Witney

Group News

EXISTING GROUPS

We currently have around 60 groups covering 40 subjects, but there is always room for some more. If you have an idea for a new interest group, then please contact the Groups Administrator

Most groups now have their own Group page where details of the group, their news and events are now posted. These pages can be accessed by clicking on the name of the group on the Groups page.

Reading Non Fiction is a new group. You can find out more about it from their Reading Non Fiction web page

Groups looking for members:

Book Group 4
Reading Non Fiction
Sewing/Dressmaking
Needlework
Canasta
Snooker and Pool

The Nature Study Group is currently on hold.

If you are interested in attending any of these groups please contact Groups Administrator via our Contact form, or at any Speaker meeting.

GROUP LEADERS

An updated set of Guidelines for Group Leaders together with a set of Guidelines to Assist New Group Leaders are now available. A new set of Guidelines for Group Leaders on Outings has now been added

If you wish to add a webpage for your group or to update your existing page please contact the Webmaster.

If you have have items of Group News please send these to the Webmaster

RECENT NEWS

Circular walk from Eynsham - 25 July 2023
To read about latest report from the Longer Walks Group, please visit their Walks longer 1 web page

LUNCH CLUB 2 - RED LION, WITNEY

13 members of Lunch Club 2 enjoyed an afternoon full of chat and a lovely lunch at The Red Lion in Corn Street, Witney. .The quantity of food served was plentiful and delicious, and some of us needed doggie bags to take home the excess.

I believe we would all recommend the food and service was excellent

LOCAL HISTORY and GARDENING GROUP VISIT TO SUDELY CASTLE

A full account of the Local History and Gardening Group's visit to Sudely castle can be found on the Local History web page. A highly recommended place to visit.

OLDER NEWS

LONGER WALKS GROUP: Circular walk from Bruern Farm - 11 July 2023

To read about latest report from the Longer Walks Group, please visit their Walks longer 1 web page

LOCAL HISTORY GROUP - Visit to Minster Lovell ruins, April 2023

In April, the Local History group visited the Minster Lovell ruins. You can read their report on the Local History page

Walking Football Witney Warriors Walking Football club has 35 members and would welcome new members. They play outside at Brize Norton recreation ground on a Tuesday (10am-12). In winter they play at Carterton Leisure Cenre. They also play occasional friendly matches against other clubs in Oxfordshire. The club is affiliated to the Oxfordshire FA, which means all members have personal accident insurance cover when playing. If you are interested please contact the Groups Administrator for further details.

The Longer Walks Group completed a 5.5 mile circular walk from the Greyhound Inn in Bessels Leigh, taking in many places of interest along the way. You can read about their account on the Walks Longer 1 webpage.

Witney u3a Members' and Friends’ Day Monday on October 24, 10 a.m. – 4.00 p.m
Read about our very successful day on the 40th Anniversary Celebrations page

VISIT TO DUXFORD IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM
Visit the Outings web page to read all about the visit to the Duxford Imperial War Museum on 4th October 2022.

LOCAL HISTORY GROUP VISIT TO GREAT RISSINGTON
The Local History Group had a good turnout in September for their trip to Great Rissington. To read their full report, visit the Local History web page.

FROM THE WRITING GROUPS
40 YEARS ON... is a the second book published by Witney u3a Writing Group members to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the national organisation. What a book - 160 pages that take us through a range of tales and anecdotes to stir the imagination, set between a colourful cover designed by u3a Art group member Keith. Copies are on sale to members at Speaker Meetings. Price £3.

-STATELY HOME VISIT TO HAMPTON COURT PALACE on 8th September. To read the full report of their memorable visit, complete with some wonderful photos, visit the Stately Home Visits page.

-Lunch Club 2 met on 10th August at The Bell Inn in Ducklington. You can read about their visit and more about this lovely old pub on the Luncheon Group 2 webpage.

Group Leaders Lunch
The majority of Group Leaders attended a lunch in the Methodist Church on July 26. The lunch was in recognition of the hard work which Group Leaders put into their groups and a thank you from all Witney u3a members and committee. It was also a chance for longstanding Group Leaders to catch up and for the many new Leaders to get to know a few more colleagues. Plenty of information was given and exchanged. For those wanting to check the information, groups’ legal and financial advice is on: https://www.u3a.org.uk/advice. Teaching and Learning Support, including Subject Advisers is on https://www.u3a.org.uk/learning/subjects (You will need to log into the National u3a website to access these links). Or contact Doreen, the Groups Administrator, for further information.

The Local History Group went on an interesting visit to Broughton Castle in July. The castle is really a house, and it’s in a beautiful setting in the Oxfordshire countryside near Bloxham. A report of their visit can be found on the Local History page.

Despite the extreme heat, on 19th July 2022 the Stately Home Visits group went to Althorp House, family home of the Spencer family. This lovely, and very homely house was where the late Princess Diana grew up with her siblings; and where she is laid to rest on an island in the middle of a lake. To read more about their visit and enjoy their photos, visit the Stately Home Visits page.

On 22nd June 2022 the Science and Technology Group visited the Hydraulics Research Laboratory at Wallingford. This is a world leading laboratory dealing with all aspects of water, solving the world's most complex water challenges. I think that most members present were amazed at the work of the Lab. from the way that they can model a river estuary containing a new harbour and try out various tides and wave heights to the effect of protecting a coast with a new sea wall and ways of controlling inland flooding. In addition we saw very realistic high-tech simulation of piloting a large ship through a harbour entrance or along the River Thames.

Gardening Group For their April 2022 meeting the Gardening group paid a visit to Harcourt Arboretum to see the Rhododendrons and Azaleas. They were greeted by the peacock at the entrance and had a lovely stroll in perfect spring weather. The Rhododendrons were at their best and the group was just in time to see the Bluebells. Many thanks to Frances for taking the photos. See the Gardening Group page for more photos.

Butterfly Walk See the Walks Longer 1 Group page for details of their walk in the Charlbury area when they spotted and identified nine different varieties of butterflies

-u3a QUILT Two members of the Needlework groups contributed winning squares to the u3a's 40th anniversary quilt. The unveiling ceremony was in Manchester during June. The quilt will be exhibited in the Blanket Hall, Witney on 8th August. Numbers are limited for this event due to the room size. However it will remain upstairs at the Hall for at least 12 months and will be free to see whenever the Hall is open. Do go and have a look. It's very impressive. Please see the Needlework Groups page for a full report

On 8th June Lunch Club 2 had a great lunch at The Maybush, Newbridge, Witney. The food, the service and company were all excellent. It's a lovely venue on the river, and a good time was had by all

The first Stately Homes trip since Covid was held on May 31st. This was a very successful visit to Chartwell, the home of Sir Winston Churchill. See the Stately Homes page for more details

On 1st May the Railways Group visited the Dean Forest Railway. See the Railways Group page for details and photos.

Due to popular demand, the Croquet Group has expanded its sessions at the Eynsham Croquet Club. They play year-round, all abilities welcome, £3 for equipment but first 3 sessions free: Tuesdays 2 – 4; Wednesdays 5 -dusk; Thursdays 10 – 12; Saturdays 2 – 4.

Please Note

Groups are a very important part of U3A. It is the shared learning within these groups that distinguishes U3A from other organisations. When U3A 's started it was decided that members would not be paid to teach or to give a talk. It is very rewarding to share knowledge with others and we all can learn from other members of a group. Our range of interests is constantly changing. All interest groups can be seen on the Groups page.

If have a suggestion for a new group, or would be willing to start one, please contact the Groups Administrator at the Groups Table in the Lower Hall at meetings or via the link._

Reports relating to activites undertaken in 2019, before the pandemic, have been moved to our Group News Archive page