[The newsletter is sent to our Chairman, Linda Brighton, hence the letter’s introduction “Dear Linda…”]
Here is the quiz that was in the June Newsletter with the answers below, I hope you enjoyed extending your brainpower during this lockdown.
Our thanks go to Paul Ettridge for submitting this quiz.
Questions
Answers
Our new styled monthly newsletter is here…You can access the newsletter from this post or from the email the majority of our members will receive on 17th June 2020.
If you haven’t told us your email address or if it has changed to avoid missing out send your email details to membership@westwoldsu3a.org.
If you would like to make comment on this newsletter or submit an article for July 2020 then please send details to newsletter@westwoldsu3a.org.
We would really like to hear from you during this lockdown period.
We have received the following opportunity from Andy Smith. He came to West Wolds about three years ago. In the absence of monthly meetings you may wish to watch his video – Andy explains how below:
Due to the pandemic – you are unable to hold your meetings – and I am unable to work!
My talks are ‘musical’ (I play several guitars, ukulele, mandolin etc etc) and sing songs and tell (hopefully humorous!) anecdotes.
“I have professionally started videoing my talks and posting then on to my website.
There is a ‘pay to view’ page – and for £1.25 your members can watch my musical talk as many times as they like over a 72 hour period. Payment is through a secure page – and the process is very easy to complete.
I will be filming and posting further talks over the next few weeks, but in the meantime – here is the link to the page – where it tells you a bit more about it!
In these difficult times – I’m pretty sure you will enjoy the 30 minute recording and ‘end up smiling’! Thanking you in anticipation.”
Andy Smith, Tel : 01788 331841, Email : andysmith1758@hotmail.co.uk
We have had a number of items submitted under the Creative Writing Challenge. To read them click on the links below:
South Darenth – Janice Adams
When Harry Met Bob – Janice Adams
The Rainbow – Julia Francis
Feeble Excuses – Michael Robinson
Lost… and found – Mike Clendining
Steam Train to the Horn of Africa – Mike Clendining
Lush – Susan Flower
Retirement Holiday – Sue Toyne
2 Metre Etiquette (50 words or less) – David Atkinson
A Leisurely Breakfast – Shelley Franklin
Lockdown – Vincent Hunt
1st June 2020 – Sarah Paul
If you would like to see your writing on the website then please send them to webadmin@westwoldsu3a.org
Many thanks for all the contributions made so far.
Why not try a MOOC?I’d read about MOOCs – or Massive Open Online Courses, to give them their full title – in the Third Age Matters magazine. They are usually recommended for members who, for whatever reason, can’t attend group meetings. During lockdown, however, the Third Age Trust has flagged up MOOCs as a way for us all to continue learning.
So I decided to see what was on offer. The platform I looked at was FutureLearn, partly owned by the Open University, and hosting a range of courses developed by universities and other institutions. Some courses are aimed at professionals, but others cover areas of general interest such as Nature and the Environment, Literature, History, and Creative Arts.
Courses are free. They run for just a few weeks and, once registered, you log in to study whenever it suits you. The ones I’ve followed are made up of short videos and articles that have been easy to understand. You are encouraged to post comments as you work through the course and to share ideas with fellow students from all around the world, so it doesn’t feel as though you are studying alone. Don’t worry, there are no tests, the courses are designed for the sheer pleasure of learning something new. If you don’t want to continue, you can just drop out at any time.
The first course I tried was developed by the Met Office with Exeter University. I learned about global weather systems, about the terminology used in forecasting, and how to read weather charts. I won’t remember it all, but some facts and concepts will stay with me and give me a better understanding of the weather in the future. I can often be found in the garden now, gazing at the sky and waxing lyrical about cloud formations!
I’m now following a course on Shakespeare, about how his work has appeared in print and in performance from his lifetime through to modern times. The course has been developed by King’s College, the Globe Theatre and the British Library. Presenters have described what life was like in Shakespeare’s day, using old maps and documents. They’ve shown us manuscripts and early printed texts and explained how the advent of print made Shakespeare’s work available to a wider readership. It’s really interesting and presented in such an easy way to follow.
So if you want to keep learning during lockdown and have access to the internet, why not have a look and see if there’s a MOOC that covers your area of interest? And please let us know how you get on.
Shelley Franklin
As you may be aware our U3A depends on the goodwill of nearly 100 members. The volunteer roles are extensive and include the committee, group coordinators, greeters and refreshments at the monthly meeting.
U3A National Office have sent us a card as a thank you to all who volunteer their time:
Dear all,
I would be grateful if you could circulate this request as soon as possible. I am rather late asking about this, as I have just moved house!
 |
Jean Hogg Trustee East Midlands Third Age Trust07443 221688 |
As if these times are not challenging enough we’ve devised a challenge for everyone…
In the coming month we’re looking to get a simple A4 newsletter out to as many of you as possible and to publish it here on the website. At risk of stating the obvious, newsletters need content and this is where you come in. We want you to write something, anything creative. If you want to write about your lockdown experiences then that would be great but it doesn’t have to be – it could be about anything – your life as a pygmy in the backwaters of the Amazon basin.
Items should be between 500 – 1500 words although longer articles are unlikely to appear in the newsletter due to a shortage of space but all submissions will appear on the website. It can be fact or fiction; serious or humorous, poetry or prose – your choice, whatever excites you.
As a specially difficult challenge why not try to write something in less than 50 words (this post is nearly 200 words).
Are you up for it? What else would you be doing? Send your masterpieces or in the absence of that anything you have to: webadmin@westwoldsu3a.org with the subject line “Creative Writing” before 8th June.
U3A National Office are producing a monthly newsletter. You are encouraged to sign up to receive it by clicking here sign up.
An introduction from the Chief Executive, Sam Mauger is below:
Dear Member,
U3As across the movement are working hard to stay open for business -even although its virtual and not face to face.
Everyone is working hard to stay connected and active during this period of restricted movement and, if our Keeping in Touch Facebook page is anything to go by, you are all doing it with energy, kindness and great humour.
Some of you are asking about whether it is time to resume some face to face meetings. From a U3A activity perspective it is really important that government and NHS advice is followed. The U3A movement has been guided throughout this time by that advice and should continue to do so – for the safety and wellbeing of all our members.
We have been advised by our insurers that this is crucial from a public liability insurance perspective.
I appreciate how strong you have all been maintaining social distancing and remote learning in this difficult time . You have carried on supporting, uniting and protecting each other – so please carry on doing this until the government and NHS guidance changes.
Many of you have asked us about the next steps and we want to work with you so that together, we can develop a plan for the future. Our Chair Ian has more details further down the Newsletter about how you can input into that process.
It is lovely to read so many of your stories and connections below. Please keep encouraging others to sign up to the newsletter so that we can keep sharing and staying connected with each other.
I hope you enjoyed our Mr Motivator exercise videos: please share with us how you found them.
For the first time, in an effort to join you in embracing technology, I have recorded a short message below. (Available when you sign up)
Very best wishes
Sam
My apologies to you all, and to the staff at The Albion Tea Rooms in Market Rasen but it seems they are NOT open for takeaway food during our current lockdown. I was misinformed so again, my apologies.
I have however, heard from a couple of our membership who reliably inform me that the following 2 pubs are indeed open for takeaway service at the weekends so hopefully this will make up for my error.
NADIA DAWSON tells me that The Hope Tavern at Holton le Moor 01673 828217 is open Friday and Saturday evenings for takeaway food including on Friday’s their delicious fish and chips. Sundays they are open for their famous Sunday Lunch.
ELIZABETH JEFFERSON has recommended The Salutation Inn at Nettleton 01472 851228 who are providing a local (I don’t know how local that is) delivery or pick up service for Friday & Saturday evenings and Sunday lunch. They have an email takeaway menu so if you contact Jo Parsons (the landlady) on salutation.nettleton@gmail.com I am sure they will be happy to help.
Stay safe and well
Linda Brighton
Chairman, West Wolds U3A
The National U3A have devised a range of activities on their website. You don’t have to register or login to see them. There are quizzes, creative writing competitions, photography challenges, maths challenges and much, more. At least take a look, you never know, you might find something of interest.
Go to the Learning Tab on the national website by clicking here…
How are you all keeping? Safe and well I hope and enjoying our lovely Spring weather. I have turned part of our garden into a “Cyprus by the pool” sunbathing area for myself and our dog Belle! If we can’t actually go to the beautiful island I can lie here and pretend we are there when I have a spare, few moments. The only thing I am missing is a waiter to bring me cocktails or Frappuccinos; but heigh-ho you can’t have everything I suppose!
Whatever you are doing to keep yourselves amused and energised I do hope you are enjoying it. I have also taken up Speed walking again; last time I did it I mixed it up with jogging but I can go further and feel better with just the walking so am keeping fit and healthy and enjoying the great outdoors at the same time.
However, I know that some of us aren’t able to get out and about but we have discovered on You Tube a series of “Scenic Running Posts” which mean you can go onto anywhere in the world and walk or run virtually, through countryside, cities, along beaches, the list is endless!! Yesterday Terry “ran” through the streets of New York, one of his favourite cities of our world. The walks/runs have different timings too so you can take from around 15 minutes up to over an hour for your particular excursion. If you remember the Wii machines of a few years ago, they had a similar feature where, as an avatar you were able to run a specified animated walk or run through a set number of trails; with the You Tube app you can go anywhere your heart desires!! Just click onto You Tube and type in the search engine Scenic Runs.
I don’t know about you but whilst I have always loved baking and cooking, I am longing for the day we are allowed to eat out in a café or restaurant again! Luckily during the past few weeks we have discovered that some of the restaurants and pubs in our area are offering takeout meals for collection or delivery.
Last Sunday we had a delicious Sunday Lunch from Caistor Lakes 01472 859626. We chose to collect our meal and were pleased to discover that during our collection, there was no contact with their staff members, meaning both they and we were safe.
The Blacksmiths Arms at Rothwell, 01472 371300 are also offering a takeaway service as are The Albion Tearooms in Market Rasen, 01673 844777. Also, if you like a touch of spice, The Gate of India in Market Rasen are offering a collection/delivery service on 01673 844366. And finally, for your taste buds delight Oxford Street Chip Shop is now open on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings 16:30 – till they run out, and Saturday lunch 11:30 – 14:00.
Do let us know if you know of any other food collection or delivery services in our area and we can spread the word.
How did you get on with David & Jo’s General Knowledge Quiz this week? I am ashamed to say I was terrible and too embarrassed to send in my results but it was great fun trying and I am looking forward to our next quiz and see if I can do any better next time and dare to send in my answers!
If you have any news from your groups which are still operating, albeit at a distance, or anything you think your fellow members might be interested in then do please either put it on WWU3A website or send it to me at lindabrighton121@gmail.com and we will add it.
Stay safe and well and all best wishes.
Linda Brighton
Chairman, West Wolds U3A
Contact details: 01673 843925 or 07762385929 or lindabrighton121@gmail.com
Answers to the quiz posted on Friday 15th May can be found by clicking here…
There was only one response to the quiz – Terry and Julia Francis who answered 35 questions correctly within 60 minutes.
Well done Terry and Julia. If anyone would like to compile a quiz of any kind, doesn’t have to be timed, and would like it posted here then please email quiz@westwoldsu3a.org
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