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U3A EAST LONDON NEWSLETTER
The University of the Third Age
Newsletter No 75 January/February 2016
Ann King and the U3A Committee wish you a very healthy and productive 2016. We hope to see all of you at U3A meetings soon.
We ended 2015 with a wonderful lunch at the Buffalo Club, and our thanks and congratulations must go to Sandra Stirling and Marion Victor for excellent organization. All those who attended enjoyed the day very much and John, as MC kept us entertained with some very good stories and jokes. Therefore it was surprising to the Committee that out of a membership of 204, only 50 U3A members attended the lunch. Your Committee would like some feedback please. We are wondering if it was the change to Sunday or maybe that there are just too many celebrations at the end of the year and maybe U3A should have our lunch in July as the U3A year ends in June? Certainly, I don’t think the R95 was too much?
Your Committee is already at work on your behalf and we met on 7 January to plan the year ahead. Anne Cooke (General Meetings) and Sandra Stirling (Current Affairs) have some exciting speakers lined up. We will be having out-of-town speakers and the first out-of-town speaker is Dr Dean Allen, Johannesburg, “Empire, War and Cricket”, on the 10 March. Do not miss this talk and also the one by Gill Vernon “The Legacy of Shipwrecks”, 14 February. We have also agreed to upgrade our sound system, starting with a headset microphone, to replace the one that has been giving us and our speakers such hassles (good news for Kelvin)! ( Hot from the press – already done and a better Speaker system is being investigated!)
And, so, right at the beginning of the year we are up and running with exciting and innovative plans for U3A East London. However, and it gives me no pleasure to have to write this, Ann King and your Committee have asked to me state the following in the strongest terms possible.
It is almost 100% possible that all our plans will come to naught and that U3A East London will close their doors in June 2016. Yes, folks, it is that serious. Your Committee is far below the ten stated in the Constitution and we have kept going by each of us taking on double portfolios. But, in June Ann King, Anne Cooke and I will come to the end of our terms of office.
Shirley Baxter who agreed to take on the job of Secretary in addition to the large Membership portfolio feels she cannot continue as Secretary. Toni Tonin was co-opted but cannot continue indefinitely. So that leaves two Committee members! This is just not possible. Also, we need members to come onto the Committee immediately so they will be able to learn the ropes. The fact that despite a drop in membership figures (largely due to Shirley Baxter’s sterling work in “cleaning up” the membership records, 374 members attended courses and meetings in November 2015 – up from 319 in November 2014. This is a sign that we are on the right track and U3A activities are enjoyed by the members. Therefore we now hand the problem over to the 199 members not serving on the Committee. We need eight of you now. Please come forward. It is not an onerous task. In fact, it is an extremely satisfying and enjoyable Committee to be involved with.
One last thing before we move onto Membership News is that we are still getting queries from members who are battling to print the Newsletter and John has asked me to mention that you must press the download button before you can print. This reminds me of a computer company who writes ‘PICNIC’ on some of the worksheets of the computers they get in for repair. ‘PICNIC’ means “Problem in chair, not in computer”!
MEMBERSHIP NEWS: Shirley Baxter: (043) 721 3518:
Condolences: Our sincere condolences go to the family and friends of Sheila Sutton who passed on to higher service on the 4 December 2015.
NEW MEMBERS:
Noreen Burton, Raymond Harry, Christine de Greef, Aletta Erasmus, Shirley Martin and Barbara Marshall. Penny Stevens, returned member.
Welcome. We hope you will enjoy being a part of the U3A family.
This brings our membership up to 204. Do remember that our challenge this year is to each bring a new member to join U3A.
BIRTHDAYS:
February: 1 Winsome Schroder, 4 Sylvia Preston, 6 Rosemary Raath, 7 Ann King, 9 Nikki Arentsen, 11 Arnie Alcock, 12 Noreen Burton and John Thompson, 15 Barbara Barry and Blyth van Niekerk, 17 Terry Briceland, 21 Pat Erskine, 22 Sue Smith, 24 Dianne Driver, 26 Nancy Adams, 28 Robert White.
March: 1 Gwen Edwards, 2 Clive Botha, 11 Nookie Middleton, 14 John Stoddard, 17 Pat Moran, 30 Anna Junor, 31 Di Hood and James Sellers.
COURSE NEWS: Anne Cooke: 084 502 2055, (043) 735 2055, .
Hopefully we have all had time to recharge our batteries over the holiday season and go into the New Year with renewed energy and enthusiasm.
We are delighted to welcome back Nita Laing who is reintroducing a six month Drama Course starting Tuesday 26 January. Gilbert & Sullivan Operettas will only be commencing in April. David has had a torrid time health wise and we all wish him a speedy recovery. Music Appreciation will also be commencing in April. Shirley Baxter’s Walks of East London will begin in May when the weather will have cooled down – we hope!
We are happy to announce that Dr Dean Allen, Senior Lecturer at Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom, visiting Johannesburg, will be giving a presentation at the General Meeting in March. He is a popular motivational speaker known for his educational and entertaining style. He will be speaking about his new book Empire, War and Cricket. Dr Allen’s talk explores how James Logan made his fortune in the late 19th Century in South Africa through business, politics and a high profile association with the British Empire’s favourite sport – Cricket and the establishment of the town Matjiesfontein. Please put this date in your diary and do bring a friend along. Let’s put U3A East London on the map!
Check your Course Programme for the details of all our Courses on offer.
SPEAKERS: FEBRUARY/MARCH 2016:
General Meeting: 11 February, 09.30: Gill Vernon, well-known historian and author will be speaking about her new book, “The Legacy of Shipwrecks”.
10 March, 10.00: Dr Dean Allen, talking on his new book, “Empire, War and Cricket”. See full details above.
Current Affairs: 18 February: 10.00: Cllr Marian Mackley, will be speaking on the State of the Nation Address and the forthcoming Local Elections. Considering what has been happening lately in South Africa, this is one you don’t want to miss!
17 March, 10.00: To be announced.
Getting to know the J.S.E: 4 February: John Pearson will speak about the current happenings in the economy. John Stoddard will unravel the complexities of the symbols used on the J.S.E.
Armchair Travel: 1 February: Rose Anley will continue her travels in Russia. We all thoroughly enjoyed her first talk. 7 March: John Pearson will be speaking about Malta G.C.
Film Club: Rose Anley: 3 February: “The Theory of Everything”: The story of Stephen and Jane Hawking. How together they defied impossible odds and achieved more than they could possibly have dreamt. Eddie Redmayne gives a superb performance as Stephen Hawkings. 3 March: “Still Alice”: This film is based on Lisa Genovas best selling novel and tells the story of Alice Howland diagnosed at age 50 with familial Alzheimers’ disease. It is a heartfelt drama that deals with this sensitive subject in a brave and delicate manner.
Book Club: Ann King: 27 January, the Book Club will be a Rose Anley’s house, 14 Logan Drive, Nahoon. Future venues to be arranged.
Garden Club: Ann King: 9 February: The Garden Club will meet at Floradale Nursery at 10.00.
PLEASE NOTE: Marion Victor: Line dancing will commence on 8 February, 10.00 in the Harry Harper Lounge.
N.B. There will be no Creative Writing 0n 25 March as it is a Public Holiday.
For full details do consult your Course Programme attached.
John Stoddard would love to receive any photos taken of U3A’ers at Courses, so please take your cameras along and snap away merrily. Your photos might very well appear in the Newsletter or Website.
TAILPIECE:
One of the Christmas presents I got was a tea towel with these words:
“Grandchildren are so much fun. I should have had them first.”
I shall not be here for our first meeting as I will be AWOL climbing up a mountain in Morocco but I look forward to seeing you all in March.
Until next time …..
NOOKIE MIDDLETON
AND THE NEWSLETTER TEAM.