Future plans
SPEAKERS' MEETINGS
Updated January 11th, 2024.
Your committee has decided to continue with face-to-face meetings, so a full programme of speakers has now been booked well into 2024. Suggestions for future events and speakers will always be welcome.
We will continue to use the YMCA hall as this allows for more space for distancing. The start time will be 2 p.m. so please arrive in good time for the start.
We are not in a position to insist on members proving vaccination status or a recent negative test but would ask that all attendees at meetings follow the latest guidance for your own safety and for that of the other members. This means that if you have symptoms please stay at home. If you have had a positive test result, please stay at home. If you have a negative test result after having had Covid there should be at least 5 days after that result.
A quick reminder that some of the topics we have had in the past two years include:
Climate change and wildlife, wildlife photo safaris, history of the bicycle, a humorous look at gardening, the siege of Colchester and various charities including Great Ormond Street Hospital supporters, Porridge and Pens, Air Ambulance and Lepra.
MEMBERS' AFTERNOONS.
These are held on the third Friday of each month. These have a very varied content such as: talks by members on their areas of expertise, the Photographic Group have put on exhibitions; Quizzes, an Archive Film afternoon featuring films of local historical interest and demonstrations of flower arranging and cheese making. We also arrange an annual picnic, a strawberry tea afternoon as well as our Christmas social afternoon.
TRIPS:
Organising trips has been a challenge during the past few years but we will support any member who is keen to do this. Please contact a committee member for advice on how this is to be done within u3a guidance.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Christmas Tree Festival
This is a local event where many individuals and organisations put up a decorated tree (with an individual theme) in the local All Saints Church as part of a fund-raising activity. Brightlingsea u3a enters this every year to promote our u3a and as part of joining-in in local activities.
The Pioneer clothing group launched their book "Oysters and Oilskins" which gives the full story of the Pioneer and how the clothing project reproduced examples of items worn by the oyster fishermen of the past. Many of the photos were taken by the u3a photography group who also modelled some of the items. An excellent project with a book "Oysters and Oilskins" now available to buy. A link to the Pioneer Sailing Trust is provided on the speaker's page. This group has now been disbanded having achieved its goal but some of the group members have spoken to other organisations about this project.
| Dates for your Diary | |
|---|---|
| Meetings | |
| Fri May 3rd | Veronica King – Private Investigator. Veronica worked as a store detective in well-known high street stores then moved into close-protection and was often assigned to protect Saudi princesses visiting London. She began engaging in private investigator assignments serving court documents for solicitors also carrying out surveillance and undercover work. As usual at the YMCA hall with a 2 p.m. start |
| Fri Jun 7th | The Essex Fraud Prevention Officer, Tammy Blest, will enlighten us with details of how to ensure we stay safe and how to protect our finances. |
| Fri Jul 5th | Victoria Sands from the Colchester Archaeological Trust will talk about finds from the various sites of excavations in Brightlingsea. History on our doorstep. YMCA starting at 2 p.m. |
| Fri Sep 6th | Most important meeting of the year. The AGM |
| Fri Oct 4th | Robby Bliss A talk on "South with Shackelton" YMCA hall and a 2 p.m. start |
| Members | |
| Fri Jun 21st | Strawberry Tea |
| Fri Jul 19th | Our annual picnic. |