UpARA has remained popular during its first decade thanks to its hard-working and dedicated committee members and organisers, both past and present.
Its association members enjoy a wide variety of regular activities, trips away, parties, meetings and guest speakers every month.
The physical and mental health benefits, together with the social side of what UpARA provides are immeasurable, and it has brought enjoyment to 100's throughout the last 10 years.
Congratulations, and happy birthday, UpARA🍾 🎉 🙌🏼 🥳
Here's to the next 10 years 🥂🍻
Below is an extract from the February 2024 members newsletter, telling the story of how the association began...
“10 years ago, on the 14th of February 2014, a village meeting was held to discuss the formation of an active retirement association in Upchurch.
Jan Lacy had got the idea from someone she had met from St. Mary’s Island ARA (SaintARA), and she thought that an ARA would help the Village Hall, which was struggling at the time.
No sooner said than done, Jan had contacted KentARA, and a meeting was set, with advertising and flyers around the village and a notice in the Gabriel calling for those interested to attend.
From this meeting, a working party was formed, with the remit to report back on the 14th of March on the feasibility of an Upchurch ARA. The working party met and did indeed come up with a plan that was put to attendees on the 14th of March.
This inaugural meeting was chaired by Peter Nicholls, chair of KentARA, where the plan was formally put to the meeting and accepted unanimously.
We would be called UpARA (various other abbreviations had been discussed), and we would meet on the second Friday of each month at Upchurch Village Hall.
Entry would be free, with complimentary tea/coffee/biscuits and a donation box. Subscriptions would be £15, membership and a membership limit of 150.
77 members signed up that day, and UpARA was formed!
Our first speaker on the 11th of April was to be comedian and Radio Kent presenter Paul James, with a talk entitled ‘Right Time, Right Place’.
A working party was made up of Jan Lacy, John McWilliam, Sandy Tutt, Bryn Howells, Peter McGibbon, David Powell, Brenda Groves, John Tutt, Malcolm Groves, Keith Harrell, Sylvia Roberts, John Mustoo and Joan Mustoo, those in bold together with Valerie Powell forming the first UpARA committee with David as Chair, Sandy as Honorary Secretary and John McWilliam as Honorary Treasurer.”
Upchurch Matters
