Northamptonshire Network
Northamptonshire’s u3a Network comprises 12 member u3as and meets three times a year (March, June and October), chaired by Trust volunteer Annie Curtis with Gill Potts acting as secretary.
The Network continues to reflect one of the key strengths of the u3a movement: every u3a is different. This is certainly true of the 12 u3as within the Network, where both small village u3as and those serving larger towns are thriving, each responding successfully to the needs of its own community.
The Network meets three times each year. The purpose of these meetings is to enable member u3as to learn from one another, share good practice, provide mutual support in addressing common challenges, and celebrate achievements. Meetings begin with matters of shared business before moving into smaller discussion groups, providing valuable opportunities for networking and the exchange of ideas and experience.
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A regular feature of each meeting is the Chairs' Forum, which allows Chairs to discuss issues of common interest in an open and supportive environment. During the year, discussions have included membership recruitment, attracting and retaining committee members, succession planning, and committee roles and responsibilities.
The Network also encourages participation by other committee members with specific responsibilities. During the past year, dedicated forums have been held for Programme Secretaries, Membership Secretaries and Publicity Officers, enabling colleagues to exchange ideas and share practical solutions. The next meeting will include a session for Group Coordinators. These forums are intended not only to facilitate discussion during meetings but also to encourage ongoing contact and support between participants throughout the year.
To promote the sharing of good practice, each u3a is invited to submit a short report highlighting positive developments since the previous meeting. These reports are circulated with the minutes and provide an opportunity to celebrate success and inspire new ideas across the Network. Recent reports have highlighted membership growth, anniversary celebrations, successful outings, the introduction of new Interest Groups, and a range of other innovative initiatives.
The continued willingness of member u3as to share their experiences, successes and learning remains one of the Network's greatest strengths, helping to foster collaboration and ensuring that all member u3as benefit from the collective knowledge and experience of fellow volunteers.
u3as in Northamptonshire
Great Oakley and District u3a members are pictured below in just a few of the activities they enjoy.
Click on the pictures to see the full size.







