U3A Winter 2018 Newsletter copy 2 to print copy · has been providing lessons for our U3A members....
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WFU3A Newsletter ‘Learn, Laugh and Live’ Winter 2018 For more information about any article etc in this Newsletter please contact the Newsletter Editor, details inside. Notes from the Chair I first of all wish to say that I truly feel honoured to be in a position to lead the new committee of our flourishing U3A, an organisation I am passionate about. As a team we will endeavour to uphold the learning principles of this fantastic global organisation and sing its praises loud and clear in order to encourage more Wyre Forest & District residents to join and derive as much enjoyment and friendship from its existence as we do. Before introducing the new committee I would like to pay tribute to those stepping down on this occasion. Firstly, to the tireless work of Elaine who gave freely her time, energy and boundless enthusiasm. It is largely due to her leadership that our organisation has grown so significantly. Also Val Jarrett; we owe the very existence of our U3A to Val for her insight and perseverance in wanting to set up a branch in 2005. Martin Delahay, our Speaker Secretary who always knew just what to say after a presentation at the Monthly meeting, and then John Rand, Hire of Halls Co-ordinator. Many thanks to you all. On the new committee many names will be familiar as they continue to serve but we welcome new faces too. WYRE FOREST & DISTRICT We have also introduced a new role on the committee and that is a Technical Controller in a bid to keep up with technology, and in particular our Audio and Visual requirements of the future. I want to thank everyone for agreeing to voluntarily share their time and life skills for the benefit of our U3A members and in particular Jan Burrows for agreeing to be Vice Chair. I wish them all success and enjoyment in their respective roles, which are detailed as follows:- Elected Roles Chair – Sue Langley Vice-Chair – Jan Burrows Secretary – Tina Jenkins Treasurer – John McBride Other Roles (Executive Committee):- Group Co-ordinator: Jan Burrows (assisted by Phyllis Smith) Membership Secretary: Heidy Hague (assisted by Jennie Muraszewski) Speaker Secretary: Jeff Hull Equipment Officer: Steve Miller Technical Controller (Audio/Visual) – Ralph Bramley (A new role on the committee) Publicity Officer and Meet & Greet Team: Christine Lewis Newsletter Editor: Sue Massey Hire of Halls Co-ordinator: Beryl Buckley (Assisted by Jennie Muraszewski) Check-In Desk Organiser: Beryl Buckley Non-Committee Roles:- Town Hall Hospitality – Tina Hull Website Manager – Tim Yates Household Trades Directory – Janice Evans Sue Langley Chair Wyre Forest & District U3A Main Monthly Meetings Held in Kidderminster Town Hall, on the third Monday at 2.00pm. • 17th December 2018 Owen Raybould ‘Food and Mood, how we are affected?’ • 21st January 2019 Andy Smith ‘Life in music’ • 18th February 2019 Dave Clarke ‘Sentenced to beyond the seas’ the lives of eight Worcestershire women • 18th March 2019 Graham Short ‘Micro Artist‘ _____________________________ After spending a few years struggling to find enough volunteers to help with town hall teas each month Tina Hull has put together a splendid permanent team to provide us all with lovely refreshments every month. No mean feat! Many thanks to all concerned. ‘The team’ lead by Tina is: Anne Bagust, Steve Bagust, Adrienne Birch, Sue Clarke, Sylvia Cooke, Dorothy Jeffries, Anna King, Sheila Kenny, Carole Morgan, Jenny Muraszewski & Janet Poole.
Transcript of U3A Winter 2018 Newsletter copy 2 to print copy · has been providing lessons for our U3A members....
WFU3A Newsletter
‘Learn, Laugh and Live’
Winter 2018
FormoreinformationaboutanyarticleetcinthisNewsletterpleasecontacttheNewsletterEditor,
detailsinside.
NotesfromtheChairIfirstofallwishtosaythatItrulyfeelhonouredtobeinapositiontoleadthenewcommitteeofourflourishingU3A,anorganisationIam passionate about. As a teamwewill endeavour touphold thelearning pr inciples of thisfantastic global organisation andsing its praises loud and clear inorder to encourage more WyreForest&Districtresidentsto joinand derive as much enjoymentand friendship from its existenceaswedo.
Before introducing the newcommittee I would like to paytribute to those stepping downon this occasion. Firstly, to thetireless work of Elainewho gavefreely her time, energy andboundless enthusiasm. It islargelyduetoherleadershipthatour organisation has grown sosignificantly. Also Val Jarrett; weowe the very existence of ourU3A to Val for her insight andperseveranceinwantingtosetupabranchin2005.MartinDelahay,our Speaker Secretary whoalways knew just what to sayafter a presentation at theMonthlymeeting, and then JohnRand, Hire of Halls Co-ordinator.Manythankstoyouall.
On the new committee manynames will be familiar as theycont inue to serve but wewelcomenewfacestoo.
WYRE FOREST & DISTRICT
Wehavealso introducedanewroleonthe committee and that is a TechnicalController in a bid to keep up withtechnology, and in particular ourAudioandVisualrequirementsofthefuture.IwanttothankeveryoneforagreeingtovoluntarilysharetheirtimeandlifeskillsforthebenefitofourU3AmembersandinparticularJanBurrowsforagreeingtobe Vice Chair. I wish them all successandenjoymentintheirrespectiveroles,whicharedetailedasfollows:-
ElectedRolesChair–SueLangleyVice-Chair–JanBurrowsSecretary–TinaJenkinsTreasurer–JohnMcBride
OtherRoles(ExecutiveCommittee):-
GroupCo-ordinator:JanBurrows(assistedbyPhyllisSmith)MembershipSecretary:HeidyHague(assistedbyJennieMuraszewski)SpeakerSecretary:JeffHullEquipmentOfficer:SteveMillerTechnicalController(Audio/Visual)–RalphBramley(Anewroleonthecommittee)PublicityOfficerandMeet&GreetTeam:ChristineLewisNewsletterEditor:SueMasseyHireofHallsCo-ordinator:BerylBuckley(AssistedbyJennieMuraszewski)Check-InDeskOrganiser:BerylBuckley
Non-CommitteeRoles:-TownHallHospitality–TinaHullWebsiteManager–TimYatesHouseholdTradesDirectory–JaniceEvans
SueLangleyChairWyreForest&DistrictU3A
MainMonthlyMeetings
HeldinKidderminsterTownHall,onthethirdMondayat2.00pm.
• 17thDecember2018OwenRaybould‘FoodandMood,howweareaffected?’ • 21stJanuary2019
AndySmith‘Lifeinmusic’
• 18thFebruary2019DaveClarke
‘Sentencedtobeyondtheseas’thelivesofeight
Worcestershirewomen
• 18thMarch2019
GrahamShort
‘MicroArtist‘_____________________________
Afterspendingafewyearsstruggling to find enoughvolunteerstohelpwithtownhallteaseachmonth
Tina Hull has put together asplendid permanent team top ro v i d e u s a l l w i t h l o ve l yrefreshments every month. Nomean feat! Many thanks to allconcerned.
‘Theteam’leadbyTinais:
AnneBagust,SteveBagust,AdrienneBirch,SueClarke,SylviaCooke,DorothyJeffries,AnnaKing,SheilaKenny,CaroleMorgan,JennyMuraszewski&JanetPoole.
CallingallQuizzers
We would like to invite any members to try out ourThursdaymonthlyQuizzing2Sessions.
The"TryOut"sessionswillbeonThursday 27th December 2018and24thJanuary2019,2-4pm.They are held in BroadwatersChurch Hall at the top of Chapel
Hill,offStourbridgeroad,KidderminsterDY102UN.
Comealoneorwitha friendandmakeupa tableof four.Youwillbesureofawarmwelcome,plentyof laughsandbiscuits.Justbringapenanda£1.ParkalongStourbridgeRoadorinthecarparkoppositetheRoseTheatre.
FurtherdetailsfromJaniceEvansEmail:[email protected]
Group News from around the district
TeeingoffwithGolf
During the Autumn, Churchill and Blakedown Golf CoursehasbeenprovidinglessonsforourU3Amembers.
PhilLathwood,theAssistantPro’,hascoached20people,asbeginners.Theyhavelearntbasicgolfshots,suchasputting,chipping,driving,pitchingandhowtouseironsandwoods.There has been excellent feedback from these buddinggolfers (some ofwhomwere using the sessions to refreshtheir skills) and some of them have now moved on tointermediatelessons.
If anyone is interested in any future sessions pleasecontact:JanBurrowsorPhyllisSmith(GroupLeaders’Co-ordinators)[email protected]
OurFilmGrouphasbeenreinstated,startingon9thJanuary,1-4pm,atWribbenhallCommunityCentreandcontinuingoneverysecondWednesdayinthemonth.JohnMeachenwillbeleadingthegrouptowatchfilmsfromavarietyofgenresandfacilitatingheartydiscussions.Thefirstsessionisentitled“TheHistoryofCartoonsfromtheEarlyThirties.”Thesewillbeshownonan8mmprojector.Atthisopeningsession,Johnwillbegettingaflavourofwhatsortoffilmsthegroupwouldliketoseeandsubsequentlyputtinga
futureprogrammetogether.Comealongandjoinusinwhatshouldbea“hilariousfewhoursoffun.”Foranyqueriescontacteither:JanBurrowsorPhyllisSmith(GroupLeadersCo-ordinators.)[email protected]
ThelifeofaBookGroupLeader
After I joined U3A in 2011, confessing I was an avid reader, IfoundmyselfleadingBookGroup2,aroleIlove,andembarkingonawonderfulnewsecondcareerasanauthor.FormanyyearsI had lectured English and Teacher Training at KidderminsterCollege until sadly paperwork and procedures sucked the joyfrom my beloved career. I left to concentrate on a long-heldambitiontowritenovels.
Imaginemy delight aftermany rejectionswhenmy first novelLoveinLaLaLandwasacceptedbyCrookedCatPublishers.Asafilm buff I wanted to explore how a novel is changed into a
screenplay. So, I sent my main character, Englishwriter Jane Jones, toHollywood to see her novelmadeintoafilm.Butasshenegotiatesthesleazyworldofglitteringparties,hoveringpaparazziandpowerful movie tycoons, she has to decide whocanbe trustedandwho can’t. IwasdelightedbyLove in La La Land’s success and the 5* Amazonreviewspraisingitswittystyleandgrippingstory.
My latest novel Love, Lies and Café au Lait has just beenpublishedandwasinspiredbymyfirsttriptoNicemanyyears
ago.Eventually,Annie’sstoryemergedfromthisexperienceas
she vainly tries to adopt a classy persona, but wondering if
perhapsshemightbejustabittooniceforNice.
All the various aspects of this new writing adventure haverevitalized my life. As I write for many hourseach day, I become completely immersed inmy characters and their lives as they ‘talk‘ tomeandmakeme laughandcry.Thebusinessaspectofthepublishingworld isnotasmuchfun and it has taxed my brain somewhatcoming to gripswith the technology of socialmedia. These days this is an essential tool ofthe publishing trade asmost novelists have toparticipate fully in promoting their own books. As this alsoinvolvesgivingtalks,radiointerviewsandbooksigningsetc.itiscertainly keeping me busy. My books are available as botheBook s a nd p ape r b a c k s f rom ama zon . co . u k .LynnForth
IfyouwishtohaveanarticlepublishedinthenextissueordiscusstheitemsinthisnewsletterpleasecontactSueMassey:
email:[email protected]:07710039417www.wyreforestu3a.org.ukRegisteredCharityNo.1149774
Theatre Notice
Wednesday8thMay2019,7.30pm
LesMiserablesBirminghamHippodromeCosttoincludecoach£58.
perperson.
CoachwilldepartBrinton’s
Parkat5.45pm.
ForfurtherdetailscontactJulieBouttle:[email protected]
The National U3A Magazine: ‘Third Age Matters’
Remember! You have to give us your consent to enable us to include your name and address in the mailing list for the National U3A Magazine: ‘Third Age Matters’
If you have not received the latest issue in November and you would like to receive the magazine in the future then please contact Heidy Hague, the Membership Secretary either at the monthly Town Hall meeting or send her an email: [email protected]
Showcase of WF U3A Interest Groups
Enjoyable & Exciting Times Ahead!
We take pleasure from the U3A Interest G r o u p s ’ S t a g e S h o w s a n d B o a r d Displays .... now for the Film. It is planned to have the premiere of this film at the 2019 AGM but we need to begin collecting photos and footage of all the activities we undertake from NOW until September next year!!
This Showcase of our activities, and the fun we all enjoy through learning, will be artistically put together by Ralph Bramley our Technical Controller of Audio and Visual Effects. So please talk to Ralph about what we require and begin sending him photos and footage of your events over the months ahead. He will do his utmost to include as many snippets as possible to reflect what it is we get up to in our groups. However, if you choose NOT to be included, then please tell your Group Leader before any photos etc are taken.
This is going to be fun to do, and the result will be something we hope all members will want to see. It will be a lasting reminder of how worthwhile the U3A movement is for all of those in their Third Age and just what we, at Wyre Forest & District, have achieved by being an active part of it.
Well,wearecertainlyworking throughtheU3AStrap line inpreparation for the show next year, all of us 'willing'amateurs...Learningourwordsandmusicforthemanysongsof the 60's we will be singing... Laughing at the countlessmistakes (and"Ohwhathave I signedup for"moments)butgainingmoreconfidenceputting together someadventurousstuffthatwehopewillsimplyentertainyou...and...forsome..Living thatdreamofwanting tobe 'on thestage'before it'stoo late. It’snever too late foranyofusasweallGrowUp:'elderly' sounds some how old and decrepit. That, wemostcertainlyarenot,astheaudiencewillfindout!
It'sallgoodstuff,asrehearsalsgetintofullswingchallengingusall in readiness forourepicproductiononFriday5thandSaturday6thApril2019atWolverleyMemorialHall....scarilyjust15weeksaway!Pleaseputthosedatesinyournewdiary.
Itwill be aheartwarming tripdownmemory lane forus allwho rememberwith fondness, themanymemorable eventsandthegreatmusicofthe60's.AfunproductionforALLtoenjoy!
Wyre Forest & District U3A
Commemorates 100 years since the end of World War
It’s a long way to Tipperary
Take me back to dear old Blighty
The Things they wrote ……!!!
WW1 War Memorials of the Wyre Forest district
It all began as a suggestion by Martin Delahay, which very quickly fuelled the imagination of Group Leaders, who inspired their members to take part.. and then with a sprinkling of technical know-how by Ralph Bramley, it all escalated into the very fine production enjoyed by so many on Monday 19th November at the Town Hall. Taken from words of the various members who commented about this very special event, it was a very informative and fitting commemoration of the end of WW1.
“A poignant afternoon”
TravelGroupHighlights2018
ManyWyreForestU3Amembershaveenjoyedthedaysaway,visitingplacesofinterestandexhibitionsandmeetingnewfriendsduringthistheTravelGroup’sfirstyear.In2018wehadwellattendedtripsincludingtheourvisittoTorquayinFebruary,aScottishIslandsCruisein April and a 5 day trip to Eastbourne. Day tripswerealsoverypopulartoLlangollenCanal,NECandarecyclingplant.
MembersatBeachyHeadontheEastbournetrip.
AlovelydaytriptoLlangollenCanal.
InsideAnneofCleve‘sHouse,Lewis,EastSussex.
MembersstudyingtheChurchillBarrierWW2,Orkney.
OurSecondyearoffunandfriendsisoverleaf.Forfurtherinformationpleasecontact:MargaretNicholls,GroupLeader–
TRAVELGROUP2019TheTravelGroupTeamhas10memberswhoareorganisingeventsduringthecomingyear.Ifyouareinterestedinanyoftheoutings/holidaysbelowpleasecontactMargaretNicholls,[email protected]
byphoneusingthegeneralmobilenumberonthepageofthisnewsletter.
TravelGroupproposedvisitto: THE LARGEST CHRISTMAS SHOW IN ENGLAND
Thursford Christmas Spectacular & Festive, Norfolk Sunday 1st & Monday 2nd December 2019
Price includes :
Whittle’s coach, an overnight stay in 4*Dunston Hall Hotel including 3 course dinner and English breakfast
Tickets for the Thursford Christmas Spectacular, time to explore Festive Norfolk the coach trip home and drivers
tip.
Costs £164 per person shared plus £20 per person single supplement. Non refundable deposit of £10 per person to be Caroline & Vincent O’Callaghan by Monday
14th January 2019 together with a completed booking form and cheque payable to Whittle Bus & Coach Ltd.
Join with us for this 2 day trip. The Christmas Spectacular and accommodation sells out in record time so we are making sure that we book up early for the Christmas Spectacular.
For full details and booking form please contact –
Vincent & Caroline O’Callaghan [email protected] not miss out!
TriptoWeymouthinDorset13to17February 2019only6placesleft(3twinnonseaviewrooms)for£109each.HalfboardatDaish’sHolidayshotelandcoachthereandbackincluded.EmailaboveformoreinformationfromMargaretNicholls.Meeting&PresentationopentoallWF&DU3AMembersatHolyInnocentsChurchHallonTuesday19February 2019 for 3pm to 5pm. David Townend, Business Development Manager of ConstantinouBrothersHotelGroup,Paphos,Cypruswillgivea talk ‘WELCOMETOCYPRUS’andhewillbringcheeseandwine.£1.50eachtocoverthecostofhiringtheHall.LimitednumberssoemailMargaretNicholls.
DayClassChef’sDemosattheCookerySchool,TheHopPole,BewdleyonTuesday19March 10amto4pm at £25 each including a two course lunchwithwine – SOLDOUT more dates to follow. FurtherdetailsfromTinaHull,emailaddressabove.TheTravelTeamareexploringotherdayvisits:
• Bakewell&TissingtonWellDressing-30May2019• BourtononTheWater&HookNortonBrewery&Tastingprovisionally18June2019• RAFMuseumCosford&DavidAustinRosesprovisionally22July2019
GeneralHistoryGroupWHATWEDIDIN2018
Duringtheyearwehavehad6meetings,1speakerandfourvisits (includingDecember's)andmuchresearchandlivelydiscussions.NextmeetingMonday14thJanuary2019.Thankyoueveryone.Caroline&AlisonTHERUSSIANREVOLUTION1917–Part2Monday8thJanuaryatTescoKidderminster,wehadexcellentpresentationsfromBobBrownandDennisJamesonTheRussianCivilWarandalivelydiscussion-thankyou.THERUSSIANREVOLUTION1917–Part3Monday12thFebruaryatStGeorge'sHall,Bewdley-AnnMurrellgaveafascinatinginsightintoGrigoriRasputin.WethenwatchedthefinalpartofthefascinatingChannel5TVdocumentaryfilm"TheRussianRevolution in Colour" starting from 11 November 1918 through the third revolution. We then had a groupdiscussiononAnn’sresearchandthefilmwithallthegroups’researcherspresent.Sunday18th March 2018AlisonBarsbysecured sufficient seats on theWhittleBus & CoachDay TriptoGreenwichinLondonwheretheWRNSanniversaryexpoiswhichU3Amembershavecontributedto.THEAMERICANCIVILWAR&SLAVERY-PART1Causes-AbigthankyoutoAnneKraemerforleadingtheMaymeetingandstartingusoffsowellwiththeAmericanCivilWar&Slavery,reallyinterestingandenjoyable.Somesuggestedreading.Therearesomanyhistorybooksbutthesearemorerelatedonesaboutthesubject:-WhiteCargo:TheForgottenHistoryofBritain'sWhiteSlavesinAmericabyDonJordanandMichaelJ.Walsh--Barracoon:TheStoryoftheLastSlavebyZoraNealeHurston-TheInventionofWingsPaperbackbySueMonkKidd-UncleTom'sCabinbyHarrietBeacherStowe-BattleCryofFreedom:TheCivilWarEra(Penguinhistory)byJamesM.McPherson-Checkout:www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/slavery-united-states
THEAMERICANCIVILWAR&SLAVERY-PART2Monday11thJuneatournewgrouphomeWribbenhallCommunityCentrewewatchedthesecondpartofTheKenBurnsfilmTheCivilWarcoveringTraitorsandPatriots12thApriltoJuly1861includingthefirstbattleatFortSumter.Groupvolunteersdidexcellentpresentationson:-Wheredidtheslavescomefrom?VincentO'Callaghan-Underground,helpingslavesmovetotheNorth.SueClarke-ThehistoricalinfluenceoftheUKretheintroductionofslaveryintoAmerica.DennisJames-UncleTom’sCabin,itsinfluenceonthewar/publicopinion.LinRoberts
WFU3A Newsletter EXTRA
‘Learn, Laugh and Live’
WORCESTERSHIRECHARTISTSCOTTAGESSunday1stJulyAbigthankyoutoAlisonBarsbyforarrangingafascinatingvisitandguidedwalkaroundRosedeneasimpleredbrickVictoriancottagebuiltforChartistmembersaspartoftheinnovativeChartistLandPlanChartistLandPlanwithatalkforthegroupfromtheNationalTrustvolunteers.Veryenjoyable,interestingandsunny!ANAUDIENCEWITHHENRYVIIIFriday27thJuly-prebookedvisittoBlakesleyHall.Sharedcars.Averygoodperformanceandvisit.THEAMERICANCIVILWAR&SLAVERY-PART3Monday10thSeptember-WribbenhallCommunityCentreWelistenedtoafascinatingaudiolinkfromtheUSAfromJimThompsononSlaveryandhowtheslavesusedmusictocommunicateMemberscontributedtheirownresearchandthoughtson:'Theimportanceofmusictotheslaves&indentured'CarolineO'Callaghan'PresidentAbrahamLincoln'AlisonBarsby'GeneralRobertELee(fortheSouth)'AnnMurrells'GeneralUGrant(fortheNorth)'DenisJamesAndtherewasalivelydiscussion.THEAMERICANCIVILWAR&SLAVERY-PART4Monday8thOctoberatWribbenhallCommunityCentreOur third part ofThe Ken Burns film The Civil Warcovering 1865 "The Better Angels of Our Nature" uptoFrederick Douglass who was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. AfterescapingfromslaveryinMaryland,hebecameanationalleaderoftheabolitionistmovementgainingnoteforhisoratoryandincisiveantislaverywritings."Itiseasiertobuildstrongchildrenthantorepairbrokenmen.""Powerconcedesnothingwithoutademand.Itneverdidanditneverwill."“Ifthereisnostruggle,thereisnoprogress.Thosewhoprofesstofavorfreedom,andyetdepreciateagitation,aremenwhowantcropswithoutplowinguptheground.Theywantrainwithoutthunderand lightning.Theywanttheoceanwithouttheawfulroarofitsmanywaters."DENNISPLANTSPEAKINGONTHEORIGINSOFWW1Monday12thNovemberatWribbenhallCommunityCentreThecatastrophicchainofeventsthatledfromtheassassinationofArchdukeFranzFerdinandon28thJune1914,tothedeclarationofwarbetweenBritainandGermanyon4thAugust1914.DennisPlantgaveagroupof30members&guestsatimelytalkontheoriginsoftheFirstWorldWarandtherewasafascinatingquestion&answeranddiscussionsession.ThankyoutoDennisandeveryonewhotookpart.VISITTOBIRMINGHAM–Friday7December2018.
FACEOFSUFFRAGEANDVISITINGTHE19THCENTURYBACKTOBACKHOUSES
