CHAIRMAN’S BLOG 7 19 NOVEMBER 2012CHAIRMAN’S BLOG 7 19 NOVEMBER 2012 The Committee met today and went through a number of outstanding items. The most urgent is that the U3A Christmas lunch is on Thursday 13 December in the Kirkwall at 12.30. If you haven’t yet returned your choice from the menu or indeed if you’ve changed your mind and will be coming, the menu and order form will be on the website for returning to Pam ASAP and by next Monday ta the latest so she can let the Kirkwall have early notice of our choices. We talked about next year’s programme of events and I think we are pretty close to getting it finalised. We need to contact some of the prospective speakers to confirm dates and times so we can have the new listings ready for distribution at the AGM in March when our guest speaker will be Penny Martin on the underwater wildlife in Orkney. We will be presenting a new constitution for the U3A at the AGM. In my previous blog I mentioned that we had been working on a new and updated version which is now finalised and I will be sending it out to you for consideration in the New Year for approval at the AGM. If you are happy with it, we will come in line with national standards and current legal requirements for local U3As in Scotland. I went down to a meeting organised by Inverness and the Black Isle U3A for northern groups. Andrew Appleby was speaking on neolithic pottery so it was timeous for an Orkney presence and it was also useful to meet members from other U3As to compare notes and to make contacts. Some folk from Inverness are keen to visit Orkney to see the archaeological works at the Ness of Brodgar next year so we will see what can be organised. At the October General Meeting, we had a very enjoyable talk from Neil Kermode of EMEC on the work of the centre in testing and evaluating marine energy and the importance of Orkney as a centre for this work. For my part I had neither realised the range of devices being tested nor the amount of work that the centre and other renewable businesses and agencies cover. Indeed some 250 folk are employed in the County on marine renewables. There is the prospect of a site visit next year to see some of the devices and I will keep you posted about this. Last Thursday (15 November) we had Eric Meek to talk about birds in Orkney and how there had been changes in their numbers. Not unexpectedly this was the best attended meeting this year and Eric has said he well be happy to come again next year. One final point, Ken Hambly would like to hear from anyone who is interested in music making on say banjos, ukuleles and the like so if you would like to sign up to some fun in making tunes please get in touch with him. The Committee meets again on 28 January 2013, so finally, can I repeat the message in my last blog that if anyone is interested in sitting in on a Committee meeting, you would be most welcome to do so both out of interest and to see whether you might be prepared to be nominated at the AGM. If you’re interested catch me at one of the next meetings or the lunch, give me a call or email me. Richard 19 November 2012. The Committee met today and went through a number of outstanding items. The most urgent is that the U3A Christmas lunch is on Thursday 13 December in the Kirkwall at 12.30. If you haven’t yet returned your choice from the menu or indeed if you’ve changed your mind and will be coming, the menu and order form will be on the website for returning to Pam ASAP and by next Monday ta the latest so she can let the Kirkwall have early notice of our choices. We talked about next year’s programme of events and I think we are pretty close to getting it finalised. We need to contact some of the prospective speakers to confirm dates and times so we can have the new listings ready for distribution at the AGM in March when our guest speaker will be Penny Martin on the underwater wildlife in Orkney. We will be presenting a new constitution for the U3A at the AGM. In my previous blog I mentioned that we had been working on a new and updated version which is now finalised and I will be sending it out to you for consideration in the New Year for approval at the AGM. If you are happy with it, we will come in line with national standards and current legal requirements for local U3As in Scotland. I went down to a meeting organised by Inverness and the Black Isle U3A for northern groups. Andrew Appleby was speaking on neolithic pottery so it was timeous for an Orkney presence and it was also useful to meet members from other U3As to compare notes and to make contacts. Some folk from Inverness are keen to visit Orkney to see the archaeological works at the Ness of Brodgar next year so we will see what can be organised. At the October General Meeting, we had a very enjoyable talk from Neil Kermode of EMEC on the work of the centre in testing and evaluating marine energy and the importance of Orkney as a centre for this work. For my part I had neither realised the range of devices being tested nor the amount of work that the centre and other renewable businesses and agencies cover. Indeed some 250 folk are employed in the County on marine renewables. There is the prospect of a site visit next year to see some of the devices and I will keep you posted about this. Last Thursday (15 November) we had Eric Meek to talk about birds in Orkney and how there had been changes in their numbers. Not unexpectedly this was the best attended meeting this year and Eric has said he well be happy to come again next year. One final point, Ken Hambly would like to hear from anyone who is interested in music making on say banjos, ukuleles and the like so if you would like to sign up to some fun in making tunes please get in touch with him. The Committee meets again on 28 January 2013, so finally, can I repeat the message in my last blog that if anyone is interested in sitting in on a Committee meeting, you would be most welcome to do so both out of interest and to see whether you might be prepared to be nominated at the AGM. If you’re interested catch me at one of the next meetings or the lunch, give me a call or email me. CHAIRMAN’S BLOG 7 19 NOVEMBER 2012 The Committee met today and went through a number of outstanding items. The most urgent is that the U3A Christmas lunch is on Thursday 13 December in the Kirkwall at 12.30. If you haven’t yet returned your choice from the menu or indeed if you’ve changed your mind and will be coming, the menu and order form will be on the website for returning to Pam ASAP and by next Monday ta the latest so she can let the Kirkwall have early notice of our choices. We talked about next year’s programme of events and I think we are pretty close to getting it finalised. We need to contact some of the prospective speakers to confirm dates and times so we can have the new listings ready for distribution at the AGM in March when our guest speaker will be Penny Martin on the underwater wildlife in Orkney. We will be presenting a new constitution for the U3A at the AGM. In my previous blog I mentioned that we had been working on a new and updated version which is now finalised and I will be sending it out to you for consideration in the New Year for approval at the AGM. If you are happy with it, we will come in line with national standards and current legal requirements for local U3As in Scotland. I went down to a meeting organised by Inverness and the Black Isle U3A for northern groups. Andrew Appleby was speaking on neolithic pottery so it was timeous for an Orkney presence and it was also useful to meet members from other U3As to compare notes and to make contacts. Some folk from Inverness are keen to visit Orkney to see the archaeological works at the Ness of Brodgar next year so we will see what can be organised. At the October General Meeting, we had a very enjoyable talk from Neil Kermode of EMEC on the work of the centre in testing and evaluating marine energy and the importance of Orkney as a centre for this work. For my part I had neither realised the range of devices being tested nor the amount of work that the centre and other renewable businesses and agencies cover. Indeed some 250 folk are employed in the County on marine renewables. There is the prospect of a site visit next year to see some of the devices and I will keep you posted about this. Last Thursday (15 November) we had Eric Meek to talk about birds in Orkney and how there had been changes in their numbers. Not unexpectedly this was the best attended meeting this year and Eric has said he well be happy to come again next year. One final point, Ken Hambly would like to hear from anyone who is interested in music making on say banjos, ukuleles and the like so if you would like to sign up to some fun in making tunes please get in touch with him. The Committee meets again on 28 January 2013, so finally, can I repeat the message in my last blog that if anyone is interested in sitting in on a Committee meeting, you would be most welcome to do so both out of interest and to see whether you might be prepared to be nominated at the AGM. If you’re interested catch me at one of the next meetings or the lunch, give me a call or email me. Richard 19 November 2012.

Not very good about keeping up with the blog but finally got roud to it tonight. Really interesting photos. Excellent Chairman's report. What a lot of things/places we get up to! So congratulations, all....

Bird group visit to Herston and Hoxa

Anyone interested in a swimming group over winter????? Not in the sea I may add...potential to christen all the island pools over summer... and maybe have a wee paddle for the brave????

Botany Group get to grips with the tricky Male ferns on Rousay....

Rallying the troups

Botanical Group trip to Stenness shore

TRIP TO HUNDA Wed 18th July

Hoy, Orchids, Sundew, midges

Botanists, Flotta, Moonwort, Orchids

SWANBISTER

Trip to Caithness Archaeology sites.

Photography Group visit to Burray Village

Gloup, Deerness, 100 objects

Amblers

For blogs that apply to all members of Orkney U3A not just specific groups

Island bagging

Larking about in Tankerness House gardens today. Cracking weather!

First expedition for the Amblers

Website re-construction