994… Agreed that SAGA would, for an initial period of two years, produce Third Age News in exchange for the right to advertise holidays and insurance in it.
Alan Willey elected as Chairman.
Dianne Norton, having been made redundant as Editor, left U3A and Roy Wilson became Development Officer, financed by funds from an anonymous donor.
AGM at
243 member U3As.
The University of the Third Age goes
from strength to strength
