In this edition:
- Notices
- Events
- Groups Notices
- Local and National
Notices
New Bulletin Editor STILL Needed
Dear u3a friends,
We are still looking for someone to take over the bulletin. This is a key position and places you at the heart of our u3a. It is not very time consuming, but does require some dedication to bring it out every two weeks. For the travellers among you, it can be done from remote locations as long as you have access to a computer and your email.
To recap, the editor needs to have, be or do the following:
- Computer literate – you do need to know your way around a computer, including word processing, manipulation of graphics, and how to copy, paste and adjust. Should the system be a bit temperamental, be able to keep calm and carry on… or call the webmaster. Desktop publishing experience would be a bonus.
- Basic editorial skills: spelling, grammar, and formatting; (That said, we do have members who are fantastic editors, so lots of back-up is available!)
- Be fairly organised, keep track of all submissions for bulletin, and do any follow-up needed.
- Respond to queries from members or, more likely, forward such queries to the appropriate person.
- Time requirement: about two hours every two weeks, plus keeping on top of your emails and putting out the occasional Bulletin Update.
It is really not onerous, and, once you get the hang of it, it is actually fun. The Webmaster and I will provide as much training and handholding as you need, so PLEASE don’t hesitate.
If you want to discuss the role, feel free to contact me by using this link or by simply responding to this Bulletin email.
Come on friends, somewhere among our thousand members there must someone prepared to take it on! Could that be you?
Hopefully,
Miriam
Upcoming Events
Members’ Monthly Meeting at the Assembly Rooms on North Street, Chichester, Thursday, 19th February at 2 p.m.
Speaker: Andrew Negus “Southampton Water, Slaughter and Trade“
Our Speaker at the next Monthly Meeting is Andrew Negus, a retired history teacher who will be relating some of the history of Southampton in a talk entitled “Southampton Water, Slaughter and Trade”. Many interesting characters will feature, including 2 kings (one being the King of the Pixies), Jane Austen and a very courageous woman!.
There is no charge for the talk, and free refreshments will be served in the Crush Bar at the end of the talk when you will have an opportunity to chat to friends.
If you are a new member to Chichester u3a please do make yourself known to us.
Doors open from 1.15 p.m. … no booking required.
The next Quiz Night will be held on Thursday 26 February, at the Jubilee Hall, New Park Centre
Quiz Evenings – on the last Thursday of the month. Booking in from 18.30 and the quiz will begin at ~19.00 to 22.00
We hold our friendly and informal quiz evenings once a month, usually on the last Thursday of every month, this Feb on the 26, in the Jubilee Room at New Park Centre, New Park Road, Chichester. Check in from 18.45 and the quiz will begin at 19.00 Please remember to bring a pen and notepad! There are varied subjects and something for everyone.
You do NOT have to order food but we will arrange for delivery from La Fish for those who want it. (Choice of Fish incl GF, chicken, burger, veggie burger and Halloumi kebab all with Chips).
There is a charge of £12 if you have a La Fish Meal (bring your own cutlery etc.) and £2 if you don’t. You can bring your own alcoholic or non-alcoholic refreshment.
Booking via the form HERE on our website is essential.
Bookings open at midday on the first of the month and close on the Thursday before the event.
March Coffee Morning – Tuesday, 3rd 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!
Groups News & Notices
Impressionist Art Group
The Impressionist Art Group are showing an illustrated talk on the Neo Impressionists, George Seurat and Paul Signac on Tuesday 3rd March from 2 o’clock at the Friends Meeting Hall, Priory Road, Chichester.
With the first major exhibition in 30 years of George Seurat paintings opening this week, come and find out more about his revolutionary style of painting through his seascapes.
As always, we will have tea and coffee with a break half way and all we ask is a £3 contribution to the hire of the hall.
Come and immerse yourself in this imaginative world.
BRIDGE – Beginners Minibridge
This group will initially offer a “Taste of Bridge”.in the hope of becoming “MiniBridge” or, eventually a course in “Basic Bridge.
VENUE – The instructor’s home in Birdham. (Up to 8 max). With 8 plus applicants the venue might be Donnington Parish Hall (West Wing).
TIME – Thursday 10:00 – 12:00
COST – At Birdham, 50p for tea. At Donnington, £11.25 per hour (shared).
No previous experience of card play is required.
MiniBridge is both an important first stage in learning Bridge but is also an enjoyable game in its own right. It includes all the basic skills of “English Standard 4-card Acol Bridge” but with a greatly simplified way of choosing the ‘Contract’.
To register your interest please go HERE.
Italian for Beginners
I have recently started to learn Italian mainly through Duolingo. I am wondering if there are any others who already are, or might be interested in, starting up this lovely language? Learning together can be more fun and accountable, so a possible format would be informal meetings in a café, say fortnightly, to work through some grammar, easy translations or similar, following a beginners’ textbook. The exact format can be adapted to suit those who show an interest, but would only be able to support what we do at home; it is not aiming to be a taught course.
To register your interest or to find out more, come along to the March 3rd Coffee Morning (we will have a table to meet at the end of the meeting, at 11.30am) or if you cannot make that please contact Katharine via the Groups Team link: HERE.
Tuesday Recorders
Could this be the group for you?
Wouldn’t you like to be part of a music-making group? One that plays all kinds of music from medieval to modern times? One where, if you wanted, you could switch sizes of instrument and play different lines of music?
Of course you would! You already know that music-making is the best activity to keep the brain firing on all cylinders. And cast aside any ideas that recorders aren’t real instruments! They are alive and well all over the world and all over this country, including West Sussex and Hampshire! I myself play with the Wessex branch of the Society of Recorder Players and with the Hampshire Recorder Sinfonia. (See photo of HRS playing at Boxgrove Priory Church).
If you’ve played in the past and would like to come back to playing, why not join this friendly, supportive group? You’ll need two sizes of recorder from descant, treble, tenor & bass (there are smaller/larger sizes but these are the basic ones). This is because it’s much more fun to change instruments, and current players in the group like to do this and not be stuck on one size.
I’m sorry this isn’t a ‘Recorders From Scratch’ group! You do need to be able to read and follow music, keep to a beat, and be confident with the fingerings for your recorders. Post-beginner or improver levels are fine. Players are happy to brush up their rusty skills by doing some practice of scales and arpeggios at home plus some easy tunes so that they have an ongoing sense of making progress. They’ve surprised themselves by being able to tackle a range of music and gaining confidence over time.
You’ll also need a music stand, regular spare time on a Tuesday afternoon from 2-4pm (no occasional appearances please!) and want to make some real progress. Once a month a recorder professional comes along to add an extra dimension to our playing and give you whatever advice you need.
We meet on The Hornet in a comfortable large ground floor lounge with no access problems. Car parks at the Cattle Market and in Florence Road are 5-10mins walk away, and 51 & 700 buses pass the door.
If this sounds like your kind of group, why not give us a whirl? You’d be welcome to come for a taster session when I would tailor the music to match what you tell me you can do. That’s worked for others in the group and could work for you. We’d love to see you!
Contact me at glrecorderensemble@mail.chichesteru3a.org.uk
Local and National
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, and the latest issue of Third Age Matters, the monthly national u3a magazine.
The link to this version is: https://www.u3a.org.uk/what-we-do/u3a-matters
The next bulletin is due out on 26 February, so if you have an item to submit, you may use this link.
Links to our Website
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Please send a message via the usual channels if you wish to have some item of u3a news put in the Bulletin. Likewise, if you have suggestions as to how to improve the Bulletin or would like to join our team.
Best wishes, Miriam Knight
The Constitution of the Chichester U3A is available to view here, and its Terms of Use here.
Enquiries: If you wish to contact the Chichester U3A, please call 07490 654524 (and be prepared to leave a message if not answered), or contact the membership secretary.