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February 2013 Month bulletin

Report on the January meeting

 

The Wycliffe U3A started 2013 with a talk, from Clive Fowle the resident minister at the Methodist Church, about his activities in this country and in Croatia.  In this country, Clive is involved in mediation activities for families and in the work place.  However, half his time is spent in Eastern Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia.  The main project is called A Touch of Hope and tries to bring together the different ethnic groups that were so badly affected by the wars in  the early 1990’s.  Before the wars, people with Serb and Croat backgrounds lived together put were driven apart during the wars.  The projects use many different approaches to bring these groups together.  This is difficulty as there are two different languages and written scripts between the two groups.  Even now, after all these years, these differences are still apparent.  In one example, there was recently an exhibition of traditional costumes but the two groups could not even agree who would speak first.  In the regions around Osijek and Vukovar, land mines are still a major hazard as there is no funding for mine clearance.  Clive also described an area where a mass grave had been found and now, commemorated, with a museum.

This was a really thought provoking talk.

PUB LUNCH

Co-ordinator

Jill Graham

01455 557117

email grahjill@hotmail.com

Pig in Muck, 2 January – 19 members turned out and thoroughly enjoyed their meal.  The Landlady organized everything pleasantly and efficiently and we were served hot food on hot plates in a reasonable time. £9 for 2.

Wednesday 6 February – Lincolns Brasserie – Ullesthorpe Court

Details of meals and costs alongside Yellow Form in Schoolroom

Wednesday 6 March – Shearsby Bath – a firm favourite with the Group. 

Any Queries, please contact Jill, details above

PHOTOGRAPHY

Co-ordinator

Mick Curtis

01455 554504

Please note we are changing to the fourth THURSDAY every other month, the first of these meetings will be Thursday 28th February at 10.00 am at the usual venue. The subject is ‘Fungi’

If you would like to join this friendly group, please contact the group leader, you will be very welcome.

TRIPS

Joint Co-ordinators

George Robertson

01455 559725 email:george9high@hotmail.com

Rose Coltman

 01455-209830 (ex/d. )

TRIP TO SANDRINGHAM IN JUNE

A trip to The Sandringham Estate is being planned for June 2013. The trip will include coach travel and entry to the House, museum and gardens. At this stage a departure from Lutterworth at around 9.00am is envisaged, with a return departure from Sandringham at around 5.00pm. A toilet stop will be scheduled en route.  Possible date Thursday 6th June.

When approx. numbers have been established, I will find out more about guided tour arrangements. I will let you know the cost once I have an idea of numbers. George

Please contact George if you are interested to go on this trip

SCRABBLE

Co-ordinator

June Hartopp

01455 553418

Two new members joined us recently – this group is such a friendly, chatty group and we all enjoy our sessions.  Please ring June if you would like to join.

THEATRE Co-ordinator

Eddie Hemsley         01455 554564 (edwardhemsley@btinternet.com )

‘THE 39 STEPS’

THEATRE VISIT BELGRADE THEATRE COVENTRY

TUES. APRIL 23RD 7.45PM  

With sufficient numbers, a trip will be organised to go to The Belgrade Theatre to see a very funny comedy,  The 39 Steps on Tuesday 23rd April2013 7.45 performance. A coach will pick up at Lutterworth and Broughton Astley.  We need a minimum of 12 to obtain group discount and a minimum of 20 to make the coach option viable. The maximum cost of the coach option including theatre ticket will be £30.00, less if we have a greater number.

If you are interested to go to see ‘The 39 Steps’ please contact George Robertson

 Tel:  01455 559725 ;  email:george9high@hotmail.com

We may be able to get extra tickets for Sunday 16th June 2013, matinee at Kilworth House “My Fair Lady” by Lerner and Loewe.

 

 ALL TICKETS MUST BE PAID FOR BY 21st February. Please give cheques or cash to Christine Sidey (01455 282907; email cmsidey@gmail.com) in Eddie’s absence.

CANASTA 1

Co-ordinator

June Hartopp

01455 553418 (ex /d.)

In the latter part of 2012 we welcomed three new members. At our last session one of these had 3 red canasta and 2 red threes giving her a minimum of 1700 points. Let us hope the rest of the group fare equally well in 2013!

FRENCH CONVERSATION

Co-ordinator

Sue Hicks

01858 880273

24 January 2013

We were encouraged to speak about a film or a personality, or similar topics such as a book or play, in small groups.  We then discussed retirement in general.

The next meeting will be on Thursday, 28 February, 10-12noon.  Suggested topics to prepare are “un événement” (an event) or “une cité/une ville” (a city or town). 

In March we hope to see another film.

GERMAN CONVERSATION

Co-ordinator

Sue Hicks

01858 880273


15 January 2013

 

Our course today included telling the time, some separable verbs, and numbers.  Lynn showed us a piece of the Berlin Wall and told us how she came to have it, as well as showing us some photographs, followed by a general discussion.

The February meeting will be at Alan’s house on Tuesday, 19 February, 2-4pm. We shall start with the CD.  One suggestion is that we then each choose a film to talk about, or a personality

BOOK CHAT

Co-ordinator

Mick Curtis

01455 554504

The book for January was Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. This book, published in 1932, was a clever parody of the popular doom-laden melodramas of the time. Whilst many of these have been largely forgotten, Gibbons' book has endured as a comic novel in its own right. 

Flora Poste, a modern young woman, descends on her rural relatives, the extraordinary Starkadders, and sets about modernising them. She tackles each one in turn including aunt Ada Doom who once famously 'saw something nasty in the woodshed'. The book is well written and its humour stands the test of time. The members enjoyed this book, some finding it 'laugh out loud' funny.

 

FAMILY HISTORY

Co-ordinator

Jackie Yeo

01455 552376

Due to adverse weather conditions the January meeting was cancelled.

The group are continuing with researching the Bitteswell 1914-1918 War memorial. If anyone has, or knows of someone who has done any work on this, could they please contact either Jackie, or any member of the group

SNAIL’S PACE WALKING GROUP

Co-ordinator

Sheila Eggleton

01455 554387

sheilaeggleton@yahoo.co.uk

Unfortunately we were due to do our historic walk around Bitteswell/Lutterworth on the 18th of January, the day of the prolonged snow! We took the decision sadly, to cancel it for safety reasons.  As a consequence we will now do this walk on Friday 15th February, leaving "the Green, Bitteswell at 11.30a.m.  This means our planned walk around Lubenham will be in March and Wistow in April. If you would like to come on the 15th February please confirm with me as we need to know numbers for some printing, to accompany the walk and to arrange somewhere suitable for refreshments. 

 I did notify everyone of the cancellation of the January walk but it is helpful if people check their answer phones, if you do not have access to a computer and are not in when I ring , I will and have left

BIRD WATCHING

Co-ordinators

Mary & Peter Rolleston

01455 209156

 

Unfortunately we had to cancel our bird watching outing for January, due to the icy weather.

We were going to visit Carsington Water in Derbyshire, so weather permitting, we will be going there for our February bird watching  - the last Friday in the month - 22nd February.  Details to follow.

LIVELY DISCUSSION

Co-ordinator

Dot Barnard

01455 208190

January 2013:

 Who would your ideal dinner guests be and why?

 

This topic produced some surprising suggestions. There were 3 main groups, famous people, ancestors and those who had been in the same profession. Common to all was the wish to ask questions of our chosen guests.

These included Ernest Rutherford and Nils Boor re atomic theory; Professor Brian Cox who explains his topic so clearly; Amelia Earhart on being a brave pioneering aviatrix; Elvis – just to be in the same room and to sit him down and tell him to get his act together; Stephen Fry – regarded by some as clever, interesting and intelligent, and arrogant and irritating by others; President Obama for his oratory - someone who had heard him speak said it was spell-binding; ; Gervaise Phinn, Thora Hird and Kathy Staff – famous for Last of the Summer Wine - to provide a highly amusing conversation; Alfred Wegener re the theory of continental drift; Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace re two different views of evolution and David Attenborough would be invited too; Fred Astaire – to dance with; Hugh Jackman to hear him sing; and Alice Riley – a famous suffragette who is buried in Welford Road Cemetery.

Two members wanted to speak to recent and distant ancestors. One person had researched as far back as her 8 times great grandmother in the early 1700s and couldn’t get any further because she didn’t know her maiden name. Also she wanted to invite Walter Shooter, her great, great uncle born in 1856, a miner who became a renowned sportsman and played in Dr W. G. Grace’s Select 11. His sporting prowess extended to running, football, cricket coaching, and working as a trainer.

Another U3A member with a strong interest in cricket would be included as a guest. The other member with an ancestral interest knows that members of her family immigrated to the US from Germany, lived on the edge of Indian Territory and in Chicago during Prohibition. Also there are family links to escapees from the French Revolution and the Irish potato famine and her father was on the Russian Convoy P17 during World War II.

A member who had been a primary school teacher wanted to invite teachers from Lima in Peru, Tanzania and Norway to discuss the very different facilities and methods used in these countries, in particular the difficulty of poor children just trying

to get an education in developing countries and teachers trying to teach enormous classes.

March Topic: Will the Church of England suffer if female bishops                      aren’t appointed?

TUESDAY  WALKING GROUP Co-ordinator:              

Gordon Jones (Lutterworth U3A)

01455 556192

Date of walk: Tuesday 19th February 2013

Walk Organiser:  Brian Thorpe, 01455 209584

Meeting Point: Coventry Road Recreation Ground car park.

Meeting Time: 09.25 to leave at 09.30

Start Point: The Plough Inn, Ratby.

Directions to the Starting Point: From Lutterworth take the M1 to J21a, Leicester Forest East.  At 21a follow the signs for Kirby Muxloe then, once at Kirby Muxloe, follow the signs for Ratby.  In Ratby go up the Main Street and turn left into Burroughs Road by the Bulls Head, the Plough is up Burroughs Road on the right.

Route and distance: About 5 miles

Lunch: At the Plough Inn.

Return distance to start: 32 miles

1st WEDNESDAY WALKING GROUP Joint Co-ordinators( both Wycliffe Lutterworth U3A):    

Roger Watmore 01455 552431 and

Julian Hargreaves 01455 557704

WEDNESDAY 6th  March 2013

 

Walk Organiser:  Vicki Davis  01455 209518

Meeting Point: Lutterworth Recreation Ground car park at 9.25 to leave at 9.30am.

Direction to the Start:-  Leave Lutterworth on the A4304 in the direction of Market Harborough. After North Kilworth turn right onto road to Welford. Park at the Wharf Inn. Commence walk at 10.00am.

Route and Distance:-  This walk is approx 6 miles long and uses towpaths, field edges, quiet lanes and woodland paths  through Hemplow Woods. Hopefully the extreme mud we have enjoyed on our past few walks will have improved.

Lunch can be booked in advance at the Wharf Inn (toilets will be available prior to the walk).

JANUARY WALK

 

35 walkers turned out for this one, whether it was the attraction of the tunnel or wanting to walk off some of the Christmas excess?  Anyway many people said how much they enjoyed it and it was interesting and a bit different. We did think we had lost someone in the tunnel but all were safely gathered in and 32 stayed and enjoyed lunch at the Bulls Head – we won’t mention the one who was halfway home when he realised he hadn’t paid!

4th  WEDNESDAY WALKING GROUP Co-ordinators:             

Sue & Peter Creeden

01455 557888

WEDNESDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2013

Walk Organisers: Mary and Peter Rolleston Tel: 01455 209156

Meeting Point and Time:

Coventry Road recreation ground car park at 9.20am to leave at 9.30am. The start of the walk is 10:00am from The Chandlers Arms, Shearsby.

Directions to Start (one of several routes)

Drive to Gilmorton then turn right and immediate left towards Bruntingthorpe. Pass Peatling Parva. Turn right at the Bruntingthorpe T junction and continue until the left turn into Shearsby (village only). Turn right into Main Street. The Chandlers Arms is on the right. Parking will be on the street.

The Walk

The route is mostly across fields with some muddy stretches. We will head off towards Arnesby, then Peatling Magna and then join the Leicestershire Round to Bruntingthorpe and back to Shearsby. The distance is approx 6 miles.

Lunch

The Chandlers Arms, Shearsby

 

January 2013 Walk

Neither the snow on the ground nor the cold deterred 24 walkers from enjoying a very local walk (Peter Moore`s absence has to be noted!!). We set off from the Olde Royal Oak in Bitteswell, down Woodby Lane around the permissive paths of the elephant grass fields, passed the ruins of Blakenhall Farm and into the Country Park. To make up the distance we did a circuit of the Country Park and headed off down Brookfield way and then back across the fields, where there were six slippery stiles to negotiate, before arriving back to Bitteswell. We enjoyed a very pleasant lunch at the pub, with all our faces aglow after being outside in the cold air.

Sue and Peter Creeden

JOINT GOLF GROUP (with Lutterworth U3A)

Co-ordinator (Lutterworth U3A)

Peter Moore

01455 552594

JOINT GOLF DAY
Lutterworth and Wycliffe u3a


The next Golf Day will be at Lutterworth Golf Club
on Thursday 18th April 2013.
Competing for the Hartopp Trophy and Prizes.


All New Players, Male or Female, always welcome.
Meet at 12.10pm for 1.00pm tee.inc Coffee and Roll.
To book your attendance, Meal choices or for full
itinerary, please Contact me by telephone or e-mail
peter79moore@gmail.com (Cost approx £29.00p each)


Don't forget to invite your *partner* for 3 course Dinner
@ £10.00 per head at 6.30pm.


The programme for the remainder of the year is :-


Mid June Hinckley Golf Club DTBC
Mid August Ullesthorpe Golf Club DTBC
Early October Whetstone Golf Club DTBC
Early November Away Day DTBC.Venue to be confirmed
which will be of similar quality as Sandwell Park.


Details will be posted in subsequent Bulletins.

PRELIMINARY NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

On THURSDAY 14TH MARCH 2013

 At the AGM we need to elect a new committee.

The committee will consist of a maximum of 10 members of which 6 will be Honorary Officers as follows:

Chairman                                 Vice Chairman

Secretary                                 Treasurer

Membership Secretary               Interest Group Liaison

Written nominations for the committee shall be proposed and seconded on the form on page 11, which should be delivered to the Bulletin editor, as proxy for the Chairman, since Eddie will be away during February. You can contact Christine using any of the methods listed at the bottom of the nomination form by 28th February 2013. Consent of the Nominee MUST be obtained in advance of submission of this form.

In the event of excess nominations a vote will be taken.

If insufficient written nominations are received, the members present will be asked for nominations from the floor. A vote will be taken on all nominations.

In accordance with the Constitution a member elected Chairman can hold office for a maximum period of 3 years. At the time of going to press  Eddie will have been Chairman for 2 years and has indicated his willingness to serve for a 3rd year. Julian, Bob, Ann, Christine and Barbara have also indicated their willingness  to stand again. 

February 2013

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