The event was excellently attended with over 200 existing members there for the meeting, and over 50 new members and guests came along. We estimate that this is our biggest single attendance at a monthly meeting.
The mayor of Torrevieja, Eduardo Dolon, with Councilors Rosario Martínez, Councillor for Foreigners, Inmaculada Montesinos Pérez - Councillor for the Third Age, and Graham Knight - Director of the Foreign Residents Office visited the meeting as it opened and welcomed the U3A to what the Mayor described as its "New Home". It was exciting to hear these words as one of the Committee's fears was always that as political parties changed in local government, councils sometime change their minds about permissions to use their buildings. His words now confirm that the Torrevieja Ayuntamiento are now firmly behind our Association and will cement even stronger bonds for the future.
We have been in consultation with the Ayuntamiento for a long time to try to obtain larger premises for our ever growing Association and were delighted to accept their offer to use the CMO building on the last Monday of every month from now on.So welcome to our "New Home".
After the introductions and congratulations were over the AGM was held and Bob Hill was unanimously voted back in as Chairman for another year. Bob Cook was re-elected as Treasurer, and after the retirement of our long running Secretary, Sheila Rolt, Sue Kenyon was elected as Secretary. There have been a number of changes to the Committee during 2011 due to retirements so invitations were issued in 2011 for members to come along and offer their assistance. Happily all places were filled and the new Committee Members along with the existing Members wishing to remain in place were voted in unanimously to act for 2012. Full details of the 2012 Committee may be viewed on "The Committee" page.
We had a new visitor in the form of Francisco Morales, a member of the Guardia Civil, who made a brief speech about his work and announced that he will be one of our future speakers. His theme is likely to be along the lines of "Driving Legalities in Spain" which will help to iron out some of the uncertainties about Spanish road-rules and regulations. Don't write in yet but an announcement will be made if we wish for questions to be submitted from members which Francisco could answer for us.
The general feeling about our first visit to the CMO was that it had been a great success. We hosted over 250 people which we could not have accommodated at La Rustika, and the catering was well organised. Those who partook of the Desayuno Ingles afterwards were very pleased with the service and quality and prices. The catering manager may in future agree to cook lunches for us if there is enough demand so watch this space.
