current Newsletter - Melton Mowbray U3A

April 2015
Newsletter
Melton Mowbray U3A
Registered Charity No. 1137780
At the meeting this month on Thursday 16 April 2015:
Speaker:
Topic:
Display:
Catering:
Mike Leonard
Nurseryrama
Art Picasso
Marsha Young, Sylvia Tinsley, Sylvia Hack, Sue Davies,
Patricia Fisher
COMMITTEE NOTICES
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT for 2014 as presented at the AGM 19 March 2015
It seems hardly possible that a year has gone by already since I took office and it has been
such a busy and interesting year for us. It is wonderful to see so many people coming
together to make our vibrant and successful organisation what it is. All this is thanks to the
dedication and hard work of everyone involved.
The groups, which form the backbone of our U3A, have continued to grow with new ideas
being brought in all the time. Thanks to our group leaders who work extremely hard to
ensure that we have the opportunity to, I am tempted to say here ‘work, rest and play’ and
hand out the Mars Bars! Of course without the people who join the groups, commit to
them, bring their enthusiasm, their passion, sense of enjoyment and fun they wouldn’t be
what they are. As a group leader myself, after my French group have left the house every
week I feel as if I have had a big dose of happy tonic! Our groups now number at least 70
and range from Latin to Line Dancing and everything before, between and beyond. Among
the many achievements in all our groups, members gave us a very well received Christmas
entertainment and play and some have been on interesting outings and visits to the theatre.
Our Christmas tree in the Church was beautiful and the book produced by the Writing for
Pleasure group proved a great success. Hopefully the Guitar group won’t suddenly turn
professional on us, because they have had so many gigs this year and have gone down
well wherever they went. If the purpose of the U3A is to enable us to continue to keep mind
and body going we are certainly doing it here in Melton Mowbray! Where would we be
without our groups and their leaders?
I would also like to thank all the other members who make things work for us, the check in
team lead by Nora Birch, the catering team lead by Sue Pymm, the sound desk team lead
by Brian Donovan, the people who look after our new members and Derek Larder who
kindly examines our accounts. I have also had several notes of appreciation for the lovely
cards made by the Parchment Craft Group and sent out by Connie Howling and Winifred
Maine to members who are ill or have had other life changing experiences.
continued ………
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,,,,,,,,,, Chairman’s Report continued
Now I come to the Committee and what to say about them! Well I have to thank them for
their unstinting efforts on our behalf and for the unfailing support that they have given me
throughout the year. No one could work with a nicer, more hardworking group of people. It
will be very sad to see some of them depart but we also look forward to welcoming our new
Committee members onto the team.
Finally thanks to you for your warmth and kindness to me during my initial year in this role.
The first time I stood up here to talk to you it was very daunting to see all your faces turned
towards me waiting! But there wasn’t an unkind face among them. Thank you.
Gay Wilson, Chairman
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
Our Membership Secretary, Bill Shaw reports that we now have 689 members on the
books. However there are 63 members at the time of going to press who have not
rejoined. We know that there may be many good reasons for that, not least moving away,
ill health or having to look after someone. However there may be some who have just
forgotten (I myself know of at least one such) and who would appreciate a gentle reminder.
People who have not rejoined are no longer eligible to attend groups and if they do the
U3A insurance for the whole group will be invalid. So if you know of anyone who may have
forgotten, please give them a little nudge!
Gay Wilson, Chairman
NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTIONS
Contributions to the May 2015 newsletter must be emailed, or posted no later than 30
April 2015
Christine Bluett (Newsletter Editor) email: [email protected]
GROUPS
I would like to introduce myself as your new Groups Co-ordinator. We have 3 new groups
to tell you about:
French Beginners have had their first meeting. They will be meeting 2nd and 4th Monday
mornings at the leader's house in Asfordby. They will only be able to accommodate
additional members if someone drops out.
Spanish Beginners 2 have arranged their first meeting for Tuesday 14 April at a
member's house in Melton and hope to meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday mornings
thereafter.
History Project Workers have arranged their first meeting for Wednesday 6 May at a
member's home in Asfordby and hope to meet monthly on the first Wednesday morning
thereafter.
Please contact me for further details on any of these groups. Please also contact me if
you have ideas for new groups or if you wish to share issues with existing groups. I am
available face to face at the groups stand at the monthly meeting or via email or telephone
Diane Cherryman [email protected]
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OUTINGS
LEEDS – 6 May 2015
The trip to Leeds on 6 May will leave from the Baptist Church at 8.30am. There are still
seats available. Cars should be parked in The Bowls Club towards the railway end and
NOT near the entrance to the club.
BLACK COUNTRY MUSEUM – 4 November 2015
Would all those who have put their name down for The Black Country Museum on 4
November please see Frances in the foyer at the May meeting (21 May). If you are not
present at this meeting kindly contact me. This is most important. Thank you.
Frances Waite
GENERAL NOTICES
FINAL CALL – THEATRE AND VARIETY SHOW
All U3A Members are reminded again about our Theatre & Variety Show at the Baptist
Church at 2.00pm on Thursday 30 April (see notice below). Doors open at 1.30pm. No
ticket required. Wear your membership badge as usual. Visitors welcome. Tea and coffee
with biscuits will be available during the interval. Listen to our musicians and writers,
watch our actors and dancers, laugh with our comics, help find Shakespeare’s Bottom. No
joke too old!
Graham Cherryman (Vice Chairman)
Let us entertain you with an afternoon of comedy, theatre, music, dance and no doubt
mayhem.
The Drama Group are working hard preparing for their performance of the Playwithin-a-Play from Midsummer Night’s Dream (see item below)
We have for you - daring dramatists, dashing dancers, lithesome lovers, magnificent
musicians, soaring singers and tragic thespians.
We have magic, we have revelry, we have (unfortunately) the world’s last surviving Tudor
comedy duo. Flagons of Fun for one and all
Join us for Midsummer, Music & Monologues at the Melton Baptist Church on
Thursday 30 April 2015.
Doors open at 1.30pm, show starts 2.00pm
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THE PLAY-WITHIN-A-PLAY FROM MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
The Drama Group are busy, at present, rehearsing for their forthcoming performance of
the play-within-a-play from Midsummer Night’s Dream to be performed at the U3A Theatre
and Variety Show on 30th April
Originally, we chose two plays on the theme of ‘walls’ and this will be the first on that
theme. Our second play: Over the Wall, will be performed sometime in the future. Watch
this space!
The play-within-a-play is what it says on the tin – a play performed within a larger play:
Midsummer Night’s Dream! It is performed by the rude mechanicals. No, they are not illtempered robots, but skilled labourers from Athens who want to put on a play for the city’s
royalty and guests (Theseus and Hippolyta)!
There are six members of the group. Their leader is Peter Quince, the carpenter, who
chooses the play and in a previous scene and assigns the parts. He also delivers the
prologue to the play. The next member is Snug, the joiner. He claims ‘to be slow of
study’, so he is happy to play the part of lion!
The third member of the group is Nick Bottom. Bottom has an overblown sense of selfconfidence, so his ego goes overboard when he is given the lead part in the play:
Pyramus. Indeed, in an earlier scene, Bottom takes over the rehearsal, volunteering to
play every part himself! The fourth member of the group is Francis Flute, the bellowsmender. Flute is disappointed when he learns he will be playing the part of Thisby, a lady,
who falls in love with Pyramus.
The fifth member of the group is Tom Snout, the tinker. Quince casts him as Pyramus’
father, but as the rude mechanicals can’t afford to build a set for their play, Snout plays the
part of Wall! The final member of the group is Robin Starveling, the tailor, and plays the
part of Moonshine, because Pyramus and Thisby meet by moonlight and they are not
sure if there will be a window open in the room where they will be performing!
The rude-mechanicals perform their play as the entertainment at the wedding feast of
Theseus and Hippolyta. Ultimately, they are performing a play based on Ovid’s tragedy:
‘Pyramus and Thisby’ – a pair of lovers who have been forbidden to meet by their parents.
However, because of Bottom’s earlier intervention in rehearsals, the play is an overdramatic mess! It is, in fact, a comedy of epic proportions! It is therefore, possibly,
Shakespeare’s first attempt at our modern pantomime, with cross dressing, innuendo,
comic dance and talking animals!
The Drama Group have had so much fun rehearsing this play and are looking forward to
performing it to an audience. At the end of each rehearsal we are often, not only sore from
the bruises caused by the slap-stick nature of the play, but sore from too much laughter!
Sue Wright (Group Leader) email: [email protected]
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PATCHWORK GROUP 3 – Festival of Quilts, Birmingham
We are planning a trip to the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham on 6 August 2015. If anyone
is interested in joining us (you do not have to be a quilter) please contact Anne, the group
leader.
Costings are not available yet but should not be more than £25 including the price of
admission. I will be asking for a £15 deposit at the time of booking. I will be available to
take bookings and deposits at the April U3A meeting. The viability of the trip depends on
us filling a 29 seater coach. We will be leaving the car park by the library at 8am and the
return journey from Birmingham at 3.30pm. More details to follow
Anne Arthur (Group Leader)
GROUP ACTIVITIES
2nd MONDAY WALKING GROUP – 11 May 2015
Meet at the Bradgate Arms Inn, Cropstone LE7 7HG. 10.15am for 10.30am start. A
walk amidst the Blue Bells (hopefully) in Swithland Woods
Walk Leader Evelyn, Group Co-ordinator Geoff Harris
4th MONDAY WALKING GROUP – MONDAY 27 APRIL 2015 – Old Dalby
Please meet at Belvoir Brewery (LE14 3NQ) at 10.15 am for a 10.30 am start. 4 miles,
some stiles. Lunch at the Belvoir Brewery if required.
Walk Leader: Peter Raikes
Group Leader: Jennifer Gregory
2ND WEDNESDAY WALKING GOUP – WEDNESDAY 8 APRIL 2015
Denton Reservoir Harlaxton. Meet at The Gregory, Harlaxton 10.15 am for a 10.30 am
start. Lunch at the Gregory if required. There are a few stiles and steps.
Group Leader Bill Shaw email [email protected]
1st THURSDAY WALKING GROUP
Thursday 7 May 2015 – Exton - 6½ miles approx.
Please meet outside the Fox and Hounds, so that we are ready to walk for 10am. Please
park on the Green outside the pub. We will not be emailing a reminder and hope that
everyone will remember the date and time.
Walk Leaders: Barbara and Jon Creswell
Group Leaders: Richard and Jo Bewell
LUNCHEON CLUB ‘GK’
Our venue for the next lunch is the Greyhound, Burton on the Wolds on Thursday 16
April. Please arrive by 12.15pm ready to eat at 12.30pm. Any queries please contact me.
Gillian Kilpatrick (Group Leader), [email protected]
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COMPOSER of the MONTH
Please note that the April meeting is on the 5th Wednesday of the month and not the
4th
29th April
Vasks
6th May Granados
Contact John Playfer or email [email protected]
SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING
The forthcoming dates for the 2015 sessions as far as the summer break will be:
8 and 22 April
13 and 27 May
All sessions will be at Burton Lazars village hall from 2pm until 4pm. We are still actively
seeking new members.
Paul Woolston (Group Leader)
THEATRE GROUP
NORTHERN BALLET PERFORMING “MADAM BUTTERFLY” AND “PERPETUUM
MOBILE”. Friday 5 June, 7.30pm, Curve Leicester. £31.
After a very disappointing response at last month’s meeting I emailed and phoned many of
the nearly 50 people, who had listed as “interested” in this show. Numbers have improved
slightly but I am reliant on more of you paying at the April meeting. I will need to pay the
theatre soon after this meeting and will then be releasing any unsold seats.
AGATHA CHRISTIE’S “AND THEN THERE WERE NONE”.
Wednesday 22 July, 2.30pm, Milton Keynes Theatre. £25.
I will be taking money for this show at the April meeting. I suggest that we allow about 2
hours in Milton Keynes for shopping or lunch. Please let me know what you think about
this when you book. Over 50 of you listed as “interested” in this show and I hope that
there will be lots of you keen to pay. If you listed but now find you are unable to
come, it would be an enormous help if you would let me know.
Cheques should be made payable to “Melton Mowbray U3A” please or the correct money
in cash would be appreciated. If you wish to go on either of these trips but cannot get to
the meetings then please contact me so that we can overcome this.
**A PLEA FROM YOUR GROUP LEADER** I would ask the following of you all.
PLEASE if you list your interest in a show make a note of the date in your diary, together
with my contact details and date for payment. If you subsequently find you are unable to
go, a phone call or email would save me a lot of work. Thank you.
Anne Dyster, Group Leader
Eileen Burdett
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email: [email protected]
email: [email protected]
Apr-15
ANNUAL GROUP REPORTS
BOWLS GROUP
The final session of our current winter season was held on 31 March, which was followed
by a fish and chip supper at the Clubhouse Restaurant. Membership at the end of March
totalled 42, including 6 new players who joined through the January "Meet The Groups"
meeting. Following our December roll up we sat down to a Christmas meal, again at the
Clubhouse Restaurant.
As in previous years, Holwell Sports Bowls Club will be making their outdoor rinks
available to us throughout the summer. The first session will be on Monday 18 May.
Please be there for about 1.45pm for 2pm start. We will bowl until 4pm with a break for
tea and biscuits after about an hour. The cost of £3 for the 2hour session includes tea and
biscuits. These will be relaxed, friendly roll ups with the emphasis on enjoyment. Please
contact me for further details.
The next indoor sessions will begin in October 2015.
Cliff Thompson (Group Leader) [email protected]
FRENCH CONVERSATION GROUP
Our meetings on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month continue with a
membership of seven and we have space for one or two new members. Meetings are
held in members’ homes.
The majority of time is spent on general conversation across a wide range of subjects in a
relaxed and informal atmosphere. However, a little time is set aside for reading aloud in
turn and translating. At present we are tackling a twentieth century classic by the
acclaimed author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in a series of short excerpts with another of his
works to follow later. We have started to use such modern novels with their expressive
and versatile use of French to broaden our knowledge of the language.
Paul Woolston (Group Leader)
FRENCH IMPROVERS GROUP
Our French Improvers Group has had another really good year. Everyone is now
speaking more fluently on a wider range of subjects and their vocabulary is expanding all
the time. I know members are still enjoying being in the group, not only do they say so but
they actually do their homework - most of the time! We are a close and mutually
supportive group and we all get on well with each other. This means that no one is
worried about making the odd mistake and if we laugh it is with each other and not at each
other! Our spare place has been filled by a new member. This could have been quite
daunting coming into an established group but she has fitted in so well it seems that she
has been one of us for a long time. Although the emphasis is now on speaking we are
very much enjoying reading "Maigret Sets a Trap" together having polished off "Round the
World in 80 Days". As I said in my report at our AGM, every week when they go home I
feel as if I have had a big dose of happy tonic!
Gay Wilson (Group Leader)
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GUITAR GROUP
We have had an excellent year and the group seems to go from strength to strength.
We have had gigs as diverse as church fund raising, cream tea afternoons and someone's
80th birthday celebration.
2015 sees us doing another cream tea afternoon (we like cream teas!) and an evening for
the president at the Bowls club.
We now have 12 members -10 singer/guitarists and 2 singers. We have reached the limit
as the guitars tend to drown out the singers but I will keep a waiting list for guitarists. If
anyone fancies just coming along to sing they can be accommodated.
If we get any further gigs I will notify them through the Newsletter.
Brian Donovan (Group Leader)
HISTORY GROUP
The group is run by a committee of six members. We meet at 2pm on the third Friday of
the month at Sage Cross Methodist church. We have had a variety of interesting speakers
over the last year including Earls of Leicester, Lady Jane Grey, history of prisons and food
and many more. We also have a yearly outing and two guided walks to local villages,
including a two part series of the older areas of Leicester.
Everyone is welcome. You do not have to belong to the group.
Anne Purvis (committee member)
HOLIDAY GROUP 1
The group enjoyed a superb 2014 holiday in Somerset. We stayed at the excellent Walton
Park Hotel in Clevedon, and, during the 5 day holiday, we visited Dyrham Park near
Chippenham and spent the next day in Bath, visiting the many tourist attractions in the city,
including the cathedral. Day 3, we visited Tyntesfield in the morning then spent the
afternoon inspecting Brunel’s “SS Great Britain”, the world’s first great ocean liner. Day 4,
we went to Wells, the smallest English city, and visited the cathedral and surrounding
environs. In the afternoon, we visited Montacute House, which featured in the film “Sense
and Sensibility”. Day 5, we visited Lacock Abbey, (where some of “Harry Potter” was
filmed), the Fox Talbot photographic museum and the associated village (also, some
“Harry Potter” film locations).
This was Roger Chapman’s final holiday as group leader, after many years of being in
charge and all group members are most grateful for Roger’s hard work over the years,
having enjoyed numerous holidays in the UK and in mainland Europe. The new group
leader, Alan Barton, is delighted that Roger will continue to be a group member and keep
Alan pointed in the right direction!
Alan Barton (Group Leader)
ANNUAL REPORTS DUE FOR MAY 2015 NEWSLETTER:
Jazz Appreciation, Keep Fit, Latin, Line Dancing, Looking at Life,
CATERING GROUP FOR NEXT MONTH’S MEETING ON 21 MAY 2015:
Janet Larder, Derek Larder, Edwina Brewis, Jean Ladkin, Susan Pymm
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