Did you realise that we have regular contact with other U3A’s as part of a network? The Beds Plus Network has taken the place of the old Eastern Region and now consists of Bedford, Dunstable, Flitwick, Leighton Linslade, Luton and Toddington from the county together with Milton Keynes and Buckingham U3A’s – hence our name. Each U3A sends one or two representatives to our meetings, which take place 3 times a year. The Eastern Region contact is also part of the network.
At our meetings we discuss things of mutual interest, exchange ideas, and information and problem solve. Our main aim is to ensure that our own U3A’s don’t become too parochial and inward looking. Last year an annual inter U3A quiz took place for the first time as a means of enabling some of our members to meet people from neighbouring U3A’s. We also hope in time to organise events of interest and learning for specific groups, such as the arts, history etc.
This year we have also started to have sub group meetings to allow our Speakers Secretaries and Groups Co-ordinators to meet and discuss their specific functions. The first of these took place in January and proved to be very successful and we hope that this is just the beginning of creating useful contacts for the whole network.
I will keep you all up to date with the network as and when things develop.
Pam Laycock
