Melbourn & District

Group list and group news

OUR GROUPS ARE FOLLOWING GOVERNMENT ADVICE - SO HERE'S WHAT WAS HAPPENING INSTEAD - IN MAY 2020

Friday March 13th 2020 was the day when many older folk weighed up the risk of going out to do things that we no longer take for granted.
Five hundred locals who were members of Melbourn & District U3A, would now miss their monthly book or philosophy club, walk and pub lunch, or coach trip to some lovely gardens. With 35 interest groups the U3A is for all sorts of retired, but nevertheless active people. When our members shut their front doors in March, hundreds of seniors said goodbye to a lot of hobbies and socialising. Some of us got busy in the garden or opened cans of beer or cans of paint. Some were understandably resigned to what I’ll call the ‘new awful’. But several U3A members wondered if we could at least get together on our computers.

To make that happen we needed to introduce some skills. In short, our computer club emailed members to attend April’s online video meetings. Some of us already did ‘zoom’ video chats with the younger end of the family. A few were well ahead as they’d given online lectures or, in one case, played in a county-wide ukulele ‘zoom’ group.

Some weeks later, the local U3A is picking itself up. Its computer group now meets weekly online instead of at All Saints Hall. They enjoy the social connection. Our yoga teacher runs her weekly lesson by video. A Science group, a Current Affairs group and a German conversation group now hold video chat meetings. A French conversation group uses the good old telephone to practice their French, and now weekly instead of fortnightly. The Poetry Group emails a monthly poem and members email back their feelings about it. The Quiz group emails their members a monthly quiz. The Music club posts this month’s music tracks on a website and members write in to comment. And while a table tennis group can only wait for safer times, the leader of our monthly walks has been sharing her expertise, helping us to find public footpaths we’d been oblivious to.

These are early days. As we look ahead we hope to restore some of the busy timetable our U3A previously had. For example, we could have a ‘community coffee bar’, where members can drop-in and talk. We’ll soon see if this takes off.
One is mindful that online video chat is lacking as a way to communicate. It’s a 2D world that’s missing the nuances of human conversation, never mind hugs. However, I’ll note some plusses. Of late I’ve had more chats with distant friends and family than ever. And, as a sign of the world ahead, I’ve attended a ‘zoom’ parish council meeting from the comfort of home.

Melbourn & District U3A is open to ‘retired’ people who live locally. The newsletter at newsletter.melbu3.org tells more of what we do.
Roger Frost, newsletter editor for M&D U3A.

PLEASE IGNORE ALL MEETINGS and EVENTS IN THIS SECTION - but do see the next item

DURING THE EPIDEMIC ...
... the National U3A offer ideas for actvity. Follow your interests from the page here: COVID19. We'll be adding local news to the NOTICES page (menu above)

NATIONAL U3A SUBJECT RESOURCES
Tucked away on the U3A national website are links and subject resources made by people like you. There’s a newsletter for art appreciation; a poster for philosophy and a way to contact a horticulturist, or indeed any expert for advice. There’s a DVD library with ballroom dance videos and advice on yoga. While there’s not as much as a hint for Scrabble here, others might look and find an idea. Start at the National U3A/resources

PROJECTOR
The Melbourn U3A projector is now under the guardianship of Chris Davison. Chris who is also the Membership Secretary can be reached at membership secretary.

GROUPS WANTING MEMBERS
Members are welcome to suggest interest groups. To register your interest and make things happen drop a line to Tony Garrick, Group Leaders’ Co-ordinator

CALLING FIRST AIDERS
If you are an up-to-date qualified first aider, do please signal that fact to the leader of any group you belong to, or to any member of the committee.

CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING
A monthly clay pigeon shooting group runs at Nuthampstead on a Wednesday afternoon at 2.00 pm. Guns, cartridges, electronic traps, clays, ear muffs and instructors are provided. The cost would be £25 per month including an introductory training session in Royston, concentrating on safety issues, prior to participating at the shooting ground. As it’s a U3A Royston group there’s a need to join U3A Royston (£10.50 / year). If you would like more details, please contact Frank Martin direct on 01763 246876, If you are interested in this opportunity, please let the Group Leaders’ Co-ordinator know.