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Registered Charity No. 1103923

The Sussex U3A Regional Association began with a number of U3As in East Sussex forming the East Sussex Network. They developed links with the Universities of Sussex and Brighton to arrange Study Days usually held in the Universities. Activity Days were held at PlumptonCollege. As more U3As became part of the network, the name was changed to the Sussex U3A Network.

 Some years later, at a National U3A Conference, the Third Age Trust encouraged U3As to form regional groupings, and the ten U3As in West Sussex arranged to meet.  Study Days on similar lines to the ones in Brighton were set up in Crawley and an Activity day at BrinsburyCollege. After some time, it became apparent that some of these U3As wanted to take part in events outside their own U3A and some did not.  This was due to a number of reasons which included distance to attend these events and regional meetings, the additional capitation fee required by the Sussex Network from it’s member U3As and the fact that there were enough events in their part of the county already.

 The result was that most West Sussex U3As joined the Sussex U3A Network leaving Chichester, Midhurst and Arun U3As to form and keep the name of West Sussex Region. They continued to meet on a regular basis. The name Sussex U3A Network was changed to Sussex U3A Regional Association in order to abide by the wishes of the Third Age Trust and reserve the ‘network’ name for U3A Subject Networks.

Each U3A is invited to appoint a representative to attend the regional meetings, which are held at about 3 monthly intervals at Ringmer Village Hall on Friday afternoons. There is an Executive Committee, composed of the officers and others who may take on particular responsibilities, which plans the events after consultation with the representatives. There is an agreed constitution, a list of Operating Procedures, accounts are properly kept and an AGM held in February. A Seminar based on a topic of interest to all our U3As usually follows the AGM, to which Chairmen, Secretaries and as well as the Representatives are invited. Newsletters are often exchanged.

Twenty-eight U3As now form the Sussex U3A Regional Association which is Registered Charity No. 1103923. A Development Committee has been formed to continue to monitor where new U3As could be started and to assist new U3As in getting started.

 A list of speakers has been prepared and supplied to all member U3As. 

 A capitation fee per member is required each year towards the administration of the Regional activities.

 A Programme listing the Study Days is provided for each U3A member in the summer, in time for the September start.  Each U3A receives ten copies of each study day programme, at least six weeks before the date of the Study day, to distribute as they see fit in their U3A. More copies can be made by the U3As so there is no limit on applications for any one U3A. Study days attract up to about 100 members.  They are now held in a wide range of venues across Sussex to meet the needs of the members. At present the cost is about £7.00.

 Away Days are planned in the summer, with colleges, National Trust properties and other places of interest.

 The Sussex Region has linked with the Kent and Central Surrey Regions to form the South East Forum. A successful one-day Conference has been held in East Grinstead with a keynote speaker and contributions from members. We believe that this has enabled U3A Members to meet and discuss issues when attendance at the U3A National Conference is not possible. The Forum has formed helpful links with the South East Open University Centre in East Grinstead. They have put on day seminars for Leaders of Groups, aiming at giving the leaders additional skills.  They have also provided a list of O.U. lecturers who are prepared to address U3As. (Fees are negotiated by the individual U3A with the lecturer).

In 2005, a South East U3A Summer School was set up and took place at the University of Chichester. This was most successful and attracted members mainly from the south of England. A second will take place in 2006.