Our national organisation celebrated its 25th anniversary this year and 130 of us in the Salisbury branch observed our 20th anniversary in fine style.  We had an excellent lunch and splendid entertainment in the St Francis Hall on 6 November.  The work of the organising committee, the number of ready helpers to assist with hall preparation, washing up and clearing away illustrated yet again for me how privileged we are to have this common bond and interest.

Naturally, as Chairman, I have been aware constantly throughout my three years in office of this privilege but any Chairman would be hopelessly ineffective without a committee, especially when it is one with which we have been blessed in recent years.  All the members have been most conscientious and thoroughly reliable, ready and willing to carry out their particular tasks quietly and efficiently.  Sadly two of those members, Barbara Coulson and John Ewington, have come to the end of their three years in office. Barbara Coulson has used her many talents in a variety of ways and has always been noted for her common sense and her ability to get on with things with an absolute minimum of fuss.  John Ewington's staggering ability to produce such a varied programme of outings quite amazes everyone. He does it all with such enthusiasm that one day he will have a long queue of people for an outing to Salisbury market.  Fortunately John's role as Outings Officer means that he is automatically co-opted back on the committee, for which we will all be most gratefuI.

Fortunately Jimmy Mogford is not leaving the committee but is standing down from his responsibility as editor of the Newsletter.  Jimmy would never have fitted on 'The Sun' much more likely the old version of 'The Times'.  His quiet voice, restrained manner, twinkling eyes and ability to try to keep everything in balance has served us well.  So too has 'The Quiet Man' Bob Pearce. Space would forbid me to list the many tasks Bob quietly carries out - from his car monthly he produces notice boards, projector, coffee, tea, biscuits, sugar, milk.  If you asked him for a bottle of vintage champagne it would no doubt emerge from under the back seat., And he always gives the most abject apologies once a year when he takes a holiday and is unable to perform 'my jobs'.  On that occasion we have to recruit at least three other people to replace him.

Of course, without the work of our Group Organiser, Chris Dickson, our very existence would be threatened.  Many of us in later years have annual booster jabs for flu but Chris never ever needs a booster jab for her enthusiasm and commitment to U3A.  To see her annually sorting out the number of applications for courses so calmly without an aspirin or double whisky in sight has been a lesson for me and others around at the time.

Three groups of people are also important for our monthly meetings.  Firstly those who sit 'at the receipt of custom' to receive our dues.  Their welcoming smile, ensuring newcomers feel at home, and dispensing last minute items of news is greatly appreciated.  So too is the all important work of the people on the coffee rota who turn up quite early and often miss out on the some of the social chat before the formal part of the meetings.  Many of us also forget the work of the '09.30 Brigade' - one or two beyond the age of three score years and ten - who layout the chairs and put them away afterwards.  If I have a final wish it would be that others, much younger, would come and assist with this very important job.

As I complete my three years in office in March this will be my last newsletter.  I hope it has been obvious how much I have enjoyed being Chairman.

Chris Dickson's course dates December 2007 - April 2008

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