U3A BULLETIN No 3- JULY 2016
Dear U3A Member
July General Meeting
Your Executive Committee look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at our next General Meeting which will be held, as usual, in the Malthouse Suite of the Syston Conservative Club on Wednesday 13th July starting at 10.30 a.m. On this occasion, Richard Adams will give a multi-media presentation which illustrates his abiding interests in photography, gardening and music. Not to be missed!
TolethorpeOutdoor Theatre Visit – 3rdAugust
Unfortunately, because of the size of our group (under 20) we do not qualify for Group rates The price has therefore had to be increased by £1 toto £12 per head. Organiser, Sheila Driver, asks that payment be made at the forthcoming July meeting.
Calke Abbey Study Day
We have been informed that all the places on the U3A Network Study Day at Calke Abbey on 3rd October have now been filled. However, in order to meet demand, a further date, with the same programme and leader, has now been arranged for Monday 26th September. (This is before the date of the event originally offered, but it is the only day that Marilyn Palmer is available.)
Any SADU3A member wishing to attend should contact Secretary Cynthia Baker for an application form and further details. Places on this are limited and are likely to be taken up quickly, so you are advised not to delay with your booking.
Ornithology and Wildlife Group
Cossington Meadows - notorious for being wet and muddy, and famous for its wide variety of warblers - was the destination for our second outing. Luckily it was a beautiful, sunny day, dry underfoot, with lots of warbler activity. The meadows were covered in buttercups and the lakes surrounded by bullrushes and yellow flag irises. We (well, OK, mainly Robin) identified 46 species of birds, either by sight or song, with a few butterflies and dragonflies too. Highlights were 4 young cormorants on a wire, purple herons and a Great Crested Grebe family, with the babies riding on their mother's back.
By the end of the visit even we managed to tell the difference between reed warblers and reed buntings. The reed warblers, which were nesting amongst the rushes at the edge of the lake, are summer migrants, and twelve weeks after fledging, these wonderful little birds fly over 3,500 miles to Africa for winter! The visit ended with refreshments at Goscote Nurseries! Elizabeth Chew
2016 Regional Conference and AGM
Details of the 2016 Regional U3A Conference,to be held on 19th September at the Eastwood Hall Conference Centre, Nottingham, have now been published.
“TIME AND THE WEATHER WAIT FOR NO MAN”
0930 - 1015 Registration and Refreshments
1015 – 1020 Welcome and Introductions - Hilary Wells, Regional Chair
1020 – 1110 Paul Roebuck - The time has come….The history of the calendar as we know it.
1110 – 1130 Break
1130 – 1220 Jim Gould - The atmosphere and its effects on that great British subject –
the weather.
1220 - 1310 Breakout Session
1310 - 1410 Lunch
1410 – 1500 Pam Jones, National Chairman
1500 – 1555 Annual General Meeting - Hilary Wells, Regional Chairman
1555 – 1600 Conference Close - Hilary Wells, Regional Chairman
Any Member interested in attending this event should contact SADU3A Secretary Cynthia Baker for further details and an application form. Application forms, together with your cheque for £10 per person, made payable to “Association of East Midlands U3As”, should be submitted by no later than Friday 19thAugust.
Creative Writing Group
Group Leader, Pat Wherton, reports:
SADU3A creative writing group has been meeting for seven months now, and we’ve had lots of fun letting our imaginations run wild. Pen and paper can take us to places we never imagined possible.
Some of our other U3A members might like to try creative writing, but perhaps are nervous of coming, or can’t make the dates.
Here are a few hints and tips to get you started if you want to begin by following a tried and tested formula.
First, some terms we should get to know
Exposition – A word for the beginning of the story
Inciting incident – A problem needs to be introduced to move the story from exposition to complication
Complication- the second part. The period that generates rising action
Conflict – A clash between different desires. What we embrace in stories. It generates energy, desire, and trouble.
Hook or turn – A turn in the story that catches our interest as readers, intrigues us and keeps us reading. An unexpected event that raises questions and keeps us hooked.
Mid-Point – where the protagonist sees that there is as much effort in going back as in continuing on. Fresh challenge, go back to where we started, or grit the teeth and carry on.
Climax – comes at the highest possible point of tension in a story and is short and intense.
Falling Action – The period of decent which follow the climax and when the story has peaked and is on its way back down again.
Try using Christopher Vogler’s 12 stage Writer’s Journey
- Ordinary World. Characters going about their normal routines.
- Call to Adventure. Something happens to upset the equilibrium. It might be an event, a new arrival, opening the shed door and finding a fox and her cubs. As first the protagonist:
- Refuses the call. A character has doubts and insecurities, feels they are not ready and backs off.
- Meeting the Mentor. Someone in the story helps the protagonist to commit to the story. They may be older, wiser, experts in a particular field. The protagonist now fully enters thestory. They are now on a journey.
- Crossing the first threshold. Now the protagonist enters the special world of the story and has to go through the first stage.
- Test, Allies and Enemies. Here, skills are tested and new ones acquired. They meet allies who will help and enemies who will hinder and obstruct.
- Approach to the innermost cave. At this stage the story of the protagonist enters the dark place, the home of the enemy, the place where the treasure they are seeking is to be found. This is not a friendly place; it is dangerous to them and they have to face:
- The Supreme Ordeal. At this stage the protagonist needs to call on all their skills and depth of character to survive the onslaught of their enemies’ forces. They may appear to fail but they do succeed. They grasp their:
- Reward, Seizing the Sword. This may literally be a sword, or a document, or an elixir, or a jewel. It’s whatever the quest was set up to find. The protagonist now has this, but their task now is to make their way back out of the dark place into the light. This is the stage of:
- The Road Back. This is beset with challenges as the forces of the enemy seek to get back the treasure they have lost. Often it appears that the hero has been killed. This is their darkest moment, but then the next stage comes:
- Resurrection and the climax of the story. The hero survives and can enter the final stage of the journey which is:
- Return with the Elixir. They come home triumphant with the firs of the Gods.
Why not have a go, and send your efforts in to Vitality. It could be your first published work!
An appeal for help with a research project
Matthew Bennion<> has written as follows:
I am a mature research student based at the University of Sheffield studying how we can make computer-based mental health therapies more accessible to older adults. I am currently trying to raise awareness of my studies through a presentational video which I wondered if you may be able to promote?
I am also looking to recruit for my studies. Anyone interested in further details should follow the video link:
The study is split into two parts:
Part 1: A short multiple choice questionnaire that explores views on computer based problem-solving programs. At the end of the questionnaire you will be asked if you wish to receive further information about Part 2 of the study.
Part 2: Participation in the use of computer based problem-solving programs.
I’m keen to hear as many views as possible regarding computer based problem-solving programs so please feel free to pass on the link to the questionnaire via your membership mailing list.
Part 1 can be completed at the following link:
Book Group
Group Leader, Judith Winter (0116 2605599) writes:
We had a lively meeting with a visit from Bharti Acharya,representing the local library service, and were pleased to welcome two potential new Group members, Dorothy and Jenny.
Bharti told us about what the library can offer us and we were interested to hear about the audio books list so that we could choose a book for the group that Mary could also receive and listen to. She explained about the on-line services - but these services were only of benefit to a few of the group as many of us do not go on line.
We had a short discussion about the book for the month –“The Color Purple” by Alice Walker. Only three of us had read the book as we had quite a few members missing for one reason or another. We had enjoyed it and rated it a 7 overall. Although not everyone there had read the book, it did stimulate a lively discussion about the lives of black American women at the time the book was written.
For the June meeting we are reading “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time”. Then, for the July meeting, we will hopefully have the list from the library of the books that Mary can get. We have delayed the Peter May suggestion until later in the year.
Web site development
Webmaster Michael Wherton writes:
I hope you will have seen from the latest edition of "Vitality" that our own web site is now populated and up and running. It is now available to view at
and I would ask that you all have a look at it and let me have your constructive feedback.
I would especially like to appeal to all Group Leaders to review the page for Groups and check that the information therein clearly describes the current situation. Please provide any information you would like to add (e.g. Is the group currently full? Are there charges involved for room hire? Where do you meet? and any other useful notes of guidance for potential members).
I realise that some have you may have provided some of this info to me in the past but would seek your forbearance. I am only a "one finger typist" and frankly hadn't realised the time required to get thus far with the website.
Days of Interest Outings Group
Following a very successful outing to Bletchley Park on 28th June (full report below), details of the next day out can be confirmed as follows:
Destination:The National Arboretum and Trentham Gardens
Date: Wednesday 21stSeptember
Cost:£21 per head inclusive of coach.
Further details can be obtained from and reservations made with Janet . Closing date for bookings: 31stJuly. Full payment required by 10th August.
Sponsorship for Diabetes Awareness
SADU3A Member, Susan Alexander has written as follows:
From 1st July to 30th of September 2016 I am taking part in the Diabetes UK 1 Million Steps Challenge to raise the awareness of Diabetes in the UK and to raise funds for related research. I have a Just Giving page through which anyone interested can make a sponsorship donation and I would be very happy to give further information to anyone who would like to get in touch - Susan Aulevant <>.
Self-help for the hard of hearing
Susan has also been very helpful in advising on a potential interim solution to our continuing efforts to address the needs of our hard of hearing Members by the purchase of a hearing loop.
Susan has sourced and purchased a personal loop system at a cost of £90 which, she reports, works extremely well. The Sonido Digital Listener Unit- Product Code L376SLV and L335A Neckloop - were purchased from Action on Hearing, 1 Haddonbrook Business Centre, Fallodan Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough PE2 6YX Tel: 01733 361 199. Web: Susan would be very happy to arrange for anyone interested to show how it works and to try it out before purchase.
First Aid
As reported in our previous Bulletin in May, the Executive Committee remains anxious to take steps to organise adequate First Aid cover at our General Meetings. May we repeat our request that any Member who has a current First Aid certificate - or who is qualified in some other way to give First Aid - is asked to notify the Secretary, Cynthia Baker, (email:) to enable us to consider some kind of rota coverage on a monthly basis.
Group Leaders
Now that most Members have had experience of Group activities, it is possible that a number will now have gained sufficient confidence to offer to act as Leaders for additional U3A Groups. If you would like to suggest starting a new Group to help other to share a special area of interest of yours, please contact our Group Co-ordinators to discuss the matter further.
You are reminded, once again, that Leaders do not have to be “experts”. A Leader has organisational and administrative skills sufficient to arrange the meetings of the Group in question. Members of the Group share a common interest in the subject and learn from each other by sharing knowledge and experience, supplemented, perhaps, by contributions from external specialists.Please contact either Sheila Driver () or Janet Downes () who will give you the necessary guidance on how to proceed.
Bowling Group
Although the weather so far has not been particularly conducive to open air sport, Syston Bowling Club continues to offer the opportunityfor free weekly coaching sessions. All kit is provided. All you need is a pair of flat shoes without heels. Trainers will do. Anyone interested in learning more (ladies or men) are invited to contact Group Leader Colin Grimes – tel: 0116 2608412 for further details.
World Dining Group
Executive Committee vacancy
We are still searching for a Minuting Secretary to serve on the Executive Committee which currently meets on a monthly basis. Anyone interested in volunteering to take up this role is invited to contact Executive CommIttee Chairman Colin Grimes -
Newsletter
Can I please ask everyone to continue to supply me at any timewith editorial material suitable for the August Bulletin and/or September “Vitality” edition (Number 4) Email format would be preferred (Colin Grimes - ), to simplify my task of editing through "cut and paste". Group activity reports with photographs in .jpg format would be especially welcomed.
Publicity
Membership car stickers –small plastic decals, to put inside your rear car window - are now available free of charge, on request, from the Membership Secretary. This is a discreet but effective way to publicise the U3A and to attract membership enquiries.
Our regular programme of monthly Press Releases continues. Group Leaders are urged to make a monthly habit of informing Fiona Henry the Editor of "Syston Town News" of the dates(s) of their Group Meetings to be featured in the Diary section of the newspaper. ("Fiona Henry" email: ;Tel: 0116 2693 221). Her closing date for copy usually falls in the middle of the month. Those of you who live in neighbouring locations which have community newspapers can do the same with the respective Editors.
We should do everything possible to keep the U3A in the public eye across the whole catchment area that we serve as a means of ensuring continuous growth and development.
Member Communications
This monthly Bulletin and the quarterly Newsletter “Vitality”are important channels of communications between Members. Unfortunately, limited resources restrict circulation of these - and other messages - to those who have email. While the Executive Committee consider a more “permanent” solution to the problem, we regret that “hard” copies of messages for those without email can only be provided for collection at monthly General Meetings or to those who provide us with stamped, self-addressed A5 size envelopes in advance.
Bletchley Park Visit
COLIN GRIMES
Chairman/PRO
1st July 2016
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