DORCHESTER AND DISTRICT U3A
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      • 2025 >
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  • Home
  • News
  • Groups
    • Calendar
    • Group Directory
    • 1st Monday Meetings
    • Groups A-B >
      • Antiques and Collectables
      • Archaeology
      • Architecture Appreciation
      • Art
      • Art - Still Life & Portraiture
      • Backgammon
      • Badminton
      • Beer & Cider Appreciation
      • Birdwatching
      • Bobbin Lace Making
      • Booktalk
      • Bridge
    • Groups C-C >
      • Calligraphy
      • Canasta and Bezique
      • Card Games for Fun
      • Chess >
        • All that Chess
      • Coffee Group
      • Computing
      • Country Walks >
        • Country Walks - Tuesday
        • Country Walks - Thursday
        • Country Walks - Friday
      • Craftastic
      • Creative Writing 1
      • Creative Writing 2
      • Crosswords
    • Groups D-G >
      • Dining Club
      • Early Music - Playing
      • Easy Riders
      • English Country Dancing
      • Family History
      • Folk Music
      • French Beginners
      • French Conversation
      • French for the Rusty
      • Gardening
      • Geology
      • German Language
      • go
    • Groups H-K >
      • History
      • History of Art >
        • History of Art Blog
      • Italian Language Studies
      • Jazz and Blues
      • Kings Cribbage
    • Groups L-O >
      • Latin
      • Local History
      • Mah-Jong (Western)
      • Mah-Jong (BMJA Rules)
      • Maths and Physics
      • Meditation
      • Members On Their Own
      • Music Appreciation
    • Groups P-Q >
      • Petanque
      • Philosophy
      • Pickleball
      • Pins and Needles
      • Play Reading 1
      • Play Reading 2
      • Poetry Appreciation
      • Quiz
    • Groups R-S >
      • Reading Crime and Thrillers
      • Reading for Pleasure 1
      • Reading For Pleasure 3
      • Rummikub
      • Science
      • Scottish Country Dancing
      • Scrabble
      • Short Tennis
      • Singing for Pleasure
      • Skittles
      • Spanish Conversation
    • Groups T-Z >
      • Table Tennis
      • Theatre Visits
      • Topical Issues
      • Travel Tales
      • Trips and Outings
      • Weaving Group
      • Wildlife
      • Wine Appreciation
      • Worldviews
  • u3a+
    • u3a online
    • u3a neighbours
  • How to
    • Join Dorchester u3a
    • Renew Membership
    • Join a Group
    • Find Meeting Places
    • Change your details
    • For Group Leaders >
      • Beacon Quick Reference
      • The Group Leader Role >
        • Overview
        • Running an Established Group
        • Taking over an existing GL role
        • Starting a new group
        • Refreshing an existing group
      • Group Leader checklists >
        • For every meeting
        • For every term
        • First use of venue
      • change this website
      • Borrow Equipment
      • Forms
      • Beacon Access
  • About Us
    • Contacts
    • Purpose and Principles
    • Organisation
    • Communications
    • Constitution
    • Policies >
      • Member Code of Conduct
      • Trustee Code of Conduct
      • Data Protection Policy
      • Privacy Policy
      • Safeguarding Policy
      • Complaints Procedure
      • Disciplinary Procedure
    • Annual General Meeting >
      • 2025 >
        • AGM Notice
      • 2024 >
        • AGM Notice
        • Minutes
      • 2023 >
        • AGM Notice
        • AGM Pre-reading
        • Minutes
      • 2022
    • Newsletter Archive
  • Just Useful
    • Noticeboard
    • SCAM help
    • Free online books, magazines and newspapers
    • Digital Help
    • Local Information
    • Learning Resources

Dorchester u3a Communications

Since members of Dorchester u3a have the full range of communications preferences, we use a variety of methods to achieve the best level of communication possible.

Keeping Members Informed and Up to Date

Newsletter
The foundation of our member communications is a newsletter,  published three times per year, printed and delivered to all members.  As well as news of interest, event and group announcements, the newsletter contains the full list of groups, group leader contact information, the committee and their contact information.  This ensures all members especially those who do not use the internet have a full set of contact information, including for G/Ls and committee members who prefer not to have telephone numbers on our website.

​Monthly Meeting
While the First Monday Meeting is a chance to listen to a talk, review the hobbies display and socialise with other members, it is also an opportunity to meet committee members, learn about group activities and hear announcements.  About 40% of members attend at least one Monthly Meeting per year.

Members’ Update email
In between newsletters, we send out updates to all members who have provided us with an email address.  The update email allows us to provide timely information, but we need to remember that not all members receive the update.

Website
The Dorchester u3a website allows us to provide members with more information than can reasonably be published in the newsletter or Members’ Update emails, as well providing availability of specific information being up to date.  All groups are able to show current information in their own web page.  Common “How To” questions are answered, and the vast majority of group leaders have an email address, telephone number or both on the website.

Group communications
In keeping with every group being organised appropriate to its activity, groups communicate with their members however it works for the group.  Many use email. Others use telephone or a mixture.

Group Leader meetings
We hold group leader meetings three times per year to keep them up to date on guidance and resources available from the national u3a and to provide an opportunity for group leaders to share ideas and problems.
​
Annual General Meeting
The AGM, outlined on our organisation page, triggers us to send out annual reports and accounts plus any papers supporting proposals and elections in order that members are able to review prior to the meeting.

Feedback and Input from Members

The u3a is a self help organisation run entirely for the benefit of members and hence we rely on having good input and feedback from members.  In most cases members will have an informal conversation or send an email message but more formal channels are also available.

Communications with the Committee
To check which committee member to send feedback or answer questions, refer to the contact page, which has an overview of the topics they each cover.  
A selection of committee members always attend the Monthly Meeting and even if the “right” committee member isn’t there, one of the others will be happy to take input on their behalf.
If you would like to raise an item to be discussed in a committee meeting, please send this to the Secretary.
​
Communication with Group Leaders
Groups have by their nature regular contact and discussions with their members.  If there you have a topic which is not related to a specific topic, then please contact the Group Coordinator.
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