Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Notices

The u3a Communications Team
is forming now and needs your talents!

Chichester u3a provides a wonderful service to Third Agers in our area, and is truly an organisation to be proud of. With almost a thousand members, we should be able to find ample talent among us to expand our Communications Team. It would be wonderful to offer wider perspectives and employ creative thinking on how to add fresh content and special features; we need some lively reporting about groups’ activities, outings and events, and issues of interest and concern to our members. 

While we have a small dedicated group of people behind the website and the bulletin, we need more in order to produce a newsletter/magazine of quality that will be informative, fun to read and a great calling card for potential new members.   

So, we are urgently looking for members to join the Communications Team. It's great fun and puts you at the heart of Chichester u3a. Whether your interest is in writing, interviewing and reporting (written, audio or video), photography, design, desktop publishing, or just brainstorming ideas, WE NEED YOU!

If you think you might be interested, please contact me for a chat by simply replying to this bulletin email. I look forward to hearing from you.

Many thanks,
Miriam 

Visit to Fort Nelson, Portsmouth

Wednesday 22nd May 2024

Join us on a visit to this fascinating restored Victorian fortress. We will meet in the Visitor Centre Lobby at 10.30am.

• Free entry
• Café & Gift Shop
• Parking Limited
• Car-sharing recommended 

Booking may be done on the website HERE

If you can offer car-sharing or would like a lift (there is no public transport to Fort Nelson) please put a note in the “Comment” box on the booking form.

If you have any queries please email chair@chichesteru3a.org.uk

Tickets for National u3a Festival 24 available now 

18-20 July 2024

Members can now book tickets for u3a Festival 24, which is taking place at the University of York from 18 to 20 July. Margaret Fiddes, one of the organisers of the festival, says "So far take up is very strong and we are delighted that many hundreds of people are coming to join us in York for the largest ever gathering of u3a members in the movement’s history." The taster programme and booking link can be found on the Festival page of the u3a website and if you have any questions, please email festival@u3a.org.uk.

Upcoming Events

Next Coffee Morning - Tuesday, 7th May, 10am-12noon

Always on the First Tuesday of each month, so please mark your calendars!

Our Coffee Mornings are held in the Bar on the first floor of the MINERVA THEATRE building, opposite the Chichester Festival Theatre.
You can use this opportunity to chat with our groups team and learn about current and new offerings, meet old friends and make new ones!

There will be two breakout tables at the coffee morning for these groups:

• Book Group - Short Story - Fiction - please see below under Groups Notices for details
• Jin Shin - Self Help. Jin Shin Acupressure is from Japan and is at least 4,000 years old. It is believed to be the origins of acupuncture, modern acupressure, reiki and more. You can learn to do this yourself (over clothing). Come along to the Coffee Morning to find out more about this new group.

GROUP LEADERS: If you would like to promote your group at a coffee morning, please contact the Groups Coordinator!

May Quiz Night - Thursday, 9th May, 2024 at 19:30
at The Chichester Inn, Westgate, Chichester

 There is no charge for the quiz and a meal is optional. The Chichester Inn kitchen opens at 5.00pm and we expect diners to eat prior to the start of the quiz. The menu can be found here:  the chichester inn menu.   

Please book your place(s) here using this link. You can book up to 4 places.

As Members are arriving at different times in order to eat before the Quiz, we will no longer be allocating tables in advance.  Please make up your teams of 4 in advance or wait to join a team on the evening. Booking is now open and will close on Wednesday 8th May, or before if all the places are taken before that date.
Please email social@chichesteru3a.org.uk if you have any queries.

Monthly Meeting & AGM - 16th May at 2pm
at the Assembly Rooms on North Street

The May Monthly Meeting will take place on 16th May 2024 at the Assembly Room. It will immediately follow the Annual General Meeting which will start at 2 pm. Tea and coffee will be served from 1.15 pm until 1.45 pm and the AGM will start at 2pm.

Our speaker for the monthly meeting will be Paul Whittle and his talk is titled “The Malta Story”

This a return visit for Paul, this time to tell the story of Malta, endlessly invaded over the centuries and one of the most bombed places on the planet. As Chichester is now twinned with Valletta this should be of interest to everyone.

Groups Notices

"The secret to ageing well?
Keep laughing, keep learning, and never underestimate
the power of a good nap."

Ski Group

U3A Ski group will be hitting the slopes again in 2025.  We will be travelling to Les Arc 2000 between the 1st and 8th March departing from Gatwick.  The cost of a single room will be £1360 and a shared room £1170 on a half board basis.  If you are interested in joining us then please contact Barry on treasurer@chichesteru3a.org.uk.

Recorder Group

Another little turnover of players has occurred in the Recorder Group and up to three places are available (max size 12).

It’s a group for the keen hobby recorder player! Not for beginners, though : you need to be familiar with recorder fingerings, basic scales and arpeggios, able to read music and follow a beat. You should have a music stand and preferably two recorders from descant, treble, tenor and bass in order to fit into the group. If you only have experience with one recorder but are willing to take up another, you could still join the group. Existing players play two or three sizes and like to swap around, so someone who only wants to play one size of recorder will unfortunately restrict the opportunities for the other players too much.

We play music from early to modern times and by a wide range of composers, which is all provided. The level is grade 3 to 4. There’s a lot of different music around for recorders to play - much more than is commonly imagined!

This is an improvers group, so regular attendance is hoped for : it isn’t suited to anyone likely to take lots of time out. A readiness to practise at home and prepare a short piece of music for the next meeting is also helpful. The group is friendly and supportive and will enable players to improve playing skills or take up a new instrument. There’s a small library of music to borrow and play at home.

A recorder professional comes once a month to conduct, to help players make progress by playing more challenging music and offer some professional input if they have any questions.

It’s always possible for a potential player to come along as a guest for one session and the leader will tailor the music accordingly. Include some details of your playing background in the contact form and then there can be a phone call to discuss the next step.

We meet on Tuesdays from 2pm-4pm (with a short break) every week unless we agree not to. We play in a large, well-ventilated ground floor lounge where the leader lives. No car parking, unfortunately, but the 51 and 700 bus routes stop outside. Otherwise it’s 6-8 mins walk from the Cattle Market car park or from Florence Road car park, where parking is free for 3 hours.

New Short Story Book Group

Have you given up on book groups because the books are too long or perhaps you are looking for a different sort of book group?

Why not try a short story group instead?  Short fiction is made to be shared! A short story can promote a more focused discussion and sometimes the best stories are short.. 

 We will meet once a month at St Paul's Parish Centre, Churchside, Chichester PO19 6FT.  Date and time will be chosen to suit the majority.

If you'd like to register your interest please email: groups@chichesteru3a.org.uk.   

National u3a & Regional Events

National u3a

There is a wealth of information on the National u3a website -www.u3a.org.uk , including online groups, u3a Radio podcast, upcoming events like Festival 2024 (18th-20th July, at York), and the latest issue of Third Age Matters, the monthly national u3a magazine (the link to the current version is:

https://www.u3a.org.uk/news/publications/third-age-matters-february-2024-screenreader-edition.)

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Notices

Upcoming Events

Monthly Meeting at the Assembly Rooms on North Street - 18th April at 2pm

‘Grandma Flew Spitfires’
John Webster and the story of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA)

John is an ardent aviation enthusiast and amateur historian who, since retiring from the UK’s National Air Traffic Service (NATS), has been involved as a volunteer researcher for Maidenhead Heritage Centre’s permanent ATA exhibition and archive. He has been privileged to have interviewed several of the surviving veterans and his involvement has led to him being elected as Secretary of the ATA Association.

The Air Transport Auxiliary was a civilian organisation, which was tasked with supporting the RAF and Fleet Air Arm by ferrying aircraft between factories, maintenance units and operational bases together with performing many and varied transport roles.

John’s talk will expand on the ATA’s structure and the role of its men, women and boys. It will feature a newsreel clip and extracts from two of his interviews.

Despite the talk’s frequently applied title above, the women were significantly outnumbered by their male colleagues. However, as most media attention focuses on the female pilots, we continue to use the phrase to attract attention to an amazing story!

Groups Notices

"The secret to ageing well? Keep laughing, keep learning, and never underestimate the power of a good nap."

Bridge for Fun Group 3

Have you taken Bridge classes but don’t feel confident enough to join an established Bridge club?  This new group aims to be sociable and welcoming, helping improvers find their ‘bridge legs’ and enjoy the game.  

The group will play social bridge and it is aimed at those wanting to improve and polish their game.  You don’t need a partner.  It will meet at Donnington Parish Hall on Monday mornings, 10-12, starting in late April.  Depending on numbers the price should be no more than about £3.50 per session, (payable in non-refundable 10 week blocks in advance.) 

To register your interest, email groups@chichesteru3a.org.uk.   

Groups News

April Practical Science

When Simon Price threw a load of pots and pans across the kitchen table along with some rags, the entire science group sprung into action. Everyone started polishing the tarnished metals with enthusiasm. It all started to looked like a scene from Downton Abbey - the servants busily polishing the kitchenware in the butlers pantry. Simon then gave us all a detailed exposition on the importance of metallic elements. These make up an amazing 70% of the periodic table. We also had a look at some of the rarely seen metallic elements, from highly reactive caesium, carefully secured in a glass ampoule of argon, to the more inert metals such as  platinum. Despite their varying chemical reactivity, most metal elements look much the same with their silvery sheen. Simon then discussed the importance of of biologically active metals such as iron in haemoglobin, the calcium in bones, and the sodium in salt.

For those who like to make a mess, Nick passed a low voltage current through some rusty metal tools bathed in an electrolyte solution. Some gleaming de-rusted tools were removed after 2-3 hours. Another miracle of science!

Other Links & Events

National u3a

There is a wealth of information on the National u3a website - www.u3a.org.uk, including online groups, u3a Radio podcast, upcoming events like Festival 2024 (18th-20th July, at York), and the latest issue of Third Age Matters, the monthly national u3a magazine (the link to the current version is: https://www.u3a.org.uk/news/publications/third-age-matters-april-2024-screenreader-edition.)

Chichester U3A Annual General Meeting – Advance Notice

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Notices

u3a Group booking for 'OLIVER!'
at the Chichester Festival Theatre

MONDAY 15^th JULY 2024 at 19:30

This spectacular new production of Lionel Bart’s iconic musical has been fully reconceived especially for CFT by director and choreographer Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh and promises to be one of the most unforgettable shows ever at the Festival Theatre.

We have 20 tickets for the above show. The tickets are £35 each, reduced from £57 for the group booking.  You can get your tickets to Oliver! HERE on our website. Booking closes on Friday 5^th April.  Please pay for your tickets when booking. 

Upcoming Events

Next Coffee Morning - Tuesday, 2nd April, 10am-12noon

Always on the First Tuesday of each month, so please mark your calendars!

Our Coffee Mornings are normally held in the Bar at the MINERVA THEATRE building, opposite the Chichester Festival Theatre, however this one will be held in the same building but in the restaurant on the ground floor.
You can use this opportunity to chat with our groups team and learn about current and new offerings, meet old friends and make new ones!

GROUP LEADERS: If you would like to promote your group at a coffee morning, please contact the Groups Coordinator!

April Quiz Night - 11th April, 2024.
Reminder: New Venue & New Options for Eating

The next u3a Quiz will take place at The Chichester Inn, Westgate, Chichester on THURSDAY 11^th April.

The start time for the quiz is 7.30pm.  There is no charge for the quiz and a meal is optional. The Chichester Inn kitchen opens at 5.00pm and we expect diners to eat prior to the start of the quiz. The menu can be found here:  the chichester inn menu.   

You do not have to order food in advance, but it would be helpful if you could register for the quiz using this link, and tell us, using the “Comments” box, whether you intend to eat; we will then be able to advise the pub of the likely numbers. Booking opens on Friday 29th March and closes on Sunday 7th April.

Tables are for 4 people and if you want to be seated with friends, please let us know their names in the “Comments” box of the booking form.

Parking is available free of charge after 6pm in West Street and in the Orchard Street carpark, opposite The Chichester Inn.  The pub also has a small private carpark, accessible from Avenue de Chartres.

Please email Margaret if you have any questions:  social@chichesteru3a.org.uk

Monthly Meeting at the Assembly Rooms on North Street - 18th April at 2pm

‘Grandma Flew Spitfires’
John Webster and the story of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA)

John is an ardent aviation enthusiast and amateur historian who, since retiring from the UK’s National Air Traffic Service (NATS), has been involved as a volunteer researcher for Maidenhead Heritage Centre’s permanent ATA exhibition and archive. He has been privileged to have interviewed several of the surviving veterans and his involvement has led to him being elected as Secretary of the ATA Association.

The Air Transport Auxiliary was a civilian organisation, which was tasked with supporting the RAF and Fleet Air Arm by ferrying aircraft between factories, maintenance units and operational bases together with performing many and varied transport roles.

John’s talk will expand on the ATA’s structure and the role of its men, women and boys. It will feature a newsreel clip and extracts from two of his interviews.

Despite the talk’s frequently applied title above, the women were significantly outnumbered by their male colleagues. However, as most media attention focuses on the female pilots, we continue to use the phrase to attract attention to an amazing story!

Groups Notices

"The fun of learning never retires; it just takes on a new chapter in the book of senior wisdom."

Badminton Group

Keep fit, have fun, meet new people and enjoy a coffee in the leisure centre café afterwards!

The Badminton group is friendly and welcoming playing doubles only, rotating partners so you get to play with everyone and take a break (if needed), with players of varying ability, having fun even if
you have not played for a while.
We meet every Thursday 10.00-12.00 at Westgate Leisure Centre, Via Ravenna, Chichester PO19 1RJ
£4.30 payable to Westgate Leisure Centre on arrival – free parking

Friday Table Tennis Group

Table Tennis is considered to be one of the best activities for retired people, as it provides physical exercise and mental agility within a social environment. This group was set up to give beginners or returning players the opportunity to play, learn more skills and improve. However, players of all ability are welcome to join the group too.

Westgate Leisure Centre on Fridays 2.00-4.00pm - £4.30 pay on entry at the reception desk. Parking is free.

Stay and enjoy a sociable coffee in the cafe afterwards. 

New Short Story Book Group

Have you given up on book groups because the books are too long or perhaps you are looking for a different sort of book group?

Why not try a short story group instead?  Short fiction is made to be shared! A short story can promote a more focused discussion and sometimes the best stories are short.. 

 We will meet once a month at St Paul's Parish Centre, Churchside, Chichester PO19 6FT.  Date and time will be chosen to suit the majority.

If you'd like to register your interest please email: groups@chichesteru3a.org.uk.   

Bridge for Fun Group 3

Have you taken Bridge classes but don’t feel confident enough to join an established Bridge club?  This new group aims to be sociable and welcoming, helping improvers find their ‘bridge legs’ and enjoy the game.  

The group will play social bridge and it is aimed at those wanting to improve and polish their game.  You don’t need a partner.  It will meet at Donnington Parish Hall on Monday mornings, 10-12, starting in late April.  Depending on numbers the price should be no more than about £3.50 per session, (payable in non-refundable 10 week blocks in advance.) 

To register your interest, email groups@chichesteru3a.org.uk.   

Advanced French

Vanessa has started up a very successful beginners’ class in French, and is now offering to teach at the other end of the spectrum.

The idea is to hold a monthly class which will focus  on a particular aspect of the language. The pluperfect tense, the subjunctive, or a more advanced vocabulary and expression in a particular theme, are just some of the possibilities. The programme could also develop into studying some French literature. It will largely depend on the preferences of the group as it develops. 

The main emphasis of this group will be self-learning through set homework tasks, with the monthly class there to provide instruction and feedback. It is not aimed at general conversation, there are other groups already providing this. 

The classes are scheduled for Wednesday afternoons, time tbd. The first is on Wednesday 3^rd April. Vanessa will be at the monthly coffee morning meeting on Tuesday April 2^nd if you would like to find out more from her. Alternatively you can register your interest or make an enquiry via this link.

Groups News

Skiing Anyone?

The U3A Ski group's first outing to Les Arcs was a great success: great fun, great company, amazing snow and wonderful food.

Look out for a repeat next year or email treasurer@chichesteru3a.org.uk to go on the mailing list.

National u3a & Regional Events

National u3a

There is a wealth of information on the National u3a website -www.u3a.org.uk , including online groups, u3a Radio podcast, upcoming events like Festival 2024 (18th-20th July, at York), and the latest issue of Third Age Matters, the monthly national u3a magazine (the link to the current version is: https://www.u3a.org.uk/news/publications/third-age-matters-february-2024-screenreader-edition.)

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Notices

u3a Group booking for 'OLIVER!'
at the Chichester Festival Theatre

MONDAY 15^th JULY 2024 at 19:30

This spectacular new production of Lionel Bart’s iconic musical has been fully reconceived especially for CFT by director and choreographer Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh and promises to be one of the most unforgettable shows ever at the Festival Theatre.

We have 20 tickets for the above show. . The tickets are £35 each, reduced from £57 for the group booking.  Booking will open on Friday 15^th March and closes on Friday 5^th April.  Please pay for your tickets when booking. 

Upcoming Events

March Coffee Morning - Tuesday, 2nd April, 10am-12noon

Always on the First Tuesday of each month, so please mark your calendars!

Our Coffee Mornings are held in the Bar at the MINERVA THEATRE building, opposite the Chichester Festival Theatre. You can chat with our groups team and learn about current and new offerings, meet old friends and make new ones!

GROUP LEADERS: If you would like to promote your group at a coffee morning, please contact the Groups Coordinator!

Monthly Meeting at the Assembly Rooms on North Street - 18th April at 2pm

‘Grandma Flew Spitfires’
John Webster and the story of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA)

John is an ardent aviation enthusiast and amateur historian who, since retiring from the UK’s National Air Traffic Service (NATS), has been involved as a volunteer researcher for Maidenhead Heritage Centre’s permanent ATA exhibition and archive. He has been privileged to have interviewed several of the surviving veterans and his involvement has led to him being elected as Secretary of the ATA Association.

The Air Transport Auxiliary was a civilian organisation, which was tasked with supporting the RAF and Fleet Air Arm by ferrying aircraft between factories, maintenance units and operational bases together with performing many and varied transport roles.

John’s talk will expand on the ATA’s structure and the role of its men, women and boys. It will feature a newsreel clip and extracts from two of his interviews.

Despite the talk’s frequently applied title above, the women were significantly outnumbered by their male colleagues. However, as most media attention focuses on the female pilots, we continue to use the phrase to attract attention to an amazing story!

South East u3a Forum Summer School 2024
Monday-Thursday, 2-5 September 2024

Everything is moving steadily forward with the launch of the first phase on Thursday 14^th March 2024 @ 10:00am via the SE u3a Forum’s website.  You will be able to peruse the fourteen subjects on offer for Summer School 2024. 

There are many new subjects, such as: 

• Art & Mythology, Photography, Crochet
• Living History, Patchwork, Philosophy
• Latin Remembered, Bridge, Politics
• Illuminated Manuscripts and Science

Also, on the agenda are the returners: Cycling, Mah Jong and Mathematics

Please be patient, as no places can be reserved, prior to the initial booking date going ‘live’ on 11/04/24.

The costings for this year are:

• Residential En-suite - £390 
• Residential Standard – £360
• Non-Residential with dinner - £195 
• Non-residential no dinner - £140

There will also be entertainment on campus, each evening, which is included in the price.  But, if you would like to attend the theatre on the Tuesday evening, this comes at an extra cost – ticket price unknown at present.

The next phase will be the Booking Information sheet and the Booking Form; they will be going ’live’ from Thursday 11^th April 2024 @ 10:00am; a date for your diary - just Google - se u3a forum and they will be accessible to download.

The Forum’s web address is - https://u3asites.org.uk/southeastu3aforum/contact   

As we progress towards September more information will continue to be added, on a regular basis, to the Summer School webpage on the South East u3a Forum website.  

Groups Notices

"Seniors are not just the oldest in the room; they are the ones with the most stories, the best jokes, and a lifetime of learning to share."

Advanced French

Vanessa has started up a very successful beginners’ class in French, and is now offering to teach at the other end of the spectrum.

The idea is to hold a monthly class which will focus  on a particular aspect of the language. The pluperfect tense, the subjunctive, or a more advanced vocabulary and expression in a particular theme, are just some of the possibilities. The programme could also develop into studying some French literature. It will largely depend on the preferences of the group as it develops. 

The main emphasis of this group will be self-learning through set homework tasks, with the monthly class there to provide instruction and feedback. It is not aimed at general conversation, there are other groups already providing this. 

The classes are scheduled for Wednesday afternoons, time tbd. The first is on Wednesday 3^rd April. Vanessa will be at the monthly coffee morning meeting on Tuesday April 2^nd if you would like to find out more from her. Alternatively you can register your interest or make an enquiry via this link.

National u3a & Regional Events

National u3a

The u3a organises a wide range of learning activities beyond the zoom talks listed below: for example, their online interest groups and subject advice, Festival 2024 (18th-20th July, at York). To get more information on all these and others, have a look at their website.

Following is a list of Third Age Trust zoom talks for the next few weeks: you can find the latest, and fullest, information on these talks  here. Talks from other, local, sources are also given below.

Tuesday, 19th March at 10:00 - Usjng AI to fight climate change
Wednesday, March 20th at 10:00 - John Snow hunting the source of cholera (in London) 
Friday, March 21st at 10:00 - Mindfulness and Meditation (one of a series
Monday, 25th March at 10;00 - Workshop for Yoga Group Leaders
Tuesday, 26th March at15:30 - Laughter Yoga with Merrie Maggie
Wednesday, 27th March at 14:00 - Secrets of the Human Brain (Part 3)
Thursday, 28th March at 10:00 - Introduction to Cryptic Crosswords
Thursday, 28th March at 14:00 - Suffering and Hope in Tolstoy's 'Anna Karenina'
Tuesday, 2nd April at 10:00 - Aviation Network Meeting
Friday, 5th April at 14:00 - From Pleasure Gardens to Theme Parks
Tuesday, 9th April at 14:00 - Electing the President in 2024
Thursday, 11th April at 10:30 - Live Cookery Demonstration
Monday, 15th April at 10:00 - Bollywood Laughter Yoga Dance
Thursday, 18th April at 10:00 - Live Cookery Demonstration
Friday, April at 10:00 - The Climate Crisis and Some Solutions

Local

Tuesday Talks at the WSRO

Talks have been arranged through May 2024, all at 19:00, all costing £8 to attend in person. More information here. The next two talks are:
26th March - Life in Elizabethan Chichester
30th April - What did the Victorians do for Chichester
(The talk scheduled for February 27th was postponed).

Oxfam Talks 2024

These literary talks are wide-ranging (from John Donne to Lady Chatterley), take place at the Oxfam shop, 36, East Street, Chichester, and are arranged by Chichester University. They all run 17:30 -18:00 on a Wednesday evening, usually the first Wednesday in the month. They cost £5 (tickets can be bought in the shop). The next two talks listed are:
Wednesday, 3rd April - Poetry Reading
Wednesday, 1st May - a creative workshop
A full list for this season should be here. 

Talks on Richard Cobden

All the talks will be given at the Council Offices in the Old Library in Knockhundred Row, Midhurst at 19:00. Details of the remaining talks are:
Tuesday, March 19th - Richard Cobden - International Man and Treaty Negotiator
Thursday, March 28th - Cobdenism after Cobden

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Upcoming Events

March Coffee Morning - Tuesday, 5th March, 10am-12noon

Always on the First Tuesday of each month, so please mark your calendars!

Our Coffee Mornings are held in the Bar at the MINERVA THEATRE building, opposite the Chichester Festival Theatre. You can chat with our groups team and learn about current and new offerings, meet old friends and make new ones!

GROUP LEADERS: If you would like to promote your group at a coffee morning, please contact the Groups Coordinator!

Quiz Night - 14th March, 2024
New Venue & New Options for Eating

The next u3a Quiz will take place at The Chichester Inn, Westgate, Chichester on THURSDAY 14^th March.

The start time for the quiz is 7.30pm.  There is no charge for the quiz and a meal is optional. The Chichester Inn kitchen opens at 5.00pm and we expect diners to eat prior to the start of the quiz. The menu can be found here:  the chichester inn menu.   

You do not have to order food in advance, but it would be helpful if you could register for the quiz using this link, and tell us, using the “Comments” box, whether you intend to eat; we will then be able to advise the pub of the likely numbers.

Tables are for 4 people and if you want to be seated with friends, please let us know their names in the “Comments” box of the booking form.

Parking is available free of charge after 6pm in West Street and in the Orchard Street carpark, opposite The Chichester Inn.  The pub also has a small private carpark, accessible from Avenue de Chartres.

Please email Margaret if you have any questions:  social@chichesteru3a.org.uk

Monthly Meeting at the Assembly Rooms on North Street - 14th March at 2pm

Tea and coffee will be served from 1.15 pm until 1.45 pm and the talk will start at 2pm.

Our speaker will be James Vaux. His talk is titled  “Tinker, Tailor, Canvas, Chair: How Modernism Became a Cold War Agent.”

A return for James who gave us the amazing talk on Scandinavian furniture. This talk tells of the strange and unbelievable co-operation between the CIA and the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) for propaganda purposes.

"Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death."
– Albert Einstein

Flower Arranging

The Flower Arranging Group held their first session at Donnington Parish Hall on Tuesday, 20th February, and came away with some beautiful vase arrangements using roses, foraged greenery and a stunning, rusty coloured dogwood, donated by one of the members (after doing some pruning earlier in the week). We meet again on Tuesday, 19th March when we will be making Easter basket arrangements using a variety of Spring blooms. There are still a few spaces available ….. we would love for you to join us!

Music Group - OPEN TO NEW MEMBERS

You are invited to join our friendly Music Group. We meet on the 3rd Wednesday morning of each month at 10:30am to listen and talk and enjoy a session about a wide eclectic range of musical topics. Our previous sessions have been on jazz, symphonic, songs and stories, klezmer, composers, brass.... Sessions are member led, Informal and friendly and offer a good way to hear, enjoy and learn about all sorts of music.

If you think you would like to join us or to learn more, please use this link and we'll be in touch.

Relaxed Chamber Music Group

You are invited to join our relaxed Chamber Music Group for woodwind and strings. We are presently a small, friendly group of players who enjoy playing music together. This is an evolving group and we would be pleased to welcome more woodwind or strings players to join us.

We meet fortnightly on Wednesday mornings from 10:00-11:45 in each others' homes in and around Chichester.

If you think you would like to join us or to learn more, please let us know via this link .

Recorder Group

I’ve been delighted to receive responses to my previous notice that  the Recorder Group has two or three places available for new members (meaning anyone who hasn’t played with this group before). If there are more members who  have played the recorder in the past and would like to take it up again in a serious way, this is your invitation to come along on Tuesday 12th March from 2pm-4pm (our regular weekly meeting time) to have a go. We will have our visiting recorder professional with us to help and advise and we will play easy music in 4 parts (SATB). Nothing at all scary - this is a friendly, supportive group that will make you welcome. We meet where I live in Chichester - on two bus routes (51 & 700), with car parks a few minutes walk away. 

Ideally, you will have experience of two or more recorders (preferably C and F instruments), know the fingerings and be able to play some basic scales from music and also simple tunes. You will also need your own instruments and a music stand. We already have descant and treble players, so players who offer tenor or bass (or are willing to learn) are particularly welcome. 

If you join us, reasonably regular weekly attendance is expected because we look to make progress in playing, and some practice at home will probably be useful. If you know about grades, we play from grades 3 to 5, but mostly at 4 (grade 8 is tops).

Our visiting recorder professional comes along once a month to add ambition to our enthusiasm and to enhance proficiency, and this works very well. She’s looking forward to helping you as a returning player. 

This isn’t an offer to raw beginners, although we’re thinking of doing something  later on for members who would like to learn the recorder and can already read music. 

Let me know if you’d like to come along in March by using this LINK to contact Jean Campbell, the group organiser.

Tai Chi Group

We now have vacancies for the above Group.  

Tai Chi is a mind-body exercise rooted in multiple Oriental traditions, including martial arts, traditional Chinese medicine, and philosophy. It integrates slow, intentional movements with breathing and cognitive skills. It aims to strengthen, relax, and integrate the physical body and mind, and improve health and personal development. It is a great low-impact activity, focussing on improving your balance and core strength. It is accessible to everyone no matter age or ability.

Wednesdays 3.00-4.00pm at Westgate Leisure Centre. The fee £9.90 payable each week on arrival at the reception desk.

Wear loose-fitting clothes, flat shoes and layers to keep warm when it is cool or cold.

Parking for 2 hours is free at the Leisure Centre. 

To register your interest please click this link..

Advanced French

Vanessa has started up a very successful beginners’ class in French, and is now offering to teach at the other end of the spectrum.

The idea is to hold a monthly class which will focus  on a particular aspect of the language. The pluperfect tense, the subjunctive, or a more advanced vocabulary and expression in a particular theme, are just some of the possibilities. The programme could also develop into studying some French literature. It will largely depend on the preferences of the group as it develops. 

The main emphasis of this group will be self-learning through set homework tasks, with the monthly class there to provide instruction and feedback. It is not aimed at general conversation, there are other groups already providing this. 

The classes are scheduled for Wednesday afternoons, time tbd. The first is on Wednesday 3^rd April. Vanessa will be at the monthly coffee morning meeting on Tuesday April 2^nd if you would like to find out more from her. Alternatively you can register your interest or make an enquiry via this link.

Groups' News:

Science Group

It proved to be a deeply shocking experience for one of the newest members of the practical science group as 100,000 volts passed through her body.
Volunteers had lined up in front of the Van de Graaff generator to be reenergized with a powerful static current. This was only one of a thrilling range of experiments at our recent Physics session in Chichester college. We visualized radioactivity with a cloud chamber using a radioactive element whilst some members built some electric motors which whirred around at great speed with a 3 volt battery. A variety of experiments were also set up to demonstrate the relationship between electricity with magnetism. This included a long strip of kitchen foil which was surrounded by a magnet connected to a simple audio output which then turned the kitchen foil into a speaker . Who would have thought a simple piece of kitchen foil could produce such beautiful music? Pure magic!
A great deal of fun was also had trying to pour a carbon dioxide mist out of a bubbling beaker of dry ice and detergent onto a lighted candle. For the more serious minded we were also shown how to download data from
passing satellites using nothing more than a fishing rod and a data decoder attached to a laptop.
All these events were captured by a videographer which will be uploaded onto the U3A website next month .

National u3a & Regional Events

NATIONAL u3a BRIDGE FESTIVAL 8-12 APRIL, 2024

National u3a invites you to Register for our 2024 Spring Charity Bridge Festival

Our 2023 Charity Bridge Festival raised over £2,000, which was shared equally between Age UK and Alzheimer's Research. This year's charities will be Parkinson's UK and Cruse (Bereavement support).

As before, we aim to provide 'something for everyone', and players will be able to play in person at their local venue on their regular day, or at home, or online. This year's online platforms are Bridge Base Online (BBO), Bridge Club Live (BCL) and RealBridge.

Details of the 2024 Festival can be found on the national u3a Bridge Group website: https://www.bridgewebs.com/u3abridgegroup/  together with a comprehensive FAQs page. You can also sign up there for the waiting list for the next (very popular) online Beginners Bridge course, and possibly a Returners Bridge Course, for those who are rusty.

 Events both at the u3a HQ and locally outside the u3a - the Tuesday Talks at the West Sussex Record Office, the talks organised by Chichester University at the Oxfam Shop in Chi, and a one-off series of talks on Richard Cobden, the Victorian politician and economist, who was born in Dunford, nr Midhurst.

National u3a

The u3a organises a wide range of learning activities beyond the zoom talks listed below: for example, their online interest groups and subject advice, Festival 2024 (18th-20th July, at York). To get more information on all these and others, have a look at their website.

Following are details of Third Age Trust zoom talks for the next fortnight or so: please remember you can always find the latest, and fullest, information on these talks  here.

Tuesday, 5th March at 10:00 - Captain John Hutchison shares his 15 years' experience of being a Concorde Captain
Thursday, March 7th at 15:30 - Artificial Intelligence News
Monday, 11th March at 10:00 - Exploring World Faiths - Women in Faith
Wednesday, March 13th at 10:00 - Laughter Yoga
Wednesday, March 13th at 10:00 (as above, it seems) - Influencing and Social Change
Tuesday, 19th March at 10:00 - Usjng AI to fight climate change
Wednesday, March 20th at 10:00 - John Snow hunting the source of cholera (in London) 
Friday, March 21st at 10:00 - Mindfulness and Meditation (one of a series)
Many others are listed, with topics such as Anna Karenina, Electing the US  President, Cookery Demonstrations, and a Yoga Group Leaders Workshop

Local

Tuesday Talks at the WSRO

Talks have been arranged for January to May 2024, all at 19:00, all costing £8 to attend in person. More information here. The next two talks are:
26th March - Life in Elizabethan Chichester
30th April - What did the Victorians do for Chichester
(The talk scheduled for February 27th was postponed).

Oxfam Talks 2024

These literary talks are wide-ranging (from John Donne to Lady Chatterley), take place at the Oxfam shop, 36, East Street, Chichester, and are arranged by Chichester University. They all run 17:30 -18:00 on a Wednesday evening, usually the first Wednesday in the month. They cost £5 (tickets can be bought in the shop). The next two talks listed are:
Wednesday, 6th March: Writers of Exile: Kafka, Murdoch, Nabokov
Wednesday, 3rd April - Poetry Reading

Talks on Richard Cobden

All the talks will be given at the Council Offices in the Old Library in Knockhundred Row, Midhurst at 19:00. Details of the remaining talks are as follows:-
Thursday, March 7th - Richard Cobden and Dunford House
Tuesday, March 19th - Richard Cobden - International Man and Treaty Negotiator
Thursday, March 28th - Cobdenism after Cobden

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Notices

u3a Publications

We’re still looking for a few more volunteers for our newsletter, whether as a single submission, a regular feature, or reportage about engaging and lively people and events of interest to our members. Writers, photographers, quiz mavens, cooks, bakers, candlestick makers, etc., are all invited to contribute.

Group Leaders please start preparing reports on your activities - with pictures please!

If any of you would like to join our media team on the production side of our newsletter and bulletin, we'd really love to have you!! Training happily provided if you need it.

Contact Miriam HERE or simply reply to this Bulletin email.

Upcoming Events for your Calendar

Gauging Interest: Bus walking group

The existing ‘walks without a car’ group is full and has a waiting list so we are keen to explore whether there is enough interest to get another, similar group off the ground.

There are lots of walks available. The new group would use a similar format to the existing group, meet at an agreed spot to travel to the start of the walk and before returning by bus (walkers bring their own refreshments and there is often the option to go for a meal or drink at the end of the walk for those who want to)

The group will need a group leader in order to get of the ground so please let us know if you think that this is something you could do (the leaders of the existing group are happy to share walks and their experience and expertise with the new group leader.)

If you think this is the group for you then please contact us via the link below. You can also speak to members of the existing group at the March coffee morning, do pop along and feel free to ask any questions.

To register your interest please click THIS LINK. Thank you.

The Recorder Group

The Recorder Group has two or three places available for new members (meaning anyone who hasn’t played with this group before) because of some movement in the group, which is limited to 12. If you’ve played the recorder in the past and would like to take it up again in a serious way, you’re invited to come along on Tuesday 12th March from 2pm-4pm (our regular weekly meeting time) to have a go. We will have our visiting recorder professional with us to help and advise and we will play easy music in 4 parts (SATB). Nothing at all scary - this is a friendly, supportive group that will make you welcome. We meet where I live in Chichester - on two bus routes (51 & 700), with car parks a few minutes walk away. 

Ideally, you will have experience of two or more recorders (preferably C and F instruments), know the fingerings and be able to play some basic scales from music and also simple tunes. You will also need your own instruments and a music stand. We already have descant and treble players, so players who offer tenor or bass (or are willing to learn) are particularly welcome. 

If you join us, reasonably regular weekly attendance is expected because we look to make progress in playing, and some practice at home will probably be useful. If you know about grades, we play from grades 3 to 5, but mostly at 4 (grade 8 is tops).

Our visiting recorder professional comes along once a month to add ambition to our enthusiasm and to enhance proficiency, and this works very well. You can also get advice on how to spread your recorder wings if you want to play more or in bigger groups.

So this isn’t a group for beginners or the faint-hearted, but it’s definitely one for budding recorder enthusiasts who consider themselves improvers and keen players! 

Let us know if you’d like to come along in March by using this LINK to contact Jean Campbell, the group organiser.

National u3a & Regional Events

Events at the u3a HQ and locally - the Tuesday Talks at the West Sussex Record Office, the talks organised by Chichester University at the Oxfam Shop in Chi, and a one-off series of talks on Richard Cobden, the Victorian politician and economist, who was born in Dunford, nr Midhurst.

National u3a Activities

The u3a organises a wide range of learning activities beyond the zoom talks listed below: for example, their online interest groups and subject advice, Festival 2024 and U3A Week. Festival 2024 will be held at the University of York, comprising talks, sporting events, workshops and musical entertainment, spread over 3 days (18th -20th July): accommodation is offered at the university, but I don't think you have to stay there. To get more information on all these, have a look at their website.

Following are details of Third Age Trust zoom talks for the next fortnight or so: please remember you can always find the latest, and fullest, information on these talks  here.

Thursday, 22nd February at 10:00 (weekly)- Mindfulness and MeditationFriday, 23rd February at 14:00 - David Hockney and the Theatre.
Tuesday, 27th February at 9:30 - Science Network (this week, talks on Pathogenics and Botany)
Tuesday, 27th February at 15:30 - Laughter Yoga
Wednesday, 28th February at 10:00 - the first of 5 talks on Advances in Public Health
Thursday, 29th February at 10:00 - More Number Fun with Dr Knott (Ancient Egyptian Maths)
Thursday, 29th February at 14:00 - Secrets of the Human Brain (Talk Two)Tuesday, 5th March at 10:00 - Captain John
Hutchison shares his 15 years' experience of being a Concorde Captain
Thursday, March 7th at 15:30 - Artificial Intelligence News

Local Events

Tuesday Talks at the WSRO

Talks have been arranged for January to May 2024, all at 19:00, all costing £8 to attend in person. More information here. The next two talks are:

27th February - Recovering Britain's Amateur Theatrical Past 1789-1914 - A West Sussex Perspective
26th March - Life in Elizabethan Chichester

Oxfam Talks 23/24

These talks take place at the Oxfam shop, 36, East Street, Chichester, and are arranged by Chichester University. They all run 17:30 -18:00 on a Wednesday evening, usually the first Wednesday in the month. They cost £5 (tickets can be bought in the shop). The next two talks listed are:

Wednesday, 6th March: Writers of Exile: Kafka, Murdoch, Nabokov
Wednesday, 3rd April - Poetry Reading

Talks on Richard Cobden

All the talks will be given at the Council Offices in the Old Library in Knockhundred Row, Midhurst at 19:00. Details of the remaining talks are as follows:-

Thursday, March 7th - Richard Cobden and Dunford House
Tuesday, March 19th - Richard Cobden - International Man and Treaty Negotiator
Thursday, March 28th - Cobdenism after Cobden

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Notices

Join Our Media Team

Communications are central to the functioning of our u3a, so we’re looking for volunteers to expand our Newsletter and Bulletin production team. A variety of skills are needed, and training would be happily provided.

Front End
Do you have any of the following skills/interests or would like to learn them:

• Reporting on what is happening in or of interest to our u3a
• Writing, editing, proofreading
• Graphic design, layout

Back End
Can you use any of the following programs, or would like to learn them :

• Publisher or other desktop publishing platform
• Photoshop or other graphics package
• Word or other word-processing program

 If so, we need YOU! Please contact Miriam HERE or simply reply to this Bulletin email.

Upcoming Events

Growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional. Choose to keep the fun in learning and the playfulness in your heart.

February Coffee Morning - Tuesday, 6th February, 10am-12noon

Always on the First Tuesday of each month, so please mark your calendars!

Our Coffee Mornings are held in the Bar at the MINERVA THEATRE building, opposite the Chichester Festival Theatre. You can chat with our groups team and learn about current and new offerings, meet old friends and make new ones!

GROUP LEADERS: If you would like to promote your group at a coffee morning, please contact the Groups Coordinator!

Quiz Night - 13th February, 2024 starting at 7:00pm at the White Swan, Bosham

The White Swan is on the A259 at the Bosham roundabout and there is plenty of parking. The 700 bus from Chichester stops just across the road. Although the 700 back to Chichester stops running before 9.30pm, one of the members will no doubt be happy to give you a lift home.

The cost of dinner is £14.50, not including dessert.

The food choices are:
Chicken Casserole
Sea bass Filet with new potatoes, green beans and Hollandaise Sauce.
Mushroom Stroganoff with wild rice.

Chicken Casserole and Sea Bass can be Gluten Free.

Booking opens on Friday 2nd February and closes on Thursday 8th February.  Payment is required, please, within 48 hours of booking in order to avoid any confusion on the night.

Booking is done here on the website.  This payment is non-refundable so if you are unable to attend, please find a replacement.

Monthly Meeting at the Assembly Rooms on North Street - 15th February at 2pm

Our speaker will be David Gane. His talk is titled  “Anyone One Can Do It – A Beginners Guide to Science”

David touches on some of the ways our minds are “hard-wired” to give us wrong answers, explains the simple steps scientists follow to try to avoid such errors, and looks at how to tell good science from bad. Along the way he asks: How sure are we that the sun will rise tomorrow?  Is Evolution a theory or a fact? Does “standing tall” for two minutes before an interview really improve your chances of getting the job?

Tea and coffee will be served from 1.15 pm until 1.45 pm and the talk will start at 2pm.

The Groups Team has been busy facilitating some wonderful new groups: Relaxed Chamber Music, Nordic Walking, Tai Chi, World of Books 2, Wine Tasting 2, Poetry 2, Flower Arranging, Astronomy, Drawing, Table Tennis for Beginners, Dining Group 2 & 3, Thread and Greek and French for beginners.
Do check them out (and lots more) here on our website.

NEW GROUP: Flower Arranging

“Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul”. Luther Burbank

Indoors and outdoors flowers bring us so much pleasure, arranged either informally or to enhance a special celebration. Would you like to come along and join a group of flower lovers who have a fun, light-hearted approach to flower arranging? Each month we will use videos to stimulate creativity, and share tips and ideas on how we can, sometimes with little cost, and by using greenery from the countryside and gardens, create beautiful and imaginative displays. We hope to learn from each other how to prolong the life of blooms and the mechanics of using unusual containers.

We will be having a ‘Break-Out’ table at the next coffee morning on Tuesday, 6th February … so please do come and chat about joining in!

To register your interest please click THIS LINK. Thank you.

Friday Table Tennis Group – all levels welcome

This new Friday table tennis group has started successfully. It is a relaxed, social group who play for fun. New members are extremely welcome. The group meets every Friday at Westgate Leisure Centre from 2.00-4.00pm. £4.30 per session.

Please click on THIS LINK to register an interest.

PROPOSED GROUP: Beginners' German

We are already running successful beginners' courses in Spanish, Greek and French, and  we are now considering  whether there would be enough interest in starting up a course to learn German. We would especially like to hear from anyone with some knowledge of German who could offer to lead it.

To register your interest please click THIS LINK. Thank you.

NEW GROUP: New Art Group

Members have expressed an interest in setting up a taught art group so we are looking for someone with experience in drawing or painting. You don't have to be an expert, just willing to share what you've learnt with others. If this could be you please contact groups using THIS LINK.

We have had one offer of help, but if others were able to teach a session here or there I am sure she would be delighted!  

National u3a & Regional Events

National u3a Film

National u3a Activities

The national u3a offers a wide range of learning activities beyond the zoom talks listed below: for example, their online interest groups and subject advice, and they're busy planning Festival 2024 and U3A Week. To get more information on these, have a look at their website.

Following are details of Third Age Trust zoom talks up to the scheduled date of the next bulletin: please remember you can always find the latest, and fullest, information on these talks  here.

Monday, 5th February at 10:00, 12 places only, restricted to yoga group leaders - Yoga Group Leaders Workshop
Tuesday, 6th February at 10:00, devised for members of the Aviation Network, but it is open to all u3a members, I believe - Apollo Missions 11 and 13
Tuesday, 6th February at 14:00 - Housing Options in Later Life
Wednesday, 7th February at 10:00 - Mindfulness and Meditation
Thursday,8th February at 11:30 - Introduction to the Air Fryer
Wednesday, 14th February at 10:00 - Laughter Yoga
Wednesday, 14th February at 14:00 - Locks and Keys
Thursday, 15th February at 10:00 - Cryptic Crosswords
Thursday, 15th February at 10:00 - Mindfulness and Meditation

Local Events

Tuesday Talks at the WSRO

Talks have been arranged for January to May 2024, all at 19:00, all costing £8 to attend in person. More information here. The next two talks are:

27th February - Recovering Britain's Amateur Theatrical Past 1789-1914 - A West Sussex Perspective
26th March - Life in Elizabethan Chichester

Oxfam Talks 23/24

These talks take place at the Oxfam shop, 36, East Street, Chichester, and are arranged by Chichester University. They all run 17:30 -18:00 on a Wednesday evening, usually the first Wednesday in the month. They cost £5 (tickets can be bought in the shop). The next two talks listed are:

Wednesday,7th February: Revisiting Kerouac's 'On the Road'
Wednesday, 6th March: Writers of Exile: Kafka, Murdoch, Nabokov

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Notices

Social events team – needs you!

The committee is very keen to form a social events team for 2024. We currently organise a an annual thank you tea for U3A helpers and group leaders, a monthly quiz, theatre trips and a Christmas lunch. We advertise and book social events using our IT systems and full support will be offered to help with this.

We would like to consider a few more local social events so we are now looking for a team of about six people who, with the backing and support of the committee, could organise some social events during the year. By creating an enthusiastic social events team, we hope the time, effort and energy required would be well distributed. It would involve meeting once a month, liaising with the committee and taking on board ideas and suggestions from the membership in order to organise a few more social events than we currently have on offer. 

Please consider joining this new, exciting social events team – you don’t need any special skills just enthusiasm!
Please click here to register your interest.

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they have the heart.”
– Elizabeth Andrew

Upcoming Events

Monthly Meeting at the Assembly Rooms on North Street - 18th January at 2pm

Our speaker will be Brian Freeland, his subject is:  ” Women of the Raj”

Brian is a playwright and author and tells the story of  when the Colonial Administrators arrived to take over from the East India Company they were often accompanied by their wives: wives who spoke only English, who mixed only with other wives, and who couldn’t even communicate with their household staff. Wives who made great demands on their husbands. As one Indian wrote later, “I don’t think they realised what a menace they were. If the memsahibs had stayed in Britain there might never have been a Mutiny”.

Tea and coffee will be served from 1.15 pm until 1.45 pm and the talk will start at 2pm.

Groups' News:

Table Tennis

Good news about the new beginners table tennis group. It starts on Friday 19th January.

Please spread the word about the new table tennis group or better still come along for a taster session on Friday. On Friday 19^th January some experienced table tennis players from the Tuesday group will be there to help. There are spare bats available if you don’t have one.

Westgate Leisure Centre on Fridays 2.00-4.00pm - £4.20 pay on entry at the reception desk. You don't have to play for the whole two hours - see how it goes. Stay and enjoy a sociable coffee in the café afterwards. 

Parking is free. To get your ticket simply use the pay and display machine as though paying but press the green button without inserting any money and a ticket will be produced. Display the ticket in your car windscreen as normal.

Greek for Beginners

Starting Wednesday 10th January  in East Wittering, but it is still possible to join. To register your interest or to find out more, please contact us via THIS LINK. Thank you.

Ten Pin Bowling

If you’re looking for something to do on the first and third Friday of each month why not come and play ten pin bowling? We are a friendly, non competitive bunch and would welcome new members. We meet at 9.55am at Ten Pin Chichester, Chichester Gate, Leisure Park, PO19 8EL. No experience or equipment needed. Two games cost just £6. We play until 12pm (approx). Any questions then do get in touch via THIS LINK; otherwise, we hope to see you there!

National u3a & Regional Events

National u3a

The u3a offers a wide range of learning activities beyond the zoom talks listed below: for example, their online interest groups and subject advice, and they're busy planning Festival 2024 and U3A Week. To get more information on these, have a look at their website 

Following are the Third Age Trust zoom talks currently listed to the end of the month: please remember you can always find the latest, and fullest, information on these talks  here.
Monday, 15th January at 10:00 - Blue Monday Bollywood Laughter Yoga
Wednesday 17th, January at 10:00 - Fun Mathematics with Platonic Solids
Thursday, 18th January at 10:00 - Mindfulness and Meditation
Thursday,18th January at 14:00 - Toulouse-Lautrec and the Music Halls of Paris
Friday, January 19th at 10:00 - Chinese Wand Exercises
Wednesday, 24th January at 14:00 - Secrets of the Human Brain (Talk One)
Friday, 26th January at 14:00 - Holocaust Memorial Day - The Story of Major Leonard Berney
Tuesday, 30th January at 15:30 - Maggie's Laughter Yoga 

Local Events

Tuesday Talks at the WSRO

Talks have been arranged for January to May 2024, all at 19:00, all costing £8 to attend in person. All the talks except the last (Returning to the Moon) also provide attendance by Zoom for £5. More information here .
30th January - Ford Madox Ford in West Sussex - finding a 'rhomboid of green'
27th February - Recovering Britain's Amateur Theatrical Past 1789-1914 - A West Sussex Perspective
26th March - The Material Culture of Life in Elizabethan Chichester
30th April - What did the Victorians do for Chichester?
26th May - Returning to the Moon - Sir Patrick Moore's Legacy.

Wednesday Coffee Time Workshops for those interested in Family History: topics for the workshops scheduled for next year include Researching the History of Your House, How to Start Your Family Tree, Getting Started with Ancestry.co.uk, and Reading Old Handwriting. Cost £7.50.

Oxfam Talks 2024

These talks take place at the Oxfam shop, 36, East Street, Chichester, and are arranged by Chichester University. They all run 17:30 -18:00 on a Wednesday evening, usually the first Wednesday in the month, but not the first one., They cost £5 (tickets can be bought in the shop - in advance, I assume). The talks currently on offer are:

Wednesday, 7th February: Revisiting Kerouac's 'On the Road'
Wednesday, 6th March: Writers of Exile: Kafka, Murdoch, Nabokov
Wednesday, 3rd April: Poetry Reading
Wednesday, 1st May: Finding Stories in Things:  A Creative Writing Workshop.
Wednesday, 5th June: What are the Five Best Books in this Shop?
Wednesday, 3rd July: Lady Chatterley's Lover

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Upcoming Events

Happy 2024!

No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again.
- Buddha

January Coffee Morning - Tuesday, 2nd January, 10am-12noon

Always on the First Tuesday of each month, so please mark your calendars!

Our Coffee Mornings are held in the Bar at the MINERVA THEATRE building, opposite the Chichester Festival Theatre. You can chat with our groups team and learn about current and new offerings, meet old friends and make new ones!

GROUP LEADERS: If you would like to promote your group at a coffee morning, please contact the Groups Coordinator!

Quiz Night - 9th January, 2024 starting at 7:00pm at the White Swan, Bosham

The White Swan is on the A259 at the Bosham roundabout and there is plenty of parking. The 700 bus from Chichester stops just across the road. Although the 700 back to Chichester stops running before 9.30pm, one of the members will no doubt be happy to give you a lift home.

The cost of dinner is £14.50, not including dessert.

Sausage, Mash and Peas with Onion Gravy.
Fish Pie with Seasonal Vegetables.
Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta Bake with Garlic Bread.

Sausage and Mash and Fish Pie can be Gluten Free.

Booking opens Friday 29th December and closes on Thursday 4 January 2024.  Payment is required, please, within 48 hours of booking in order to avoid any confusion on the night.

Booking is done here on the website.  This payment is non-refundable so if you are unable to attend, please find a replacement.

Monthly Meeting at the Assembly Rooms on North Street - 18th January at 2pm

Our speaker will be Brian Freeland, his subject is:  ” Women of the Raj”

Brian is a playwright and author and tells the story of  when the Colonial Administrators arrived to take over from the East India Company they were often accompanied by their wives: wives who spoke only English, who mixed only with other wives, and who couldn’t even communicate with their household staff. Wives who made great demands on their husbands. As one Indian wrote later, “I don’t think they realised what a menace they were. If the memsahibs had stayed in Britain there might never have been a Mutiny”.

Tea and coffee will be served from 1.15 pm until 1.45 pm and the talk will start at 2pm.

NEW GROUP: Tai Chi for beginners – starting January 2024

Tai Chi is a mind-body exercise rooted in multiple Oriental traditions, including martial arts, traditional Chinese medicine, and philosophy. It integrates slow, intentional movements with breathing and cognitive skills. It aims to strengthen, relax, and integrate the physical body and mind, and improve health and personal development. It is a great low-impact activity, focussing on improving your balance and core strength. It is accessible to everyone no matter age or ability.

Wednesdays 3.00-4.00pm at Westgate Leisure Centre. The fee will depend on numbers but will be payable each week on arrival at the reception desk.

Wear loose-fitting clothes, flat shoes and layers to keep warm when it is cool or cold.

To register your interest please click THIS LINK. Thank you.

National u3a & Regional Events

National u3a

Below are the Third Age Trust zoom talks currently listed for the next month or so: please remember you can always find the latest, and fullest, information on these talks  here.
Friday, 12th January  AND January 19th at 10:00 - Chinese Wand Exercises
Thursday,18th January at 14:00 - Toulouse-Lautrec and the Music Halls of Paris
Tuesday, 30th January at 15:30 - Maggie's Laughter Yoga 

Local Events

Tuesday Talks at the WSRO

Talks have been arranged for January to May 2024, all at 19:00, all costing £8 to attend in person. All the talks except the last (Returning to the Moon) also provide attendance by Zoom for £5. More information here .

30th January - Ford Madox Ford in West Sussex - finding a 'rhomboid of green'
27th February - Recovering Britain's Amateur Theatrical Past 1789-1914 - A West Sussex Perspective
26th March - The Material Culture of Life in Elizabethan Chichester
30th April - What did the Victorians do for Chichester?
26th May - Returning to the Moon - Sir Patrick Moore's Legacy.

Wednesday Coffee Time Workshops for those interested in Family History: topics for the workshops scheduled for next year include Researching the History of Your House, How to Start Your Family Tree, Getting Started with Ancestry.co.uk, and Reading Old Handwriting. Cost £7.50.

Oxfam Talks 23/24

These talks take place at the Oxfam shop, 36, East Street, Chichester, and are arranged by Chichester University. They all run 17:30 -18:00 on a Wednesday evening, usually the first Wednesday in the month, but not the first one. They cost £5 (tickets can be bought in the shop - in advance, I assume). The talks currently on  offer are:

Wednesday,7th February: Revisiting Kerouac's 'On the Road'
Wednesday, 6th March: Writers of Exile: Kafka, Murdoch, Nabokov
Wednesday, 3rd April: Poetry Reading
Wednesday, 1st May: Finding Stories in Things:  A Creative Writing Workshop.
Wednesday, 5th June: What are the Five Best Books in this Shop?
Wednesday, 3rd July: Lady Chatterley's Lover

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

In this edition:

• Holiday Message
• Groups Notices
• Trips
• National and Regional Events

Tell us what you'd like:

The groups team has been asked to gauge interest for the proposed new groups listed below. If the response warrants starting a group, we will arrange a meeting for all interested members and help provide a way forward for the group to start in the new year. Please register your interest by emailing us via THIS LINK. Thank you. 

Relaxed Chamber Music Group

This group would be a relaxed, friendly group, with flexibility as its keynote, for anyone who regards themselves as a fairly competent pianist/instrumentalist, who would like opportunities to play chamber music repertoire. The group would adapt flexibly as more members join.

Astronomy

Anyone with an interest in looking up at the night sky would be welcome to join this new group. You don’t need any knowledge or experience of astronomy, just an interest in the sky above us and the things that shine down on us. It would be an inclusive, informal learning group with discussions on all aspects of Astronomy.

Beginners Table Tennis

This would be held at the Westgate Leisure Centre for those of a beginner’s standard who wish to learn or improve with practice in a social, welcoming and uncompetitive environment.

Ukulele

The name ukulele comes from the Hawaiian for “jumping flea”, an allusion to the rapid movement of the player's fingers. The emphasis would be to have fun in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, playing all types of music from traditional ukulele songs to modern arrangements. This would be a self-help group, playing together and learning from each other. It would include players of all abilities but not beginners - you would need to teach yourself the basics at home first.

To register your interest and sign up for the respective sampler session please contact us via THIS LINK.

Tai Chi for beginners

NEW GROUP: Tai Chi for beginners – to start January 2024

Tai Chi is a mind-body exercise rooted in multiple Oriental traditions, including martial arts, traditional Chinese medicine, and philosophy. It integrates slow, intentional movements with breathing and cognitive skills. It aims to strengthen, relax, and integrate the physical body and mind, and improve health and personal development. It is a great low-impact activity, focussing on improving your balance and core strength. It is accessible to everyone no matter age or ability.

Wednesdays 3.00-4.00pm at Westgate Leisure Centre. The fee will depend on numbers but will be payable each week on arrival at the reception desk.

Wear loose-fitting clothes, flat shoes and layers to keep warm when it is cool or cold.

To register your interest please click THIS LINK – thank you.

GREEK FOR BEGINNERS

Would you be interested in a beginners’ Greek course? You will learn how to greet people, order food and drink, manage shopping and much more, as well as enjoy the mental exercise of learning a new language. This will be held on Wednesday mornings at East Wittering, starting in January. To register or to find out more please contact us via THIS LINK

Strength & Conditioning Group Needs More Members!

This group meets weekly on Wednesdays at 13:55 at the Westgate Leisure Centre in the Studio. It is a gentle yet effective 45-minute session, and the instructor is very responsive to the needs and desires of the group. The cost of a session is £6.30, payable at the till upon arrival. Although we are getting a lot out of the  class, for one reason or other our band has dwindled and we are very much in need of new recruits in order to remain a viable size for the centre to host. Strength training is so important for graceful ageing that we urge you to come along for a taster session next Wednesday before the holiday break. Classes will restart on 3^rd January, 2024. You don't need to register in advance, but if you have questions you can contact us via THIS LINK.

Book Club with a Difference

We had a great response to our shout out for more members and are now full with a waiting list. We are looking at the possibility of setting up a second group. If you are interested or want to find out more, please get in touch (insert link here)

A reminder about how this group works

We choose a country then we all read a book/piece of writing with a connection to that country (it can be fact, fiction, poetry or even a travel blog. It can be about the country or by an author from that country - there are no limits!) Then we come together and discuss what we have read and what we have learned about our chosen country. The discussions we have are really interesting and insightful.

So do get in touch if this is of interest to you. Contact us via THIS LINK

Ten Pin Bowling Group

Come along for a fun and non-competitive game of ten pin bowling and good company.

It’s open to all members, you don’t need experience of bowling, you can learn and improve as you play. We bowl 2 two games costing £3 a game. It’s at Chichester Gate Leisure Park, Terminus Road, Chichester, PO19 8EB (easy parking) on the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month at 10:00am.

Please do come along - we look forward to welcoming you!

Dining Group 2

Dining group 2 is a new group to start in February 2024

Meals (breakfast, coffee, dinner, lunch or tea) will be arranged once a month at a local restaurant with the aim of enjoying good food (sometimes just tea and cake) with friends, for company and pleasure. Venues, dates and times to be decided by group members. Each member would pay for their own food and drinks. Please register your interest using THIS LINK.

Beginners Basic Bridge Course (BBB24)

LAST TWO PLACES AVAILABLE

This course is now established and will start on 22nd January 2024.  However, one or two members have asked about joining but there will need to be four to make up our third full table. Further applicants should contact me without delay by applying through the Groups team using THIS LINK.

The course will be held at Donnington Parish Hall on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 10 to 12am between 22nd January and 8th April 2024.  The cost will not exceed £56.25 which covers the hire of the hall. The content is designed for real beginners even with no experience.  After just ten short weeks you should be able to play proper basic bridge with any of our casual and friendly groups.  Applications should be made using THIS LINK to the Groups Team. 

Trips

Invitation from Arun East u3a!

Arun East u3a runs a number of holidays each year, booked via Woods Travel. They have a number of spaces available for their 6-day/5-night tour of Warwickshire starting on 30 June 2024. Taxi pick up from home is included in the price of £794 anywhere within the area under the red line on the map above.  They have been able to negotiate a large number of rooms for single occupancy.

You can read about all the details of the trip on our website at this link. If you would like to join the trip to Warwickshire next June let us know HERE and we will forward your interest to them. If you have further questions, you can contact Pam of Arun East u3a at 01903 859094

National u3a & Regional Events

National u3a

Below are the Third Age Trust zoom talks currently listed for the next month or so: please remember you can always find the latest, and fullest, information on these talks  here.
Tuesday, 19th December at 15:30 - Maggie's Laughter Yoga (monthly)
Thursday, 21st December at 10:00 - Mindfulness & Meditation (monthly)
Thursday, 4th January at 14:00 - How to Better Insulate Your Home
Wednesday, 10th January at 10:00 - Laughter Yoga with Judith (monthly)
Friday, 12th January  AND January 19th at 10:00 - Chinese Wand Exercises
Thursday,18th January at 14:00 - Toulouse-Lautrec and the Music Halls of Paris
Tuesday, 30th January at 15:30 - Maggie's Laughter Yoga 

Local Events

Tuesday Talks at the WSRO

There are no talks in December, but talks have been arranged for January to May 2024, all at 19:00, all costing £8 to attend in person. All the talks except the last (Returning to the Moon) also provide attendance by Zoom for £5. More information here .

30th January - Ford Madox Ford in West Sussex - finding a 'rhomboid of green'
27th February - Recovering Britain's Amateur Theatrical Past 1789-1914 - A West Sussex Perspective
26th March - The Material Culture of Life in Elizabethan Chichester
30th April - What did the Victorians do for Chichester?
26th May - Returning to the Moon - Sir Patrick Moore's Legacy.

Wednesday Coffee Time Workshops for those interested in Family History: topics for the workshops scheduled for next year include Researching the History of Your House, How to Start Your Family Tree, Getting Started with Ancestry.co.uk, and Reading Old Handwriting. Cost £7.50.

Oxfam Talks 23/24

These talks take place at the Oxfam shop, 36, East Street, Chichester, and are arranged by Chichester University. They all run 17:30 -18:00 on a Wednesday evening, usually the first Wednesday in the month, but not the first one., They cost £5 (tickets can be bought in the shop - in advance, I assume). starting 8th November. The talks so far announced  are on literary topics.

Wednesday, 7th February: Revisiting Kerouac's 'On the Road'
Wednesday, 6th March: Writers of Exile: Kafka, Murdoch, Nabokov
Wednesday, 3rd April: Poetry Reading
Wednesday, 1st May: Finding Stories in Things:  A Creative Writing Workshop.
Wednesday, 5th June: What are the Five Best Books in this Shop?
Wednesday, 3rd July: Lady Chatterley's Lover

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Notices

TRIP TO WINCHESTER CANCELLED!

OOOPS!
When we announced the trip to Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market on Friday 8th December, we had completely forgotten that it was one of the days when the Christmas Lunch was being held.  Therefore it has been decided to cancel this outing.  

Volunteers Wanted

Local charity, Read Easy Chichester and Arun, which supports adults across the area who struggle with reading, is looking for more volunteers to help change people’s lives through the gift of literacy. ​We're actively recruiting in Chichester, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, looking for new volunteer coaches (who work 1:1 with a reader), coordinators (who work with a group of coach/reader pairs), and most importantly volunteers with good organisational skills who enjoy working with people to provide all-important behind-the-scenes roles in the management team.  Learn more Here about the fun, free and confidential support provided to local adults.  We use the proven “Turning Pages” programme and are a local implementation group of ReadEasy UK.

Everyone is trained and supported, so no prior experience is needed - just a desire to share your time and to make a difference.  You can get in touch with us here.​

Upcoming Events and Outings

Coffee Morning - Tuesday, 5th December, 10am-12noon

Always on the First Tuesday of each month, so please mark your calendars!

Our Coffee Mornings are held in the Bar at the MINERVA THEATRE building, opposite the Chichester Festival Theatre. You can chat with our groups team and learn about current and new offerings, meet old friends and make new ones!

GROUP LEADERS: If you would like to promote your group at a coffee morning, please contact the Groups Coordinator!

Quiz Night - 12th December, 2023 starting at 7:00pm at the White Swan, Bosham

The White Swan is on the A259 at the Bosham roundabout and there is plenty of parking. The 700 bus from Chichester stops just across the road. Although the 700 back to Chichester stops running before 9.30pm, one of the members will no doubt be happy to give you a lift home.

The cost of dinner is £14.50, not including dessert.

The food choices are:
Lasagne with Side Salad 
Lancashire Hotpot and Crusty Bread.
Crumb Coated Salmon Filet, New Potatoes, Vegetables and Cream and Dill Sauce 

Lancashire Hotpot and Crumb Coated Salmon can be Gluten Free. 

To make the evening a bit Festive, Christmas Jumpers, etc. will be very welcome.

Booking opens on Friday 1st December and closes 7th December. Payment is required, please, within 48 hours of booking in order to avoid any confusion on the night.

Booking is done here on the website.  This payment is non-refundable so if you are unable to attend, please find a replacement.

Monthly Meeting at the Assembly Rooms on North Street - 14th December at 2pm

Our speaker will be Pete Allen. His talk is titled, “Oh no it isn’t”. A history of pantomime. What is it about Pantomime that attracts us to this strange concoction of fairy tales, dance, jokes, songs and cross-dressing? And what is it really like to play the back end of a Pantomime Cow? All this, and the answer to whether something really is behind you will be answered in this festive talk about what has become one of the great British Christmas traditions.

Nordic Walking Group

We are looking at setting up a U3A Nordic Walking group, led by a local fully qualified instructor.

What is Nordic Walking?
Nordic Walking was originally developed from a summer training regime for cross country skiers and naturally shares many of the same concepts. The technique involves engaging 90% of the major muscles and shares the load between upper and lower body (you effectively become a 4 limbed animal). It is a full body work exercise, including your core, heart and lungs.

I’m not sure if it’s for me
We will be offering a sampler session in March, free of charge so you can try it out and see if it’s for you (equipment will be supplied). It is a very gentle intro so please dont feel daunted in any way.

After the sampler session
If you decide you would like to carry on with Nordic Walking and become a qualified walker, you would need to undertake a basic training session at a cost of £10 per person (once you have done the basic training, you get a certificate that would then enable you to join in activities with any of the local British Nordic Walking groups across the UK).

If there is sufficient interest, we will look to set up our own walks on a weekly basis (date/time still to be finalised but either a Tuesday morning or Tuesday afternoon or a Wednesday morning or a Wednesday afternoon). These weekly activities would cost £2 per session.

All equipment is supplied by our instructor and he can also advise on footwear (but nothing that restricts ankle movement – so no boots please!).

To register your interest and sign up for the sampler session please contact us via THIS LINK.

Proposed Sewing Group

Are you interested in sewing?

Would you like to make a patchwork quilt, recycle some preloved textiles, add some decorative motifs to an existing garment or just have some company while you sew? If you have answered “yes” to any of the above, then our new group “Thread” is for you.

Please come to the Coffee Morning on 5th December at 10.00 and join in the discussion at a breakout meeting. If you cannot manage that date, please contact us via THIS LINK and we will ensure that your name is on the list of interested parties.

GREEK FOR BEGINNERS

Would you be interested in a beginners’ Greek course? You will learn how to greet people, order food and drink, manage shopping and much more, as well as enjoy the mental exercise of learning a new language. This will be held on Wednesday mornings at East Wittering, starting in January. To meet your teacher and to find out more, please come to a break-out meeting at 10.00am at the Coffee Morning on 5^th December.  If you cannot make this date, contact us via THIS LINK

Book Club with a Difference

Do you love reading? Want to join a book club with a difference? World of Books book group currently has two vacancies. We choose a country then we all read a book/piece of writing with a connection to that country (it can be fact, fiction, poetry or even a travel blog. It can be about the country or by an author from that country - there are no limits!) Then we come together and discuss what we have read and what we have learned about our chosen country. We meet on the last Friday of each month in Stockbridge. The cost is just 50p per person per meeting.

Want to find out more? Contact us via THIS LINK

Skiing Anyone?

We are a new U3A group of skiers of varying abilities but who have all skied before. We have organised a trip to Les Arc for 24^th Feb to 2^nd March. 

The cost is £1,310 per person, which includes flights, transfers, half board accommodation and a single occupancy room (two people sharing would be discounted).  If any skier is interested in joining us for this trip, please contact Barry using THIS LINK.

Groups News

Climate Change Group: Renewable Energy in the Home

Talk at the next meeting of the Climate Change Group (CCG) - 14.00. hrs, 6th Dec., Friends Quaker House, Priory Rd., Chichester
Renewable Energy in the Home about my experiences with a heat pump, solar panels and battery.
And Renewable energy scenarios for the Chichester Area” by Tom Broughton.
The drop in the price of renewable energy and efficiency is such that it now costs the same to destroy the climate or save it.”Tom Broughton is a director of Solesco a community energy company and has many years experience in the installation of both home and industrial solar energy projects in the region.
Jan Davis is a retired engineer and has worked 30 years in Norway on Oil and gas industry projects.
Both Tom and Jan are passionate about influencing the progress to reduce emissions to allow our grandchildren to thrive on our planet.

National u3a & Regional Events

National u3a

Here are the Third Age Trust zoom talks currently listed for the next month or so:

Friday, 1st December at 14:00 - The Story of Eva Urbach and Ulli Adler
Tuesday, 5th December at 10:00 - When Art and Literature meet at Christmastide
Wednesday, 6th December at 14:00 - The Art of William Morris
Thursday, 7th December at 10:30 - Live Cookery Demonstration - Xmas Special
Wednesday, 13th December at 10:00 - Judith's Laughter Yoga
Wednesday, 13th December at 11:00 - How to Plan a Balanced Yoga Practice
Wednesday, 13th December at 14:00 - Family History - When All is not what it Seems
Friday, 15th December at 10:00 - Climate Change and the Oceans
Thursday, 21st December at 10:00 - Mindfulness & Meditation (monthly)

Local Events

Tuesday Talks at the WSRO

Nothing in December: the next talk scheduled at present is on Tuesday, 30th January and is about the author Ford Madox Ford and his life, after the First World War, in a cottage situated between Pulborough and Storrington.
Wednesday Coffee Time Workshops for those interested in Family History: topics for the workshops scheduled for next year include Researching the History of Your House, How to Start Your Family Tree, Getting Started with Ancestry.co.uk, and Reading Old Handwriting. Cost £7.50.

Oxfam Talks 23/24

These talks take place at the Oxfam shop, 36, East Street, Chichester, and are arranged by Chichester University. They all run 17:30 -18:00 on a Wednesday evening, usually the first Wednesday in the month. They cost £5 (tickets can be bought in the shop - in advance, I assume). The talks so far announced (below) are on literary topics.

Wednesday, 6th December: Dickens at Christmas
Wednesday, 7th February: Revisiting Kerouac's 'On the Road'
Wednesday, 6th March: Writers of Exile: Kafka, Murdoch, Nabokov
Wednesday, 3rd April: Poetry Reading
Wednesday, 1st May: Finding Stories in Things:  A Creative Writing Workshop.
Wednesday, 5th June: What are the Five Best Books in this Shop?
Wednesday, 3rd July: Lady Chatterley's Lover

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Upcoming Events and Outings

December Monthly Coffee Morning will take place on 5 December 2023 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm at Minerva Bar, Chichester Festival Theatre

December quiz evening will take place on 12 December 2023 starting at 7:00 PM at The White Swan, Bosham

Monthly Meeting at the Assembly Rooms on North Street - 14th December at 2pm - Our speaker will be Pete Allen. His talk is titled, “Oh no it isn’t”- a history of pantomime.

A TRIP TO WINCHESTER CHRISTMAS MARKET

Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market is recognised as one of the best in Europe.

Taking place from 17th November – 21st December, Winchester Cathedral’s Christmas Market is renowned for its bustling atmosphere, stunning location and handpicked high-quality exhibitors. It attracts visitors from around the world each year who come to shop at the pretty wooden chalets situated within the historic grounds. The wooden chalets are inspired by traditional German Christmas Markets, andcombined with the festive lighting, the sound of Christmas carols and the aroma of mulled wine and cinnamon drifting in the air, visitors will be transported into a festive setting to purchase their Christmas gifts and take in the atmosphere.

WHEN: Friday 8th December 2023.
MEET AT: Chichester Railway Station
TRAIN TIME: 10:07. 
ARRRIVING AT: Winchester Railway Station at 11:31. 
Change trains at: Southampton.
RETURN from Winchester: 15:22 (Just a suggestion, earlier trains if preferred)
Change trains at Fareham.
ARRIVING AT: Chichester: 16:21

An Off Peak Day Return Ticket is £21.20 (obviously cheaper if you have a Rail Card.)
No booking or paying in advance required.  Just turn up on the day. 

CRYPTIC CROSSWORDS FOR BEGINNERS

We are thinking of running an 8 week course that will teach the rudiments of solving cryptic crosswords to complete beginners.  It will run on Wednesdays, from 17th January to 6th March from 10:00 to 12:00.  It will give you the skills you need to tackle basic cryptic crosswords and enable you to join the Crosswording for Fun Group, which also runs on Wednesday mornings.   
The venue will be chosen to accommodate the number in the group and a charge will be made to cover room hire and photocopying. You should aim to commit to the full course, if at all possible.  If you are interested in joining the course, please contact us via THIS LINK.

GREEK FOR BEGINNERS

Would you be interested in a beginners’ Greek course? You will learn how to greet people, order food and drink, manage shopping and much more, as well as enjoy the mental exercise of learning a new language. This will be held on Wednesday mornings at East Wittering, starting in January. To meet your teacher and to find out more, please come to a break-out meeting at 10.00am at the Coffee Morning on 5^th December.  If you cannot make this date, contact us via THIS LINK

BEGINNERS’ FRENCH

A Beginners’ French Group is starting up on Wednesday mornings, being run by a member with many years of teaching experience. This is designed for those with no (or very limited) knowledge of the language and who would like to learn from scratch in a fairly structured way. There are still a couple of places available -  if you might be interested please contact us via THIS LINK .

POSSIBLE POETRY READING GROUP

Are you interested in joining a group to read and discuss poetry of different periods?

The present poetry group is full, but it might be possible to form a second group, starting with those on the waiting list. If there’s sufficient interest, the leader of the present group is willing to help set up the new group. If you’d like to meet others to discuss this proposal, please contact us via THIS LINK.

BEGINNERS BASIC BRIDGE COURSE (BBB24)

This course is now established and will start in January.  However, there are vacancies for several more candidates.  The course will be held at Donnington Parish Hall on Monday and Wednesday mornings between 22nd January and 8th April 2024. The content is designed for real beginners even with no experience.  After just ten short weeks you should be able to play proper basic bridge with any of our casual and friendly groups.  Applications should be made through the Groups Team by following THIS LINK .

Groups News

Climate Change Group: Renewable Energy in the Home

Talk at the next meeting of the Climate Change Group (CCG) - 14.00. hrs, 6th Dec., Friends Quaker House, Priory Rd., Chichester
Renewable Energy in the Home about my experiences with a heat pump, solar panels and battery.
And Renewable energy scenarios for the Chichester Area” by Tom Broughton.
The drop in the price of renewable energy and efficiency is such that it now costs the same to destroy the climate or save it.”Tom Broughton is a director of Solesco a community energy company and has many years experience in the installation of both home and industrial solar energy projects in the region.
Jan Davis is a retired engineer and has worked 30 years in Norway on Oil and gas industry projects.
Both Tom and Jan are passionate about influencing the progress to reduce emissions to allow our grandchildren to thrive on our planet.

National u3a & Regional Events

National u3a

Here are the Third Age Trust zoom talks currently listed for the next month or so:

Tuesday, 21st November at 14:00: Protecting ourselves from fraud
Tuesday 28th November at 15:30 - Laughter Yoga with Maggie
Wednesday, 29th November at 10:00 - Staying Safe Online (repeat)
Friday, 1st December1 at 14:00: The story of two children who arrived here on the Kindertransport
Tuesday, 5th December at 10:00 - Cryptic Crosswords for Beginners (first of 6 sessions at irregular intervals ending in January) N.B. Booking closes Friday, 17th November.

Local Events

Tuesday Talks at the WSRO

Tuesday, 28th November at 19:00 Chichester in Colour, 1973. Attend in person for £8, or £5 via Zoom.

There are Wednesday Coffee Time Workshops for those interested in Family History.

Oxfam Talks 23/24

These talks take place at the Oxfam shop, 36, East Street, Chichester, and are arranged by Chichester University. They all run 17:30 -18:00 on a Wednesday evening, usually the first Wednesday in the month, but not the first one., They cost £5 (tickets can be bought in the shop - in advance, I assume). starting 8th November. The talks so far announced (below) are on literary topics.

Wednesday, 6th December: Dickens at Christmas
Wednesday,7th February: Revisiting Kerouac's 'On the Road'
Wednesday, 6th March: Writers of Exile: Kafka, Murdoch, Nabokov
Wednesday, 3rd April: Poetry Reading
Wednesday, 1st May: Finding Stories in Things:  A Creative Writing Workshop.
Wednesday, 5th June: What are the Five Best Books in this Shop?
Wednesday, 3rd July: Lady Chatterley's Lover

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Notices

TRIP TO THE NETHERLANDS   9 – 13 May 2024

Bognor u3a is organizing a trip to the Netherlands and Iain Palot, the organizer, has asked whether we have any members who would be interested in going.

You can see the details on the Bognor u3a website, together with Iain’s email address here: Current Affairs (Bognorregisu3a.co.uk)

Anyone for skiing?

There’s no age limit to enjoying a week of fresh air, exercise and good food in the mountains! 

A few of us are thinking of booking a ski trip in the spring of 2024 and wondered if any other u3a members would like to join us. Initially this is just to gauge interest and will be followed by a meeting to discuss possibilities. 
So if you love the thrill of gliding down snow-covered hills again, please contact Barry Easton using THIS LINK. No commitment at all.

Upcoming Events

Coffee Morning - Tuesday, 7th November, 10am-12noon

Always on the First Tuesday of each month, so please mark your calendars!

Our Coffee Mornings are held in the Bar at the MINERVA THEATRE building, opposite the Chichester Festival Theatre. You can chat with our groups team and learn about current and new offerings, meet old friends and make new ones!

GROUP LEADERS: If you would like to promote your group at a coffee morning, please contact the Groups Coordinator!

Quiz Night - 14th November, 2023 starting at 7:00pm at the White Swan, Bosham

The White Swan is on the A259 at the Bosham roundabout and there is plenty of parking. The 700 bus from Chichester stops just across the road. Although the 700 back to Chichester stops running before 9.30pm, one of the members will no doubt be happy to give you a lift home.

The cost of dinner is £14.50, not including dessert.

The food choices for the November Quiz are:
Steak and Ale Pie with Mashed Potatoes and Peas
Seafood Gratin with Seasonal Vegetables.
Vegetable Moussaka with Garlic Bread.

The Seafood Gratin and Vegetable Moussaka can be Gluten Free.  

Booking opens on Friday 4th November. Payment is required, please, within 48 hours of booking in order to avoid any confusion on the night.

Booking is done here on the website.  This payment is non-refundable so if you are unable to attend, please find a replacement.

Monthly Meeting at the Assembly Rooms on North Street - 16th November at 2pm

Our speaker will be Colin Tebbutt. He will recount anecdotes of a Royal Protection Officer.

Colin Tebbutt is our speaker for November 16th. Having been a Royal Marine, he joined the police in 1969 and began a long career as a Royal Protection Officer. He was first a Special Escort for the Royal Family and foreign visitors and he later became a Protection Officer for Princess Alexandra and Princess Anne, amongst several other members of the Royal Family.

He then became a civilian protection officer for Princess Diana and following her death, he was a Personal Protection Advisor for the Duchess of York for a period of 18 years.

In recognition of his outstanding service, he was awarded an MVO - Member of the Victorian Order, by the Queen. Colin will talk about his long career, which will include interesting anecdotal stories. He will answer questions at the end. 

Tea and coffee will be served in the Crush Bar at the rear of the Assembly Room from 1:15 to 1:45pm and the meeting starts at 2pm. We are grateful to the team of volunteers who serve the refreshments.

Groups Notices

Beginners Basic Bridge Course (BBB24)

This is a final chance for anyone wishing to learn the Basic Bridge on this short course after Christmas.  The course is seriously short of applicants and its viability may depend on those who take this last opportunity to enrol. 

The course is designed for real beginners even with no experience.  After just ten short weeks you should be able to play proper basic bridge with any of our casual and friendly groups.  

This course is structured in a logical sequence so candidates are expected to commit to attending, ideally, every lesson.  Students will be accepted in order of application and in multiples of four to create the playing tables essential for practice.  True beginners will be preferred to any with previous experience although anyone wishing to refresh their initial learning need not be deterred from applying.

By meeting twice each week there is less time to forget previous lessons and a good result can be achieved in just three months.  Morning sessions are chosen as these are by far the best times for teaching and learning and avoid any travel problems associated with the early dusk in the winter.  This format has been used successfully on four previous occasions, once even on-line during the lockdown.

With the above in mind, the current proposal is to hold the course at Donnington Parish Hall for two sessions per week on Monday (10-12) and Wednesday (10-12) for ten weeks.  This would probably start on 22 January 2024 and run until 5 April 2024.  

To cover the cost of hiring the Hall there will be an advanced charge of £56.25 each based on 8 students (or less for 12.).  Four new applicants, who can be available on the above dates, are required to make up the minimum 8 students.

Members will not be committed in any way by their initial application and will receive full details by email.

Please apply through the Groups Team by following THIS LINK .
♠ ♥ ♣ ♦

CRYPTIC CROSSWORDS FOR BEGINNERS

We are thinking of running an 8 week course that will teach the rudiments of solving cryptic crosswords to complete beginners.  It will run on Wednesdays, from 17th January to 6th March from 10:00 to 12:00.  It will give you the skills you need to tackle basic cryptic crosswords and enable you to join the Crosswording for Fun Group, which also runs on Wednesday mornings.   
The venue will be chosen to accommodate the number in the group and a charge will be made to cover room hire and photocopying. You should aim to commit to the full course, if at all possible.  If you are interested in joining the course, please contact us via THIS LINK.

BEGINNERS’ FRENCH

A new member with many years’ experience in teaching French in schools and Higher Education has very kindly volunteered to run a Beginners’ French Group. This is designed for those with no knowledge of the language and who would like to learn in a fairly structured way.

If you are interested please come to the Coffee Morning on Tuesday 7 th November at 10.00 to meet the leader and help decide on the way it might operate. If you cannot manage that date, please contact us via THIS LINK to register your interest and we can then ensure you are included in any subsequent communications.

Family History Group

Are you interested in starting to explore your family history?

We are hoping to repeat our successful course for beginners, starting in early February.  It will run in Chichester, for 6-8 sessions, on the first Monday of the month.  You will need to attend the majority of sessions to get the maximum benefit.   

It will be led by a u3a member with 25 years of experience of FH research.  The presentations and discussions are designed for those who are starting to research their FH and would like some guidance on how to do this in a structured manner.  Support documentation will be available.  Examples and topics will mainly be England based.  

There are a limited number of spaces available.  If you are interested please come to a break-out meeting at 10:00 at the the Coffee Morning  on 7th Nov at the Minerva, or contact us via THIS LINK.

Proposed Flower Arranging Group

We all enjoy the pleasure that flowers bring both indoors and outdoors, informally, and at celebrations.  Have you ever wished that you could arrange them in a more imaginative and professional way?  If so, you may be interested in sharing ideas with like-minded people at a new group, using video demonstrations for inspiration, and looking at how beautiful  displays can be created at little cost using a few blooms and foliage and greenery from gardens and the countryside.   For more information please contact us via THIS LINK and we will add your address to the group’s email list.

Proposed Sewing Group

Are you interested in sewing?

Would you like to make a patchwork quilt, recycle some preloved textiles, add some decorative motifs to an existing garment or just have some company while you sew? If you have answered “yes” to any of the above, then our new group “Thread” is for you.

Please come to the Coffee Morning on 7th November at 10.00 and join in the discussion at a breakout meeting. If you cannot manage that date, please contact us via THIS LINK and we will ensure that your name is on the list of interested parties.

Groups News

Climate Change Group: Renewable Energy in the Home

Talk at the next meeting of the Climate Change Group (CCG) - 14.00. hrs, 6th Dec., Friends Quaker House, Priory Rd., Chichester
Renewable Energy in the Home about my experiences with a heat pump, solar panels and battery.
And Renewable energy scenarios for the Chichester Area” by Tom Broughton.
The drop in the price of renewable energy and efficiency is such that it now costs the same to destroy the climate or save it.”Tom Broughton is a director of Solesco a community energy company and has many years experience in the installation of both home and industrial solar energy projects in the region.
Jan Davis is a retired engineer and has worked 30 years in Norway on Oil and gas industry projects.
Both Tom and Jan are passionate about influencing the progress to reduce emissions to allow our grandchildren to thrive on our planet.

Practical Science Group

It has been an exciting autumn for us in the field of chemistry . Our first session looked at the importance of long chains of identical molecules known as polymers.

In the natural world plants make glucose units through photosynthesis which are then linked together to form cellulose which make up the bulk of natural fibre  in  plants and trees  alternatively  storage compounds can be made up usually in the form of starches that are found in cereals ,potatoes and flour.  Even our genetic material is a polymer made up   of amino acid in our DNA.  In contrast our society relies on synthetic polymers to make up the fabric of our society . These building blocks  are usually derived from oil products  that make our modern plastics.

We had great fun attempting to make our own version of nylon by floating sebacoyl chloride in hexane on a layer aqueous diaminohexane. Star chemist Fiona Jackman drew out a seemingly endless thread of nylon from the beaker. (see picture )We look forward to seeing a croched scarf made out of nylon this Christmas.

In October the group took on the challenge of assaying aspirin by titration in the chemistry laboratories of Chichester college under the watchful eye of Gill Yates the Chemistry teacher. The experiment was devised by Margaret Russell for the Open university chemistry course .

In December the group will be looking at the history and uses of nitrocellulose whilst munching their mince pies and sipping mulled wine

National u3a & Regional Events

National u3a

Here are the Third Age Trust zoom talks currently listed for the next month or so:

Tuesday, 31st October at 15:30 (monthly) - Laughter Yoga with Maggie
Wednesday, 1st November at 10:00 - Mindfulness & Meditation (weekly)
Tuesday, 7th November at 10:00 - Into the mind of van Gogh Pt 3
Wednesday, 8th November at 10:00 (monthly) - Judith's Laughter Yoga
Thursday, 9th November at 14:00 - Sir Thomas Lipton (Cabin Boy to Tea Tycoon)
Friday, 10th November at 10:00 - Curious History of Labyrinths and Mazes
Monday, 13th November at 10:00 - Exploring World Faiths - Interfaith
Tuesday, 14th November at 10:00 - Mathematical Games - Winning Strategies
Wednesday, 15th November at 14:00 - Family History
Thursday, 16th November at 10:00 - Mindfulness & Meditation (monthly)
Thursday, 16th November at 14:00 - Online Resources for Mathematics
Tuesday 28th November at 15:30 - Laughter Yoga with Maggie
Wednesday, 29th November at 10:00 - Staying Safe Online (repeat)
Tuesday, 5th December at 10:00 - Cryptic Crosswords for Beginners (first of 6 sessions at irregular intervals ending in January) N.B. Booking closes Friday, 17th November.

Local Events

Tuesday Talks at the WSRO

Unusually, there are two talks this November:
Tuesday,14th November at 19:00 West Sussex Unwrapped Live: the rise of Crawley New Town. Online only (Zoom) free.
Tuesday, 28th November at 19:00 Chichester in Colour, 1973. Attend in person for £8, or £5 via Zoom.

There are Wednesday Coffee Time Workshops for those interested in Family History.

Oxfam Talks 23/24

These talks take place at the Oxfam shop, 36, East Street, Chichester, and are arranged by Chichester University. They all run 17:30 -18:00 on a Wednesday evening, usually the first Wednesday in the month, but not the first one., They cost £5 (tickets can be bought in the shop - in advance, I assume). starting 8th November. The talks so far announced (below) are on literary topics.

Wednesday, 8th November: Exploring John Donne
Wednesday, 6th December: Dickens at Christmas
Wednesday,7th February: Revisiting Kerouac's 'On the Road'
Wednesday, 6th March: Writers of Exile: Kafka, Murdoch, Nabokov
Wednesday, 3rd April: Poetry Reading
Wednesday, 1st May: Finding Stories in Things:  A Creative Writing Workshop.
Wednesday, 5th June: What are the Five Best Books in this Shop?
Wednesday, 3rd July: Lady Chatterley's Lover

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Notices

Christmas Lunches at Chichester College

Thursday 7th December and Friday 8th December 2023 at 12.00pm

All places for Thursday 7th are now taken and we have a waiting list.

There are 2 remaining places for Friday 8th December. Details are available here. 
We have to confirm our places with Chichester College by Friday 27th October at the latest, so if you haven't booked, paid or submitted menu choices, please do so now.

Our thanks to all those who have already booked and paid for their lunches.

Coffee Morning Volunteers

We are looking for two volunteers to help out at the Coffee Morning on 7th November at the Minerva.  You would be helping a member of the Groups Team to answer queries about Interest Groups. If we get two volunteers you can do an hour at the Groups Team table and still have time to catch up with your friends.  There is no future commitment and we would like to encourage members who don't usually volunteer to give an hour of their time.  Please click here for more information.  Many thanks in advance.

Upcoming Events for your Calendar

November Monthly Coffee Morning will take place on 7 November 2023 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm at Minerva Bar, Chichester Festival Theatre

November quiz evening will take place on 14 November 2023 starting at 7:00 PM at The White Swan, Bosham

Monthly Meeting at the Assembly Rooms on North Street - 16th November at 2pm - Our speaker will be Colin Tebbett. He will recount anecdotes of a Royal Protection Officer.

Groups Notices

Beginners Basic Bridge Course (BBB24)

Early applications are invited from anyone wishing to learn the game of Bridge to join this short course after Christmas.  

The course is designed for real beginners even with no experience.  After just ten short weeks you should be able to play proper basic bridge with any of our casual and friendly groups.  

This course is structured in a logical sequence so candidates are expected to commit to attending, ideally, every lesson.  Students will be accepted in order of application and in multiples of four to create the playing tables essential for practice.  True beginners will be preferred to any with previous experience although anyone wishing to refresh their initial learning need not be deterred from applying.

By meeting twice each week there is less time to forget previous lessons and a good result can be achieved in just three months.  Morning sessions are chosen as these are by far the best times for teaching and learning and avoid any travel problems associated with the early dusk in the winter.  This format has been used successfully on four previous occasions, once even on-line during the lockdown.

With the above in mind, the current proposal is to hold the course at Donnington Parish Hall for two sessions per week on Monday (10-12) and Wednesday (10-12) for ten weeks.  This would probably start on 22 January 2024 and run until 5 April 2024.  

To cover costs including hire of the Hall there would be an advanced charge of about £70 each based on 8 students (or less for 12.).  Ideal numbers would be 12 or even a maximum of 16.

Members will not be committed in any way by their initial application and will receive full details by email.

Please apply through the Groups Team by following THIS LINK .
♠ ♥ ♣ ♦

New group starting - Tai Chi for beginners

Tai Chi is a mind-body exercise rooted in multiple Oriental traditions, including martial arts, traditional Chinese medicine, and philosophy. It integrates slow, intentional movements with breathing and cognitive skills. It aims to strengthen, relax, and integrate the physical body and mind, and improve health and personal development. It is a great low-impact activity, focussing on improving your balance and core strength. It is accessible to everyone no matter age or ability.
Group leader: Greg Brooke

Weekly on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 4:00 pm, starting Tuesday 7th November.
Donnington Parish Hall, Stockbridge Road, Chichester PO19 8QT

Wear loose-fitting clothes, flat shoes and layers to keep warm when it is cool or cold. 

Members will be asked to pay in advance for a block of 10 weeks at a time (£3.00 per session). In order to ensure the rental of the hall is covered there is no refund or credit for absent sessions.

If you are interested in joining the group, please contact us via THIS LINK or directly, by pasting the address groups@chichesteru3a.org.uk in an email. You will receive an email asking you to pay £30.00 for the first block of 10 weeks. This will secure your place.

Family History Group

Are you interested in starting to explore your family history?

We are hoping to repeat our successful course for beginners, starting in early February.  It will run in Chichester, for 6-8 sessions, on the first Monday of the month.  You will need to attend the majority of sessions to get the maximum benefit.   

It will be led by a u3a member with 25 years of experience of FH research.  The presentations and discussions are designed for those who are starting to research their FH and would like some guidance on how to do this in a structured manner.  Support documentation will be available.  Examples and topics will mainly be England based.  

There are a limited number of spaces available.  If you are interested please contact  us via THIS LINK or directly, by pasting the address groups@chichesteru3a.org.uk into an email.

Proposed Sewing Group

Are you interested in sewing?

Would you like to make a patchwork quilt, recycle some preloved textiles, add some decorative motifs to an existing garment or just have some company while you sew? If you have answered “yes” to any of the above, then our new group “Thread” is for you.

Please come to the Coffee Morning on 7th November at 10.00 and join in the discussion at a breakout meeting. If you cannot manage that date, please contact us via THIS LINK or directly, by pasting the address groups@chichesteru3a.org.uk into an email and we will ensure that your name is on the list of interested parties.

Proposed Flower Arranging Group

We all enjoy the pleasure that flowers bring both indoors and outdoors, informally, and at celebrations.  Have you ever wished that you could arrange them in a more imaginative and professional way?  If so, you may be interested in sharing ideas with like-minded people at a new group, using video demonstrations for inspiration, and looking at how beautiful  displays can be created at little cost using a few blooms and foliage and greenery from gardens and the countryside.   For more information please contact us via THIS LINK or directly, by pasting the address groups@chichesteru3a.org.uk into an email and we will add your address to the group’s email list.

Report of Climate Change Group Meeting on Air Heat Source Pumps

The presentation on 6th September was given by Graeme Clements. Graeme explained that kit available from many different manufacturers can provide flow temperatures up to 70°, although house insulation is key to any new heating system and should normally include a minimum level of cavity wall insulation and 300mm insulation (or equivalent) in the loft space and of course double glazing.  The pumps also need to be 4 metres away from any neighbour’s habitable room, so a site survey is critical to assess the suitability of an air source heat pump installation with a Heat Loss Report specifying the heat pump required. 

The government’s boiler upgrade scheme awards residential properties a £7,500 reduction in the installation cost provided there is an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) in place with no recommendations for loft insulation or cavity wall insulation.

Although Graeme made the point that no two houses are the same, it seemed that the typical cost of a heat pump to serve a 4 bed detached house was in the region of £12,000 (not taking into account the government grant) so this would be less for smaller houses.

It seemed as well that the net cost of conversion to a heat pump as compared to installing a new gas boiler would be similar, taking into account the £7,500 grant, and provided the radiators and pipework did not need extensive changes. Overall though, the big question which seems to be holding back the move to heat pumps is the annual operating costs which are often higher than a gas boiler, although if you have your own solar panels you will pay less for your electricity to offset this. However, if the government reduces the price differential between electricity and gas (which is cheaper), then there is a chance that its ambitious objectives for the rapid move to heat pumps (part of the net zero initiative) might be achieved. Without that we felt that the uptake of heat pumps would be much slower.

Another point also to bear in mind is that as new products are developed, some concerns with early heat pumps have been addressed. Also the costs of new pumps are decreasing as new and more efficient units come into the market and as the market grows. So hopefully soon we can all be more enthusiastic about installing heat pumps.

National u3a & Regional Events

National u3a

I don't know whether any of you managed to sample the Online Interest Groups the Third AgeTrust promotes, but  if you're interested it doesn't matter - you can still explore subjects which Chichester U3A does not support - such as Ancient Rome and the Roman World, ... Arts and Crafts, ... Astronomy, ...  Family History, ... Fashion, ... ..., Modern Pop for Third Agers, .... etc by following the link above.
You might find some of these groups to your taste and convenient. 

Here are the Third Age Trust zoom talks currently listed for the next month or thereabouts:

Wednesday, 25th October at 11:30: An Introduction to Astronomy.
Wednesday, 25th October at 14:00: Future Lives - how our thinking skills change as we age.
Thursday 26th October at 9:30 - Science Network event, with talks on Forensic DNA and the Apollo Programme.
Thursday, 26th October at 14:00 - Live Cookery Demonstration - Autumn Recipes
Friday, 27th October at 14:00 - Fashion's Dumping Ground.
Tuesday, 31st October at 15:30 (monthly) - Laughter Yoga with Maggie
Tuesday, 7th November at 10:00 - Into the mind of van Gogh Pt 3
Wednesday, 8th November at 10:00 (monthly) - Judith's Laughter Yoga
Thursday, 9th November at 14:00 - Sir Thomas Lipton (Cabin Boy to Tea Tycoon)
Friday, 10th November at 10:00 - Curious History of Labyrinths and Mazes
Tuesday, 5th December at 10:00 - Cryptic Crosswords for Beginners (first of 6 sessions at irregular intervals ending in January) N.B. Booking closes Eriday, 17th November.

LOCAL EVENTS

Tuesday Talks at the WSRO:

Tuesday, 31st October at 19:00 The Women's Land Army: a Sussex connection. £8 in person, £5 by zoom.
There are Wednesday Coffee Time Workshops for those interested in Family History.

Oxfam Talks 23/24

These talks take place at the Oxfam shop, 36, East Street, Chichester, and are arranged by Chichester University. They all run 17:30 -18:00 and cost £5 (tickets can be bought in the shop). They start on 8th November.

Wednesday, 8th November: Exploring John Donne
Wednesday, 6th December: Dickens at Christmas
Wednesday,7th February: Revisiting Kerouac's 'On the Road'
Wednesday, 6th March: Writers of Exile: Kafka, Murdoch, Nabokov
Wednesday, 3rd April: Poetry Reading
Wednesday, 1st May: Finding Stories in Things:  A Creative Writing Workshop.
Wednesday, 5th June: What are the Five Best Books in this Shop?
Wednesday, 3rd July: Lady Chatterley's Lover

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Upcoming Events

Christmas Lunches at Chichester College

Thursday 7th December and Friday 8th December 2023 at 12.00pm

Three course lunch and coffee £25.00 per person, not including wine or drinks. You can, however, order drinks at your table.

This year we have 60 places available on both days, with tables of up to 8 people. You can book a whole table or you can book as couples or individuals.
This year we have 60 places available on both days, with tables of up to 8 people, for members only.  We will be running a waiting list for members and if we don’t fill our spaces we will open up to members’ partners, even if not u3a members.

You can see the menu here. It includes allergens and dietary requirements.

We have to give menu choices to the College by Friday 27^th October.  If you are booking for your Group, it would be helpful to have one person making the bookings and payment.  Please send a message with the names of the people you are booking for, together with their menu choices, as soon as possible.   This is the link to send a message. 

We will contact you after we receive your booking choices to give you details of how to pay. We will give you a link to our website which will give you a code to use for a bank transfer to us. There is a different code for each day. Please note that this is the only method of payment.  Please do NOT try to pay until we contact you.

There will be parking spaces at the College, including for disabled drivers, but both will be limited, so please consider car-sharing.

One of our members has very kindly offered to handle the bookings for the Christmas lunch this year, so all communications will be with her.  We are most grateful to her for her time and commitment.

Look forward to seeing you nearer Christmas!
Jill
Chair, Chichester u3a

Monthly Meeting at the Assembly Rooms on North Street - 19th October at 2pm

Our speaker will be Kate Delaney. Kate will explain what  mind-fulness really is. She will explain how the mind gets stuck on "autopilot" and how so many of us get sucked into the trap of incessant thinking; she will demonstrate a few ways in which you can bring your attention back to this moment and experience the benefits of being fully awake in your life. 

Tea and coffee will be served in the Crush Bar at the rear of the Assembly Room from 1:15 to 1:45pm and the meeting starts at 2pm. We are grateful to the team of volunteers who serve the refreshments.

Group Activities & Outings

Chichester Festival Theatre

The Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines and Chichester Cathedral Choir - Wednesday 6 th December 2023

It’s that most wonderful time of the year again! Kick off the festive season in
style at CFT as we welcome back The Band of His Majesty’s Royal
Marines, joining with the rousing voices of the Chichester Cathedral
Choir for a concert full of true Christmas cheer. You’re guaranteed to leave
feeling 100 times more twinkly than when you arrived!
You can expect an evening of customary carols and traditional tunes,
alongside some new arrangements, all wrapped up into one beautifully
presented musical celebration.
We have tickets for the above concert on Wednesday 6 th December at 19:30. The tickets cost £29.70, Seats in Rows E & F which includes a 10% reduction on the Full Price of £33.00.
Booking opened on Saturday 23rd September 2023 and closes on Friday 13th October. Payment must be made by this date.
You can use this link to book your ticket starting on 23/09/23. Tickets are limited to u3a members only.

Save the date: 18 to 20 July 2024

Plans are already underway for u3a Festival '24 which will take place in July 2024 in the beautiful city of York.

The festival will run over 3 days and will be held at the University of York based around their exhibition centre and sports centre. Accommodation will be available in the student halls and we will provide more information on this in the coming months.

Groups Notices

Beginners Basic Bridge Course (BBB23)

Early applications are invited from anyone wishing to learn Bridge this Autumn.  The course will be aimed primarily at real beginners, even those with no experience of playing cards. This course is structured and follows a logical sequence; therefore, candidates are expected, ideally, to commit to attending every lesson.  

Students will be accepted in order of application with real beginner having preference over anyone with previous experience.  A further constraint is the need to keep numbers to multiples of 4 in order to have full tables for practice play.  

The course would probably be held at Donnington Parish Hall for two sessions per week for ten weeks (10 to 12am or 2 to 4pm).  There would be a 3-week Christmas break.  To cover costs including hire of the Hall there would be an advanced charge of some £80 based on 12 students attending.

Once the number of those interested is known it will be possible to agree dates and to decide other details.  Members will not be committed in any way by their initial application but will receive further details by email.

Please apply through the Groups Team by following THIS LINK .
♠ ♥ ♣ ♦

Proposed Walking Football Group

Do you feel like dusting off your boots and trying Walking Football? There is an existing session at Westgate Leisure Centre from 13:00 to 15:00 every Tuesday. This is not a u3a group, but is available to anyone aged 50 and over. If there was sufficient interest, say 10 or more u3a members, we could explore the establishment of our own group, using Westgate's facilities.

If you are interested, please contact us via THIS LINK or directly, by pasting the address groups@chichesteru3a.org.uk into an email and we will add your address to the group’s email list.

Proposed Flower Arranging Group

We all enjoy the pleasure that flowers bring both indoors and outdoors, informally, and at celebrations.  Have you ever wished that you could arrange them in a more imaginative and professional way?  If so, you may be interested in sharing ideas with like-minded people at a new group, using video demonstrations for inspiration, and looking at how beautiful  displays can be created at little cost using a few blooms and foliage and greenery from gardens and the countryside.   For more information please contact us via HIS LINK or directly, by pasting the address groups@chichesteru3a.org.uk into an email and we will add your address to the group’s email list.

Erratum

The charming poem, Toast, in the Autumn Newsletter was erroneously attributed to Helena Millen, the group leader of Writing for Fun. The author was, in fact, Sue Paterson. Well done, Sue!

National u3a & Regional Events

National u3a

Do you like reading?  then the meetings to be hosted by Oxfam in their shop in East Street over the coming winter may be just the thing for you. The sessions will be led by local academics, and they will be talking about John Donne, Charles Dickens, Kafka and others, or leading a Poetry Reading. or a Creative Writing Workshop. Further details below - see Oxfam Talks 23/24.

Also, the Third Age Trust is giving members the opportunity to sample the Online Interest Groups it has established, many of which explore subjects which Chichester U3A does not - such as Ancient Rome and the Roman World, ... Arts and Crafts, ... Astronomy, ...  Family History, ... Fashion, ... ..., Modern Pop for Third Agers, .... etc.
You might find some of these groups to your taste and convenient. Unfortunately, these samples end on Friday 6th, but you might be able to catch one, and you can always sign on for the actual groups. 

Here are the Third Age Trust zoom talks currently listed for the next month or thereabouts:

Monday to Friday, 2nd - 6th October at 10:00, 11:30 and 15:00: Interest Groups Online Fair
Monday, 9th October at 14:00: Commonwealth War Graves Commission - its history and its archives
Tuesday, 10th October at 10:00 Into the Mind of an artist - Van Gogh Pt 2
Wednesday, 11th October at 10:00 Judith's Laughter Yoga
Thursday, 12th October at 14:00 Odd Numbers and Beautiful Number Patterns
Friday 13th October at 10:30 Live Cookery Demonstration - Autumn Recipes
Monday, 16th October at 10:00: Exploring World Faiths - Faith and slavery
Wednesday, 18th October, weekly until 22nd November,at 10:00 Mindfulness and Meditation
Wednesday, 18th October at 14:00 Family History - the whole family approach
Thursday, 19th October at 10:00: Mindfulness and Meditation
Thursday, 19th October at 14:00: The Story of Britain through Coins.
Friday, 20th October at 14:00: Vehicle Checks in Preparation for Winter.
Wednesday, 25th October at 11:30: An Introduction to Astronomy.
Wednesday, 25th October at 14:00: Future Lives - how our thinking skills change as we age.
Thursday 26th October at 9:30: Science Network event, with talks on Forensic DNA and the Apollo Programme.
Thursday, 26th October at 14:00: Live Cookery Demonstration - Autumn Recipes
Friday, 27th October at 14:00: Fashion's Dumping Ground.
Tuesday, 31st October at 15:30: Laughter Yoga with Maggie

Local Events

Tuesday Talks at the WSRO:

Tuesday, 31st October at 19:00 The Women's Land Army: a Sussex connection. £8 in person, £5 by zoom.There are Wednesday Coffee Time Workshops for those interested in Family History.

Oxfam Talks 23/24

These talks take place at the Oxfam shop, 36, East Street, Chichester, and are arranged by Chichester University. They all run 17:30 -18:00 and cost £5 (tickets can be bought at the shop).

Wednesday, 8th November: Exploring John Donne
Wednesday, 6th December: Dickens at Christmas
Wednesday,7th February: Revisiting Kerouac's 'On the Road'
Wednesday, 6th March: Writers of Exile: Kafka, Murdoch, Nabokov
Wednesday, 3rd April: Poetry Reading
Wednesday, 1st May: Finding Stories in Things:  A Creative Writing Workshop.
Wednesday, 5th June: What are the Five Best Books in this Shop?
Wednesday, 3rd July: Lady Chatterley's Lover

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Notices

Last Call for Submissions for the Fall Newsletter!

We'd really love to have YOUR contributions!

MEMBERS: poems, photos (we love photos!), recipes, short stories, quizzes - you get the idea.

GROUP LEADERS: brief reports on your past and planned activities, especially if you are accepting new members, and photos! (Did I mention that we love photos?)

Please send all contributions to Miriam here at the Bulletin.

Upcoming Events

Monthly Meeting at the Assembly Rooms on North Street - 21st September at 2pm

“A grandmother’s legacy: the 170 year old recipe book”

Our speaker will be Jenny Mullins. In her talk we will learn about a family heirloom of a large leather bound book which was once owned, penned and handed down by five grandmothers.

Tea and coffee will be served in the Crush Bar at the rear of the Assembly Room from 1:15 to 1:45pm and the meeting starts at 2pm. We are grateful to the team of volunteers who serve the refreshments.

National u3a & Regional Events

National u3a

The monthly Radio Podcast will be back on September 17th, and back numbers can all be found on youtube here. The u3a has a channel of its own on YouTube, with numerous items, here.

Here are the Third Age Trust zoom talks currently listed for September - much the same as in the last issue.

Tuesday, 12th, 19th and 26th September at 10:00 - three talks on Electing the President
Wednesday, 13th September at 10:00 - Judith's Laughter Yoga (monthly)
Thursday, 14th September at 10:00 - Platonic Activities (Maths Activities Day)
Tuesday, 19th September at 10:00 - Climate Modelling
Tuesday, 19th September at 15:00 - Future Lives (a talk by Wales's Commissioner for Older People)
Wednesday, 20th September at 10:00 - Trees, woods, climate and nature (about the Woodland Trust)
Thursday, 21st September at 10:00 - Mindfulness and Meditation (monthly)
Thursday, 21st September at 10:00 - How to Age Better (embracing ageing as both a privilege and an adventure)
Friday, 22nd September at 14:00 - British Secret Intelligence Services
Monday, 25th September at 10:00 - Setting up a World Faiths Group
Tuesday, 26th September at 15:30 - Maggie's Laughter Yoga (monthly)
Wednesday, 27th September at 14:00 - The Scottish Colourists 1900-1930
Thursday, 28th September at 10:00 - Tales of cycling, invention and rebellion 
Friday, 29th October at 10:00 - Doing Maths Together
Monday, 9th October  at 14:00 - Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Local Events

Tuesday Talks at the WSRO:

Tuesday, 26th September at 19:00 The Victorian and Edwardian leisure estate in the Sussex Weald. £8 in person, £5 by zoom.
Tuesday, 31st October at 19:00 The Women's Land Army: a Sussex connection. £8 in person, £5 by zoom.

There are Wednesday Coffee Time Workshops for those interested in Family History

Chichester Cathedral

Cultural activities at the cathedral are too numerous to be described in detail here, but include lunchtime concerts on Tuesdays (this month including programmes for organ and for small ensembles), evening concerts, talks (one on Verdi in Verona,  and the first of three talks on the relationship between the church and our former empire, covering sensitive issues such as slavery and the empire itself), library open days (just two days left), help with IT (yes, really), guided tours of the cathedral's Hans Feibusch murals, the latest of a series of Community Roadshows explaining the workings of the cathedral to the public, and various activities associated with this year's art installation, Peace Doves. For more details look here.

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Notices

Call for Submissions for the Fall Newsletter

The autumn issue of the u3a Newsletter is scheduled for the end of September, and we'd love to have lots of your contributions!

MEMBERS: poems, photos (we love photos!), recipes, short stories, quizzes - you get the idea.

GROUP LEADERS: brief reports on your past and planned activities, especially if you are accepting new members, and photos! (Did I mention that we love photos?)

Please send all contributions to Miriam here at the Bulletin.

Call for Volunteers

As you know, the Interest Groups are the backbone of our u3a, and the number of Groups that are available is increasing every month.  For the last 5 years Caroline Davis, in her role as Groups Coordinator, has taken responsibility for the setting up and maintenance of the Groups. Over the last year we have started to build a new Groups Team, whose members are responsible for various aspects of the Groups functions.  

We are very keen to recruit some more volunteers to join the Team, particularly to help on the Groups Table at the Coffee Mornings.  You may have seen - or visited - the Groups Table at the Tuesday Coffee Mornings, held once a month at the Minerva Theatre, which are hosted by a couple of the members of the Groups Team who give information about the activities provided to our members. If you decide to help, you would be emailed once a month to ask if you were available for a couple of hours, you would have an experienced Groups Team member with you, and the commitment would be limited to as many or as few days as you prefer.

Please think about joining us, and contact the GROUPS TEAM for more information.

Upcoming Events

Coffee Morning - Tuesday, 5th September, 10am-12noon

Always on the First Tuesday of each month, so please mark your calendars!

Our Coffee Mornings are held at the Bar & Grill at the MINERVA THEATRE, with plenty of parking and a lift. You can chat with our groups team and learn about current and new offerings, meet old friends and make new ones!

GROUP LEADERS: If you would like to promote your group at a coffee morning, please contact the Groups Coordinator!

Groups Notices

Do you enjoy a walk on the South Downs?

We are thinking of starting a monthly walking group to enjoy nature at its best. Surrounded by chalk hills, scrub, mixed woodland and ancient yew forests, the South Downs nature reserve offers a great opportunity to come upon much of the wildlife. As wildlife changes from season to season, with many spectacles coming into their own at certain times of the year, there’s always something to see. Walks will be no longer than 5k and well-behaved dogs are welcome. 

To express your interest, please contact Group Leader: ID 3894 via the u3a website using: THIS LINK or directly by pasting this address into an email: groups@chichesteru3a.org.uk.

HEAT PUMPS: Presentation & discussion

Climate Change Group (CCG) - 14.00. hrs, 6th Sept., Friends Quaker House, Priory Rd., Chichester

Heat Pumps are much in the news these days. Promoted as the best way through which households can cut CO 2 emissions from oil and gas boilers, there is mounting discussion over their effectiveness, initial costs and the critical shortage of qualified heating engineers to install them.
The u3a Climate Change Group have been encouraged by recent discussions with local experts and are hosting a meeting to clarify the local situation. There will be a
presentation by a qualified and extremely experienced heating engineer, followed by questions and discussion.
All members of u3a Chichester are invited. If you will be coming, please let me know at ccgu3a@gmail.com, so that we can ensure sufficient seating. (Your email address will remain confidential).
Group Leader CCG

National u3a & Regional Events

National u3a

The monthly Radio Podcast will be back on September 17th, and back numbers can all be found on youtube here. The u3a has a channel of its own on youtube, with numerous items, here.

Here are the Third Age Trust zoom talks currently listed for September - quiet at the start of the month, but busy by the end, and some very interesting topics, it seems to me.

Friday, 1st September at 14:00 Heritage Open Days (a talk on England's largest festival of history and culture, which runs from September 8th to 17th)
Tuesday, 12th, 19th and 26th September at 10:00 three talks on Electing the President
Wednesday, 13th September at 10:00 Judith's Laughter Yoga (monthly)
Thursday, 14th September at 10:00 Platonic Activities (Maths Activities Day)
Tuesday, 19th September at 10:00Climate Modelling
Tuesday, 19th September at 15:00 Future Lives (a talk by Wales's Commissioner for Older People)
Wednesday, 20th September at 10:00 Trees, woods, climate and nature (about the Woodland Trust)
Thursday, 21st September at 10:00 Mindfulness and Meditation (monthly)
Thursday, 21st September at 10:00 How to Age Better (embracing ageing as both a privilege and an adventure)
Friday, 22nd September at 14:00 British Secret Intelligence Services
Monday, 25th September at 10:00 Setting up a World Faiths Group
Tuesday, 26th September at 15:30 Maggie's Laughter Yoga (monthly)
Wednesday, 27th September at 14:00 The Scottish Colourists 1900-1930
Thursday, 28th September at 10:00 Tales of cycling, invention and rebellion 

Tuesday Talks at the WSRO:

Tuesday, 26th September at 19:00 The Victorian and Edwardian leisure estate in the Sussex Weald. £8 in person, £5 by zoom.
Tuesday, 31st October at 19:00 The Women's Land Army: a Sussex connection. £8 in person, £5 by zoom.

There are Wednesday Coffee Time Workshops for those interested in Family History

Spectacular exhibition coming soon to Portsmouth Cathedral

Textile art at Portsmouth Cathedral – creating the world with eight million stitches!

‘Threads through Creation’ is an astonishing textile art exhibition showing at Portsmouth Cathedral from 5th September to 15th October. It might be a bit of a journey for some, but it’s probably right Spectacular exhibition coming soon to Portsmouth Cathedraltheir street for many u3a people - a real treat for anyone interested in the applied arts, textile art and sewing.The show is touring twenty cathedrals, and consists of twelve beautiful silk panels re-imagining the story of creation from the bible. They’re huge – 2.7m high, up to nearly 4m wide. It’s one of the largest textile art projects by a single artist, ever. It took artist Jacqui Parkinson three years - and eight million stitches! You’ll find the huge scale, vibrant colours, dramatic and complex designs truly breathtaking. You’ve never seen anything like it - www.portsmouthcathedral.org.uk
www.creation-threads.co.uk (includes touring schedule to end of 2024)

Admission free/donations welcome. FREE PDF
Whether or not they visit the exhibition, some u3a members will find this very interesting: a free downloadable 24 page pdf: ‘Behind the scenes’ is full of detail - especially for people with a focus on textile art and stitching. It explains the background and shows the extraordinary techniques used: visit www.creation-threads.co.uk, go to the bottom of the page and click on the button.

Dear #FAM,

Your membership number is #MEMNO.

Notices

Upcoming Events

Coffee Morning - Tuesday, 1st August, 10am-12noon

Always on the First Tuesday of each month, so please mark your calendars!

Our Coffee Mornings are held at the Bar & Grill at the MINERVA THEATRE, with plenty of parking and a lift. You can chat with our groups team and learn about current and new offerings, meet old friends and make new ones!

GROUP LEADERS: If you would like to promote your group at a coffee morning, please contact the Groups Coordinator!

Trips & Outings

Coach Trip to
LEONARDSLEE LAKES AND GARDENS HORSHAM
Thursday 17th August 2023

Leonardslee opened its doors after a closure of nine years, this magnificent Grade I listed garden was nearly lost forever and has been the subject of the largest garden restoration in England and possibly Europe. With over 240 acres, it consists of lakes, woodland areas and the famous Rock Garden. A trip to Leonardslee has been arranged for Thursday 17 th August, 2023.

The coach, which seats 25 people, will leave from outside Chichester Cathedral at 10:00 and return at 16:00 from Leonardslee. The journey takes approximately 1 hour. The price of the coach will be £20 per person, payable at the time of booking. Entrance to the Gardens is £12.50 (Group Discount price) payable on the day, by Card as the Gardens are completely cashless, including the café.

Booking opens on Friday 14 th July and closes on Friday 4 th August. BOOK HERE

Outings from Bognor Regis u3a

Bognor Regis u3a have asked if any Chichester u3a members might be interested in 3 outings that they are hoping to arrange. There are not many details or cost of the outings at the moment as they are still in the planning stage.

Please email Iain Palôt at the email address below to register your interest.

Outings
3 Dec: Choral evensong at Southwark Cathedral - to include a meal, lights and a stop at Covent Garden
14 Dec: 50s, 60s, 70s Music and meal on the Tereza Johanna in the KGV dock
13 March: The Gilded Age - the story of the Dollar Princesses and a visit to WW Astor's house just off Fleet Street.

Email interest to Iain at:  lesgrionettes@yahoo.co.uk

Group Notices

New Beginners Bridge Project

Just a heads up to let you know that a National u3a on-line beginner bridge course is in the pipeline, with a likely start date of sometime this autumn. Demand is very likely to exceed the number of available places. If this is of interest to you, please contact us as soon as possible. You can contact us via the website using: THIS LINK or directly by pasting this address into an email: groups@chichesteru3a.org.uk. Once you have registered your interest I will be able to alert you immediately as soon as more details become available.

Clive Grinyer (Felpham Bridge Group)
♠    ♥    ♦    ♣

National u3a & Regional Events

The monthly Radio Podcast (that I mentioned last time) is resting until September, but back numbers can all be found on youtube here. The u3a has a channel of its own on youtube, with numerous items, here.

Here are the Third Age Trust zoom talks currently listed for the next month (still a bit quiet):

Wednesday, 9th August at 10:00 Laughter Yoga (series)
Wednesday, 9th August at 10:15 Science Network Event (this is a longer event including talks on Quasars and Genome
Editing)
Thursday, 10th August at 14:00 Cruising the Aleutian Islands
Thursday, 17th August at 10:00 Mindfulness and Meditation (series)
Monday, 21st August at 10:00 World Faiths: Faith and Youth
Thursday, 24th August at 14:00 The Story of Lela Black
Friday, 25th August at 10:00 Keeping Safe Online (repeat)

The Tuesday Talks at the WSRO resume at the end of September, and I will give details sometime in August. There are Wednesday Coffee Time Workshops for those interested in Family History