Lynda Mead: making a difference

Tell us how you became a group travel organiser?

Before I retired, I worked in procurement. I used to help organise a lot of events for the company, including accommodation, trips out and much more, so I had experience in this sort of thing previously.

When I joined the U3A, the person who was in charge of the outings couldn’t manage it any longer, but there was such a need for these visits so I decided to start it up again myself. First of all it was just day trips, and over the last five or six years its grown to include holidays.

What sort of trips have you enjoyed this year so far?

We’ve been to the Bluebell Railway in Sussex, I had around 200 people visit Battersea Power Station in London across two trips, which was great, and we’ve also been to the factory where they make the clothes for Strictly Come Dancing in London. This was superb, and no surprises there that it was very popular. I always try to find new and exciting things for my members to create a memorable experience.

Are there any challenges you’re facing at the moment?

I find it difficult pulling it all together at times when there are lots of people with different requests and requirements, or getting the money together from everyone. My group never has a problem paying the money as they usually pay off the visits as soon as the information is available, but being a group organiser isn’t an easy job!

How do you think your group would describe you?

I think the proof is in the pudding. I took them to Lake Garda this year and all I can say is I got an overwhelmingly positive response from everyone, including a lovely card, gift cards from some and even a money collection for my hard work. I think some of them were just so happy to get there finally. I don’t do it for the praise, but it is a lovely feeling being able to help these people who wouldn’t go anywhere if it wasn’t for our coach trips.

The coach goes from the village so they know it’s safe and they know everyone on board so it’s a no brainer. It was a long coach trip but the scenery along the route was beautiful which made it all worth it. Some were in tears during the trip as they thought they would never get the chance to see Lake Garda and it was their dream. It was so lovely to be able to do that for them. It’s just a brilliant feeling to receive such good feedback.

What sort of age groups have you got in the group?

Being a U3A group they’re all 65 upwards, but our oldest member is about 95-years-old and she’s fit as a fiddle. Whatever trips I put out, they always seem to be popular no matter what it is for all age groups. We went to Monkey World recently and I wasn’t sure how popular it would be for the older folks but the coach was packed.

Where do you come up with your ideas?

I trawl through the internet looking for quirky things that are completely different to your usual experiences. If I can find things, like the Strictly factory tour that other people aren’t aware of then I feel like I’m giving my members a special experience. My goal is always to find things that the public can’t normally go to.

How do you keep your group members informed about what’s coming up?

I send out reminder emails on a regular basis and have multiple spreadsheets on everybody in the group. I like to keep a tally on where they’ve been with me, what they’ve done and what they’ve paid. The next of kin is also very important on trips as you never know if the unexpected can happen.

Is there anywhere that stands out as one of your most memorable trips?

The one that stands out for me and a lot of the group was the Isle of Man. For starters, we stayed closer to where the ferry port is so we actually incorporated a day trip to Liverpool as part of the itinerary, which everybody really loved.

The island itself was just so lovely and felt as if we had stepped back in time. A few of the elderly ladies in their 90s got chatting to a few local chaps who gave them a lift on the back of their motorbikes! One of them sadly passed away this year, but that memory was still spoken about at the funeral. So many of the group made new friends together and created some wonderful memories.