Retford U3A Newsletter - MAY 2021

Membership No. 822/801/10

www.retford-u3a.org.uk

CHAIRMANS THOUGHTS 9

Hi there, two things to think about this month. Next

Wednesday is National u3a Day. This is seen by

London as a celebration of all that is good within

the movement. Other u3as in Nottinghamshire and

around the country are presenting their branches

to their local areas.

The Committee here in Retford made the decision

to commemorate the day on Thursday 3rd, by

having a market stall until the early afternoon in

Retford’s Thursday Market. The stall has been

arranged and will be on the Market Square near

Spencers. Various Committee members and

Interest Group Leaders will be on the stall from

9.00am until about 2.00pm.

The main idea of having a stall is to raise the profile

of the u3a and attract new members. Dawn

Madine’s Group have been busy producing cloth

shopping bags, which we will be giving away to

prospective members. We have had professional

leaflets produced showing various activities which

take place in our branch and we have

membership forms which folk can take away or fill

in on the stall. If you are in Retford next Thursday

morning, do come along to the market to say

hello.

The second point I want to discuss covers when we

can meet up again in Interest groups or at Monthly

General Meetings at the Well.

As I said last month, the committee are still

monitoring closely the Governments roadmap,

and it is obvious that gradually some meetings will

be able to get back to some degree of normality.

However, we are still going to renew our Zoom

agreement, which means those groups who have

found it an easy way to communicate with

members can still use it.

We know that Bassetlaw Council are making both

Hallcroft and Westhill Community Centres

available to us, but as things stand at the moment

they can’t provide caretaking backup. This means

that if you need to put up tables for your meeting

you will have to do this yourselves. Also if you want

to use their kitchen facilities you will need to take

your own cup or mug if you want a drink. Obviously

at the end of your meeting you will have to put

everything you have used, chairs and tables etc.

away.

It may be sensible to wait a month or two to see

how the virus pans out. Even though most of us will

probably have had the injections, there will always

be people who for various reasons have not had

the security of the vaccine. Social distancing

would still seem to be the sensible course of action,

so if you are meeting at your home, although we

can now do this in greater numbers do remember

the need for individual safety still exists.

As far as walking and cycling, I think the restrictions

on these groups will probably be the first to be

relaxed, but again until we know otherwise masks

and some degree of social distancing would seem

sensible. Things are definitely getting easier and

Group Leaders can find more information on the

National u3a Website. Stay safe, Roy

REMINDER FOR u3a DAY - WEDNESDAY 2ND JUNE

THE NOT SO IDLE TIMES Page 2

NEWS FROM GROUPS

ARCHITECTURE GROUP

As we say a very fond farewell to Thelma Britz

who moves to pastures new in Cherry

Willingham, Lincolnshire, an opportunity has

arisen to lead her popular and successful

Architecture Group. This meets in the glorious

garden room at Trinity Hospital, Retford, and is

co run by Mike Costello from the Dukeries

U3A. The group has a solid membership and

entertains external and inhouse speakers,

alongside interesting outings in the summer.

Refreshments are provided at meetings which

cost £1, parking is plentiful and the meetings

take place monthly for about 2 hours. This is joint

group with The Dukeries U3A.

If you are interested in leading this group, please

contact me on 01427 848852 or email

brendawilson16@outlook.com I will be happy to

help in any way, and Thelma has left a box file of

useful information.

Currently, this group is suspended and will not

recommence if we cannot appoint a volunteer

to lead which will be disappointing as along with

over 25 members, there is a waiting list too! Brenda Wilson Groups Coordinator

At the recent Photo Group Zoom meeting members chose

the following image as the Photo of the Month. The theme

was TEXTURE.

The image below is of a Rusty Scaffold Clip

is by Adrian Hetherington

PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP CURRENT AFFAIRS GROUP

In recent years, the media has been awash with

news pieces and comment on a whole range of

contentious issues, including race, gender,

censorship and attacks on free speech,

cybercrime, the monarchy, brexit, ‘wokeism’,

COVID-19, the breakup of the UK and the failings

of the justice system.

These are all matters of real public concern, but

we still have very little opportunity to step back

together, and reflect on the diverse range of

opinions expressed.

I propose to start a Current Affairs Group this

Autumn, when, it is hoped we can all return to our

face to face meetings. We will see if we can try to

address some of these problems, but also enjoy

some lively interaction and discussion where

everyone’s viewpoint is respected.

Initially, I suggest we meet fortnightly and see how

it goes.

If you would like to join us, then please contact me

at currentaffairs@retford-u3a.org.uk or call 01777

817835.

We hope this message finds you well.

As things are very slowly getting back to some

kind of normality, we are looking to start the

Local History meetings again at the Westhill

Community Centre, on Tuesday, 14th

September.

At this stage, we would be pleased to learn if

you are interested in attending this meeting, so

we can go ahead and book the centre and a

speaker accordingly.

Further instructions will be sent to you shortly.

LOCAL HISTORY GROUP

THE NOT SO IDLE TIMES Page 3

Design, Production & Printing - Christine Cook

Contact:- newsletters@retford-u3a.org.uk

For the foreseeable future I will still be publishing a

monthly or bi monthly newsletter and will

appreciate any articles etc.

Contact me on 01777 870583. Items for inclusion in

the next edition can be sent in any time until things

return to normal. Christine

NEWSLETTER CONTACT A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY - REMINDER

The lack of activity available for some of our

interest groups has perhaps resulted in a few

'casualties'. The following groups will no

longer run when we resume in (hopefully) the

Autumn, but are open to restarting if a new

group leader comes forward.

Cosmology

French Intermediate

Knit & Natter

Thursday Lunch Club

Spanish Improvers

These groups are not viable either due to

falling numbers or leader retiring, or both.

Thanks go to John Kelly, Margorie Gibson,

Jean Winder, Coralie Brown, Sheila Fox &

Norma Taylor for their commitment to running

these groups.

More new groups will be coming on stream in

the future not least of which, CURRENT

AFFAIRS - look out for the flyer.

If you think you could run a group or would

like to start a new one, please contact me on

01427 848852 or

Email brendawilson16@outlook.com

INTEREST GROUPS UPDATE

GARDEN OPEN FOR NATIONAL

GARDEN SCHEME

SUNDAY 6th JUNE 2 – 5 pm

Primrose Cottage

16 Bar Road North

Beckingham

DN10 4NN

Tel. 01427 848852

Home made teas

Plant stall by Norwell Nurseries

Flowers by Spotty Dog

Metal garden ornaments/structures by Patrick.

All on the village green

We are sorry to inform you of the death in April

of Eileen Hart. She had been in several u3a

groups over the years and enjoyed the

company of the friends she had made.

Condolences have been sent to the family.

We are sorry to announce the death of one of

our members. Dave Valentine died on

19.05.21. The u3a send condolences to his

family and friends.

RIP

FOND FAREWELL

" I came to Retford in September 2006 having

been involved with the U3A for 10 years in West

Sussex - Chairman and Secretary a few times

each. I joined The Dukeries U3A and soon

became actively engaged for several years until I

was asked to start a Retford U3A. That then

became my main focus.

Until this pandemic it has been a huge part of my

life. I enjoyed participating in many of the Interest

Groups (running the Architecture Group), learned

to play Bridge (sort of), transferred the table tennis

group I started to our Wednesday session, had

some great outings and holidays, listened to good

talks, but mainly made some wonderful friends. I

shall be sorry to leave it all behind but recent poor

health has confirmed that I have made the right

decision. I need to be near family who can watch

over me.

My new telephone number is 01522 754084. My

address will be 1 New Crescent, Cherry

Willingham. LN3 4AJ. My e-mail address stays the

same.

I am not leaving U3A and hope to return to Retford

occasionally. I would like to continue with some

activities so - see you soon, as they say in these

parts."

Thelma Britz

NGS have given the go

ahead for this event.

Usually very well supported,

so do come. Admission £3.

Terry & Brenda Wilson

THE NOT SO IDLE TIMES Page 4

QUIZ

1. COUNTRIES - NAMES What is the present day name of -

a. Formosa

b. Ceylon

c. Northern Rhodesia

d. Siam

e. Persia

2 BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS a. Which book ends ‘He drew a deep

breath, “Well, I’m back,” he said.’

b. Which book begins ‘It is a truth

universally acknowledged, that a single

man in possession of a good fortune

must be in want of a wife.’

c. Which book ends with the words ‘It is a far,

far better thing that I do, than I h a v e

ever done, it is a far, far better rest

that I go to than I have ever known.’

d. Which book begins ‘On December 3rd the

wind changed overnight.’

e. Which book ends ‘After all, tomorrow is

another day.’

3. CLASSICAL MUSIC a. In which opera do Ping, Pang and Pong

appear?

b. By what name is the 2nd symphony of

Gustav Mahler commonly known?

c. The English composer Philip Heseltine

died in 1930. He composed many

songs and a well-known orchestral suite

but is better known by his nom-de-

plume. What is it?

d. Which orchestral work is dedicated ‘to m y

friends pictured within.’

e. Who composed a choral symphony

entitled The Bells?

4. SONGS a. Who sat under the shade of a coolibah

tree?

b. Who wheeled her wheelbarrow through

streets broad and narrow?

c. Whose tiny hand was frozen?

d. Who may very well pass for 43 in the dusk

with a light behind her?

e. Who waits at the window wearing a

face that she keeps in a jar by the

door?

5. FAMOUS ANIMALS a. What was the name of Long John

Silver’s parrot?

b. What was the name of the Darling

family’s dog?

c. Who wrote about an otter called Tarka?

d. Who travelled with a donkey called

Modestine?

e. Who has a dog named Toby?

6. DATES IN HISTORY a. In which year was the Battle of T rafalgar?

b. In which year was the first man sent into

space?

c. In which year did Queen Victoria die?

d. In which year was the American

Declaration of Independence signed?

e. In which year did the Titanic sink?

6. POETS AND POEMS a. Who wrote these lines, “Dirty British

coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack,

Butting through the Channel in the mad

March Days...?

b. Who, poetically speaking, was “A Better

Man than I am’?

c. Who wrote the poem, ‘Hiawatha’?

d. Which poet was the husband of El izabeth

Barrett?

e. What were Lord Byron’s given names?

7. CITIES a. In which capital city is Gorky Park?

b. What was the former name of the

capital Harare?

c. Of what country is Bogota the capital?

d. Which capital city is situated on the river

Liffey?

e. What is the capital of Norway?

WhatsApp has been altered by Facebook so

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and scammers can now add you to groups

and send you stuff. This fix below makes it so

that only your contacts can add you to a

group. Several members who use WhatsApp

have done it and it works.

DID YOU KNOW?