News & Group Updates

*NEW*

MEMBERS ON THEIR OWN (MOTO) GROUP

Are you a single member of Cheltenham U3A? Do you sometimes wish you had other people to go to social events with, or just others to chat to on a regular basis?

With our new MOTO group we aim to put single members in touch with each other and to arrange regular get-togethers and outings.

Our first informal meeting will be on Friday 15^th March at 10.30 in Café Zest which is on the 1^st floor of Cavendish House.

Please let Lynne Macedo know if you plan to attend or would like further information about MOTO.

We look forward to welcoming you there.

Would you like to join a new Discussion Group that will meet once a month on Monday evenings from 7 – 9pm?

Each month there will be a different topic to focus our discussion. All welcome.

Would you like to play Short Tennis?

We are hoping to start a new group in early 2019 which would meet in the YMCA on Tuesday mornings.

Please telephone Jean Bassnett on 01242 526962 for further details.

The Shakespeare Society of Cheltenham are hoping to become a U3A group in 2019.  This would be in addition to the existing Shakespeare groups where there are currently waiting lists.  They meet twice a month at 7.30pm on Tuesdays in Parmoor House and members would pay a small fee to cover the cost of the room.

If you are interested in joining, please contact Lynne Macedo for further information.

It has been suggested that it would be good if we could offer lifts to people for events such as the Open Meetings, social events etc. There cannot be any payment, because that would go against the insurance. We would list the areas from which lifts are available without any names and addresses, but there would be a contact who would make the arrangements. If you would be interested in helping, please contact me, Maggie Conu , stating which area you could offer a lift from in the first instance, and we will go from there. Likewise, if you need a lift to events, let me know which area you live in and we can evaluate the interest.

We could also do with a co-ordinator for this.  Is anyone interested?

Maggie Conu  – chairman

On behalf of the Committee, I would like to wish all our members a wonderful Christmas. Keep well, warm and smiling.

Celebrations have featured at this time of year whether it is Bonfire Night, the many Festivals of Remembrance, Harvest Festivals and even, for some people, American Thanksgiving. Christmas of course, appeals to all, even the non-Christians amongst us, with the lovely lights in the town centres, Christmas films on TV and, whether you love it or hate it, Christmas shopping. Christmas is really about children and, for us perhaps, grandchildren and the joyous looks on their faces when they open their presents and decorate the Christmas tree. Lastly, it is about friendship and making sure that no one is on their own for Christmas unless, of course, that is the way they like it.

I was reading the latest email from National U3A. They organise interesting workshops nationally and one particular item caught my eye.  An exciting new event, an exhibition of Anglo-Saxon manuscripts and book art, will take place at the British Library and the event is now open for booking.  Experts will talk about the sophisticated art found in manuscripts from the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.  Details on these workshops can be found on the National U3A website.

Without our volunteers, Cheltenham U3A couldn’t exist. You wouldn’t receive this wonderful newsletter, have access to our great new website, have interesting speakers at our Open Meetings and have groups led by voluntary leaders who put a lot of work into organising the group activities. Invoices have to be paid by our voluntary treasurer and the Committee meets regularly to make sure all is working well. I would like to draw attention to one volunteer, Alastair Robinson, who comes early to all our Open Meetings to check the technical equipment needed and liaises with the speakers to make sure they are happy with the equipment and that it works for their presentation. He has even been known to improve the pictures to create better images. He also, on many occasions, uses his own equipment.  Recently he assisted his wife Ruth and Lisa Lodwig, the photographer who ran the very successful Digital Photography workshop.  Without members such as Alastair, who quietly work in the background, we would not have such a wonderful U3A in Cheltenham.

Finally, enjoy the friendship U3A brings to us.

Maggie Conu

First outing of the newly formed Motor home and Caravan group

At the end of October 13 people with 3 caravans and 4 motor homes went to Waterrow caravan site near Taunton for 3 nights.  There were games of boules, walks in the local area, shopping and National Trust visits, plus coffee and chats.
We all went to the local pub, The Rock Inn, for an evening meal and celebrated one member’s birthday!
The next meeting of this group will be in March, hopefully in warmer weather.  Venue to be decided later.

Linda Hurl

Please click on the link below for more information regarding our Newsletter and our new Website

Newsletter & Website Nov & Dec 2018

Note: The November/December Newsletter will be available in the Members Area soon after it is posted out. This is to ensure that members who view it on the website can only see it at the same time as those who receive it by post.

IMMEDIATE – Newsletter Editor: Until the end of last year, the Newsletter was put together by two editors, Sue and Hilary, with proof reader, Moira. Sadly Hilary developed problems with her hands and had to give up last Christmas. So this year Sue has carried on as the only editor, despite repeated advertisements for help.

Without help, the newsletter will have to be simplified to fit in with the available effort. (Some may remember the last time we became editor-less and the Committee produced a black and white starvation diet Newsletter shorn to essentials!)

We are ever more urgently looking for a member to help Sue Peters prepare the bi-monthly Newsletter.  The work environment is one of cooperation and flexibility. Modest word processing computer literacy is needed. Training will be given. Why not drop Sue ([email protected]) an email to find out more?

IMMEDIATE – Committee Member: We have a vacancy on the Committee which can be filled now, with a view to taking up a Committee role at next March AGM. The advantage of joining now is that you join in the Committee’s deliberations and are able to shadow one of the roles becoming available next March.

Vacancies next AGM in March, 2019:

MEETINGS SECRETARY: to provide committee administration services – prepare agendas, take minutes and hold the committee paperwork (constitution, procedures, minutes etc).

TWO COMMITTEE MEMBERS who, after a period of acclimatisation, will be prepared to take on one of the roles set out on the inside cover of the Newsletter. After some time on the Committee without a role, new members shadow an existing role holder, and subsequently take that role.

NEW ROLE – WELFARE OFFICER: (non-committee position).  Cheltenham U3A has begun to feel that there are many older members who are in need of support for a short time, and where visiting and a cup of tea could alleviate loneliness. We would expect the person in this role to help define this role and organise the visiting.

Please contact me by email, Maggie Conu or any existing committee members if you would like to offer help in running Cheltenham U3A.

At future Open Meetings at St. Matthews Church Hall, the Church will be putting out boxes for our members to contribute food that is in date and non-perishable for local foodbanks.  I hope that our members will support this initiative and bring items along to contribute.

Maggie Conu