April 2018 Issue No 24

MUSINGS FROM THE CHAIRAfter all the snow and cold it seems Spring may have sprung. I expect by the time you see this Easter will be upon us or possibly gone. I had the dubious pleasure of representing our U3A at the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Third Age Trust this month. If you're interested, the details are on the U3A website which can be linked to from ours. New updated Data Protection Legislation comes into force in May. Please be assured we only keep data about you to allow us to communicate with you and will not share it with anybody else. I have added a statement on the website welcome screen and have asked for a copy to be sent with the newsletters we post out. A couple of messages from interest groups 1. The Games group is now meeting every Wednesday afternoon 2. Photography now has vacancies if you would like to join (see ‘Challenging Photography’ below)

Don't forget we are having our AGM in May. If you would like to help steer our U3A, please talk to us, get yourself nominated and help us become the U3A we all want. Best wishes Richard Hill Chairman

TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP MEMBERSHIPS ARE DUE FOR RENEWAL ON 1 MAY 2018 Please note that our membership year ends on 30 April 2018. We very much hope you will want to renew and you can do so either by:

1. Sending your completed form with your cheque made payable to ‘Mapperley and District U3A’ to Vic Blake, Membership Secretary, 91 Haywood Road, Mapperley, Nottingham, NG3 6AF.

2. Bringing your completed membership form along with the appropriate fee (cash or cheque) to our next Main Meeting. It would help us greatly if these could be placed in a sealed envelope with your name on the front and then placed in the box provided at the Membership Desk.

You can download the Membership form from the website, but it is not currently possible for you to renew on line - we hope to make this facility possible in the future. Click here for Membership Form

Please be sure to include your membership number, if you are renewing your membership. Our current membership fees are £20.00 for an Individual Member, or £16.50 if you are an Associate Member (i.e. you are already a full member of another U3A).

Those people who joined or have already re-joined since January this year have extended memberships until 30 April 2019.

Vic Blake Membership Secretary

Your Monthly Mapperley and District U3A Newsletter

THE THIRD AGE TRUST

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE

U A3 M a Dmoments

BECOME A MaD U3A COMMITTEE MEMBER! The MaD Committee would love to hear from you if you might be interested in joining the Committee and making our U3A even better for all our members. You don’t need any special knowledge or skills, just be willing to work with the other Committee members to make the monthly meetings run smoothly and to contribute your views, ideas and (some) energy into developing our U3A. We meet once a month for a couple of hours, and occasionally smaller groups get together to deal with specific issues. We are keen for new Committee members to work alongside existing members whenever possible. If you would like to have a chat or to come along to a Committee meeting to see what we do, you would be very welcome. Please have a word with any of the Committee members. We would also be delighted to hear from you if you are willing to volunteer to help without joining the Committee – again, see one of the Committee members. The AGM and election of officers and Committee will be held at our May monthly meeting on 24 May. Nominations for officers and committee members should be given to Maggie Grimshaw, the Business Secretary, by 26 April 2018. A nomination form will be available on the website shortly or ask for one at the Membership Desk at the monthly meeting.

LGBT NETWORK IN THE U3a

MAPPERLEY & DISTRICT U3A TAKE DATA PROTECTION SERIOUSLY • We store your contact details on computer and paper for the sole purposes of administering the

group, for internal communications, and for your health and safety • We will not pass your details on to any third party without your consent • We do not share contact details with any third parties e.g. other U3As or marketing organisations

apart from U3A National Office and this is solely for the purposes of sending out your copy of Third Age Matters

• In an incident where you are incapacitated we may use your details to contact a family member or friend whose details you have given us

Data storage • Storing data on computer is a convenient, efficient and inexpensive way to keep up to date and

accurate records. • We retain records for lapsed members for up to 5 years. • Details will be removed from our records on request to the secretary • You may see your records on request to the secretary

Photographic and video images • Making photographs and video images of club members in action is an effective marketing tool and

helps other members and potential new members to see what we do. • All such material is carefully selected for quality before publication. • Anyone requesting that an image of themselves or a relative be removed will have their request

processed as soon as reasonably possible • The names of the persons in the images will not be tagged or displayed without their express prior

permission

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As reported in the February Third Age Matters, there is to be a new national LGBT network in the U3A and several U3A members in Nottinghamshire have already made contact with it. To reach the national network, e-mail Maggie Jones at maggieinlondon@gmail.com. Anyone in Nottinghamshire who is interested in making links at a more local level can contact Jan Lindley of MaD U3A at janlindley49@yahoo.co.uk. She says "It would be lovely to support each other, share stories and hopefully have some fun!" All details would, of course, be kept completely confidential.

TWO CUPS OF TEA The podcast sharing older people’s extraordinary life stories Chris Heath has recorded several conversations that he has had with various older members of the public who are living their golden years alone. They talk and laugh over a cup of tea (and probably a chocolate biscuit). But, this isn’t a hand-wringing, gloomy conversation about solitude. Instead, these podcasts are a celebration of some extraordinary characters and the lives they’ve lived. You can listen to stories of bravery and tales of family life, Sunday roasts and selfless endeavour. From heart-warming tales of first crushes to hilarious stories and narrow scrapes at work, in service and even under fire. It’s not the amazing deeds or achievements that are necessarily the standout moments, but the commonalities and the familiar details that unite Chris with his guests. He declares never to have laughed so much in his life as with these people. First and foremost, this podcast aims to show that everyone has a fascinating story to relate, regardless of age or circumstance. Would You Like To Be On The Podcast? Each of these podcasts is recorded in the interviewee’s home for their convenience and won’t take any longer than 120 minutes. For more information or to nominate either yourself, a neighbour, friend or loved one to be a guest, please email chrisheathpodcast@gmail.com, together with a short description of the person you’re nominating and the part of the country in which they live.

You can listen to the ‘Two Cups of Tea’ podcast on the Acast website, or on iTunes

SPOT THE MAD HATTER

Where is the Mad Hatter hiding this month? Can you spot him?

MaD U3A DAY OUTING TO STAMFORD Now Friday 11 May 2018

Margaret Taylor is proposing a day trip by minibus to this lovely, relatively local town, for which the cost will be £12.00 per person for 15 passengers. There will be an optional visit to Burleigh House for which the entrance fee is £18.00 per person. However, if the demand is more than can be accommodated on a minibus, Margaret will arrange a coach for which the cost per person will be announced. More information will be given when numbers are becoming known. For more information or to book a place on the outing please contact Margaret via the website

AMERICAN SQUARE DANCE What a fun evening we had at the MaD American Square Dance! Dave Morton is a very experienced and amusing caller and soon had us sorting out our Do-si-dos from our Promenades and Allemandes, and despite having to 'split the ring' on several occasions nobody seemed to come to any harm! Have a look at the photos on our website

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MEETINGS

March’s General Meeting

We braved a gloomy, cold March day and, once plied with coffee and tea, 82 U3A members settled down to listen to Helen Catchpole’s account of her journey into the heart of Africa. Helen and her small, intrepid group took two days of increasingly fraught travel to reach Matana, a small town in the middle of Burundi. The purpose of the visit was for the group to investigate how civic and religious groups in this Country can offer realistic help to an under-resourced country. They were shown how funds were allocated to health and education, but soon realised how an offer of basic equipment would stretch tight budgets. The people round Matana grow high quality tea and coffee but the group noticed they lacked an export system which would help maximise the value of their valuable crops. The women are skilled at needlework, but lack marketing expertise and better tools to gain a higher return for their efforts. The country has plenty of rain but needs a large charity like WaterAid to be persuaded to bring in their expertise to develop water conservation schemes. Great warmth and hospitality were shown to the group and they left Africa with many delightful gifts and also with a much clearer idea of what they could do to support and encourage the people of Burundi to reach their human potential. Sheila Reece

Future General Meetings Thursday 26 April 2018 - Samantha Glasswell "Roman Food & Dining" Archeologist Samantha joins us today for her fascinating talk about the Romans. Did the Romans really eat dormice? What would the well-dressed Roman wear to dinner? What dishes would you find on a wealthy Roman's table? Come along and discover the answers to these and many more interesting facts.

Thursday 24 May 2018 - Paul Newsham "Biometrics - There Will Never Be Another You" Paul is a lecturer in forensics and this talk is the first in a series. It is a brief introduction to the human genome and each individual's uniqueness. Get ready to be amazed and astounded!

Thursday 28th June 2018 - Jean Townsend “The Last Laugh-Graveyard Epitaphs” Jean is a social historian with a particular interest in the late medieval and early Tudor period. She studied archaeology and discovered her first epitaph whilst clearing a London churchyard. This led Jean to study social attitudes to burial in the past and she collected many unusual and amusing epitaphs. Jean has produced a fascinating talk on this subject - the rest, as they say, is history !

Thursday 26th July 2018 - Christine Adams “Miss Savidge Moves Her House” When the council told May Savidge that her Hertfordshire home would be demolished to make way for a bypass, she had other ideas! She had every nail, brick and beam of her medieval hall house dismantled and carted over 100 miles to Norfolk. May set about singlehandedly rebuilding her house from scratch. She was almost sixty years old and it would take her until the end of her life. This event will appeal to those who still believe that an Englishman’s home is his castle and you will not fail to be moved and awed by this story as told by her niece Christine.

New and Prospective Members’ Meeting Next meeting - Friday 20 April at 10:30 Meetings held at The Plainsman, top of Woodthorpe Drive, Mapperley on the 3rd Friday morning of each month at 10:30 (this being the week prior to our main meetings). If you have recently joined, or know someone who may wish to join us as a new member, then this is an opportunity for you to come along for a one to one chat with one of our committee members. You will be made very welcome! For further details contact Mike Anthony on 0115 920 8906

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THE LITTLE MaD QUIZ How are you doing with the quiz? There’s another at the end of the Newsletter, together with the answer to last month’s quiz.

NOTICES and ITEMS OF INTEREST

STOP NUISANCE CALLS TO YOUR MOBILE An article in the Guardian advised how to stop nuisance calls on your mobile – you text TPS and your e-mail address to 85095 to be added to the UK’s official “do not call” database.

BEWARE THE BOGUS CALLER The Co-Operative Bank have a helpful article on how to spot a bogus caller - Click here

SUGGESTIONS BOX

Your ideas about our U3A, its running and groups are very welcome. You can let us have your ideas and suggestions either by putting them into the Suggestions Box at each monthly meeting, by sending an email us by using the contact service on the website. It’s YOUR U3A. Be creative and think outside the oblong receptacle.

FACEBOOK We now have our own Facebook group - Mapperley and District U3A. Do join the group and keep up to date with news, views and information regarding the MaD U3A.

FANCY LEARNING TO PLAY THE UKULELE? Burton Joyce U3A have a ‘Learn the Ukulele’ group and would welcome any MaD U3A members who wish to give it a go. For more information please contact Richard Hill via the website, or speak to Richard at the main meeting.

PLEASE REMEMBER to let the Membership Secretary know if your personal details change. If you don’t you may stop receiving Third Age Matters, email information and the Newsletter etc.

The MaD Moments Newsletter is published monthly in digital format. Hard copies are available for members who do not have email. Please contact your Chairman Richard Hill or speak to one of the Committee members.

The Third Age Matters magazine is available in a text only format to make it readable with screen reader. (You will have to register with the Resources section. Let me know if you have any problems and I will send you a text file.) If your household receives two copies of the Third Age Matters monthly magazine it would be very helpful to us if you could bring your second copy to the next main meeting, so that new members can have a chance to browse this. With thanks Your Committee

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A clear conscience is usually

the sign of a bad memoryMake something idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot

INTEREST GROUPSNew Groups: PROPOSED INDOOR MAT BOWLS GROUP

Formation of this group is under investigation by the Group Co-ordinator but at present it is proving difficult to find a suitable venue for a regular spot at the same time and on the same day, on a weekly or fortnightly basis.

As soon as a suitable venue is found within easy reach of Mapperley, an advice will be sent to the prospective members of the group who have put their names down on the reserve list. Notice will also be published in this newsletter and by announcement at the monthly General Meeting.

Unfortunately, at the present, it is a matter of wait and see!!

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If you wish to make suggestions for new groups or to join those already set up please get in touch. Ownership of each group lies with the members of that group and they get together to agree on times and places.

Two free taster sessions are available to those who are not members of MaD U3A. To find out more please go to the website. Each group below has a link to the relevant page.

INTEREST GROUPSEach group has its own page on the website.

Art History Convenor : Julie Rigby Meet : 3rd Thursday from 10.00 to 12.00 am Venue : Mapperley Plains Sports and Social Club The next meeting of the Art History group will be Thursday 19 April.

For more information, contact Julie Rigby at Art History convenor Bookclub Convenor: Martin Cooke Meet : 2nd Tuesday at 10.30 am Venue : Members’ homes The next meeting will be on Tuesday 10 April, and we are looking at Sarah Perry's ‘The Essex Serpent’.

We've met monthly since April 2016 – a friendly group, great discussions & varied reading list. People also bring books they’ve read and enjoyed, but do not want to keep, to the meetings to share. We meet at our houses in turn, so keep the membership to max 10 people, which usually results in 6/8 coming along, and being able to fit into the room available! Currently the group is full – but please put your name on the Reserve List and hopefully a second book group will be formed. At our meeting on 8 May we shall be discussing Remains of the day by Kazuo Ishiguro. For a list of the books we have already read, please visit the Book Club page of the website. Please get in touch with Martin Cooke via the website about venues or if you have any queries.

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Bridge : Learn to play Bridge

Convenor : Freddie Davies Meet : Wednesday from 2.00 to 4.00 pm Venue : Convenor’s Home

ThenewcoursewillcommenceWednesday26September2018-15mee>ngs

The course, intended to start on 7 February, has been deferred until a new start date … Wednesday, 26th September. The deferment was due to a number of clashes of dates with other activities with which the prospective members were involved, which undermined the validity of conducting the course. The members have all asked that I retain their details for the new commencement date, and, of course, I am doing this.

Freddie Davies If you are interested in joining the course please read my page on the website. If, in the meantime, you wish to comment or enter your details on a waiting list, please see me at the meeting or email me at Bridge Group Convenor

Challenging Photography Convenor : Malcolm Darroch Meet : 4th Wednesday from 2.15 to 4.00 pm (except January) Venue: Room 2 Arnold Library - £2 per head to cover room hire

An opportunity for amateur photographers to rise to the challenge of interpreting a given theme, subject or location. This group is open to all members of MaD U3A who use any form of digital photography equipment. We are not judgemental about technical excellence; we are interested in your interpretation of a given subject. In order to provide a level playing field, all composition and editing must be 'in camera'. With the exception of cropping, no manipulation of images allowed. Members will have two months to submit their entries by e-mail attachment and the anonymous photographs will be judged by the group members. All winning photos are shown on the Challenging Photography webpage. Entries must be submitted to Malcolm by the 13th of each month and the picture must not have been taken before the category has been announced. Judging will take place on the 4th Wednesday of each month.

March entries were difficult to choose between. Competition was extremely close; four photographs particularly stood out in the judges' opinion and gave us a clear winner followed by three ties for second place. Sue Cullen achieved two seconds with Spanish studies 'Arches and Oranges' and a 'Night Scene’, a very sinister looking alleyway. Our third 'second tie' and the overall winning entry were taken by Christine Padgett who avoided the expense of travelling to Spain and focussed her camera on the Council House in Nottingham. Her second place was for a study taken looking along the arcade behind the lions and her winning photograph was an outward looking shot with an arch framing one of the famous lions. Our congratulations to all who took part. Theme for April is ’Numbers’ Closing date 13 April, meeting 25 April

Theme for May is ‘Proverbs’. Photographs must have a theme related to a well-known proverb, adage or saying. Title of photograph to be the proverb you are alluding to.Closing date 13 May, meeting 23 May

There are currently 3 membership vacancies - why not join this interesting and enjoyable group? Contact Malcolm Darroch for more information or to join the group

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Creative Writing Convenor : Carolyn Luckhurst Meet : Once a month, varying days, at 2.00 pm Venue : Convenor’s home

The writers’ topic for March was “A Success” and it certainly provided some very interesting and extremely varied pieces that were read out loud by the writer. We enjoyed two poems, one ode and three short stories. The Group decided to go to the opposite extreme for next time with a title “Rotten Luck”. As usual, we target ourselves to write around 1000 words. The next meeting will be 2:00 - 4:00 pm on Thursday 12 April.

New members will be made very welcome. Please contact Carolyn for more information and to book a place.

Family History Convenor : Claire Wilkie Meet : 4th Monday at 2.00 pm Venue : Arnold Library This group is open to members at all stages of involvement in Family History, from those just taking up exploration of their ancestors, to people who have managed to trace their family back hundreds of years.

Each meeting will have a focus topic, discuss any research individual members have done during the month and also give people the option of spending some time doing further research. Group members who wish to use the Library's WiFi should make sure they have their Library card. The April topic for the Family History Group, on Monday 23rd April, will be another look at The Geography of Surnames. As usual, the meeting will be at 2pm at Arnold Library. If you want to comment or show more interest in this group, please send an email to the Family History convenor via the website

Games Convenor : Marion Wright Meet : Wednesdays from 2:00 to 4:00 pm Venue : The Punchbowl, Porchester Road, Nottingham

Due to demand, the Games Group is now meeting every Wednesday.

We meet in an alcove at the back of the Punchbowl at the back of the Punchbowl, or tucked away in a cosy corner of the bar. There is no room charge, but we pay £1.00 a head for tea and coffee, which is provided during the afternoon. Generally we play board games. A few (like Rummikub) have become firm favourites, but members introduce new games all the time and that's often been an enjoyable challenge. The card game Canasta is also a regular feature. If you want to play a particular game, then bring it along and see if you can find

fellow enthusiasts to play with you. Remember, you can bring a friend, who is not yet a member, to give them a taster session. New members are very welcome - the bigger the group, the more likely it is that everyone gets to do what they'd like to.

Contact Marion via this link - Games convenor

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Gardening Convenor : Chris Padgett Meet : 3rd Monday at 10.00 am (ish) Venue : Various Next meeting: 16 April from 10:15 to 12 noon - Treetops We have 30 members - a friendly, cheerful group of enthusiastic people who share an interest in gardening. None of us are experts, but we all have willing hearts and hands, so why not join us?

For more information, just send an email to the Gardening convenor. Whatever your gardening interest, I look forward to hearing from you!

Geology 1 : The Magic of our Solar System Convenor : Freddie Davies First meeting: Commencing Thursday 1 February 2018 from 2.00 to 4.00 pm and every 2 weeks thereafter, for 10 meetings Venue : Room 2 Arnold Library I will be offering this course to commence on Thursday 1st February, 2018. It will deal with the spectacular system of which our planet Earth is part and will examine the effect the planets have on us on Earth as well as the various attributes each of the planets have individually – and they are totally individual. It will be a spectacular course and will be thoroughly illustrated. If you are interested in learning about our sun and the neighbouring planets in the vastness of space and what they mean to us on Earth join this course for a voyage into space and time. Please visit the website page for full information. If you are interested in knowing more please contact The magic of the Solar System convenor

Geology 2 : The History of the Planet Earth Convenor : Freddie Davies First meeting: Commencing Thursday 14 June 2018 from 2.00 to 4.00 pm and every 2 weeks thereafter, for 10 meetings Venue : Room 2 Arnold Library This will be a follow-on from ‘The Magic of our Solar System’ course.

We live on a very tiny planet called Earth that revolves around, and relies for its survival on, our Sun and also on the Moon, which revolves around us, all on the very fringe of our galaxy in the boundless existence of space. How was Earth “born” 4.6 billion years ago? Where did the Sun and Moon come from? What is the story of Earth from then to now? How has our planet been given the glorious scenery which we all admire and travel frequently to enjoy? Why are there earthquakes, mountains, volcanoes, glaciers, deserts, storms, rivers, oceans, and the animal kingdom? It’s a fascinating story and if you want to know the answers to these questions and also how and when WE arrived and survive on the thin “eggshell” which is the crust of the Earth, then this 10 week short

course is for you. To find out more about this course please visit the website page. If I’ve sparked an interest, have a chat with me at our general meeting or send an email to Earth's History group convenor.

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Geology 3 : The Earth’s Crust and Us Convenor : Freddie Davies First meeting: Commences 2018 - dates to be announced Venue : Room 2 Arnold Library, from 2.00 to 4.00 pm

I am offering a short-course of 10 sessions duration of 2 hours each entitled ‘The Earth's Crust and Us’. It’s about how we survive on it and use it. This will be a follow-on from ‘The Magic of our Solar System’ and ‘The History of the Plant Earth’ courses but it is not vital that you should have attended either of them before joining this course.

Among the topics covered will be: • the structure of the planet and how chains of islands, mountains and

volcanoes are formed; • how did the map of the world, that we are so familiar with, come into

being; • how and why earthquakes occur; • an overview of the geology of the UK & in more detail that of

Nottinghamshire; • mining extraction including the controversy around fracking; • sinkholes; • minerals and their uses. • the wonderful (and sometimes weird) formations of landscape and

the `whys` and the `hows` of it

To find out more about this course please visit the website page or speak to me at our U3A general meeting, or email me at Earth's Crust convenor

Heraldry : An Introduction Convenor : Freddie Davies First meeting: Alternate Tuesdays from 2.00 to 4.00 pm for 10 meetings Venue : Room 2 Arnold Library

This month’s meetings will be on Thursday 5 and Thursday 19 April. This is a short course which runs for 10 meetings and to get the most out of it it’s best to attend every meeting. The current course is full, but if there is sufficient interest it may be run again later in the year.

If you’d like to know more please contact the Heraldry group convenor

Historical Architecture (short course)

Convenor : Freddie Davies Meet : Commencing Thursday 7 June 2018 from 2.00 to 4.00 pm and every 2 weeks thereafter, for 10 meetings Venue : Room 2 Arnold Library Historical Architecture is a short course of 12 meetings of 2 hours each. The course consists of talks given by myself, Freddie Davies, who is the Group Convenor. Each talk is fully illustrated with slide projection. Hand-out material (for which I do not normally make a charge) is frequently given to each member to back-up the talks delivered. It is intended that the course should be interesting, entertaining and fun to be involved with as well as educational.

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Historical Architecture (continued)

We will concentrate on English Historic Architecture although occasional ‘forays' are made into Scotland and Wales.

You will be taken from the pre-historic ‘Shamrock' dwellings of the Stone-age through all the various periods of architectural styles (eg Saxon, Norman, Gothic, Renaissance, Victorian, Modern and many more in between), covering a period of some 4500 years of achievement in building. All the buildings featured in the talks can be seen today and, in most cases, visited.

If you wish to comment or show more interest in this group, please send an email to the Historical Architecture Group Convenor

International Dining Convenor : Margaret Taylor Meet : every 4th Thursday usually at 6.30 pm Venue : Various

Meals will always be arranged for the same Thursday evening as the general monthly meetings of Mapperley and District U3A. Please let me know by the previous week, at the latest, if you wish to come in order that I can advise the restaurant of numbers. You then pay me at the monthly general meeting. This month’s meal, on Thursday 26 April, will be at Ania’s Polish Restaurant in Mansfield Road, Sherwood.

If you wish to comment or show more interest in this group, please send me an email addressed to International Dining group convenor

Italian Speech Convenor : Joice Hall Meet : Wednesdays from 12.15 to 1.15 pm. Venue : Arnold Library, Meeting Room 2 Ciao. This is a beginners' group for people who want the basics of Italian so that they can get around whilst on holiday in Italy. We have seven members in the group with room for one more. The pace is slow and relaxed with lots of opportunity for practice. We also talk about Italian culture, the regions of Italy and their differences and also share our experiences of Italy.

Local History Convenors : Dorothy Ritchie and Michael Payne Meet : 1st Tuesday from 10.00 to 12.00 Venue : Mapperley Social Club, Games Room If you would like to know more about this group please send an email to the Local History convenor

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Parli Italiano?

“Happy Easter” “buona Pasqua”

Ever wondered …… How do you know when you run out of invisible ink? How does Teflon stick to the pan? Why do psychics have to ask you for your name? Why is abbreviation such a long word? Why isn’t phonetic spent the way it sounds?

Luncheon Club Convenor : Sheila Stacey Meet : 3rd Wednesday at 12.00 noon Venue : Various The Luncheon Club will next meet on Wednesday 18 April at The Travellers Rest, Mapperley Plains, Nottingham NG3 5RT.

The venue for 16 May will be the Old Reindeer at Edingley. Please contact Judith to for details and to book your place - Luncheon Club Convenor

Music Appreciation Convenor : Joan Davis Meet : Usually 1st Monday of the month at 7:00 pm Venue : Convenor’s Home

At the first "proper" meeting of our Music Appreciation Group, the members shared the music that gives them a thrill - a shiver down the back. At one level, there was a wide range of music ranging from Shostakovich to Bowie and from Louis Armstrong with Oscar Peterson to Songs of the Auvergne. However, Gary pointed out some common characteristics, including - a steady pace; a good tune; and the music building in intensity. The Offenbach overture to Orpheus in the Underworld was the exception, and brought something quite different to the evening. Everyone left having heard something surprising and interesting. At the April meeting, Vic will offer an introduction to folk music,

mainly from Britain. He would welcome members bringing any music (recorded or voice/instruments) that they would like to share. Our next two meetings will be on the 2nd Monday of the month due to Bank Holidays - 9 April and 14 May, at 7:00 pm. The group is not able to take any new members at the moment, but please contact Joan Davis or Maggie Grimshaw if you want to put your name on the waiting list.

Philosophy Convenor : Vic Blake Meet : 4th Tuesday from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm Venue : Convenor’s home This is not intended to be a taught course in philosophy. As with many other interest groups, the members of this group have agreed among themselves what the format and aims of the group should be and how it will best work for them, while the convener aims to help the group as best he can to

achieve these aims.

As such, we have decided to work predominately from a thematic basis, looking at everyday ideas and seeing how they stand up to a more rigorous and critical analysis. Any reading should flow out of the discussion at any given moment, rather than the reverse. A key aim of this group is to be able to move beyond everyday 'common-sense' notions of the world and how it works towards a more critical understanding of what makes 'good sense' or 'sound sense' (i.e. that which can be supported by rigorous and detailed argument). We hope to be able to access a wide range of resources, not just books, in developing these arguments. The group is currently full but if you want to comment or show more interest, please send an email to the Philosophy group convenor via the website. The convener cannot run a second group but he is willing to work closely and liaise with someone else should they wish to set up and convene a second group of their own.

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Sigmund Freud 1856 - 1939

Playhouse Theatre Group

Convenor : Judith Gamble Meet : Various Venue : Nottingham Playhouse

Friday 4 April - Holes Little interest has been shown in going to see this play Friday 1 June - Sheebeen Sheebeen invites you to a forbidden party you never knew existed. 1958 St Anns, Nottingham. Tempers are flaring and Teddy Boys are on the march. Friday 31 August - Sweet Charity Musical comedy featuring stunning set-piece choreography and

hits Friday 5 October - Kinder Transport Raw and poignant story Friday 2 November - Madness of King George III Starring Mark Gatiss. An epic multi award-winning drama. Expect grandeur and royal pomp alongside nail-biting tension Friday 7 December - Robin Hood Pantomime To book tickets, or for more information, please contact Judith via the website.

Play Reading Convenor : Sue Cullen Meet : 1st Thursday from 1.30 to 4.30 pm Venue : Members’ Homes This is a very friendly, supportive and encouraging group and we have a lot of fun. The purpose of this group is to read plays. We choose texts which interest us, and then get together to read them. We have explored a wide variety of plays and really enjoyed both the serious and light-hearted styles. Meeting for 3 hours enables us to complete a whole play in one afternoon, which makes it much more interesting. Our play in April is an adaptation of Harpur Lee’s novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. The group is now full, but if you’d like to put your name on the waiting list please send an email to Sue via website.

Spanish Conversation

Convenor : Vic Blake Meet : Various times Venue : Convenor’s Home

This is simply an opportunity for those who feel competent enough in Spanish to meet together occasionally and practice through free conversation. Vic, the convener and the host, is reasonably fluent but not perfect and interested parties need only to be able to contribute to the conversation and be prepared to develop. If you want to find out more contact Vic Blake - in either language. Click here to contact Vic via the website, or speak to him at one of our main meetings

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HappyEasterFelicesPascuas

Walking

Convener : Chris Padgett Meet : every other Friday at 10:15 Venue : Various Next Meetings : Friday 6 April ) Kirton, Laxton, Wello Park (8 miles) Friday 23 March ) Details to follow

Hello there, my name is Chris Padgett and I am the convenor for the walking group. We number 40 members at the moment, but there's always room for more! We walk alternate Fridays.

We meet at the start point at 10.15am for 10.30 am start (prompt). Details of the walk and a map will be sent out by email prior to the walk so, if you would like to join us but you're not already a member of the walking group, just drop me a line (see below)

All members of the walking group are encouraged to take an active role. This can be anything from suggesting an area we may like to walk in to offering a particular walk and leading it. Please don't be put off by this, it is not that difficult, it's great fun and you've got me to help you!

Walking is one of the best forms of exercise you can do and what better way to do it than with a bunch of like-minded people? So, what are you waiting for? Come and join us!

If you want to comment or show more interest in this group, please contact the walking group convenor Walking Group convenor

Wine Appreciation Convenor : Maggie Grimshaw Meet : Mostly 3rd Wednesday at 2.30 pm Venue : Convenor’s Home

A Wine Appreciation Group is a great opportunity to try wines you might otherwise not buy, and in March, we tasted six English wines from Waitrose. Chapel Down Classic dry sparkling wine from Kent was fabulous - lime with a hint of strawberry and bread, great length and fine mousse. It is more expensive than any of us would usually pay, but excellent. Camel Valley Bacchus from Cornwall was a dry, light, fresh white wine and some people thought it would be very good with crab or lobster. Bolney Estate Autumn Spice, a medium dry white from West Sussex received a mixed response - spicy with an appley nose. Three Choirs Sonnet Rosé from Gloucestershire was surprisingly good - dry yet fruity, hints of caramel and toffee apple and good value. Winbirri

Vineyards Insignia light fruity red wine from Norfolk divided the group - "enamel stripping" to "rich vanilla and leather" - a surprising wine, and interesting how differently people responded to it. Denbies Redlands medium bodied red from Surrey was met with universal approval! Smooth, rounded and soft yet spicy with a lovely nose - would be excellent with a good cheddar or Stilton. Definitely a good one. A very enjoyable session, with several surprisingly good and well rated wines. In April we will have "members' choice" - six of our members will bring wines they would like the group to try, all costing under £10. This group is not taking new members at the moment, but we will keep the situation under review. Please contact me if you want me to put you on a waiting list.

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THE LITTLE MaD QUIZ 1. In which sport was the Milk Race run from 1958 to 1993? 2. Which country had the international car registration letter L? 3. The word perk, used for a benefit, is a shortened version of which other word? 4. How many sides does a heptagon have? 5. What was Archimedes doing when he famously shouted “Eureka”? 6. Who wrote the Barsetshire and Palliser series of novels? 7. As what was Bangladesh known until it gained independence in 1971? 8. Which animal did Sir Alec Issigonis describe as “a horse designed by a committee”? 9. For what is LASER an acronym? 10. The unjust imprisonment of which soldier led Émile Zola to pen the famous open letter J’accuse?

AnswerstoFebruary’sQuiz1. Robert Baden Powell, 2. Riyadh, 3. Aaron, 4. George Gershwin, 5. Sheep (the Lacaune Ewe), 6. Lord Snooty, 7. Wilkie Collins, 8. Telstar, 9. Robert the Bruce, 10. Sulphuric Acid

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And finally …….

A husband and wife had been shopping at a large shopping centre most of the day. The wife realised that she'd completely lost track of her husband. After searching all over she finally called his mobile and said, “I've looked everywhere. Where are you?”

He replied, “Darling, remember that jewellery store where you saw the matching diamond pendants and went all gushy for them, and I couldn't afford them then, and said I'd get them for you someday?”

The wife, feeling all warm and happy inside, said, “I do remember that, Darling.”

Her husband said, “Well, I'm in the sports bar right across from that shop”.

Your Committee Richard Hill Chair Maggie Grimshaw Business Secretary Anne Elliott Treasurer Vic Blake Membership Secretary Freddie Davies Vice Chair and Groups Co-ordinator Mike Anthony Speaker Seeker Margaret Taylor Social Committee Carolyn Luckhurst Newsletter Sue Cullen Newsletter

Chris Padgett Committee Support

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THE THIRD AGE TRUST

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE

U A3Mapperley&DistrictU3ADiaryofEvents–April2018