Interest Group News
Latest News from our Interest Groups & External Events (National U3A & TVN)
Posted on 13th December 2020
TVN - Understanding Architecture Event
Monday, 25th January & Tuesday, 26th January 2021 on Zoom
Closing date Friday 18th January 2021
£5.00 per application for the two days
This event proved so popular in September that we are repeating it.
The aim of these presentations is to inform members how to “read” buildings, how to understand
what they are seeing and what it symbolises; also to provide a brief history of architectural progress
from 18th century to modern times. It is hoped this will enrich your future travels at home and
abroad.
We are very fortunate to have Dr Geoffrey Tyack, FSA, FRHistS as our speaker for both days. He is
a Fellow Emeritus of Kellogg College and President of the Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical
Society. He has many publications to his credit and considerable experience teaching groups of all
ages. Each of these four lectures will be around 45 minutes in length, copiously illustrated with
photographs and allowing 15 minutes for questions afterwards.
Posted on 10th December 2020
Flowers Unique 15% Discount for
Chalfonts U3A Members
Dear Member,
Flowers Unique, who are a locally based florist in the heart of our community in Chalfont St. Peter, have very kindly offered the Chalfonts U3A membership a 15% discount on all purchases made in the shop from the 2nd December 2020. Purchases include plants and floral accessories.
In order to receive your discount, please produce your membership card and quote your membership number.
Posted on 1st December 2020
TVN - Brandenburg Traditional
Christmas Concert
Monday 21st December 2020 at 2:00am on Zoom
Closing date Friday 18th December 2020
£5.00 per Application
This year, for obvious reasons, we are unable to attend the traditional Christmas
concert in London. However, it is being offered on line instead. The pre-recorded
musical content will include familiar audience carols singing along with the
Brandenburg Camino Choir as well as Christmas related music and a few more
unusual carol settings by the professional choir of St Bartholomew the Great.
Instrumental support will include the organ, piano, harp and trumpet. The programme
will be interspersed as usual with seasonal readings.
Unfortunately, you will have to provide your own mulled wine and mince pies!
Brandenburg are offering various dates for public events which you may have seen
advertised already but we are delighted to announce that they have agreed to do a
‘special’ organised by u3a TVN at a cost of just £5.00 per person which we are sure
you will agree is great value and will be a wonderful way to start Christmas week.
(It is also a great way for us to support some members of the music industry who have
had such a very tough year.)
Posted on 1st December 2020
TVN - Christmas Quiz
Friday 18th December 2020 at 10:30am on Zoom
Closing date Monday 14th December 2020
This Event is FREE to Members!!
You are invited to attend a not-tooserious
quiz with a Christmas theme
Quizmaster: Avis Furness
Participants will be randomly divided into teams
There will be prizes!
Champagne, Whisky, Chocolates!
(because of the current situation, these prizes will be enjoyed on
behalf of the winners by the Quizmaster)
Posted on 28th November 2020
TVN - The Charge of the Light Brigade
with Ruth Nobbs
Thursday 7th January 2021 at 10:30am on Zoom
Closing date Wednesday 30th December 2020
This Event is FREE to Members!!
Ruth Nobbs, a member of Wokingham U3A, who has already presented very successfully on this subject, has kindly agreed to share her expertise with TVN members.
Although it took place more than 150 years ago, The Charge of the Light Brigade remains a topic of interest. It has been discussed in numerous books and documentaries. It is the subject of many paintings as well as two feature films and, of course, Tennyson's famous poem of the same name has helped to keep its memory alive. Ruth will look briefly at the background to the war in the Crimea before turning her attention to the specific morning in October 1854, examining the steps that led to the fateful decision, tracing the events of the charge itself and considering its aftermath and impact.
Please open the flyer and application form for more details.
Posted on 11th November 2020
TVN - Christmas with your Ukulele via Zoom
with George Bonner
Thursday 3rd December at 10:30am
Closing date Thursday 26th November 2020
This Event is FREE!!
By popular request, we are delighted to welcome back George Bonner, of Faringdon U3A, to lead a second Zoom ukulele session. George is an established teacher of this instrument, being a regular leader of courses on cruise ships, as well as teaching school children. His engaging and friendly personality, and proficiency with the instrument, made our initial event a great success. This will also be an oppertunity to celebrate Christmas music Together.
Please open the flyer and application form for more details.
Posted on 27th October 2020
This is a message from the chair of Chess Valley U3A about an upcoming Zoom
meeting about HS2 you may be interested in.
Hi Everyone
This Thursday, 29th October, we are having an extra General Meeting via Zoom where one of our members, Keith Hoffmeister, will be providing an update on progress on HS2 and, in particular, its effect on the local countryside, roads and so forth. Keith is Convenor of our Photography Group, so his talk is well illustrated and I have in fact already heard it when he presented it to Chesham Rotary Club recently.
Anyway, if any of you would like to attend, you’d be very welcome and Keith would be happy to do repeat performances for your U3As if there is any interest in that.
The meeting starts at 2 pm and the ‘virtual doors' will open at 1:45 pm.
Best wishes
JAMES CADLE
Chair, Chess Valley U3A
Registered Charity No 1126990
Posted on 22nd October 2020
Art versus Photography Event
Understanding of the
interactions between Art and Photography
with Keith Appleby
Wednesday, 16th December 2020 at 10.30 via Zoom
Closing date is 1st December 2020
There is no fee for this event as the speaker, Keith Appleby is a U3A member
This event consists of a lectures in two parts kindly presented to us by Keith Appleby. Keith taught Art and Design and Photography before managing a large Creative Arts Faculty and he taught Photography to degree level. He now sculpts three-dimensional work in wood and exhibits regularly with the Oxford Sculptors Group and Henley Arts and Crafts Guild. He is a u3a member so there is no charge for the day.
The objective of this event is to provide us with an understanding of the interactions between Art and Photography.
Please open the flyer and application form for more details.
Posted on 22nd October 2020
TVN - Geology of the Thames Valley
And why we don’t have volcanoes
with Dr Jill Eyers
Wednesdays 18th & 25th November 2020 via Zoom
Closing date Wednesday 4th November 2020
The fee for the event is £3 per person:
Dr Eyers studied geology achieving her doctorate in 1992. Since that time, she has lectured for several UK universities including Reading, Oxford and the Open University.Dr Eyers is a regular contributor to archaeological television programmes as well as BBC Radio Oxford, Berkshire and London and an author of many books and dozens of professional papers.
The meeting is over two days, the first part is on the 18th November and the second part is on the 25th November. Both are morning only sessions.
Please open the flyer and application form for more details.
Posted on 25th March 2020
Chalfonts U3A now has a Facebook Group
Calling all Interest Groups
You can now keep in touch using Facebook, join our new Facebook Group and discuss and share information about your interest group while we are all isolated.
Posted on 17th March 2020
BBC You and Yours: Coronavirus and caring for those in isolation
Click the link below to listen to the program from the 17th March 2020
Posted on 15th March 2020
Cancelled - TVN - Geology of the Thames Valley
And why we don’t have volcanoes
with Dr Jill Eyers
Friday, 29th May 2020 from 10.00 to 15.30
Benson Village Hall, Benson, Oxon OX10 6LZ
£11 for the day including buffet lunch plus £2 for members of non-TVN U3As
Dr Eyers studied geology achieving her doctorate in 1992. Since that time, she has lectured for several UK universities including Reading, Oxford and the Open University.Dr Eyers is a regular contributor to archaeological television programmes as well as BBC Radio Oxford, Berkshire and London and an author of many books and dozens of professional papers.
Before booking please check the event is still planned by clicking the link below:
https://www.wokinghamu3a.org.uk/tvn-study-day-12/
If we are advised that the event is cancelled we will update this post.
Posted on 27th February 2020
Garden Visits Group Social Event
Here are members of our garden visits group enjoying lunch and a talk on "adding value to your garden- finishing touches" from Patricia Fox, at the Community Centre in February. The programme of garden visits for 2020 was also shared with the group and we're looking forward to lots of interesting outing.
You can view more information about the Garden Visits Interest Group by clicking the link below and the Group Leader can be contacted by clicking the Contact Form button to send an email.
Posted on 18th February 2020
Chalfonts U3A Computing Group
We have a thriving group that is helping Chalfonts U3A members with their computing skills.
The group meets in the Chalfont St Peter Community Library on the second Thursday of each month from 10am to midday. This picture below was taken at our meeting in February 2020.
The topics discussed in the February meeting was the use of the Google Chrome web browser and how to use some of its features. We also discussed some resources that members can access and improve their skills by visiting various websites online. Many excellent websites now exist that specialise in helping people to learn new computing skills; some provide their training for free and others make a charge for membership, either monthly or annually.
The group doesn't focus on one computer operating system over another and both users of the Microsoft Windows and the Apple Mac operating systems (OS) are regularly covered. (Many topics covered at the meetings are generic to both of the operating systems so the fact that members use both of the OS's is not an issue.)
The group currently has around 80 members and around 15 to 20 members attend most of the meetings.
The convenor of the group is Gary Tomlin who is assisted by Tony Darbyshire. (Gary is now the current webmaster for Chalfonts U3A and Tony was his predecessor. Tony also convenes our Photography Group.)
The group now has a healthy collection of useful information on computing and related topics.
You don't have to be a member of the Computing Group to access them. The link below will take you to their resources and meeting archive. (On the Archive page link you will find another link to the Computing Group Resources pages.) The other link will take you to their main page.
This pictures of the group members were taken in the CSP Community Library at our February 2020 meeting.
Posted on 12th February 2020
Photography Group
At the January meeting the group members shared some of their pictures that were taken in 2019.
We now have around 30 members and our plan this year is to get together for several of the months of the year and take a trip out to see what we can capture.
To see some of the pictures we shared we've put them on a dedicated page for 2019…the link to them is on the right, so take a look and find out what we got up to! (We will be adding more pictures when time allows.)
Posted on 27th January 2020
Postponed - The Chilterns and South Herts U3A Dinghy Sailing group
meet on the second Tuesday and fourth Wednesday of the month (1pm – 5pm)
from April until the end of October,
at Troy Lake, West Hyde (between Maple Cross and Denham)
£8.50 per sailing session
Members from several different U3A groups come together to sail and socialise under the aegis of Rickmansworth Sailing Club, who allow us to sail in their club boats which include Wayfarers, Lasers, Picos, a Comet Versa, a Solo and an Enterprise.
The cost to accredited U3A members is £8.50 per sailing session, which covers insurance, upkeep of the dinghies and fuel for the safety boat. We provide personal flotation devices, so all you need is warm clothing and a sense of adventure!
No previous experience is necessary, but we do ask that you can swim at least 10 metres. We organise Capsize Drill at least once each season. New members are welcome, and tuition will be given where necessary, so any ability is catered for.
There will be a ‘Meet the Members’ session from 2-4pm on Tuesday 7 April, and the first sailing session of the year will take place on Wednesday 22 April.
If you would like to know more about our group, please contact either Wendy Barnes on 01494 783790 or Judith Young on 01494 580912 or by e mail: sailing@cvu3a.uk (Chess Valley U3A)
Programme for 2020 season
Tues 7 April (1st Tuesday) No Sailing. 2-4pm. Safety team briefing and Meet the Members
Wed 22 April 1-5pm Sailing: 2 sessions with tea and cake at 3pm
Tues 12 May (as above)
Wed 27 May
Tues 9 June
Wed 24 June
Tues 7 July (1st Tuesday) Sailing followed by Midsummer BBQ
Wed 22 July
Tues 11 Aug
Wed 26 Aug
Tues 8 Sep
Wed 23 Sep
Tues 13 Oct
Wed 28 Oct Last sailing session
Tues 10 Nov 11-3. Tidy Up and Lunch. No Sailing
Posted on 23rd January 2020
Chalfonts U3A Excursions Group
The Royal Albert Hall
“Behind the Scenes”
Tuesday 25 February 2020
£29 per person
A private 90 minute guided tour giving a fascinating insight into the day to day running of this famous venue with coffee and pastries on arrival.
The Museums
Afternoon: A stroll down Exhibition Road visiting the museums of your choice. This area houses some of the best loved London Museums namely The Science Museum, The Natural History and The Victoria & Albert, all with their amazing collections from around the world—entry is free although there are charges for special exhibitions
The price includes return coach travel, driver’s gratuity, private tour and coffee and pastries at The Royal Albert Hall (Lunch/tea refreshments at own cost)
The coach will leave Church Lane, Chalfont St Peter SL9 9RN at 10.00am and collect us from outside the V & A at 5pm to arrive back in Chalfont St Peter at 6.30pm
Please print out and complete the booking form if you are interested.
Posted on 23rd January 2020
Postponed - TVN - CYBER-CRIME STUDY DAY
Protect your world
Wednesday 8th April 2020, from 10:30 – 16:00
King’s Church Amersham, Raans Road, Amersham HP6 6LX
The day is intended to help you to protect your internet-connected devices and your on-line identity and footprint, led by Mr Mark Godsland CISMP, MSyl, the Cyber Protect Officer for Thames Valley Police.
Tea / coffee on arrival and a sandwich lunch are included in the cost of the study day (£16). Please note that the registration fee covers venue hire and refreshments only; Mr Godsland is not charging for his time or travel expenses.
The day is open to all members of U3As affiliated to the Thames Valley Network. Members of other U3As are very welcome to attend; an additional fee of £2 will be payable. Application forms can be obtained from the TVN website at: u3atvnetwork.org.uk or from your U3A.
THE CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS MONDAY 6th April 2020 Organiser: David Bender (u3acyberday@chiltern-u3a.org.uk) Telephone: 01494 722 450 8 Eagle Close, Amersham, Bucks HP6 6T
Posted on 22nd January 2020
Cryptic Crosswords Group
The Cryptic Crosswords group meet every couple of weeks and do their best to pit their wits and interlect against the compilers of cryptic crosswords!
At their meeting on 8th January we managed to take some photographs of them exercising their skills on cracking the clues!
The link below will take you to the photographs and also a short slideshow which we've uploaded to YouTube.
Posted on 9th January 2020
Postponed - TVN - SWEET THAMES STUDY DAY
The history of the river, its boats and wildlife
The River & Rowing Museum, Henley-on-Thames RG9 1BF Wednesday, 18th March 2020
Fee £13 for TVN members, £15 for non-TVN U3A members
This event takes place in the appropriate setting of the stunning Thames Room of the River & Rowing Museum in Henley, looking out across the river. The intention of the day is to deepen our understanding of many aspects of the river which has formed the area in which we live. We are fortunate to have knowledgeable and enthusiastic speakers to lead us through the day.
Entry to the museum is free (normal entry fee £10) and refreshments are provided on arrival. Lunch is NOT included: a ninety minute lunch break is built into the programme to enable participants to explore the museum, enjoy a picnic lunch by the river or take a meal in the museum restaurant or in one of the local pubs.
Posted on 2nd January 2020
Flower Arranging Group - Update
The Flower Arranging group have added some new photos to their gallery to make the drab January at little more colourful.
Click on the above link to see the Flower Arranging Groups Gallery
Their group is at its maximum capacity, but if you would like to start a second group then click the link below to find out more about being a Convenor, it really is very easy and a lot of fun.