Committee Job Descriptions
CHAIR
Chair or organise others to chair Committee and Monthly Meetings.
Keep the Committee informed of matters needing urgent attention.
Assist the Secretary to issue agendas and minutes of meetings as necessary.
Provide Webmaster with news updates when required.
Write Chairman’s Letter for the newsletter and Chairman’s Report for the AGM.
Deal with emails, telephone calls and letters addressed to the chairman.
Receive communications from Third Age Trust and u3a National and handle as necessary.
In collaboration with the Treasurer and Committee ensure that resources are available to run Winchester u3a efficiently.
Second authorization for online bank payments.
Serve as contact for any breaches of Mandatory Policies.
30/10/24
VICE CHAIR
When required deputise as Chairman at Monthly and Committee Meetings.
Carry out ad hoc tasks not covered by other Committee members as requested.
Maintain a record of policy decisions made by Committee.
Act as an authorization for online bank payments.
Collect and annually submit documents to the Hampshire Record Office. These should always include a copy of each newsletter, the annual accounts, a list of the groups for the year and a signed copy of the AGM minutes.
Ensure that Winchester u3a is represented at regional and national meetings.
Keep up-to-date with changes on the national website and inform the Committee, or all our members, of those which are most relevant or interesting.
03/09/24
SECRETARY
In collaboration with Chairman, prepare and distribute agendas of Committee
meetings and the AGM.
Take the minutes at Committee meetings and the AGM.
Receive communications from Third Age Trust and u3a National H.Q. and
disseminate relevant information to the membership.
Collaborate with Webmaster to keep information up-to-date on the website, including
that of the Third Age Trust, AGM agenda and minutes and details of any special
events.
Publicise in the newsletter any materials received which are thought to be of interest
to members.
Book the hall for Committee and Monthly meetings.
Carry out any other tasks relating to the running of the organisation when requested.
This includes acting as contact for any insurance matters.
30/10/24
TREASURER
Monitor and control the movement of monies in and out of the bank accounts,
maintain records of these movements and prepare summary accounts for the
Committee as required.
Raise online payments for further authorization, pay in all cheques and cash
received.
Pay in new members’ cheques and send standing order mandates to the banks on
which they are to be drawn.
Liaise with Chairman on financial matters.
Liaise with the Membership Secretary and submit Gift Aid returns to HMRC.
Complete the Charity Commission Annual Return.
Prepare annual financial statements for presentation at the AGM after approval by
the independent examiner. Ensure that the Webmaster receives this information, so
that it can be included on the website.
Prepare an annual budget including review of subscriptions for Committee approval
before the AGM.
Check members have paid their annual subscriptions, chase non-payers and answer
members’ payment queries.
Keep all records for six years.
30/10/24
GROUPS SECRETARY
Act as contact and support for Groups and Group Leaders.
Keep an up-to-date list of Groups including:
- Group Leader
- Leader’s contact details
- Location of meetings
- Day and times of meetings
- Whether or not vacancies
Advise Webmaster each month of any changes to the listing.
When agreed by the Committee, organise and run a meeting for Group Leaders to
share information and discuss issues and concerns. This includes encouraging
groups to make regular contributions to the quarterly newsletter.
When agreed by the Committee, organise and run a meeting to inform members,
especially those recently joined, of the group activities available.
Assist members, wherever possible, in joining groups.
Encourage the development of new Groups.
Review, amend as necessary and circulate the document “Guidelines for Group
Leaders”.
Maintain a list of suitable locations where groups can meet.
Report to and update the Committee on any issues related to the Groups.
12/08/24
MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY
Act as a focus for enquiries about membership; advise on where to find application
forms and standing order forms on the website; send these by post if the prospective
member has no internet access.
Aim to welcome new members at the Monthly Talks.
Work in partnership with the Treasurer to keep the lists of members up-to-date using
Excel spreadsheets. Maintain a list of new members and also a list of those who leave
for whatever reason. Once a year the Treasurer will hand over the names of those who
haven't paid their subscription.
When the newsletter is ready, send to the printer an Excel list of those wanting a
paper copy.
Send out emailed copies of the newsletter using Thunderbird.
When Head Office ask for the u3a matters magazine list, prepare it using Excel and
send it in.
Report to the Committee on membership issues.
10/08/25
WEBMASTER TEAM
Maintain and develop Winchester u3a website to meet the needs of the members
and requirements of the Committee.
Remind Committee members that all updates should be sent by email to
webmaster@winchesteru3a.co.uk. When updates have been completed by the
Web Team, an email confirmation will be sent to the originator. Textual
information should preferably be in PDF format, although the Web Team have
tools to convert other formats.
Make clear that updates from ordinary members should be routed through
Committee Members so that the Committee has visibility and ownership of
information going on to the website.
Liaise with the Secretary to ensure timely inclusion on the website the agenda
and minutes from AGMS, Third Age Trust updates and details of any special
events.
Include on the website the monthly updates to the list from the Group Secretary
of current groups and of any vacancies or reports of group activities.
Liaise with Newsletter Editors to ensure that the current Newsletter is available
on-line, both in public and full version.
Include on the website any Monthly Talks reports.
Provide on the website an archive of Newsletters.
Provide an emailing service for messages to Group Leaders.
24/09/24
SPEAKERS TEAM
Maintain a list of past and prospective speakers.
Find speakers for each Monthly Talk and submit details of speakers and topics to
Newsletter Editors by the 12th of the month deadline. As soon as a new speaker has
been booked, notify the Webmaster.
Check fees/travel expenses. Ask for BACS details and pass details and the
requested fee to the Treasurer.
Determine what equipment will be required.
On the day:
Arrange with the Committee to prepare the hall and have everything the speaker will
need to hand, including setting up the required technology.
Greet the speaker and make them comfortable. Assist with equipment if necessary.
Welcome members and point out all Fire Exits and where the Meeting Point is
should we need to evacuate the building.Introduce the speaker.
Thank the speaker when talk and questions completed. Offer tea or coffee.
Send an email or note of thanks after the meeting.
(Payment is completed by the Treasurer. Organisation of teas and summary of talk
for the newsletter are not the responsibility of the Speakers’ Team.)
30/10/24
NEWSLETTER EDITORS
Publish the newsletter quarterly: February, May, August and November.
Collect and collate material mostly from u3a newsletter emails and official committee
documents as required.
Ensure that a date has been given as the deadline for the next issue.
Request the Group Secretary to remind Group leaders to send in reports.
Consult with Chairman if in doubt about the suitability of submitted material.
Work together, one editor compiling the magazine for the current issue and the other
checking that all material received has been included, and proofreading the draft
document.
Send a pdf copy to the printer for printing and distribution. Printer then sends their
artwork to editor for approval before any printing commences.
Send an email to the Membership Secretary informing her of when the Newsletter is
with the Printers and requesting that she sends the addresses ASAP.
Just before the expected publication date, send a pdf to the Membership Secretary.
Send two pdf versions to the webmaster, the full version and the public version (with
all personal contact details removed).
Send a pdf copy to the Chairman.
24/09/24