Seaford u3a News

Now that the activity and brightness of Christmas have finished, followed by the ‘flat’ feeling of the days between Christmas and New Year, we can start to look forward to what is in store in 2023.

For a start there is the January coffee morning on Wednesday 18th January at the Con Club, Crouch Lane, Seaford from 10am to 12 noon. This is a free event open to members and non-members who are interested in joining u3a. No need to book a place – just come along and join in.

There are also new groups to look forward to and an extensive programme of members’ interests talks at the Downs. One of the most popular speakers in the u3a is running a group entitled Masterpieces of British Galleries, starting in January. There is a new Current Affairs group and later there is a new group with a different take on the Ancient Egyptians, when the group leader discusses the craft aspect of their culture. Members’ interests talks yet to come range from information technology to the Bishopstone Station project, with a variety of others in between. There is more to hear at the Tea Parties which have started again at the Con club. Talks and groups are open to members only.

Before Christmas, one of the most popular series of members’ interest is talks at the Downs was A History of Ukraine with a record number of members attending to hear this topic of current relevance. They heard that Ukraine became a melting pot of different races and that truly this country can be described as ‘the gates of Europe’. Its written history starts with Slavs, who established a powerful medieval state known as Kievan Rus. This lasted until the 13th century and then between the 14th and 15th centuries the lands of Ukraine came under the influence of Mongolian tribes, Crimean Tatars, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland. From the 16th to the 18th centuries the lands of Ukraine were dominated by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and then from the end of the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century the Austrian Empire and the Russian Imperial Empire divided the land between them. After the Russian Revolution in 1917 Ukrainian nationalists tried to form a nation-state, but the country was conquered by the Bolshevik armies and became one of the founding republics of the USSR in 1922. The country was invaded by the Germans in World War ll and occupied between 1941 and 1944, many Ukrainians being killed. Finally in 1991 when the USSR dissolved, Ukraine declared independence.

Attendees at the talk made donations to the group Seaford for Ukraine by buying portions of some delicious Ukrainianstyle cakes made by u3a members, and £100 was raised to help Ukrainian families.

For more information about Seaford u3a see the website www.u3asites.org.uk/seaford. To find out about membership email seafordu3a@gmail.com, sending your postal address for a welcome pack. Photo: Ukrainian-style cakes: Chocolate hazelnut meringue, chocolate cream and date cake, walnut sponge cake

G. F. Sinclair Ltd

Interior Furnishers Wishing all our customers a Happy New Year

1-3 South Court Cottages, Morris Road, Lewes BN7 2AT 01273 476194 www.gfsinclairltd.co.uk info@gfsinclairltd.co.uk