FROM THE CHAIR

I was delighted to attend the national u3a Festival in York in July. More than 1,000 members from across the UK came together over three days to enjoy around 120 activities celebrating learning, creativity and friendship. The festival was opened by the ever-entertaining Johnny Ball. If you were there, I’d love to hear what you thought.

Our Elmbridge LitFest was a highlight of the summer. Thank you to everyone who attended or supported the event. The positive feedback has encouraged us to begin planning an even better LitFest in 2027. Congratulations to Nikki, who successfully led its organisation; our biggest venture to date.

I was amazed by the generosity of our members following the Mary’s Meals talk in March. The collection of unused foreign currency exceeded all expectations, and we look forward to hearing how much has been raised once it has been counted and converted. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this worthwhile cause.

Thank you, too, to those members who took part in our survey about the new look of this magazine. Your feedback has helped us make further improvements. It was especially encouraging to receive so many positive comments. Thanks to our Editor, Janet, whose hard work continues to make the magazine such a success, and to our new designer, Andrew.

I hope you enjoy this autumn edition of the magazine.

With best wishes,

Nigel