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Jun 03

Celebrating Activity in Lockdown 3 – Bridge and Social Media

Some of us who had learn’t to play Bridge via U3A classes  and then went on to form our own groupings when we thrown out of the nest as it were have been keeping up with our bridge by playing online using Bridge Base Online and then adding Zoom or a Whatsapp dimension to help keep bridge a social as well as a playing occasion!

Apr 27

COVID-19 Research Project University of London

TAKE PART IN COVID-19 RESEARCH

University College London is running a study into the psychological and social effects of Covid-19 in the UK.
The results are being used to understand the effects of the virus and social distancing measures on mental health and loneliness in the UK and to inform government advice and decisions.
We’re looking for adults in UK who are happy to take part and spread the word about the study. Participation involves answering a 10-minute online survey now and then answering a shorter follow-up survey once a week whilst social isolation measures are in place.
To take part, visit https://redcap.idhs.ucl.ac.uk/surveys/?s=TTXKND8JMK
Dr Daisy Fancourt MA(Oxon) MM PhD FHEA FRSPH
Associate Professor / Wellcome Research Fellow
Department of Behavioural Science and Health
Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care
University College London
d.fancourt@ucl.ac.uk

Apr 21

Mr Motivator and Online Fitness Regime for the U3A

Mar 24

Keep in Touch – Online and Video Conferencing Possibilities

With so many of us in lock down we are looking to find ways to keep as many groups as possible finding other ways to meet.  Wine Appreciation are one of the leaders here transferring their meetings onto Skype. Pilates used Zoom video conferencing today, Women in History, Art Group 5 and Science and Philosophy are experimenting with  Zoom for their future meetings.

Please let us know if you are using any other ways of keeping in touch.

 

 

Mar 11

Corona Virus – Update and Cancellations

The next three monthly meetings i.e. April, May and June have been cancelled, we will update you on the fate of July nearer the time.

All national and other area meetings have been cancelled  over the same period.
Several members have asked if we have a policy on groups meeting up as regards the spread of the corona virus.

Our advice at the moment is that, until there are any specific restrictions from the government, we continue as normal, although we recognise that meetings are held at the discretion of group leaders and the members themselves.

Obviously, if you are feeling unwell and have flu-like symptoms, then please stay at home so that we minimise the risk of spreading any infection to others.

We will contact group leaders if there is any change in this.

Jan 20

CANCELLED- 17th April Surrey U3A Network Day – The Most Famous Pharoah of them all: Tutankhamun, the Boy King

A Study Day   At The Menuhin Hall, Stoke d’Abernon Speaker – Clive Barham Carter

Tutankhamen was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who was the last of his royal family to rule during the end of the 18th dynasty; he ruled c. 1334 – 1325 BC in the conventional chronology during the New Kingdom of Egyptian history. His father was the heretical king Akhenaten and his mother was his father’s sister, identified through DNA testing. The 1922 discovery by Howard Carter of Tutankhamun’s nearly intact tomb, funded by Lord Carnarvon, received worldwide press coverage. With over 5000 artefacts, it sparked a renewed public interest in ancient Egypt, for which Tutankhamun’s mask, now in the Egyptian Museum, remains a popular symbol.

Programme
9.30 Registration

10.00 The Valley of the Kings – the Where 11.00 Coffee / Tea
11.30 Carter and Carnarvon – the Who
12.30 Lunch – Bring your own – Tea / Coffee available

1.30 The Tomb – the What
2.30 Tea / Coffee
3.00 Tut.Ankh.Amen and Restoration – and the Why 4.00 Departure

Speaker – Clive Barham Carter studied Egyptology at Cambridge (as the only undergraduate). He was awarded a scholarship with the Egypt Exploration Society to dig at Saqqara under Professor Walter Emery. Later, he joined the staff at Charterhouse as a History teacher, a position he accepted with some trepidation, having been a pupil there. He managed to maintain his interest in Ancient Egypt by lecturing at the City Literary Institute, and by sneaking Egypt into his General Studies classes. In retirement, he has returned to his enthusiasm for Ancient Egypt and now lectures at the Guildford Institute, and for U3A, local groups and museums. He is an accredited lecturer with The Arts Society.

To book send the slip below, with a cheque for £10 (non-U3A guest £12) payable to ‘Surrey U3A Network’, or bank transfer to HSBC acct 11519018 40-27-07, ref ‘Event month(s)’ e.g, Feb, Mar, to John Kennedy – U3A, 20 Greville Park Road, Ashtead, KT21 2QT, Tel 01372 273561, e-mail surreyu3astudyday@btinternet.com.
Enclose a SAE or e-mail address for confirmation. Fees are not normally refundable. Website, see the next page. ———————————————– Tutankhamun Study Day See – Nut Allergy & Other Notes on page 2 17th April 2020

Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Post Code . . . . . . . . . . . Telephone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . See page 2 if you need disabled parking, tick , or a wheelchair space in the hall, tick 

Please print Confirm by ticking E-mail  or enclosed SAE  Cheque  or Bank Transfer 
Title . . . . . .First Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Surname . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Name of U3A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Apr

The Menuhin Hall
Cobham Road, Stoke d’Abernon, KT11 3QQ Map ref: TQ 132 579 on Landranger 187, Explorer 146

Telephone 07763 805046 (emergency, on day only) or Menuhin Hall Office 08700 842020

There is a Garden Centre (01932 862530), about 800 metres to the north of the Menuhin Hall where light lunches are available. Reservations not required.

The Menuhin School was founded in 1963 in London and moved to its present site in 1964. It has about 80 pupils learning to play stringed instruments including piano and is financed, in part, by the DfES. Lord Menuhin was born in New York on 22nd April 1916 and died on 12th March 1999 in Berlin. His parents had come from Russia. His first public concert was in March 1924 and his first in Europe, in Paris, in 1927. His performance of Elgar’s Violin Concerto was recorded at the Abbey Road Studios in 1932. The Hall, designed by Mark Foley, was conceived as a memorial to Yehudi and was handed over to the school on 5th August 2005. The official opening was on 7th January 2006. Yehudi is buried near the stone pillar in front of the Hall. Nearby is an oak which he planted on his 80th birthday. The Hall was first used for U3A Study Days on 14th October 2005 when the Steinway grand piano was used as no other was available.

Surrey Network Website – http://u3asites.org.uk/surreyu3anetwork/ has application forms for study days & other events plus information about the Surrey Network and links to Surrey U3A websites.

Nut Allergy. The Menuhin School has pupils who have an allergic reaction to nuts and the staff have taken the decision to make the school and the Menuhin Hall a nut free environment. Please ensure that your lunch does not contain any trace of nuts.

Disabled Parking. There are six spaces behind the hall, there are more in the main car park. If you have a blue badge and need level access to the hall then tick “Disabled parking” on the booking slip. You will then be allocated a space at the back of the hall if available and sent a permit. If you can manage from the main car park (i.e. you are able to manage some steps with handrails) then please do not tick “Disabled parking”. That will leave the back of the hall spaces for those that are very immobile.

There is a “drop off” space at the back of the hall where disabled who are not the driver can gain level access to the hall.

Wheelchair spaces. If you need a seat removed in the hall to accommodate a wheelchair then tick Wheelchair on the booking slip.

 

Jan 19

CANCELLED – 14th May – SW London Network of U3A’s – Heritage Day – Richard Mayo Hall

Talks on aspects of SW London’s history Thursday 14th May – 10:30 at the Richard Mayo Centre, Eden St, Kingston KT1 1H2

Registration, Coffee / Tea

Kingston’s Aircraft Heritage

10:30 – 11:00

11:00 – 12:00

Tickets £8

Kingston’s Sopwith Aviation Company and its aircraft in the Great War

David Hassard – Joint Project Leader, Kingston Aviation Centenary Project

12:00 – 1:00

Sarah Gould – Service Manager for Heritage and Local Studies, Merton

Lunch (many cafes in the immediate area)
William Morris and his legacy in 21st Century 2:00 – 3:00

Cathy De’Freitas – Society Manager, The William Morris Society

Discovering Richmond 3:00 – 4:00

History of Richmond Palace, Richmond Theatre & many other buildings of interest.

Johanna Coombes – Richmond Local History society / Richmond Heritage guide

______________________________________________________ APPLICATION FORM for SW London Heritage Day 14/5/20 – Please detach & send with £8 cheque payable to Richmond U3A to Rosemary Mattock, 7 Belvedere Square, Wimbledon SW19 5DJ

The Heritage of Merton –

An alphabetical visit to historical sites across Merton

Name Your U3A Your Email

______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________

(or enclose a SAE) for confirmation of ticket(s)

Jan 19

CANCELLED -15th May Surrey U3A Network – The Development of British Style + Desert Island Antiques & Life on the Antiques Roadshow

Study Day at  The Menuhin Hall, Stoke d’Abernon   Speaker – Paul Atterbury

From the 1870s the British domestic house and its contents changed almost beyond recognition, reflecting the social and economic revolution that paved the way for the modern world of today. Many factors contributed to this change, from William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement, to the rise of the department store, suburban living, the garden and the emancipation of women. After the First World War, the pace of change increased, prompting rapid stylistic development, from 1920s and 1930s Art Deco to the modernism of the 1950s and 1960s and the style wars of the late 20th century. The first two talks consider architecture, interior and domestic design and the products that reflected the fashions of the time. In the process they show how the last 150 years have determined the way we live now.

Paul Atterbury has been involved all his life in the world of art and antiques, as a writer, historian, collector and exhibition curator. The two talks in the afternoon offer an insight into his life, his enthusiasms and his time as a member of BBC’s Antiques Roadshow team of experts.

Programme
9.30 Registration

10.00 The Arts and Crafts House and Garden
11.00 Coffee / Tea
11.30 At Home in the 20th Century
12.30 Lunch – Bring your own – Tea / Coffee available

1.30 Paul Atterbury’s Desert Island Antiques 2.30 Tea / Coffee
3.00 Life on the Antiques Roadshow
4.00 Departure

Speaker – Paul Atterbury is a writer, lecturer, historian, curator and broadcaster specialising in the art, architecture, design and social history of the 19th and 20th centuries. As a writer he has written or edited over 50 books, covering art, antiques and design, travel, canals and railways, history and the First World War. Paul has curated exhibitions for the Victoria & Albert Museum and for other institutions in Britain and the United States and he has worked on the Antiques Roadshow since 1990.

To book send the slip below, with a cheque for £10 (non-U3A guest £12) payable to ‘Surrey U3A Network’, or bank transfer to HSBC acct 11519018 40-27-07, ref ‘Event month(s)’ e.g, Feb, Mar, to John Kennedy – U3A, 20 Greville Park Road, Ashtead, KT21 2QT, Tel 01372 273561, e-mail surreyu3astudyday@btinternet.com.
Enclose a SAE or e-mail address for confirmation. Fees are not normally refundable. Website, see the next page. ———————————————————– British Style Study Day See – Nut Allergy & Other Notes on page 2 15th May 2020

Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Post Code . . . . . . . . . . . Telephone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . See page 2 if you need disabled parking, tick , or a wheelchair space in the hall, tick 

Please print Confirm by ticking E-mail  or enclosed SAE  Cheque  or Bank Transfer 
Title . . . . . .First Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Surname . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Name of U3A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

May

The Menuhin Hall
Cobham Road, Stoke d’Abernon, KT11 3QQ Map ref: TQ 132 579 on Landranger 187, Explorer 146

Telephone 07763 805046 (emergency, on day only) or Menuhin Hall Office 08700 842020

There is a Garden Centre (01932 862530), about 800 metres to the north of the Menuhin Hall where light lunches are available. Reservations not required.

The Menuhin School was founded in 1963 in London and moved to its present site in 1964. It has about 80 pupils learning to play stringed instruments including piano and is financed, in part, by the DfES. Lord Menuhin was born in New York on 22nd April 1916 and died on 12th March 1999 in Berlin. His parents had come from Russia. His first public concert was in March 1924 and his first in Europe, in Paris, in 1927. His performance of Elgar’s Violin Concerto was recorded at the Abbey Road Studios in 1932. The Hall, designed by Mark Foley, was conceived as a memorial to Yehudi and was handed over to the school on 5th August 2005. The official opening was on 7th January 2006. Yehudi is buried near the stone pillar in front of the Hall. Nearby is an oak which he planted on his 80th birthday. The Hall was first used for U3A Study Days on 14th October 2005 when the Steinway grand piano was used as no other was available.

Surrey Network Website – http://u3asites.org.uk/surreyu3anetwork/ has application forms for study days & other events plus information about the Surrey Network and links to Surrey U3A websites.

Nut Allergy. The Menuhin School has pupils who have an allergic reaction to nuts and the staff have taken the decision to make the school and the Menuhin Hall a nut free environment. Please ensure that your lunch does not contain any trace of nuts.

Disabled Parking. There are six spaces behind the hall, there are more in the main car park. If you have a blue badge and need level access to the hall then tick “Disabled parking” on the booking slip. You will then be allocated a space at the back of the hall if available and sent a permit. If you can manage from the main car park (i.e. you are able to manage some steps with handrails) then please do not tick “Disabled parking”. That will leave the back of the hall spaces for those that are very immobile.

There is a “drop off” space at the back of the hall where disabled who are not the driver can gain level access to the hall.

Wheelchair spaces. If you need a seat removed in the hall to accommodate a wheelchair then tick Wheelchair on the booking slip.

Jan 19

CANCELLED – U3A in London Easter Conference 21st, 22nd and 23rd APRIL 2020

MAIN HALL: HAMPSTEAD OLD TOWN HALL, LONDON, NW3 4QP

Freedom and its Consequences
The highly awaited and popular Easter Conference includes a fascinating, intriguing and challenging programme of talks over three days given by a range of speakers.
The subject is explored from a variety of different standpoints: art –‘Freedom and Art’, music –‘How music has been a potent force in expressing dissent and motivating social reform’ and science –‘Freedom in Medical Science’, that have all impacted on social reform and on our society today. Further topics include ‘Our Planet: Spirituality and Responsibility’ and ‘Curtailment of Freedom: Indefinite Detention of Immigrants to the UK.’
In addition, the historical background is explored in the following talks: ‘Liberalism and its enemies since the Enlightenment’; ‘Diplomacy Lessons from the 1930s’ and ‘The Fear of Freedom: Erich Fromm on the Authoritarian Personality’.
The keynote address,  ‘Literature: When Literature Became Free’ given by Professor Susan Kord, a cultural historian and Professor of German at UCL, introduces the conference. She has written on many aspects of cultural and social history and will explore Patronage and Poverty in the 18th century.
The final talk ‘Overcoming Prejudice and so-called Traditional Roles.’ How Women won the fight for Freedom in Education provides a fitting end to the three-day programme for this thought-provoking conference.
Application forms are available by post (please send a stamp-addressed envelope) and phone. The cost is £50 for all three days and includes all coffees, teas and delicious lunches from the Atrium café.
U3A in London, Hampstead Town Hall, 213 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4QP
Tel.020 7692 5440

Jan 18

June 3rd 2020 National U3A Day – Spread the Word

What will you be doing on U3A Day?

The very first national U3A Day – celebrating the learning, activity and fun that happens every day in U3As across the country – will take place on Wednesday 3 June 2020.

Each U3A is invited to mark the day by showcasing what they do – from displays, parades, flashmobs or performances – the day will show all the learning, activities and fun that make the movement so amazing.

Coordinating the day, Regional Trustee, Sue Stokes, said, “We are so excited that from now on, every year, there will be a day dedicated to learning, staying active and having fun in your Third Age – that’s people who are retired, semi-retired or no longer bringing up a family.

“We hope this day will help to challenge negative perceptions of older adults and will bring together all Third Agers in the community to learn about the contribution U3A makes to the quality of life for retired people”.

We will post regular updates in the monthly national newsletter – which you can sign up for here

Below is a presentation to be used when raising awareness of U3A Day with your members, with your networks and with any external partners.

“If you want to find out more about organising U3A Day, and what other U3As are planning, you can join the closed (U3A members only) Facebook group. This website will also have downloadable templates and materials to assist U3As in making our first U3A Day a success.

If you are not currently a U3A member, we’d love you to come along to your local U3A event and help us celebrate the new experiences and fun we are having in the third stage of our lives. And if you want to get involved but you are not yet a member – why not consider joining? You can find more from your local U3A – find it here

documentU3A Day Presentation (414 KB)

imageU3A Day banner (308 KB)

Nov 27

11-15th May 2020 Historic Houses and Gardens in the Peak District

Day 1: Travelling by executive coach from our designated pick-up points, our first stop is the National Trust’s Baddesley Clinton in Warwickshire, home of the Ferrers family for 500 years. Much of the house was built in the late

1500s by Henry Ferrers, a lawyer, diarist and antiquarian. It was a sanctuary for the Ferrers family and for persecuted Catholics who were concealed from priest hunters in its secret hiding places. We’ll continue to the 4-star Copthorne Hotel in Sheffield for our four-night stay.

Day 2: Our guide accompanies us throughout the day as we visit Bakewell in the morning before continuing to Chatsworth (home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire). One of Britain’s most famous houses and estates, it featured in the film Pride and Prejudice. With its works of art and beautiful gardens, Chatsworth is set in the magnificent landscape of Derbyshire’s Peak District National Park.

The gardens at Chatsworth Photograph courtesy of A J Hall

Day 3: We visit Renishaw Hall and Gardens, home to the Sitwell family for almost 400 years, before continuing to Hardwick Hall and Gardens, another National Trust property. It was built by the famous Elizabethan Bess of Hardwick and is testament to her wealth and status. Hardwick Hall is almost unchanged since she lived there in the formality of Elizabethan courtly life.

Day 4: In the morning we spend some time in Buxton before driving to Haddon Hall, a fortified manor house dating back to the 12th century, and surrounded by terraced Elizabethan gardens.

Day 5: On our way home from Sheffield we visit the Crich Tramway Village in the heart of Derbyshire overlooking the Derwent Valley. This restored period village is home to the National Tramway Museum and its archives.

Hotel: 4 nights in 4-star Copthorne Hotel, Sheffield www.millenniumhotels.co.uk

Cost: £469 (including executive coach, hotel for four nights sharing a twin/double room on half-board basis, Blue Badge guide for days 2,3 and 4. Single room supplement: £99)

If you would like to join this holiday, please complete the enclosed application form and send it with an sae (not too small, please) to:

Gisela Zürcher-Feiß, 37 The Byeways, Surbiton, KT5 8HT Tel: 020 8399 4990

Nov 26

U3A Network of SW London Interested in Theatre History?

A project is starting early next year at Kingston University archives to be based on the Cary Ellison Theatre Programme Collection.

Cary Ellison was a talent spotter who worked for the casting directory Spotlight and as part of his work he went on twice yearly tours of repertory performances around the country in order to find up and coming actors, directors and plays. The programmes of these productions, heavily annotated by Ellison, are now at Kingston University. They cover theatre performances from around the UK and also the London West End from the Fifities to Eighties when Ellison was touring the country.

Actors he spotted early on their careers include Derek Jacobi, Richard Briars and Judi Dench. He also made notes on established actors as Lawrence Olivier, John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson and Vivien Leigh at the peak of their fame.

His engrossing and entertaining programmes with their detailed notes are being conserved at Kingston University archives. U3A has been asked to work on a project to research aspects of the history of the programmes and the British theatre during the Fifties to early Eighties relating to Cary Ellison’s work.

This project will interest anyone with a love of the theatre in this country. A small number of members have already registered that they would like to be involved and we would like to extend involvement to other members of the U3A. If you wish to know more about these programmes and the archives at Kingston University contact Dayna Miller, the archivist at D.Miller@kingston.ac.uk

If you would like to register an interest in working on this project please email Sue Leigh (Wandsworth U3A) at smleigh@hotmail.co.uk and further details on the arrangements for the project and an application form will be sent to you.

 

Nov 24

6th & 7th Dec Brandenburg Traditional Christmas Concerts

Accompanied by mulled wine and mince pies, these concerts are guarantee to get you into the Christmas spirit with a wide range of festive music, seasonal readings and opportunities to join in with a few traditional and well-known carols. The Brandenburg Singers, directed by Bob Porter, will be performing.

There’ll be an interval presentation on the history and architecture of the two churches where the concerts will be held.

Friday, 6 December 2pm   St Bartholomew the Great, 6 Kinghorn Street, London, EC1A 7HW

Saturday, 7 December 2pm  St Stephen Walbrook, 39 Walbrook, London EC4N 8BN

Tickets: £19.50 See the TicketSource website [https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on?q=Brandenburg%20traditional%20christmas%20concert]

For group bookings, please email bob@brandenburg.org.uk.

Nov 15

Fri 21st Feb 2020 Astronomy- Moons of the Solar System Surrey Network

Astronomy – Moons of Solar System & Debunking Moon Landings Controversy
Presented by David Fishwick & Graham Bryant
Places available
Surrey Network study days are open to members of all U3As in Surrey and the surrounding area. They are held in the Menuhin Hall, Stoke d’Abernon and normally start at 9.30 a.m. with registration, and finish at 4 p.m. The fee, including coffee / tea and biscuits, is £10, though a visitor who is not a member of a U3A will be charged £12.00

Prior booking is essential and forms are available at the Monthly Meetings or from the Surrey Network internet site, www.u3asites.org.uk/surreyu3anetwork

Attendees should bring a packed lunch as there is nowhere very close by to provide food on the day.

Nov 15

Fri 20th March 2020 Results of Research on Food and Nutrition – Surrey Network Study Day

Results of Research on Food & Nutrition
Presented by Professor Susan Lanham-New, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Surrey
Booking opens shortly in early November

Surrey Network study days are open to members of all U3As in Surrey and the surrounding area. They are held in the Menuhin Hall, Stoke d’Abernon and normally start at 9.30 a.m. with registration, and finish at 4 p.m. The fee, including coffee / tea and biscuits, is £10, though a visitor who is not a member of a U3A will be charged £12.00

Prior booking is essential and forms are available at the Monthly Meetings or from the Surrey Network internet site, www.u3asites.org.uk/surreyu3anetwork

Attendees should bring a packed lunch as there is nowhere very close by to provide food on the day.

Feb 27

17th May Reading: Biscuits,the Bayeaux Tapestry and a River Cruise

Join us on a walking tour to explore the Thames-side town of Reading. The ruins of Reading Abbey reopened in 2018. It is near Reading Gaol and the museum, where Britain’s Bayeux Tapestry is displayed and the history of the Huntley & Palmers biscuit factory is told.

The tapestry is a full-sized copy of the original and was made by skilled Victorian women embroiderers in 1885. The gallery explores the background and impact of the Norman Conquest by William I. His youngest son, Henry I, founded Reading Abbey in 1121 when he announced he wanted a new abbey

built there. No expense was spared in its construction and monks lived, worked and worshipped there for more than 400 years. The Abbey Quarter covers the former precinct of this royal monastery.

We meet our guide at Henley station en route to Reading, where we’re scheduled to arrive at 10.30am, in time for coffee before exploring the Abbey Quarter. On our tour we’ll discover an enormous lion in a beautiful Victorian park, and the Oscar Wilde Chestnut Walk alongside the walls of Reading Gaol. Our tour ends at Reading Museum where we’ll have time to admire the Bayeux Tapestry before buying lunch locally.

After lunch we board a boat for a two and a quarter hour cruise from Reading through pretty Sonning to Henley. There’s a bar on the boat selling tea and coffee, soft drinks or something stronger if you prefer.

We head home from Henley at 5.30pm.

Date: Friday, 17 May
Departure time/Boarding point:

  • ·  8.30am High Street, Kingston, opposite the Rose Theatre
  • ·  8.45am Ewell Road, Surbiton, bus stop: Telephone ExchangePlease arrive 10 minutes earlier than departure time to allow for checking in.Cost: £44.50 per person including coach, guide, river cruise and tips

    If you would like to join this outing, please complete the enclosed application form (one for each household or individual) and send it, together with your cheque for £44.50 per person and a stamped, addressed envelope or your email address to:

    C aire Bletcher, 17 Lower Green Road, Esher, KT10 8HE. Tel: 020 8398 7107

    If you give your email address, all information will be sent by email, including any changes to timings, so please check your inbox regularly.

Feb 15

March 11th U3A at the Royal Institution

Description

Join U3A members and explore science through a variety of fascinating talks.

Programme

1.15pm Audience arrives

1.45pm Introduction by Martin Davies, Public Programme Manager, Royal Institution.
Jo Ruxton: A Plastic Ocean – Behind the Scenes

Producer Jo Ruxton will talk about her eight year journey to make the multi-award-winning documentary feature, ‘A Plastic Ocean’. She will show clips from the film including unseen footage, talk about the lessons she learned as the storyline continued to change and evolve and why she never gave up even when there was no funding in sight to continue production and finish the film. Filming took place in 22 locations around the world and shows how the scourge of our plastic waste is affecting communities as well as every living creature in the ocean. It ends with a message that is impossible to ignore and shows the many solutions that can turn the tide on this problem and restore the balance.

2.20pm Question and answer session (15 minutes)

2.35pm Andrew Pontzen: What made our Universe

Our Universe is an astonishingly large and rich place. But how did it begin, and why has it ended up looking as it does? In this talk UCL’s Andrew Pontzen will explore how human ingenuity has been able to rewind time and uncover the origins of the cosmos.

3.10pm Question and answer session (15 minutes)

3.25pm Tea and coffee (30 minutes)

3.55pm Jennifer Rogers: Living is a risky business

Real life involves risks, whether it’s cycling without a helmet, travelling to a country with contagious diseases, or living in a house next to a river. Sometimes your perception of risk is distorted, making you think some things are more – or less – risky than is actually the case. How statistically significant are the risks that we see? What do the numbers mean? And what are own personal relationships with risk? Jen Rogers delves into the numbers to show you how statistics can help you to make better decisions about risky activities.

4.30pm Question and answer session (15 minutes)

4.45pm Thanks & Close of meeting

Date And Time

Mon 11 March 2019

13:30 – 17:00 GMT

Location

The Royal Institution of Great Britain

21 Albemarle Street

London

W1S 4BS

View Map

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 7 days before event

TICKETS

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/u3a-explores-science-at-the-ri-tickets-54642087956

Jan 17

Research Project -University of Westminster-Audio Resources

Research project: Developing enjoyable audio resources for museums and galleries

Researchers at the University of Westminster, in collaboration with the Museum of London, are looking for participants to take part in a two-part study. They are looking at experiences of recorded audio for a series of photos taken from the collections of the Museum of London.  They are interested in all perspectives – whether you visit museums often or never; whether or not you frequently use audio facilities in museums.  Your participation will contribute to the development of our understanding about what makes successful audio resources, and about their potential for use more widely across the museum sector.

What you will need to do

You will be shown eight photographs on a laptop screen and asked to listen to the audio through headphones. Afterwards, you will be asked questions about your thoughts and experience. This should take about an hour.  One month later, we will ask you to complete a follow-up questionnaire to fill in at home, again asking about your thoughts and experiences. It should take you about 20 minutes to complete.  We will offer you a £15 Amazon voucher upon completion to thank you for your participation.

Where and when?

The first part of the study will take place at the University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6UW (nearest Tube station is Goodge Street). The questionnaire will be emailed to you. We have dates available to reserve now.

Further information and registration

Please contact Rachel Hutchinson via email at r.hutchinson@my.westminster.ac.uk or call her on 07816 244469.

 

Third Age Trust – National U3A  Body  – Research Participation Advice

We are often asked to publicise research studies and trials to our members.  Where we do so it is because we believe it may be of interest to you and we are not endorsing or promoting the research study in any way.  U3A has not undertaken any checks or due diligence on the relevant department or the study and accepts no liability whatsoever if you decide to agree to participate.  If you choose to take part in any study, you do so at your own risk and in your own capacity (and not as member of U3A).  You should make sure that you understand all the risks associated with any study before you sign up and ensure that you understand the time commitment, any restrictions and possible side effects.  You should also ensure that you will be insured as part of the study.

Jan 15

Royal Holloway Citizens 800 SLP Research Days

As part of Citizens 800 project, Royal Holloway have arranged a series of Research Retreat Days.

(more…)

Jan 10

March 21st National Gallery U3A Art Day

Satire to Sublime: British Art from Hogarth to Turner
Thursday 21st March 2019

Find out how eighteenth and early nineteenth-century painters grappled with the rapid changes of life in eighteenth and nineteenth-century Britain.

Listen to National Gallery experts on Hogarth’s satirical look at British life, Wright of Derby’s provocations around scientific ethics and Turner’s confrontations with modernity and progress and learn about key developments in British painting c.1745-1845, focussing on portraits, landscapes and scenes of everyday life in the National Gallery’s collection.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/satire-to-sublime-british-art-from-hogarth-to-turner-at-the-national-gallery-tickets-53956566543

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