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Welcome to West Oxford U3A
The
U3A exists for a group of people to get together to do things with everyone
taking equal responsibility.
We meet on the 2nd and 4th
Mondays except for July, August and December.
Our ‘year’ begins in September and ends with the AGM, either on the last
Monday meeting in May or the first Monday meeting in June. Once the membership fee is paid there is no
further charge, although visitors make a donation. Membership of West Oxford U3A does not cover
membership of Oxford U3A or Headington U3A.
The meetings take place at Dean Court Community Centre, Pinnocks Way,
Botley. The proceedings start at 2.30 pm
and (fairly short) notices are given before or after a talk as set out on your
programme. Tea and biscuits are always
served after the talk with cake at the end of each term. Please stay and use this time to get to know
new people and meet friends
A list of the Special Interest Groups is on your
programme and are open to anyone who would like to join. Just contact the person referred to as
arranging the meetings. If there is a
group you would like to start then, if you think the Committee can give you
some help, please ask.
The membership fee entitles you to the West Oxford U3A
Newsletter which is sent out every other month, by email or (for those without
a connection) by post. The Newsletter is
full of information about forthcoming events, both those arranged by this
branch and also those organised by Thames Valley Network. Please be certain to look at the notice board
at the back of the room for additional details of outings and study days and
also on www.u3atvnetwork.org.uk as well as this website.
A membership subscription is paid annually to the
National U3A office and there is a newsletter which you can subscribe to
receive or can be viewed on-line. If you
would like to receive the National U3A newsletter then please contact the
Secretary who will tell you the cost. You
are entitled to attend the Summer Schools and other events, details and costs
are on the National U3A website.
During the year there is a New Members’ coffee morning
for which an appropriate invitation is sent.
Do raise any queries when attending the meetings or write to secretary@westoxfordu3a.org.uk
Lis Froggatt
Chairman
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A Message from Lis Froggatt, Chairman What
a pleasure it is to meet again in Dean Court, to be able to mix with our
members and have the speakers in person. The committee has worked hard to keep
our u3a functioning. During the times
when zoom was used for our talks, for which thanks go to Inga Martin for
setting it up and running it, and to Mary Gregory for her assistance, and now
with actual people, the mutual support of the committee has been vital. We
decided to suspend payment of the membership fee for one year, hoping that
members would still return when payment was requested. There have been a number who for one reason
or another have not renewed, but new members are joining all the time. I hope the word is that we are a friendly and
inclusive group, and that we all take the opportunity of the tea and biscuits
after the talks to get to know other people. The
Speakers’ Committee has given us a varied and entertaining selection of talks,
and already are well advanced with names for our year commencing in
September. They work hard. The Special
Interest Groups have had difficulties meeting because of Covid, but are getting
underway and always open to new members. There is no limit to the number or interest of
any such group, and if you would like any assistance in setting up another
group then do not hesitate to ask. Monday
24th May is our Annual General Meeting. If you have any matter you
would like to air at that meeting then it would be helpful to know in advance.
We need more committee members, so please put your name forward, or approach
one of the existing committee members, about this. We need a vibrant committee to provide the
best for our members. My
thanks go to all the members of the committee and to all those who help when we
meet, the Audio-Visual team, the refreshment providers, those who put out the
chairs (and clear them away), and to all who keep West Oxford u3a running so
smoothly. Lis Froggatt
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VALLEY NETWORK (TVN)
Contact:
Beverley Birmingham (07799413110) TVN are still organising plenty of study days
via Zoom. There are a wide variety of topics
so there should be something to please everyone. Please keep looking at the noticeboard at the
back of the hall and checking out the TVN study days on the website. It is hoped that all reps will be meeting again
in Benson in July and not using Zoom for further meetings.
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YOUR NEWSLETTER from Elizabeth Stevens
Please send all contributions, notices, etc. for the next issue covering July/August 2022 to: Elizabeth Stevens, 104 Kennington Road, Kennington, Oxford OX1 5PE (01865 739252) not later than Friday, 17 June 2022.
MONDAY TALKS IN DEAN COURT COMMUNITY CENTRE, PINNOCKS WAY – EVERYONE WELCOME
Meetings are normally held on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month from 2.30 pm onwards. There is always an opportunity for tea and biscuits and a chat from approx 3.45pm. All are welcome, and we extend an open invitation to any visitors who might like to come along and meet us.
09 May 2022: Recital
by Launton Handbell Ringers Music
comes in many different genres, and group handbell ringing is one of the less
familiar forms for most of us. For 70 years the Launton Ringers, based in
Oxfordshire and Bucks, have not only been maintaining the tradition
of handbell ringing but also expanding its repertoire. As well as giving many
recitals they have issued a
number of CDs showcasing a range of musical styles. In
this session the group will demonstrate the art of handbell ringing, with a
history of the bells and their music. They will accompany that with a recital to
demonstrate the versatility as well as musicality of handbells. There will be an opportunity for members of
the audience to participate. Come along
and join in!
23 May 2022: Shelley Edwards: Keep Safe: Avoiding Conmen and Other
Risks The fastest growing area of crime and the biggest crime
risk to us as ordinary citizens is now the financial scam. The elderly and less
tech-savvy are particularly vulnerable. In this talk Shelley Edwards, Liaison
Officer at Trading Standards for Oxfordshire County Council, will give us
insights into how scammers operate and advice on how to detect scams and
protect ourselves against conmen. Let’s keep safe, and avoid being landed in distressing
and potentially expensive scams. It is not all gloom and doom; we can learn to
take charge and look out for ourselves.
13 June 2022: Peter Hague : Inside the World of a Film and Tv Extra
Peter Hague will tell us about life "Inside the
World of a Film and TV Extra". He says that until
age and Covid made him stop two years ago he was working as an Extra and as a professional
drummer. Nowadays he uses his experience in these fields as a basis for his presentations
as well as guiding groups to stately homes in Buckinghamshire where he lives.
27 June 2022: Graham
Horn – “Heirs and Spares” West
Oxford U3A is looking forward to a visit from Graham Horn, a highly experienced
and qualified Blue Badge
Tourist Guide and tour leader. Graham
also finds time to research family histories, often of the aristocracy,
which provide him with material for his talks.
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DETAILS OF SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (SIG) MEETINGS
BRIDGE
Contact:
Membership Secretary
The
U3A Bridge Group looks after itself. It has 8-9 regular players of
Intermediate level, meeting on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at
the invitation of whoever will be hosting in their home. Players
respond directly and make up tables at each session. We are a social,
learning group - exploring elements of bidding and play each time we
meet and having tea together. Bridge players interested in meeting us
for an introductory session or two should please enquire, initially, of
Liz Jones, Membership Secretary, membership@westoxfordu3a.org.uk, 01865
202227, who will put you in touch with the next host for an invitation
to join us for a trial visit or two. We would be very pleased to meet
you.
CHURCHES AND PUBS
Contact Hugh Manson (01865 244175)
The
Group resumed on 1 April to the delight of us all after a hiatus of two
years. Ten members visited St Michael and All Angels in Blewbury with
lunch at the friendly Red Lion after. Our next trip is to All
Saints in Marcham followed by lunch at the Doghouse in Frilford.
There will not be a June visit because of the Jubilee
celebrations.
CINEMA GROUP
Contact: Mary Chait (07342964870) The
Cinema Group is back in action. We have
been meeting face to face for a few months now.
It is indeed great
meeting up again over lunch at Tumbling Bay Café to catch up and discuss the
movies we have seen. Members
are mainly still watching on TV but a few of us have ventured out to the
cinema. We meet on the 2nd
Tuesday of every month at 12.00pm at Tumbling Bay Café which is run by a lovely
couple, Vladimira and her
husband at the West Oxford Community Centre. We
look forward to inviting new members to join us. If you are interested, please e-mail me at smchait@gmail.com and I will gladly add you to our mailing list.
CRAFT GROUP
Contact: Sally Strang (01865 240310) The
Craft group hopes to meet on Friday, 29 April.
Venue to be confirmed.
DISCOVERING MUSIC (7 members – new members welcome) Contact:
John Grimshaw (01865 861949)
This friendly and sociable group meets in members' homes during the third week of each month, at 2.15 pm.
The host introduces and plays recordings of their own choice, of
broadly classical music, usually on CD or DVD. Thus, we have made many
delightful musical discoveries, have learnt much, and we freely express
our reactions. We often finish with something of lighter mood.
GARDEN CLUB
Contact: Mary Gregory (01865
865887)
The
Group visits gardens and nurseries by arrangement – no fixed programme.
Winter activities will include sofa-gardening. All welcome.
Contact Mary Gregory – mary@nandmg.me.uk.
SCRABBLE
Contact:
Margery Dent (01865 862534)
The
group meets mostly on the 3rd Monday of the month or on an agreed
alternative, from 2 - 4.30 pm. We meet in the homes of different
members - with the windows open.
WALKING GROUP
Contact: Mary
Chait (07342964870)
We are a small friendly group who meet on the 2nd
and 4th Friday of the month, usually at 10.30 am. Our walks vary in length and terrain but
there is normally no problem if a group member has difficulty. We aim to be as flexible as we can. We always recommend walking boots and cancel
if wet but this is the prerogative of the walk leader. Walks are usually planned in advance and we
try to share the organisation. The
organiser will inform all members via e-mail of walk plans. Mary Chait is overall organiser for the group so
please contact her if you would like to join us, even if it is for a trial run!
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