UCKFIELD U3A NEWSLETTER
SUMMER 2026
Dear Members
Our group activities continue to thrive as we move into the summer months. The more mature generations of Uckfield’s community really are very busy with over 100 groups meeting regularly.
Many of our groups have a WhatsApp group for quick messaging which helps simplify communication. Please would Group Leaders who use this facility check that they have removed anyone who has left their group.
Our AGM takes place next month on Friday 3rd July and you will be receiving the documents shortly that relate to this important meeting. They will come to you, as usual, electronically on June 12th. They will also be available on our u3a website uckfield.u3asite.uk Application forms will be available at the AGM and online to allow members to renew subscriptions for the 2026/27 year. This year we can pay our fees by Bank Transfer for the first time and details will be on the updated form. By using this method you would be helping the committee to make the most of new membership systems we have been working towards.
Beacon is a national membership management system that has been developed and constantly updated over years by Third Age Trust (National u3a) expressly for use by its members. Our committee members have been well supported by experts from TAT to get us up and running with Beacon. This system is designed to make the management of membership, groups and finance simpler and easier to hand over to subsequent committee members following retirement from these roles. It will take a little while for us to become completely familiar with all aspects of the system.
As a member you will have a new membership number as you renew this year and that number will always be yours. You will receive your membership card and number automatically online and In subsequent years this number will be part of your renewal payment reference.
When you renew your membership this year you will receive a list of Monthly Meeting Speakers as usual but your membership confirmation and number will be sent to you later electronically once your payment has cleared.
Uckfield u3a website ( uckfield.u3asite.uk) has a great deal of useful information about groups and events coming up as well as documentation you may find useful. It is well worth exploring the site to find answers to many of the queries you may have. Sarah Brooks does a wonderful job of keeping it all updated and adding photos of group activities that members send her. All newsletters, membership forms, documents relation to our AGMs etc can be found there. Please use explore and use this valuable resource. Whether we like it or not, increasingly our communication is online and paperless!
I look forward to seeing you at our monthly meetings and particularly on 3rd July at our AGM. Thank you for continuing to support our u3a. It is there for us all and we run it voluntarily for each other!
Debbie Barnes
Chair