Collingham & District

NEWSLETTER – NOVEMBER 2017https://u3asites.org.uk/collingham

Monthly meetings will take place on the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Memorial Hall and will commence at 2pm.

Reflections from the Chair It has always been our intention to fit in with, and comple-ment, other organisations and societies in the village. One of the latest examples of this is our commitment to participate in the Methodist Church’s planned Christmas Tree Festival this year. Gill Campbell has taken on the co-ordination role and would like to hear from anyone who would like to contribute a decoration for the U3A Christmas tree. If you would like to provide or make a decoration that either represents a Group activity or U3A as a whole, please contact Gill on 01636 892872 or email: gill418@btinternet.comSimilarly, right across our U3A, Interest Groups are already looking at how they can contribute to the Parish Council’s plans for November next year to commemorate the end of World War 1.Another initiative is our participation in a new village-wide venture – The Secret Advent Calendar. By its very nature, we can’t say much more than that at present, though our spies have discovered that a small group from Art Appreciation are working on a Christmas representation in Picasso’s Blue Period style. The window (wherever it is) will be revealed between the 1st and 21st of December. Keep looking.Our recent calls for a new Membership Secretary have been successful and we are very pleased to welcome Linda Walters into this role. Thanks are due to Pat Constantine who has so efficiently carried out this role in recent times. However, we still need a new Programme Secretary, and you will be able to find a job description for the job elsewhere in the newsletter. Barbara Wilson has very kindly carried on doing this despite her request for release, but help on this is now a priority.

AnitA MAunsell, Chairman, Executive Committee

Raise free donations for our U3ADid you know that whenever you buy anything online – from your weekly shop to your annual holiday – you could be raising a free donation for Collingham & District U3A?There are nearly 3,000 retailers on board ready to make a donation, including Amazon, John Lewis, Aviva, the trainline and Sainsbury’s – it doesn’t cost you a penny extra.1. Join.Head to https://www.easyfunding.org.co.uk/causes/colling-hamdistrictu3a/ and sign up for free.2. Shop.Every time you shop on line, go to easyfundraising first, pick the retailer you want to and start shopping. The price you pay will be exactly the same as if you’d visited the shop directly.3. Raise.After you’ve checked out, that retailer will make a donation to Collingham & District U3A as a thank you for shopping with them. You will then receive a confirmation email.There are no catches or hidden charges. Easyfundraising can’t see what you’re purchasing and don’t pass your details to any other organisation.

Forthcoming SpeakersEXOTIC ANIMAL ENCOUNTERSTony Butler Tony spent his early years in the Midlands countryside with an interest in wildlife, keeping pets far removed from the usual rabbits and guinea pigs. He qualified at Harper Adams Agri-cultural College and travelled the world developing a career caring for animals ranging from tigers to butterflies. Tony’s aim is to bring the unusual and to educate while having fun at the same time. There is opportunity to interact with the vari-ous animals he brings.

CHRISTMAS PARTY. Featuring Fool’s GoldA Christmas Musical Entertainment – ‘Santa, Snow and Other Stories’ presented by FOOL’S GOLD.Followed by a festive afternoon tea.

THE TIME HAS COME. Dr. Paul RoebuckThe history of the calendar as we know it.

22 November in The Memorial Hall at 2pm.

12 December in The Memorial Hall at 3–5pm. Members only.

24 January 2018 in The Memorial Hall at 2pm.

Programme SecretaryJob Description for the role of Programme Secretary for Collingham & District U3A

Wanted: A willing volunteer to give a little time to Collingham & District U3A to help organise a programme of Speakers to stimulate interest at the monthly General Meetings.The ideas for the speakers come from various sources;-

• individual members are a good source, especially when they have been enjoyed elsewhere (e.g. Patsy Rayner – Japan, Gardens)

• there are lists of speakers available from other U3As (e.g. Malcolm Wells – Canine Partners)

• our website generates enquiries in the form of ‘global emails’ redirected to me (e.g. Fool’s Gold – Waters of Tyme)In the past three years, I have tried to provide a balance of male/female speakers with a variety of subject matters to interest our membership and have a folder of unused suggestions to give my successor a head start.After the idea, which I discuss at the committee meeting, comes the contact, which may be by email, but usually by phone in the first instance, followed up by an email confirming details of time, place, fees and equipment requests.I complete a pro forma with this information and circulate it to all the Committee so that those who will be giving support to the speaker (either technical or financial) are prepared.The new Programme Secretary would be invited to become a member of the Executive Committee and would be expected to attend the monthly meetings held on the second Tuesday afternoons of each month.This post may be suitable for a job share whereby another U3A member could help and support the Programme Secretary but would not be expected to attend committee meetings.I have enjoyed this responsibility but feel it is time to pass the folder to fresh hands.

BArBArA Wilson

Heritage LincolnshireHeritage Lincolnshire have announced their programmes for 2017/18. These cover an amazing range of courses from ‘Roman Lincolnshire’ to ‘Discover Willow Weaving’.For more information telephone 01529 461499or email https//wwwheritagelincolnshire.org/learn

GroupsLiterature Group

Through August and September we have read Emile Zola’s novel ‘Germinal’ which is set in a bleak mining area of northern France, and is a tour de force of outrage at the exploitation of the many by the few, but also shows humanity’s capacity for compassion and hope. Zola believed ‘a better society can come only from knowing the truth’. His novels were intended to

shed light: ‘to tell the truth about humanity, to take the machine apart and show the hidden workings of heredity and the ways in which people are influenced by their surroundings’.‘Selected Stories’ by D.H. Lawrence was chosen to follow ‘Germinal’ and we are told in the introduction that every story is a masterpiece in its own right. Appar-ently, some residents of his hometown, Eastwood, near Nottingham, claimed Lawrence would spy on

courting couples. This offers a fascinating insight into the way he was perceived by some – not just as a sex maniac, but perhaps also as a man who caught the lives of residents so well that they felt he had indeed spied on them.Taking a total change in direction, we are now reading ‘Adam Bede’ by George Eliot, I hope with much relish.

Lead: Sheelah Reynolds Telephone 01636 892348.

10.30am –12.30 at Sheelah’s home.Refreshments 25p.

Meetings take place on the third Thursday in the month.

Social ScrabbleWe meet at a member’s home to play for fun. This group is starting small but hoping to ex-pand slowly as new members join. If you would enjoy playing in a relaxed atmosphere, this is for you.

Lead: Margaret Orchiston Telephone 01636 894027.

2– 4pm at members’ homes.Refreshments 25p.

Meetings take place on the first Thursday in the month.

Leaders: Paul and Gillian BassTelephone 01636 892057.

Meetings take place on the second Wednesday in the month.

2 – 4pm

Photography GroupThe photography group’s theme for October was ‘Heritage’ and the many different in-terpretations were displayed at the Oc-tober group meeting. The attached images are part of Gill Bass’s heritage presentation and show the exterior and interior of Lincoln Cathedral.The theme for November will be Autumn.

Art AppreciationJannet gave an insight into the French indus-trialist and artist Gus-tave Caillebotte. What a fascinating person, business man, engi-neer, artist and photog-rapher who generously patronised the Impres-sionists and also pre-

sented his work in their Group exhibitions. His style is instantly recognisable; The Floor Scrapers shocked the art world and was snubbed by The Salon. We see three working men labouring hard preparing a wooden floor – not wearing their shirts and drinking wine – shock horror, what about all those females classical nudes over the years! His street scenes are fas-cinating, enlightening us to Baron Haussmann’s modern Paris. He captures atmospheric weather con-ditions, often a rainy day scene and in representation uses that photographic wide lens shot. Caillebotte’s lim-ited muted palette gives his compositions a tonal quality using greys and blues and, like Degas or Manet, is flat in form. After his death the body of his work was left to the French nation but rejected, so paintings went to museums abroad and most into private ownership. His personal life was extremely sad but he resolutely made his mark and perhaps put his soul into those wonderful paintings.In August a few of us visited Birmingham City Art Gallery. For those of us who visited the city in the dim distant past a tremendous transformation had occurred. New Street Station, architecturally, was exciting, making Kings Cross look dated. After lunch we headed for the Pre Raphaelite Gallery. Each of us had researched a painting from the collection to give fo-cus to our visit and the masterpieces, and, although not every work inspired us, we were fascinated by the narratives behind them and the artist’s lives. Here are some of them.The Star of Bethlehem by Edward Burne-Jones.Last of England by Ford Madox Brown.The Blind Girl by John Everett Millais. Medea by Frederick Sandys.The Long Engagement by Arthur Hughes.The Finding of the Saviour in the Temple by Holman Hunt.

Leads: Linda Geeson Telephone 01636 610408and Helena Narracott Telephone 01636 892938.

2–4pm. Youth and Community Centre, Low Street.Venue and refreshments £1.75

Meetings take place on the fourth Tuesday in the month.

Our September talk by Chris was on the fascinating subject of birds in art. She started with the bull and goldfinch as symbols within religious art, signifying the foretelling of Christ’s death or his blood shed for mankind by their red markings. However, we were challenged to think if symbolism does add to works of art, especially as much is mythically based, have conflicting interpretations, and, unless classically trained is hard to discern that layered meaning. A shift in art during the 1600’s from Dutch artists led to still life and flower paintings rising in popularity with this break-through art was opened to a more general audience.Later, in Zoffany’s brilliant painting, titled, Colonel Mordaunt’s Cock Match – 1784-1786 we see, by all accounts, a lower class sport being played by the upper classes at Lucknow. One young man was recognised by his father when this painting was displayed and disinherited; Edward Lear.We were bought up to date with artists, who, like Edward Lear’s early work, took an interest in the natural world and became illustrators for bird books. Peter Scott, Charles Tunni-cliffe and Archibald Thornburn, the latter also supplemented his art with a contract for the Ladybird Series, What to look for in summer. We considered stylised art for greeting cards and Chris ended by showing her own acquisitions, including a Jean Wright screen print.

Sing for FunThis friendly group meets to sing songs chosen each week from a wide selection provided by the group leader. At the moment they are looking to recruit a new leader who can build and develop the group in the coming year. In the meantime Clive will continue in his role, and then remain with the group as a member, when a new leader is found. If you enjoy singing and would like to join then please contact Clive.

Lead: Clive BainbridgeTelephone 01636 686905.

1–3pm Mayfield Room. Meetings take place on the first and third Monday in the month.

Venue and refreshments £1.50

Lead: Graham FleetTelephone 01636 893458.

2–4pm Mayfield Room.

Meetings take place on the second and fourth Monday in the month.

Venue and refreshments £1.50.

Italian for BeginnersItaliano Per Noi – Ciao Amici Great News – the Italian for Beginners Group is up and run-ning (well, trotting perhaps). Eleven of us have decided to meet twice a month in the Mayfield Room with the aim of building our conversation ability for when we go on our travels around Italy.The focus is very much on avoiding text books and rote learn-ing so our vocabulary and understanding will build through absorbing words and phrases in conversational situations.There is also much support material on the internet and we will make good use of that as well.We had our first session in early October and the consensus was that we had great fun. We even had time for tea and coffee and . . . Italian biscotti brought back by Jannet and Mary from a recent holiday! What’s not to like!

Lead: Beth RhodesTelephone 01522 778497.

10am –12 at members’ homes.Refreshments 25p.

Meetings take place on the fourth Thursday in the month.

Advanced French ConversationA course for those wishing to maintain or improve their conversational skills at an Intermediate or Advanced level.Due to various circumstances, the group’s membership number is very low and we are in desparate need of new participants to continue.

Casual FrenchThis is a beginners’ course for those with a little basic French knowledge. Each session is split in two halves, giving the opportu-nity to learn vocabulary and grammar, followed by social conversational practise.

At the moment, the group is full. If you are interested in joining, contact Beth who will add your name to the waiting list and contact you as soon as there are spaces available.

Lead: Beth RhodesTelephone 01522 778497 and Chris Stothard Telephone 01636 894241

10am–12 at group members’ homes in rotation.

Meetings take place on the first and third Friday in the month.

Refreshments 25p.

Spanish GroupThis is a beginner’s and im-prover’s group which is mainly conversational Span-ish, mostly suitable for holiday visits etc. This friendly group aims for learning with fun using texts and video links.

New members are always welcome, so why not come along and give it a go.

Lead: Judith WhysallTelephone 01636 892194 or 07554881417.

whysall@ btopenworld.com

Meetings take place on the second and fourth Thursday in the month.

10am–12 at group members’ homes.

Amazing Plants and HerbsThe group had a wonderful visit in August to a practising herb-alist and bee keeper deep in the Lincolnshire Wolds countryside.We were taken on a very informative walk around Cindy’s gar-den where she talked about how she grew and used the many herbs available there. We viewed her pharmacy cupboards and numerous jars and containers of freshly dried herbs with which she prescribed treatments to clients. We were treated to a fascinating story or two about various plants and their histo-ries, and we were particularly intrigued in those surrounding the Elderflower tree, which is treated with great care by the Cindy and her husband.Having each then chosen a herb we wanted to taste (mine being Sweet Cecily) she and her little grand daughter went off to make us individual teas to taste, whilst Cindy’s husband introduced us to his six bee hives, each holding 60,000 bees. We had a really fascinating hour learning about these wonderful creatures, whom, it was clear to see, Bob really loved and protected.This was a very special visit, which was followed up by another local, recently restored walled garden not too far away, and still in the midst of immense change. I feel sure there will be follow up visits over the years to come, to both.We are now concentrating on some individual research and tastings of plants which may have affected the history of our world in some way. In addition we will be placing some colour into the planter at the Village Cross ready for the winter, whilst the bulbs await the first signs of Spring.

Lead: Sue Fleet Telephone 01636 893458 .

10am–12 Phoenix Centre.Venue and refreshments £1.25

Meetings take place on the second Thursday in the month.

Lead: Bea Morgan BentleyTelephone 01636 893693.

2pm at various venues.

Meetings take place on the first Wednesday in the month.

Gardening GroupOn a glorious sunny afternoon we met at Ingrid’s house, sat in her lovely garden having afternoon tea and a selection of scrumptious homemade cakes.

Ingrid showed photographs before they took over the property so we could visualise the transformation. The artistic flair draws together entrancing mixed planting with flashes of red crocosmia using the gardens walled enclosure and sunny aspect to advan-tage. However, there are shaded areas too, one, on the side of the house is Japanese in character and includes a giant camellia tree, that in spring, has white flowers.A decision was made to clear the remaining grass because their dog likes digging holes. Therefore, flowers were grouped in raised beds at differing levels, and the backdrop appears as a densely packed outer border. Sections have slate, gravel or stones of differing size and colour to lead your eye in or around a flower bed; the pure white ones were particularly stunning in the bright sunshine.Of specific interest were palms, ferns, cordyline and a hairy fern. Alliums wave in the breezes which are held loosely by attractive sculptured poles. Japonica verigarta pirieis took our eye also in this captivating garden.In August we gathered at Barbara’s to view her garden a year on. The day was autumnal, cool and very windy but despite this we ventured into the garden. Barbara has devoted a lot of time to make areas maintainable, include splashes of colour, and grow things for the table. A new garden shed for storage and over wintering had been erected and new planting looked well under way.We all noted the use of colour. There were some unusual mari-golds in pale yellow with bronze petal tips and also several types of salvia that gave a splash of hot colour. The apple tree had plenty

of fruit and clematis cascaded from a wall onto the path. The design of the front garden is composed of grasses, alliums and plants

to increase height and movement. The herb area is now established alongside the drive and under the porch are some rather impressive succulents.We had an opportunity to look around her daughter’s garden which too was a riot of colour in the front borders. Besides flowers, in the rear garden were tomatoes, courgettes and other vegetables in abundance. We all speculated how good their allotment must be too!

Over refreshments, we discussed a plant swap – this month straw-berry runners and cirinthe were offered.Websites are a great way to view plants, source and read about plant care, it is always good to get ideas before visiting a garden centre. Our community planter has done well and we thank Men in Sheds for the U3A notice. It will soon be time to think about autumn and spring! Thanks to our team of waterers throughout the summer season.

New Age KurlingWe continue to have fun and exercise twice a month on a Friday afternoon where everyone is welcome no matter your physical abilities. As we play more often it seems confidence is rising and there is even, certainly amongst the male players at least, a little compe-tition going on at times.It is hoped in the future to offer opportunities for those who wish, to compete with our neighbourhood network groups.We are currently, as a group, raising cash to buy a few more pushers and stones, so that more people can play. Everyone is very welcome whether to watch or play, and refreshments are always on offer.

Contact Sue or Graham Fleet Telephone: 01636 893458 OR Bea Morgan Bentley on 01636 893693.

Meetings take place on the first and third Friday in the month 10am–12.Venue and refreshments £2 (approx.)

Walking can add minutes to your life. This enables you at 85 years old to spend an additional five months in a nursing home at £4000 per month.

Active over 50sThe group meets every second and fourth Tuesday morning at Newark Leisure Centre between 9.30 and 11am to play games of badminton, table tennis and also sometimes short tennis.We are a really friendly and mixed

ability group and welcome new members. We finish our morning with coffee and a cake, for those not weight watching, and this is always a welcome and very popular end to our morning’s activities.

Lead: Sue and Graham FleetTelephone 01636 893458.

9.30 –11am. Newark Leisure Centre Bowbridge Road.

Cost £2.60 pp per session and equipment is included.

Meetings take place on the second and fourth Tuesday in the month.

Lead: Pat SmedleyTelephone 01636 892292 or Bridget Fairbairn 01636 6889732–4pm Jubilee Room, Swinderby Road.

Venue and refreshments £1.25.

Meetings take place on the third Wednesday in the month.

Local History Research GroupIn August the Local History Research Group met to dis-cuss how to contribute to the Collingham’s celebration of Armistice (1918) planned to take place in November 2018.A plan emerged to research two aspects of The Great War.The first would be to hold a small exhibition on ‘Colling-ham in the Great War’. This would focus on how the war affected life in the village, and also relate the experience of those who went to war.

The second project would track down the addresses of all those who left to fight the war and put together a ‘Soldiers Trail’. Each address would have a temporary poster in front to display a picture and basic details about the soldier who left that house to fight in the war. The Trail would be organized for people to follow and take in the Exhibition en route.These are ambitious schemes and we will have to see how this project develops dependent as it is on costing and the time and effort put into it by our group. Certainly it is a fascinating time to study in terms of local history – and will develop the group’s history skills. NB This project is being undertaken under the direction and in collaboration with the Collingham and District Local History Society. Members of the Society will also be engaged in this project.

Lead: Anita Maunsell Telephone 01636 892928.

10am –12 Youth and Community Centre.Venue and refreshments £4.50 per quarter in advance.

Meetings take place on the fourth Friday in the month.

HistoryOur last presentation, which was researched and presented by Sheelah Reynolds, marked the 500th anniversary of the start of the European Refor-mation when Martin Luther

nailed 95 Theses against the sale of indulgences to the door of the main church in Wittenberg in Saxony. As usual, lively discussion came out of the presentation, as members debated the origins and outcomes of an event that shook the foundations of the Catholic Church and changed the face of Europe for ever.At our meeting on 27 October Graham Fleet presented Part Two of his research project: ‘The Pilgrim Fathers’.

In November Sue Brauer will take us through the ‘Building of the Panama Canal’.Next year, in common with other Groups, we will be focusing on aspects of World War 1. This is to support the village-wide com-memoration of the armistice in November 2018. One of our early subjects will be ‘The

Gallipoli Campaign’ which will be researched and presented by Peter Brauer.New members welcome – contact Anita Maunsell, 01636 892928.

Family HistoryA group for those interested in their family’s history, using computer based information systems and other sources for information. For our current project we are sharing knowledge of ancestors who spent time in a workhouse and researching and discuss-ing the conditions that they faced. We are also looking at our ancestor’s occupations and finding out about their working and living conditions.

Lead: Charlie StothardTelephone 01636 894241.

10am –12 Phoenix Centre.Venue and refreshments £1.25.

Meetings take place on the first Thursday in the month.

Motorsports EnthusiastsA newly formed group appealing to anyone interested in and enthusiastic about all forms of motorsports.Please contact Dave for more details

Lead: Dave Watson. Telephone 07826848214.

10am –12 at members’ homes.Cost: Refreshments and any visits.

Meetings take place on the first Thursday in the month.

Walking GroupOur August walk was led by Nick Narracott. We started at the Ferry Boat on the River Trent at Stoke Bardolph, and followed the river towards Newark before returning across country back to the Ferry Boat for lunch.

Our September walk was cancelled due to poor weather but Sue Brauer led us on the walk in October. Starting at the Rose and Crown in Farndon we headed out in the general direction of Newark through the village and across fields until we met the River Trent. We then followed the Trent back to Farndon for a very nice lunch at the Rose and Crown.

Lead: Colin SmithTelephone 01636 701205 or 07753144686

Meetings take place on the first Tuesday in the month.

Meet in the Grey Horse car park at 9.20am.

Every time I hear the dirty word ‘exercise’,I wash my mouth out with chocolate.

Lead: Lesley Piper Telephone 01636 892795lesleypiper@tiscali.co.uk

2– 4pm at members homes

The only costs are for an activity a member may participate in.

Meetings take place on the second Thursday in the month.

The BucketeersAgain we’ve had a very busy couple of months. 24 intrepid sailors took to the water again in late September when we sailed from Gunthorpe aboard two ‘narrow-ish’ boats.

This ‘whole day trip’ enjoyed incredibly good weather and we found a different route to last time, going downstream until we reached Fiskerton .The boats then turned and

headed back to a small island where we all decamped and set out our combined picnic – wow what a feast!After exploring the island we set off for home, arriving back at Gunthorpe at 5.30pm – a superb day enjoyed by all. Who knows, we might just do this all again sometime!Our next adventure is going to be in late November when we are all going to see the seals at Donna Nook, followed by a (hopefully) superb lunch somewhere.Forward planning — gliding, walk over The Dome, go to a celebrity auction, be a ‘hands on’ bee keeper, go to Divali in Leicester, visit

the BBC studios in Nottingham, have a back-stage tour of The Robin Hood theatre (with afternoon tea afterwards) – this may involve a few of us trying our hand at a bit of acting – have another Sunday Lunch trip on

a Steam Train, camping in Yorkshire (again) and have a Safari Supper on New Year’s Eve.A busy, busy group I’m sure you’ll all agree, and growing apace.

Lesley

Recorder GroupOur little band continues to meet twice a month to play a varied selection of music,

from Folk to Handel. There are now two descants, a treble, a tenor and a bass and we support each other

to gain the best sound from our efforts. It’s a lovely way to spend an hour, so if you are interested, have an instrument or would like to have a try, do contact us. Extra lessons for confidence building could be available too.

Lead: Sue FleetTelephone 01636 893458.

10.30 am –12 at group members’ homes.

Meetings take place on the first and third Wednesday in the month.

Refreshments 25p.

Lead: Colin HancockTelephone 01636 892488.

10am –12 Phoenix Centre Venue and refreshments £2

Meetings take place on the first and third Monday in the month.

Making MusicThe Music Making Group were invited to perform during the interval at the recent Collingham Singers concert in the Memorial Hall. This was the first time they had performed to a general public audience rather than to purely U3A members. It was very good experience for the group and they hope to do similar performances in the future.The group are still seeking a drummer and are always happy to welcome singers or other instrumentalists wanting to play in a band.

Circle DancingThis is a gentle form of exercise using dance steps to a variety of music from all over the world. Including Greek, Turkish and Israeli plus more modern songs and tunes.It is a fun way to help keep yourself trim and flexible whilst good for memory training too as there are many variations in steps.All participants will be encouraged to find and lead a dance once they are comfortably established within the group.Wear comfy shoes and clothes and bring some water to drink as you will get rather warm.

Lead: Sue Brauer Telephone 01636 894106.and Sue FleetTelephone 01636 893458

2–4pm Phoenix Centre.Venue and refreshments £2

Meetings take place on the second Friday in the month.

Bird WatchingThis will be my last report for the Birdwatchers as I am relin-quishing my role as flock leader and will be moving down the pecking order on any future outings.Our last trip out was back in September when we ‘stayed lo-cal’ by enjoying a short visit to Spalford Warren. Unfortunate-ly we were probably about a week too late to see any of the

summer visitors as they had already left, except for the solitary swallow who had been left behind when his mates flew back to Africa.We did see a few regulars, such as green woodpeckers but nothing much out of the ordinary. It was still a most enjoyable walk around the reserve especially for a few members who had not been there before.

Graham

This group is now closed until further notice.

Lunch ClubThe group will meet at a different venue each month, ensuring there will be food to suit all tastes, and people to chat with.

Lead: Marcia ParkinTelephone 01636 892331.

We meet 12.30pm on the third Thursday of the month at various venues.

Venue costs apply individually.

Lead: Marion Wilson Telephone 01636 892967.

12.30 for 1pm on the second Sunday in the month at various venues.

Venue costs apply individually.

Sunday LunchersIf you enjoy a good Sunday lunch, friendly company, conversation and pleasant sur-roundings, then maybe our group is for you. We will meet at 12.30 to eat at 1pm and are open to other like minded members to join us. Shared transport can be arranged if required.

Creative WritingNew, but hoping to carry forward with us the incredibly good work that Margaret achieved with the last group, – we met and discussed our ways forward, topics and aspirations.We came to the conclusion that the main aim of the group is to help us all to improve our own writing skills in whatever medium we choose – poetry, prose, long or short stories, fact or fiction – who knows?The group is very small, in fact just three of us met at this in-augural meeting – but we hope that we will double in size very soon, and we’d like more intrepid writers to join us please.So come and join us and help us to take this re-formed group forward – we have lots to learn from each other in the time honoured U3A fashion.

Lesley

Lead: Lesley PiperTelephone 01636 892795.

10am –12 at members’ homes.

Meetings take place on the first Monday in the month.

“Politicians and nappies have one thing in common. They should both be changed regularly, and for the same reason.”

― José Maria de Eça de Queiroz

Play ReadingA brief update of goings on in the Play Reading Group:As our numbers have expanded, we now meet in the very pleasant setting of the Youth and Community Centre on Low Street; still on the third Tuesday of every month between 10am and 12, but now with a small charge to cover the cost of the room hire, refreshments and play script hire from Lincoln Library.We are currently enjoying the machinations of Miss Jean Brodie, and to round up the year at our Christmas fuddle, we are planning to scare ourselves with ghost stories!On a lovely summer’s evening, several of the group enjoyed The Handlebards hilarious production of Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’ in the Newark castle grounds, and more recently, we were thrilled by Benedict Cumberbatch’s 2015 performance in ‘Hamlet’ from The National Theatre, screened at the Odeon Encore Event cinema.

Lead: Sandra HowarthTelephone 01636 892977.

Meetings take place on the third Tuesday in the month.

10am–12 Youth and Community Centre, Low Street.

Venue and refreshments £1.50.

StrollersA small but friendly group, always welcoming new mem-bers who enjoy a short stroll, no more than three miles ever, with a cup of coffee and a cake, somewhere en route.

Lead: Marion Wilson Telephone 01636 892967.

10am –12. Usually meet at the new Coop car park, but venues change.

Meetings take place on the second Tuesday in the month.

Leader: Graham EatonTelephone 01636 893895.

7.30pm at group members’ homes.

Meetings take place on the last Friday in the month.

£5 per person.

Wine Appreciation GroupSue and Graham Fleet host-ed the October meeting when we were challenged to match four white wine grape varieties from France to detailed tasting notes provided for the wines. I am embar-rassed to say that I got every

one wrong. Worse still my better half got every one right. The upside is that I need to do a lot of practising before our next meeting. Every cloud has a silver lining!We have a small group of people who are keen to start another wine tasting group, unfortunately there are not quite enough people to make another group viable. If there is anyone out there who would like to help form a second group then please get in touch and I will provide any information you need.

Graham

Members Wanted For: *EveningBookGroup *ItalianConversation *Motorsports *TheatreandCinema *GalleriesandMuseums *MusicAppreciation

Sign up for the above at the next General Meeting or use the Website Contact page to get in touch with the Groups Coordinator

I am passing this on to you because it definitely worked for me today, and we all could probably use more calm in our lives.This morning a Doctor on BBC TV said “the way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started”.So I looked around my house to see things I’d started and hadn’t finished so I have managed to finish off a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of Chardonnay, a bodle of Baileys, a butle of wum, a pockage of Prungles, tha mainder of bot Prozic and Valiuminun scriptins, the res of the chesescke an a box a chocletz. Yu haf no idr how bludy fablus I feel rite now.Plaese sned dhis orn to dem yu fee ar in ned ov iennr pisss. An telum,u blody luvum.!! Xxx

2

AM

PM

Strollers Spanish10–12. Co-op 10–12. Homes

Active over 50s Plants & Herbs

9.30–11. NLC 10–12. Ph C

Beginners Italian Photography Bucketeers Circle Dancing2– 4. M Rm 2–4. Homes 2–4. Homes 2–3.30. Ph C

Committee

4.30–6.30. M Rm

Group Diary

Venue Key Ph C: Phoenix Centre Mem H: Memorial Hall M Rm: Mayfield Room YC: Youth & Community Centre Jub Rm: Jubilee Room NLC: Newark Leisure Centre

3

AM

PM

Music Making Play Reading Recorders Literature Casual French10–12.Ph C 10–12. YC 10.30–12. Homes 10.30–12.30 Homes 10–12. Homes

Sing for Fun Local History Lunch Club Kurling1– 3. M Rm 2–4. Jub Rm Meet 12.30 2–4. Mem H

4

AM

PM

Active over 50s Spanish History

9.30–11. NLC 10–12. Homes 10–12. YC

Advanced French

10–12. Homes

Beginners Italian Art Appreciation General Meeting Wine Appreciat’n2– 4. M Rm 2–4. YC 2–4. Mem H 19.30. Homes

Week AM/PM

AM

PM

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

1

Music Making Walks Recorders Family History Casual French10–12. Ph C 9.30. Grey Horse 10.30–12. Homes 10–12. Ph C 10–12. Homes

Creative Writing Motorsports

10–12. Homes 10–12. Homes

Sing for Fun Gardening Scrabble Kurling

1– 3. M Rm 2– 4. Homes 2– 4. Homes 2–4. Mem H

SundayLunchers

12.30 /1.

Variousvenues