mkhdu3a.org.uk
MOSELEY, KINGS HEATH & DISTRICT U3A
NEWSLETTER no.32February 2016
Dear Member
As our activities get under way in the New Year, we have a newsletter packed with updates, new information and exciting opportunities. Read on!
Below there is information about the February monthly meeting and on pages 1 and 2 information about changes which will be taking place on the Committee at this year’s AGM in May.
If you need to lip read at monthly meetings, please turn to page 2. You will also find on pages 2 and 3 an update from Sue and Sue on Interest Groups, including two new groups being formed and some ideas about other new groups which may catch your interest.
On page 3 we have information from Paul about the day trips he is planning for the months ahead. Also, there are details of a Language Day School for U3A members, whether beginners, intermediate or advanced, to be held in Evesham in May. You will find on page 4 a password that enables you to view the Minutes of recent Committee meetings via our website.
Page 5 has an update on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), giving a much wider range of available free courses. Finally, on page 6,Diane has arranged some interesting, and perhaps exciting, additions to our programme of monthly meetings for the rest of 2016.
February Monthly Members Meeting
This month’s meeting will be based on the exciting personal experiences of Malcolm Evans, who took part in the Round the World Clipper Yacht Race.
The race is one of the biggest challenges of the natural world and an endurance test like no other. With no previous sailing experience necessary, it’s a record breaking 40,000 nautical mile race around the world on a 70-foot ocean racing yacht.
Malcolm writes: “I had not done a great deal of sailing before I took part in the race, but have always liked a challenge. I am 63 and retired when I was 60. I worked in research for ICI, then moved into the techno/commercial area and latterly worked for the largest American Lawn and Garden business, supporting sales of garden products in the UK.”
The meeting will be at the All Saints Centre at 2pm on Tuesday February 9.
Changes Ahead
At this year’s AGM in May our invaluable Interest Group Co-ordinators, Sue Baker and Sue Stokes, come to the end of their three-year tenure on the Committee. We are sad to say that both of them have decided that it is time to move on, and they are standing down from the Committee.
Whilst we are disappointed to lose them, it also gives the opportunity for other members to get involved with the Committee. The aim of the Committee is to get a regular input of new blood each year, and we are looking to have another infusion this year.
All posts on the Committee come up for election at the AGM each year and members are encouraged to stand for any posts that interest them. However, we are specifically concerned that five vacancies are filled on the Committee in May:
- Interest Group Co-ordinators (3)
- Vice Chair
- Deputy Business Secretary
As we have always stressed, the strength of our U3A is in its membership, and we are looking to members to put themselves forward for these roles.
If you wish to discuss an interest in any of these roles, please talk to Mike or Jude at a Monthly Meeting, or email them on or
Details of the Interest Group Co-ordinator, Vice Chair and Business Secretary roles can be found on our website at: mkhdu3a.org.uk
Are you a Lip Reader?
If you need to lip read at monthly meetings, please let us know at a monthly meeting and we will ensure that you are guaranteed a front row seat at future meetings.
Interest Group Update
Sue Baker and Sue Stokes write:
We are really pleased to let you know that we now have sixty Interest Groups running. We are so fortunate in our U3A to have members who at prepared to give their time in leading groups . The Committee would like to use this opportunity to say a big thank you to all our Group Leaders.
On the same theme, a member has asked if we have any other members who would be prepared to run a chess group and perhaps a short session on how to do cryptic Crosswords, a challenge to many of us! If anyone is interested please contact one of the Interest Group Co-ordinators.
Sue Baker and Sue Stokes
New interest groups
Weare pleased to announce two new Interest Groups. These are being started as the original groups are full:
Complementary Therapies 2
The new Complementary Therapies group will be led by Mary Robertson . Any members interested please contact Mary on 07717325875 or by e mail: .
The meetings will be held on the first Monday afternoon of the month.
Socialist Perspectives on Contemporary Issues 2
A preparatory meeting is being held onFriday February 12 at 1.15pm at the Friends Meeting House in Colmore Road , Kings Heath. The meeting will discuss the aims of the group and agree a day, time and place at which to meet on a regular basis.
Anyone interested please contact either Pauline Easter or Chris Olley. Pauline can be contacted on 0121 246 1694 or by e mail:.
Chris can be contacted on 0121 459 3699 or by email:
New Meeting Room for Interest Groups
We have been experiencing problems with meeting venues for some groups which are too large for homes.
We have discovered that Dad's Lane Community Centre has a room available for hire. It is situated on the corner of Pineapple Road and Cartland Road. It is a converted house and has a meeting room suitable for small groups, about 20, plus a kitchen for coffee and tea making.
It only costs £7 per hour
Social Events
Paul has informed us that the following visits have been arranged for the coming months:
- Tuesday May 24: A Day inOxfordfor £11 per person.
- Wednesday July 27: A coach has been booked, but the details are yet to be confirmed.
- Friday September 16: The National Memorial at Alrewas and Lichfield for £10 per person.
Members wishing to ensure they get a place on trips and visits should contact Paul Hunt and ask to be added to his list.
For more information on social events, or to book places, please email Paul on:
Learning a Language?
If you are learning a new language and would like some intensive learning, a one-day Summer School is being organised by Cotswold-Link U3A on Saturday May 7 at Prince Henry’s High School in Evesham.
They have sent us the following information:
“Calling all U3A linguists – whether at the beginner stage, advanced and bi-lingual, or just generally curious…..
We are delighted to announce that we have arranged with Prince Henry’s School in Evesham to use their brand new £1m language block for our first Summer School! Details are in the early stages, butit is anticipated we will cover German, French, Italian, Spanish, Latin, Russian, and Greek. Workshops will cater for all levels, beginners to advanced, and anyone interested in satisfying their curiosity!
10.00am: The day will start with registration and coffee/tea followed by a welcome and introduction.
11.15 - 12.45 Workshops take place.
1.00 – 2.30 Lunch will be served.
The afternoon will be taken up with language-based presentations and a synopsis of the day will precede the closure at 4.00pm.
There is ample car parking at the school, which is easy to find in Evesham.
The anticipated cost for the day will be £15 for Cotswold Link U3A members.
Full registration details will follow, but do put the date in your diaries now!
Places are likely to be taken up quickly – for more details check our website: your own U3A or contact: .”
Information on our Website
We are continually updating and adding new information to our website.
We have recently starting adding the minutes of Committee meetings to the website. If you wish to read the minutes, go to the website and find the “Members” section.
You will be asked for a password. Enter the password pineapple and you find our most recent Committee minutes are available to download.
2016 U3A Summer Schools
We have received some advance information about this summer’s national U3A Summer Schools.
There are two summer schools.
School 1 will be August 8 – 11.
School 2 will be August 15 – 18.
Both will be at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester. They tend to be popular and well attended, so early booking is advisable.
The links below will give you further information and an opportunity to book.
Download the course and application informationApply for a place at summer school
If you have difficulty opening these links, you can find a more reliable link on our website.
Update on MOOCs – Massive Open Online Courses
In previous newsletters we have highlighted the growth in free online courses, known as MOOCs.
Previous newsletters have mentioned those run by FutureLearn, which is linked to the Open University. FutureLearn offers a wide range of courses in the arts, sciences, social sciences, geography, history etc.
However, a much wider range of free courses is offered by a company known as COURSERA, with courses run by many international universities, including prestigious British and American ones.
Courses are offered by Coursera under the following headings: Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, Business, Life Sciences, Computer Science, Physical Sciences, Personal Development, and Maths and Logic.
Thecourses run for relatively short periods – perhaps 4 or 8 weeks – and there are no compulsory tests or assignments.Individual members can sign up for these, but they are also useful for Interest Groups. They can provide extra resource material for groups, or a group could choose to study a course collectively.
We must stress that, having not tried them, the Committee is unable to recommend these courses, but members may wish to explore them. With adult education courses becoming fewer and more expensive, these free online courses are a welcome addition to education.
Staying Connected – Living with Hearing Loss
There is a Study Day on Living with Hearing Loss at Oxford Brookes University near Oxford on Saturday March 12, 2016. It is organised by West Oxford U3A.
The event is both for those suffering from hearing loss and those who have a close family member or friend who is suffering.
Further details and a booking form are on our website: mkhdu3a.co.uk
Getting Information on National, Regional and Local Events
The latest information on our local events, trips, visits, etc is always in our newsletter or announced at monthly meetings, but members are encouraged to check the website regularly for updates between monthly meetings.
It is also worth checking the national website for information about national and regional events, workshops, day schools etc. By the time our newsletter comes out, some national events are already fully booked.
Legal Helpline Update
The previous 24 hour legal helpline is no longer in operation. We are delighted to be able to tell you that there is now a new provider.
The details are as follows:
Arc Legal Assistance in partnership with Irwin Mitchell Solicitors
Telephone number 0344 770 1040
Quote - U3A Legal Helpline.
Equipment Available for Interest Group use
We have a portable screen and a sound system which will connect to a laptop. These, in addition to our digital projector, can be borrowed by Interest Groups for specific meetings.
If you are interested, the Group Leader needs to get in touch with Mike Clark on
Forthcoming Members' Meetings
Date / Time / Venue / Topic / SpeakerTuesday February 9 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / The Clipper Round the World yacht race and my part in it. / Malcolm Evans
Tuesday March 8 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / Guatemala: Poverty and Riches / Vaughan Thomas
Tuesday April 12 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / The Beginning of Time / Andrew Lound
Tuesday May 10 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / AGM
Tuesday June 14 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / Laurel and Hardy – The Birmingham Connection / John Ullah
Tuesday July 12 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / Confessions of a Pantomime Dame / Richard Westcott
Tuesday August 9 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / To be confirmed
Tuesday September 13 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / My Life with the French Horn / Graham Stroud
Tuesday October 11 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / The Army - Your Army! / Major Lucy Smith and Staff Sgt Burrell
Tuesday November 8 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / To be confirmed
Tuesday December 13 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / Festive Entertainment
Contact Information
For Interest Group enquiries, please contact one of the Interest Group Coordinators:
Sue Baker, 0121 449 5737, or
Sue Stokes, 0121 441 3052
For membership enquiries, please contact:
Tonia Sharp 0121 444 4039, or Val Baxter 0121 444 7214,
or email:
For general enquiries, please contact: Jude Williams, 07813 258 741,or Mike Clark,0121 689 2765
Moseley, Kings Heath and District U3A February 2016
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