OCTOBER 2017

New and updated National U3A website

www.u3a.org.uk

The National U3A website has been updated and has many new features. It has been redesigned from the ground up to be more user-friendly and accessible on all devices. If you would like to use the website, U3A members will need to create themselves a new account. You will need to do this even if you had an account on the last website.

Monthly Coffee Morning and Talk Philip’s talk on Tuesday for our monthly meeting, began with the audience falling about laughing at the answer machine message from Maroochidore school in Queensland, Australia ably reenacted by Kathy. It made powerful points about the impossible expectations placed on schools by society. Philip went on to delight the audience with an account based on personal reflections from his own education, reports from his

varied and international professional career and hilarious anecdotes from teaching experience. This combination of serious points and humour went down very well with an appreciative audience. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed this multimedia presentation. Philip bravely started what is hoped will be a trend of our own members stepping up to talking about their careers and interests.

Local History Group - What would you like to do next? We would like to hold a meeting on Friday 13th October to brainstorm ideas and possible visits to places of interest and propose a calendar of events for the next few months. Ideas may include: History of The Park. Famous people of Nottingham. Museums – Nottingham Industrial Museum, Brewhouse Yard Museum,

Canalside Heritage Museum, Great Central Railway etc Dinosaurs of China!

Please come and share your ideas. Photography – Ageing Gracefully in the Park There are now six active members keen to meet and share photography

knowledge and take photos together. The first September meeting sought out examples of ‘Ageing Gracefully in The Park’ and some of the results are on the website. After many weeks of outings to take photos

the group’s last meeting in September was spent discussing and planning a secret project which will be finalised in the coming weeks. No details are yet public but the wait should be worth it! The next meeting is on 2nd October at 2pm, NSRC to further develop Project McGuffin (look it up). NEW GROUP – Cycling 6th September

Our new group of those interested in cycling started on 6th September with 3 hardy members venturing along the canal towpath towards Beeston. It soon became obvious that the cycle ride could be extended and the group completed a round trip of 11 miles. Future trips may be shorter depending upon the experience of the group so don’t be put off and get those bikes dusted and oiled for our next trip.

Monday 9th October 10am @ NSRC – Holme Pierrepont Country Park

Long Walk Tuesday 26th September Eight members of the Park U3A Walking Group were up early on Tuesday 26th September for our Long Walk in Rutland. Were we trying to squeeze too much into our day? The aim was to complete the 6.5-mile circuit in time to travel back for the Giles Croft talk at 2.30pm back at the Squash Centre in Nottingham. We arrived on time, just after 10am, in the pretty village of Exton and set off in good spirits. After recent rain, the going was a bit muddier than expected. Way marking on the route was also lacking. After about an hour, a farmer zoomed up to us in his quad buggy and told us we were off route, pointing to a telegraph pole in the next field where we could resume the path. It turned out we were right and he was wrong, as we ended up heading in the wrong direction. Behind time now, we stepped up the pace across the hill to Rutland Water. After a brief stop for refreshments at the lakeside, we pushed on back over the hill to Exton, leaving just enough time for the journey back. It would be good to go back sometime and complete the walk at a more leisurely pace, as the scenery was beautiful. Our next long walk, based around Bestwood Country Park, should be a more relaxing experience. Monthly Meeting 10am - 10.30am 17th October 2017 Talk by Christine Robinson, retired Head Housekeeper at Chatsworth, on Deborah Cavendish, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire. She was an astute business woman, keen gardener, successful writer and knowledgeable farmer. The talk looks at the life of this remarkable woman with whom Christine worked for over 30 years.

‘Deborah Vivien Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, (born Freeman-Mitford; 31 March 1920 – 24 September 2014) was an English aristocrat, writer, memoirist and socialite. She was the youngest and last surviving of the six Mitford sisters, who were prominent members of English society in the 1930s and 1940s’.

Wikipedia

Fine Dining 5th October

The October meal is on 5th Oct, 12.30pm, at La Rock in Long Eaton, which has an excellent reputation for good food. We shall see! Some places are still available. Contact Kyra tel. 01159 9417071 if interested..

Gardening Club - Up & Running –Every Wednesday 2.30pm @ NSRC If you happened to pass the squash club on Wednesday afternoon this week, you might have seen 7 people happily pottering in the Community Garden. It is hard to imagine what this scrubby piece of land looked like months ago. Now with the layout established, fruits and vegetables having cropped at least once, we replant and tidy in a peaceful and friendly communal atmosphere. After a visit to the market, there was new stock to plant this week. We put daffodills round the tree, lettuce and red and white onions in the planters. The now, rather too large, courgette was pulled out and replaced by intriguing new plants. This is what it’s all about - growing things and creating natural beauty out of the wilderness, together. It’ll be such fun to see what pops up in the spring. If you fancy planting, weeding and hoeing with friends, come along. Convenor Anne Masterson

Short Walk Tuesday 10th October 1.00am @ NSRC ‘Supermarkets of the World - Hyson Green’ We live in a very multi-cultural City and less than ½ a mile away from The Park, are several fantastic ethnic food supermarkets. Have you ever been in? Possible itinerary: Coffee (Ethiopian), Kaya (Turkish), Colin Mitchells (Caribbean), Khyber/Desi (Pakistani), Zam Zam, Sharifs (Asian)

NEW GROUP – Early Doors Club Every Friday 5-7pm @ NSRC

We had a great turnout for the first Early Doors session at The Squash Club. Fresh coffee, soft drinks, wines and beers.

Call in any Friday you are free for a chat and drink with Friends and neighbours.

Convenor Brenda Argyle

NEW GROUP - COMPUTER HELP! Thursday 12th October 2.00pm @ NSRC

None of us who will run the computer group professes to be an expert. But by pooling our individual areas of expertise we usually find an answer to any problem. So if you’re baffled by that fancy bit of plastic on which you’ve just spent a small fortune come along and join us.

Convenor Chris Colbeck/Graham Edwards

Have your input. Why not send us an article to put in the

Newsletter.

CALENDAR OCTOBER 2017

Monday 2nd October

Photography - Secret Project 2pm @ NSRC

Wednesday 4th October

Practical Art 2pm @ Julia Seroff house

Wednesday 4th October

Gardening Club 2.30pm @ Harts Community Garden

Thursday 5th October

Fine Dining ‘La Rock’ – Long Eaton

12.30pm

Friday 6th October

NEW GROUP Early Doors 5pm @ NSRC

Monday 9th October

Cycling 6-8 miles 10am @ NSRC

Tuesday 10th October

Short Walk – Paul Stapleton

Supermarkets of the World - Hyson Green 10am @ NSRC

Tuesday 10th October

Mah Jongg 2pm @ NSRC

Wednesday 11th October

Table Tennis 10am @ NSRC

Thursday 12th October NEW GROUP Computer Help! 2.00pm @ NSRC

Wednesday 11th October Gardening Club

2.30pm @ Harts Community Garden

Friday 13th October

Local History 10am @ NSRC

Friday 13th October

NEW GROUP Early Doors 5pm @ NSRC

Monday 16th October

Photography - Secret Project 2pm @ NSRC

Tuesday 17th October

Monthly Meeting - Christine Robinson, retired Head Housekeeper at Chatsworth

10am @ NSRC

Wednesday 18th October

Gardening Club 2.30pm @ Harts Community Garden

Thursday 19th October

Newsletter 2pm @ NSRC

Friday 20th October

NEW GROUP Early Doors 5pm @ NSRC

Tuesday 24th

October Long Walk 10am @ NSRC

Tuesday 24th October

Mah Jong 2pm @ NSRC

Wednesday 25th October

Table Tennis 10am @ NSRC

Wednesday 25th October Gardening Club

2.30pm @ Harts Community Garden

Friday 27th October Bridge 2.00pm @ NSRC

Friday 27th October

NEW GROUP Early Doors 5pm @ NSRC