Welcome to the Eighteenth Annual General Meeting of Brentwood U3A.

Once more we have had a busy and eventful year. Our groups have increased from 40 in number to 45, offering an ever widening array of interesting activities from which to choose. Our new activities include an Evening Dining Group, Local History, Mid-Week Walking, a second Pub Lunch Group and a re-take up of Ambling.

My thanks to Diana Davis, Jane Mitchinson, Chris Lipscome and Peter Ely for running these activities. Chris Lipscome has taken up Convenorship of the Travel Group for the time being as Gill Harvey has had to relinquish the post for family reasons.

During the year Geoffrey Spratt resigned from the Committee, my thanks to him for all his efforts.

Currently our total membership stands at 351. This comprises:

266 full members.

12 associate members.

61 B members

11 associate B members and

1 Honorary member.

Our membership list remains closed at the time of composing this address, due, as of course you know, to the size of the hall.

During the year we enjoyed an amazing series of social activities arranged for us by Annette. We started with our New Year Dinner here at the hall, catered for by Mark and Lesley; a Barbershop Entertainment Tea in April; two trips to London in the same May week - one to see over St Pancras and the other St Paul’s Cathedral (this guided by our very own Anita Butt); a Hog Roast enjoyed in the pouring rain in June; a trip to the Barbican to attend a rehearsal by The London Symphony Orchestra; two trips to the Southwold Summer Theatre to see "Love’s a Luxury" and "Gaslight" - preceded by our now celebrated lunch at The Froize; an evening of Dominoes and two evenings in The Pipe of Port wine bar in Southend. Also our August Treasure Hunt arranged by Maureen Laming and Pam Bangert, this year in the lovely town of Saffron Walden. My grateful thanks to Annette for all her hard work in arranging all these events and to Maureen and Pam for the great Annual Treasure Hunt.

Of course as always my thanks to your Committee for their untiring efforts on your behalf. I always look forward to the meetings as they are so pleasant and cheerful and give a real lift to the month.

My particular thanks goes to Diane Bonny for all her excellent work arranging the monthly speakers and for creating the special event in November when members enjoyed a talk by Carol Thatcher.

My deepest respects go to your Convenors who are the life blood of the organisation and who give freely of their time on our behalf. We are so very lucky in having their many skills at our disposal.

Particular thanks to Brian for all his work with our Newsletter both the hard copy and on-line. His skills and tireless editing are much appreciated by us all and the envy of many other U3As. The publication is essential reading and importantly helps to keep us all in touch with events within our group.

Finally I ask all our members to continue to be involved in our activities and may I say that the more you put in the more you will get out.

And finally thank you all for your interest in Brentwood U3A and for all the encouragement and friendship you have given to your Committee and to me over the last 12 months.

In her report Treasurer Rosemary Morris ran through the accounts and gave a brief explanation of one or two details - these included the slight excess of expenditure over income for the year ending 31st December, 2009. As Rosemary explained some of this loss is accounted for by a grant to aid the set-up of Hutton U3A; a reduction of income from membership due to a number of members opting for "B" membership; a large reduction in the amount of interest earned on money on deposit in the building society (no explanation required here, she said); and losses on some Social Activities, including a small loss on the Special Event when Carol Thatcher came to give us a talk. Considering the overall cost of this event the loss was smaller than finally expected. [Any losses on the Social Activities is due solely to a lack of support. It should be remembered that Brentwood U3A's varied programme of social events relies heavily on speculation, making it necessary to book venues, caterers and events in advance. This ultimately requires the support of the members to fill the places on offer - BL].

Concluding her report Rosemary urged any members who are tax payers and who had not yet done so, to register for Gift Aid.

Questions were sought from the floor, at which point Diana Davis expressed her opinion that under the item "Magazine Postage," £452.80 was an excessive and unnecessary expense. It was agreed that the matter be referred to the Committee for further consideration.

There being no other questions, Chairman Bob Dwyer-Joyce asked for a proposer and seconder for the acceptance of the accounts. These were provided by Peter Bennett and Brian Staples, and on a vote was carried with the majority for and one against.