Cannock Chase

Coronavirus Update August 2021

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AUGUST 2021 - Now we are emerging blinking in the sunlight from the worst of the pandemic, CCu3a and its committee and groups are starting to get re-established. Hopefully most of us have been relatively unscathed, and despite everything are ready to get involved again.

The Annual General Meeting, now covering two years' business 2020/2021, has been rescheduled for 10th August. We will have a new committee, a new chair and new vice chair. We should also be able to confirm which groups are restarting, who their leaders are, and whether any new groups are in progress.

Our HQ is still Victory Hall, the Slitting Mill Village Hall. Here there are still some constraints from the pandemic of course; the hall's management committee has made extensive adjustments to make sure the Hall is safe for everyone to return. These include social distanced chairs, (please do not move them), hand sanitiser on entry, QR code and special enhanced cleaning. Face masks are not compulsory but recommended. Unfortunately due to social distancing we won’t be able to provide tea and coffee on this occasion but feel free to bring your own drinks if required.

For the time being, the existing Coronavirus web page content will remain below, but before long we should be able to delete it...hopefully for good!
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In view of the PMs' announcements of 16th March 2020, many CCU3A members are over 70 or have underlying health conditions which render them vulnerable to the Corona virus, COVID-19. Indeed, some of our members have already succumbed to effects of this virus. Consequently, all CCU3A meetings, groups and events have been suspended so far. Although the situation was reviewed at the committee meeting on 10th August, and a members' letter (see Members Letter August 2020) indicated that some groups could plan to re-start, the new government guidelines effective from 14th September now make most of this impossible.

The 2020 AGM could not take place, nor have there been any monthly speaker meetings or social events for a while, and the Robot Challenge event scheduled for October had to be cancelled. The Trent river boat cruise is being re-arranged for 2021 however, and the trips to Kew Gardens and Hampton Court Palace may be re-scheduled for some time in 2022, subject to further notice.

From March 2021, things are at last looking up - see Easter Newsletter 2021. In particular, holding monthly speaker meetings via Zoom became a reality in March, and more are scheduled; see the Events page for further details, and contact Mitch to sign up.

JULY 2021 UPDATE: Following our so-called "Freedom Day" of July 19th, CCU3A events, group activities and meetings will start to resume. Because of the interval of inaction, there may be some changes in groups; see Reopening Plans for further details.

Meanwhile there is more content below on:

- Keeping Smiling
- Newsletters
- Lifelong Learning
- Quizzing
- Keeping in Touch
- Podcasts,
- Streaming

...and more links to Covid-specific advice & guidance.

----- KEEP SMILING

Now (March 2021) we can not only see the light at the end of the Covid tunnel, it's becoming clear that it isn't just a train coming towards us although there's some way to go yet. To help us maintain a positive mindset along the rest of the way, fellow U3A Wanstead & Woodford have been producing a series of "Keep Smiling" newsletters to help us see our way out of that tunnel and have allowed us access to some of these. Any time you need cheering up, click here on Keep Smiling!

GET PEDALLING

While the current crisis continues, you can now get on your bike and join Pete Harding's new Cycling group; see Groups page for further details.

NEWSLETTERS

The U3A National Newsletters contain updates of national interest from the U3A at the centre, and from local U3As around the country.

The National U3A Newsletter August 2021 talks about u3a members starting to meet up again, learning news, and national events, and reminds us that the u3a is 40 years old in 2022.

Other newsletters can still be looked up, as follows:

• The U3A Newsletter Express August 2021 discussed the Pushback Ageing Campaign
• The National U3A Newsletter July 2021 discussed the opening up of u3a activities around the country
• The National U3A Newsletter June 2021 (2) reviewed the recent u3a day and ageing & learning
• The National U3A Newsletter June 2021 discussed the upcoming u3a day and introduces the Anti-Ageing Toolkit
• The National U3A Newsletter May 2021 (2) contained articles about u3as across the country
• The National U3A Newsletter May 2021 offered a survey on Ageing and Fashion
• The National U3A Newsletter April 2021 (II) introduced u3a Merchandise and u3a Recruitment
• The National U3A Newsletter April 2021 (I) outlined some new learning initiatives
• The National U3A Newsletter March 2021 introduced upcoming events including the U3A Day on 2nd June
• The National U3A Newsletter February 2021 introduced the U3A MEMBER LINK PROGRAMME
• The National U3A Newsletter January 2021 described a number of interim initiatives being undertaken by U3As
• The New Year\'s Message to U3A Members contained the national U3A's 2021 message
• The National U3A Newsletter, New Year 2021 also greeted the New Year
• The National U3A Newsletter December 2020 was issued in readiness for Christmas
• The National U3A Newsletter November 2020 contained news about the U3A Podcast (See U3A Podcast)
• The National U3A Newsletter October 2020 contained links to guidelines for Risk Assessments in preparation for restarting U3A Groups if and when possible.

Our own latest CCu3a newsletter is the Easter Newsletter 2021.

LIFELONG LEARNING - ONLINE

While you're social distancing or self-isolating, you can keep your mind active by self-educating too, using some of the many online resources such as MOOCs ("Massive Online Open Courses"). Check out MOOCs, Futurelearn, Learn for Pleasure, and the Open University, among many others. Most are freely available (hence "open") with a wide range of topics. The Great Courses has a wide range of DVD and downloadable courses too, mostly presented by American academics and available for a reasonable charge.

You can also find other courses (often free) on the web, such as drawspace.com for learning to draw, chess.com for learning to play chess, duolingo.com or babbel.com for languages. For short instruction videos try searching YouTube for a subject you're interested in.

Another absorbing and constructive way of using your newly-acquired time is to research your family tree, using Ancestry.co.uk, Find My Past, or similar (you'll usually need to pay a subscription for these).

Virtual Workshops

Under "Back to School", the Spring 2021 edition of Third Age Matters magazine outlines the following virtual workshops:

• Today at Apple at Home: tricks & techniques with technology, at apple.com/today (free)
• u3a Coding Cafe Group: email edwardlink@gmail.com or geowarm3@gmail.com (free)
• RHS Beginners' Guide to Gardening: at rhs.org/advice/beginners-guide (free)
• Fender Play: guitar playing, at fender.com/play (£9.99/mth)
• Greg Williams Candid Photography Skills: at skillsfaster.com (£89).

Kaleidoscope courses

As the lockdown continues across the UK Kaleidoscope, has decided to extend their programme of free online creative classes and workshops for older people.

The classes will recommence on the week beginning 12th April. With the following programme

Greysnet Zoom Cafe: Monday's @ 11am
Feel Good Moves: Monday's @ 3pm
Pencil Drawing: Tuesday's @ 11am
Mindfulness and Meditation: Wednesday's @ 11am
Singing with Vessie@ Thursday @ 11am

The classes are open to everyone and free to join in. All the details can be found on our website Greysnet.com

Kind regards
Kerry Rooney
www.kaleidoscopeni.com

Mirthy courses

The Mirthy Group delivers regular online talks; see below from their CEO:-

"Dear Member; I'm getting in touch from Mirthy. We broadcast educational and entertaining online talks by the best public speakers for U3A Clubs and members. Now working with over 100 clubs monthly and delivering talks to over 10,000 retirees regularly including a national partnership with McCarthy & Stone. Our talks are viewed from the comfort and safety of your member's own home.

Many thanks, Alex Ramamurthy, CEO, Mirthy

The Natwest Bank also set up some video-based talks for U3A members on matters of interest during the coronavirus crisis, during mid-May. The first was entitled "Friends Against Scams" and the second was on "Robotics". You needed to register for either of these talks if interested - see Natwest Talks for details.

Now these are over, watch this space for any further such talks.

QUIZZING 1: MAGGIE's PRIZE QUIZZES

To keep us all occupied, Maggie Causer has been devising a series of Quizzes, with a prize for the first correct answers for each one. A new series has been produced for Christmas 2020; click on each quiz title to see the quiz, as follows:

1. Christmas Miscellany.
2. Snow and Ice.
3. Christmassy Sport.
4. Angels.
5. The Holly and the Ivy.
6. Robins, Saints and Stars.

To win, send your completed answers to Maggie at Maggiecauser@hotmail.com. No end date; if you're not quick enough to win, have a go anyway. It passes the time.

QUIZZING 2: National U3A QUIZZES. See National U3A Quizzes to access further quizzes published via the U3A website.

KEEPING IN TOUCH

If you have any queries or suggestions to raise with CCU3A Committee members, please use the group email address cannockchaseu3a@gmail.com or the CONTACT page. New ideas for keeping in touch across CCU3A would be most welcome.

If you want to contact any other CCU3A member or group leader, use this method too. The intended recipient's contact details may be supplied subject to their agreement. You can then use phone or text to contact them, as well as Facebook Messenger, Google Duo, Instagram or WhatsApp. You can create a WhatsApp group too. Skype, Facetime, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp or Microsoft's Meet Now will also enable you to make video calls if your device supports them.

If you want to make group video calls, applications such as Zoom, Houseparty, Facebook Messenger Rooms, MS.Teams, JITSI Meet or Google Hangouts will support this. If your device won't support these, try a specialist device such as Facebook Portal, HiHi or Grandpad.

Remember too that Cannock Chase U3A has a Facebook presence (see link below), to enable members to communicate between themselves.

See the main U3A WEBSITE for further guidance on communications, etc.

Further information will be made available in due course - watch this space.

PODCASTS

U3A PODCAST: If you follow this link: U3A Podcast - you should be able to access several U3A Radio Podcasts on YouTube. These are approximately 30 minutes long, contain numerous stories and articles with interviews with interesting people.

Go on, give it a try!

OTHER PODCASTS:

Your Winter 2020 issue of "Third Age Matters" Magazine (p.32-33) outlines a number of other available podcasts which may be of interest to members, and how to get them. Examples include:

• ON THE LEDGE (at janeperrone.com)
• DESERT ISLAND DISCS (at bbc.co.uk)
• TED TALKS DAILY (at ted.com)
• THE SESSION WITH CHRISTIAN JAMES HAND (at thesessiononair.com).

STREAMING

Now winter is upon us, members might like to take advantage of the many video & audio streaming services available. Members may already be familiar with popular services such as Netflix & Spotify, but the Autumn 2020 edition of U3A's "Third Age Matters" (TAM) contains a section on streaming for theatrical performance such as:

- Digital Theatre (see digitaltheatre.com)
- Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (shakespearesglobe.com)
- Gilbert & Sullivan Operas (gsopera.tv)
- Royal Opera House (rob.org.uk)
- Broadway on Demand (broadwayondemand.com).

There is a charge for using these services, but not all. You can view them on Smart TV, Laptop PC, Tablet or smartphone, but if using the latter TAM advises that you should be aware that streaming can be very expensive over the mobile network; better to use your domestic WiFi router.

CCU3A's VERY OWN AUTHOR

David St John, local entertainer and CCU3A member, has turned his communications skills to authoring. He has produced a series of books as well as an informative website; see David St John and link to his "author" page to read more.

FURTHER ADVICE

For further information and advice, click on the following links:
National U3A - U3A WEBSITE Home page for general advice; see "How to run your u3a: Covid and Beyond"
National U3A - National U3A Newsletter October 2020
National U3A - U3A ADVICE (this includes a useful Q&A section)
National U3A advice to local U3As - CORONA VIRUS
HM Government - HMG ADVICE
Cannock Chase Council - Cannock Chase DC
Staffordshire Council - Staffordshire County Council.
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