Retford U3A Newsletter - APRIL 2021

Membership No. 822/801/10

www.retford-u3a.org.uk

CHAIRMANS THOUGHTS 9

Kate and I are about to have our 2nd injection

and it’s the season of major work in the back

garden. As I type this I am waiting for half a ton

of timber, which Listers are going to deliver, so I

guess it will be a busy few days ahead.

The committee are still monitoring closely the

Governments roadmap, and it is obvious that

gradually some meetings will be able to get

back to some degree of normality. However, we

are still going to renew our Zoom agreement,

which means those groups who have found it an

easy way to communicate with members can

still use it.

I have still to hear from the Well, but we have

now heard from Bassetlaw District Council about

their venues re-opening. We are obviously

concerned about the use of their facilities and

have limited information as to if amenities like

the toilet facilities or kitchens will be available to

us. There are also ongoing concerns about how

the hygienic deep cleaning of the chairs and

tables etc. can be managed before and after

any public meeting.

In the early stages of opening, do we, for

instance, have to wear masks or keep a record

of who attends any meeting for track and trace

purposes. Do we still have to have a written Risk

Assessment every time we hold a meeting, and

probably equally important for some members,

do we need to know who has not had the

vaccination and could still be a risk to those who

have.

So as you can see we are not tyring to impose

the ‘Granny State’, but as a committee we have

a duty of care on all of you. It would be an

absolute disaster if anything went wrong now,

after we have all been so careful for so long.

I am personally in touch with members of a

number of other local organisations, The Round

Table, Retford Men’s Probus, Gringley on the Hill

History Society amongst others. We are all in the

same boat, and none of us can see an easy

way out of the problem of ‘live’ meetings at the

moment. As I said last month we will have to

remain patient for a while longer. Finally on this

topic, we have still not heard anything definite

from the National U3A in London about holding

meetings again, and neither have we had

confirmation that if we do, our insurance cover

will be valid.

New groups are starting. Andrew Bell is starting a

Current Affairs Group, and again you will be

advised about the start up with timings etc.

Don’t forget, although we have reached the

next point in the Prime Minister’s Road Map, if

you do have folk around to your house, who are

not members of your ‘bubble’ they must stay

outside, be limited to six in number, and are not

allowed to use your toilet facilities.

We are still working towards commemorating

National U3A Day on 3rd June, but the

committee may decide to put this back a

month or so. I will let you know in early May, after

our next committee meeting.

Our AGM went well last month with Patricia

Everitt being elected on to the Committee as

Treasurer. As I mentioned last month we do have

a potential problem in a year’s time, when The

Secretary, Pippa Ramsey, the Group Co-

ordinator, Brenda Wilson, Sue Ross and I will all

have completed our terms on the committee.

We will definitely need a new Secretary and a

new Chairman for Retford U3A to carry on, so

please think about what could happen to our

groups and all the effort the Group Leaders

have done if we have to fold, through lack of

volunteers. We have 500 members so surely

someone should be able to help, otherwise why

are the committee working so hard to make

Retford U3A work. Roy

THE NOT SO IDLE TIMES Page 2

NEWS FROM GROUPS

CLASSICAL MUSIC GROUP

Who have we been listening to?

Due to the Covid restrictions the Classical

music group took to the Zoom format although

it had taken a little while to set up. The format

was changed to accommodate this move

where everyone attending was invited to

recommend a piece of their choice. At the

end of the music there was the chance to

discuss what we had heard.

It was during one of these discussions that an

intriguing point was raised with regard to how

frequently we listened to certain composers.

This led to all the past programs being

analysed to check this out. Since the group

had started there had been some 75 meetings

during which several pieces would be

programmed.

We have over this period listened to 214

different composers a figure that shocked

even Marie, and they have ranged from 16th

century composers to very contemporary

people who are still writing/composing today.

Of course, like all good lists there is a “top 20”

and these include all the usual suspects as the

table below demonstrates.

These 20 composers account for a total of 178

appearances whereas those who were

listened to only once accounted for 136

“appearances”

It has just gone to show the very eclectic

range of music being enjoyed by the Classical

Music Group.

Many thanks to Maire Thompson for being the

Group Leader and ‘facilitator’ that keeps

everything going so smoothly. David Lee

The photo of the month chosen by the

members on the theme of Still Life.

“DEAD TO THE INCOMING TIDE”

By Marie Thompson

In recent years, the media has been awash with

news pieces and comment on a whole range of

contentious issues, including race, gender,

censorship and attacks on free speech,

cybercrime, the monarchy, brexit, ‘wokeism’,

COVID-19, the breakup of the UK and the failings of

the justice system.

These are all matters of real public concern, but we

still have very little opportunity to step back

together, and reflect on the gdiverse range of

opinions expressed.

I propose to start a Current Affairs Group this

Autumn, when, it is hoped we can all return to our

face to face meetings. We will see if we can try to

address some of these problems, but also enjoy

some lively interaction and discussion where

everyone’s viewpoint is respected.

Initially, I suggest we meet fortnightly and see how

it goes.

If you would like to join us, then please contact me

at currentaffairs@retford-u3a.org.uk or call 01777 817835. Andrew

PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP CURRENT AFFAIRS GROUP

THE NOT SO IDLE TIMES Page 3

Design, Production & Printing - Christine Cook

Contact:- newsletters@retford-u3a.org.uk

For the foreseeable future I will still be publishing a

monthly or bi monthly newsletter and will

appreciate any articles etc.

Contact me on 01777 870583. Items for inclusion in

the next edition can be sent in any time until things

return to normal.

Christine

NEWSLETTER CONTACT

Unfortunately the Coffee

Morning meeting in April

has been cancelled,

hopefully the meeting will

take place in May as usual.

Have you changed your details (address,

email or telephone number) in the last year – if

so please contact Sue Paul, Membership

Secretary (memsec@retford-u3a.org.uk) with

the changes or telephone on 01777 705008.

We need to ensure our contact info is up to

date especially in these strange times.

I have had several queries re subscriptions so

please note subs are not due until MARCH

2022

Sue

MEMBERSHIP COFFEE MORNING

GARDEN OPEN

Primrose Cottage

16 Bar Road North

Beckingham

DN10 4NN

Tel. 01427 848852

Garden open for National Garden Scheme on

SUNDAY JUNE 2 – 5 pm

Home made teas, plant stall

by Norwell Nurseries, Flowers

by Spotty Dog, metal

garden ornaments/structures

by Patrick. All on the village

green.

NGS have given the go

ahead for this event. Usually

very well supported, so do

come. Admission £3.

Terry & Brenda Wilson

A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY

COVID-19

The National Office website is

regularly updated to take

into account the latest

in s truc t ions f rom the

Government. The current

regulations can be found on

the Home page under How

to Run Your u3a: Covid and Beyond. It is possible

that, even when we have all had our ‘jabs’ it will

be some time before we can meet again face -to-

face, so in the meantime take care and stay safe.

Your u3a will still be there when you can return.

NATIONAL WEBSITE

Have you looked at the national website recently?

It is constantly being

updated, with new

information added.

Have a browse, it’s

amazing what you can

find there. If you are

unsure as to how to find

your way round the

website, there is a ‘u3a

website tour’ video which you can access through

‘Running your u3a’. Have you looked at the Online

Learning Events that are available? Most of them

are free and easy to sign up to.

NATIONAL NEWSLETTER

Have all your members signed up for the National

Newsletter? If not, encourage them to do so. It

goes out monthly, direct to each member’s email

address. It contains information about what other

u3as are doing, news from u3a Office, information

about learning events and lots of other things.

Members can sign up to the newletter on the

national web

SOURCES ONLINE

Do you and all the members of your u3a know

about Sources Online? It is full of information from

other u3as about what they are doing in their

groups and projects they have worked on. Your

u3a can send in articles and you might find

inspiration to take your own u3a forward.

NEWS FROM THE REGION AND u3a OFFICE

THE NOT SO IDLE TIMES Page 4

Imagine that you are out for a walk across some fields

and come across someone who needs emergency

help. Think how you would describe your exact

location to someone in a call centre in say,

Birmingham …..almost impossible.

The what3word app solves this problem. It is a free

app and is easy to download to your mobile phone. It

works because the world has been divided up into 3m

squares. Each square has been allocated 3 random

words eg, gladiator, cup, swim. By pressing the

satellite button if you don't know where you are, or

entering an address if you know where you are, the

app will show you the unique sequence of 3 words. All

you need to do is tell the call centre the 3 words and

the emergency services use this identifier to find you.

Does it work?

This weekend we came across a cyclist who had fallen off her bike on a remote country road.

She needed urgent medical help and we called 999, but we struggled to describe where we

were. Only one bystander (out of 5 bystanders) knew about the what3word app and he had it

on his phone. He gave the operator the 3 words for the location and within 15 minutes we had

a paramedic, an emergency ambulance and the air ambulance on the scene. They could not

speak highly enough of this app.

Please think about putting this app onto your phone. It could save someone's life – or even your

own life. Geoff and Ann Marsh

HAVE YOU GOT THE what3words APP?

MILITARY HISTORY GROUP

Pre-commencement works start for The Vulcan Experience

Contractors have started pre-commencement works for the

new hangar at Doncaster Sheffield Airport that will become

The Vulcan Experience.

The team from principal contractors, Wordsworth

Construction Management, will be onsite for two days along

with the ground worker and civils contractor, Alto Construct,

to start the foundations that will form the main visitor centre,

taking the legacy of former CEO, Dr Robert Pleming, who

died in February this year, a step closer to reality.

John Sharman, chair of trustees at The Vulcan to the Sky

Trust (VTST) said: “We are extremely pleased to have made

the first holes in the ground for the new hangar and while it

is a great step forward, we are still quite a way off our

fundraising total to make this project a reality...

THE NOT SO IDLE TIMES Page 5

QUIZ ANSWERS

Is your u3a making plans for u3a day? We do not know

whether lockdown will be over and you can have publicity

events with visitors or whether what you do will have to be

virtual - you could make plans for either eventuality. The

idea is to publicise the u3a movement and its benefits to as

many people as possible. u3a Office is planning to contact

the national media, but your u3a can do its bit to help by

contacting your local press and radio.

There is information available on the website to help with

planning and publicity material will be available via the

office.

https://www.u3a.org.uk/events/u3a-day

REMINDER FOR u3a DAY - WEDNESDAY 2ND JUNE 2021