u3a Kettering
21st December 2021 Newsletter 1 Today Jenny Symonds and Bob Ward Singers and musicians providing a varied set of hits from the 70’s onward. A full
From the Chairman — After such a
challenging time, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a peaceful and stress free Christmas and hopefully a happier and more successful New Year. Let us raise a glass to the memory of the family members and friends we have lost this year. I would like to thank all my friends on the Committee who have given me so much support and kept me sane (questionable!). Their hard work has ensured that Kettering u3a has survived. It is encouraging that many of our members have chosen to renew their membership. It has been such a relief to see so many of the groups restarting and I would like to thank all the Group Leaders who, through their dedication and commitment, have managed to keep the groups together. Now we need to look to the future. We need to relaunch ourselves on the unsuspecting public and find ways of attracting new members. With this in mind we rented stalls at two Christmas Fairs and next year hope to attend the one at Wicksteed Park. If anyone has any other ideas, please let us know. We would also like to restart the Lunch Club and the Travel and Theatre Group and I would like to set up a small group to help organise these two ventures. Any Volunteers??? As with any organisation we can only continue to grow and develop with support. Therefore, we need new members of the Committee, people to take over or start new groups and greet people at the monthly meeting. I can promise that there will be support given and you would find it a rewarding thing to do. Take care and much love
Di
18th January 2022
Registered Charity No. 1108614
Alan Gray MBE “You cannot be serious” Recollections of a Wimbledon umpire from the 1980’s onwards
www.u3aKettering.co.uk 1
u3a Kettering
Group Leaders Information
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Check that all members of your group are fully paid-up members of the U3A. Ensure that you have:Checked their current membership card. (Ask the membership secretary to check if you are unsure) The name and telephone of each member’s In Case of Emergency contact. (ICE) The post code of your venue will be required by the emergency services if you need to call them. Send articles, reports and photographs about your group to the Newsletter Editor. Copy deadline for the newsletter is 2 Saturdays before the monthly meeting. Advise the Group Coordinator and Newsletter Editor of any changes to your group arrangements, e.g. venue, timing, etc. Welcome to New Members Members Information Advise the Membership Secretary, in writing, of any changes to your address, post code, telephone number or email address. If you are unable to attend your Group’s meeting, please advise your Group Leader in advance. If you know one of our members has a special occasion ahead, e.g. important birthday, anniversary or if they are ill and you feel a card from the U3A would be appreciated, please contact the secretary. Bring your membership card with you to the meeting and have it available for checking in. If you cannot get to the monthly meeting for any reasons, you can get a copy of the Newsletter from either Kettering Library or the Tourist Information desk, Manor House Museum, Kettering or online at www.u3akettering.co.uk Or via our postal service direct to your home (£10 per annum) Contact the Membership Secretary to do so. View & Download the newsletter (in glorious colour) from web site, www.U3AKettering.co.uk & click on the links. Select DOWNLOAD LATEST link or to look back for older issues, click newsletter image or any other newsletter links. Meeting Dates & Speakers 2022
January 18th 2022 Alan Gray MBE “You cannot be serious” of a Wimbledon umpire from the 1980’s onwards February 15th 2022 Derek Harris “Characters on the Cut” Stories of canal life Half of his fee goes to support Foxton inclined Plane March 15th 2022 Zoe Gibson The good the bad and the ugly
Your Kettering U3A Committee 2021-2022 Chairman Vice Chairman & PR Secretary Membership Secretary Speaker Seeker Treasurer Groups Co-ordinator Newsletter/Web Master/DPO Committee Member
Diane Tebbutt Anne Smith Jane Slack Pat Stokes Tony Loft Ruth Gunn Sue Perkins Richard Boyles VACANCY
01536 392 556 07786 252 366 01536 516 116 07845 737 697 01536 685 166 01536 482 581 01536 519 438 01536 744 753
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di_tebbutt@hotmail.com a.smith5353@hotmail.com janeslack121@hotmail.com mrs.stokes156@sky.com tonyloft@me.com ruthgunn@hotmail.com lazygirl_tresham@yahoo.co.uk richard@boyles.co.uk
u3a Kettering
News — Interest Groups — Visits and Reports Our meetings at the Eden Centre, 21, Montagu Street, Kettering Format of the meeting:1.30 – Doors open - Sign in FREE Refreshments Buy raffle tickets Browse the group notices Have a chat with friends Sign up to groups and trips 2.15— Chairman’s notices followed by this month’s Speaker 3.45 (approximately) Meeting ends
COVID PRECAUTIONS
Until further notice please...
Wheelchair disabled access is available at the rear of the building by phoning 01536 484 800
Wear a mask unless seated Sanitise your hands when arriving
Newsletter DEADLINE
is 2 Saturdays before the monthly meeting.
Keep socially distanced
You can read and download the newsletter in FULL COLOUR from our internet page at
EDITORIAL As we gradually get used to living with COVID, we still need to take precautions, which is why our interest groups have taken a long time to resume their normal activities. Some groups and the committee have continued throughout the lockdowns meeting online via Zoom, but others have been unable to meet at all. The result is limited news in this edition so bear with us until we are back up and running at full capacity. For those of you with internet access I have continued to regularly e-mail you with updates as well as keeping the web site up to date, including the rebranding with the new u3a colours and fonts etc. So keep reading the e-mails and updates on the web site and please pass on any news to anyone you know who does not have internet access. Richard
www.u3aKettering.co.uk ARE YOU A GROUP LEADER? Group leaders are required to... 1.
2.
3.
Have a copy of your members “In Case Of Emergency” (ICE) details with you so you can contact family or friend Have the postcode location of your meeting so you can direct the 999 emergency services Check that all members of your group are fully paid-up members of the U3A so they are covered by the U3A insurance
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u3a Kettering
Obituary
Bookworms
Brian Hoggarth Brian joined KU3A in its first year with his wife Maureen. He soon became a committee member taking on the role of preparing and printing the monthly newsletter. He introduced many innovations, an early one being the use of colour and later on an online version. Brian also designed all forms required, for example membership renewals. He devised quizzes for KU3A's social events and managed 'crowd control' when cream cakes were the order of the day! Despite his many time consuming tasks associated with the newsletter Brian was also active in many groups alongside Maureen. Sadly he was dogged by ill health over the last few years so was unable to participate in any U3A activities. He was a very highly valued member and many of us will also feel that we have lost a loyal friend. Our thoughts are with Maureen and the family. Carole Bradbury
We have read and discussed "Red Joan" a work of fiction loosely based on the spy, Melita Norwood. The book was enjoyed by all. Following on from that, we watched the DVD with Judi Dench playing "Red Joan". Our next book was "The Salt Path" by Raynor Winn who, with her husband, Moth, walked the South Western Coastal Path after they were made homeless. Michael Portilo was on television doing the same walk, and he met up with Raynor, but I'm sure he wasn't "roughing it" like our author and her husband, who slept in a tent pitched in fields, on beaches, in fact wherever they could.
Bake It or Fake It
Our October book was "The Disapearance" by Katherine Webb, set in both World Wars, centering on the disappearance of two children. A lively discussion followed. Contact:
Pauline Parkin 01536 799 197
Busy Needles and Banter Christmas and its attendant correlatives being so nigh upon us, B N is returning to hibernation until after the festivities. Wools, patterns etc, however, can be "summoned by bells" - namely my phone or door bells.
Bake it or Fake it is up and running well. The group has met as often as possible during the last 18 months and is now back to normal on the 3rd Friday of each month. We have had some very lovely cakes and lots of cups of tea. It is amazing how many topics we talk about in 2 hours. We take turns to host the group and the hostess usually provides the cake but often other members arrive with tasty contributions too. Always a good afternoon. Contact: Mary Earl 01536 522 456 or Bridget Ling 07931 979 596
Contact:
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Mary Wildman 01536 741 222 marywildman365@gmail.com
u3a Kettering
Card Playing
Creative Cards
I am pleased to say this group has restarted. We now meet at the Bridge Club in Field Street on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month at 2pm. The cost is only £1.50 and that includes tea, coffee and biscuits. We play different card games and Scrabble and have great fun. We do need more members so come along and join us. No prior knowledge is needed as tuition can be given.
The Creative Cards group have been meeting on a monthly basis for several months now. Prior to that, when able to do so outside of lockdown, we kept going by preparing the materials and then delivering them to the members of the group to put together at home. This wasn’t always easy to share ideas and methods, I photocopied a card I had made so that the others could see what I had done and they could then put their cards together to suit their ideas. We are now busy working on our Christmas cards and have been doing so since August and we should finish these in early December.
Our next meeting will be on 13th January and it would be lovely to see you there. If there are other Board Games you would like to play, let me know and we could add them if there is enough interest.
I am afraid that we do not have any vacancies at the moment. We are limited to the numbers we can comfortably accommodate around the table at Eileens. Should this change we will let you know via the Newsletter. In January we will start afresh with cards for birthdays, anniversaries, get well soon and sympathy cards.
Contact: Di Tebbutt 01536 392 556 di_tebbutt@hotmail.com English Country Dancing
Contact: Eileen Mason 01536 725 925 eileenm1935@gmail.com or Maggi McGuire 01536 392 716 maggi.mcguire@outlook.com Obituaries are on the web site for members we have lost since our last newsletter
Contact:
Brian Hoggarth John Wells June and Michael Middleton Shirley Mepham Jean Wardle Tom Piercy
Jean Beaver 01933 224 474 beaver.jean@yahoo.co.uk
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u3a Kettering
Family History Our ancestors suffered the Black Death and Spanish Flu, we just have COVID but with the luxury of scientific progress and effective vaccines.
Friday Pop-In
When we were in lockdown up to a dozen of us met online via Zoom every week rather than the normal meetings which were once a month. I sourced a family history video tutorial which we watched during the week and discussed it on our weekly Zoom chats. To date, we have watched 120 videos and they are still available on the Family History page of www.u3aKettering.co.uk if you want to watch them.
This group is now meeting regularly at the Kino Lounge on most Friday mornings. Please come along and join them. Any time between 10.00 & 11.30. Contact: Di Tebbutt 01536 392 556 di_tebbutt@hotmail.com
Those of us who regularly joined the Zoom chat also have a WhatsApp group where we can communicate amongst ourselves, helping each other with our genealogical questions.
Gardening
We have now resumed our Monthly Meetings plus are continuing our 45 minute Zoom chats the other 3 weeks. The Monthly Meetings are currently workshops where we bring in our laptops, and to be COVID safe, member’s genealogical questions are projected onto a screen where we work together with suggestions to resolve the query. We will be expanding our Monthly Meetings with talks as we did before when more members attend. We have plenty of room for new members thanks to the superb free facilities offered by the LDS church. New members can also join our Zoom chats too.
As the season for open gardens has come to an end the group is waiting till the Spring of 2022 before restarting its activities. Suggestions very welcome and if anyone fancies taking over as group leader then contact me.
Meetings are held on the second Monday, 2-4pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS), Rothwell Road, Kettering located between the crematorium & Brewers Fayre/Premier Inn. www.U3AKettering.co.uk Contact: Richard Boyles
Contact: Ray Bradbury 01536 516 587 prbrad@live.co.uk
01536 744 753 richard@boyles.co.uk 6
u3a Kettering
Golf
IMPORTANT REMINDER
Have you renewed your membership?
It was due 31st October 2021. We meet every Monday and Friday at Pytchely at 1.30 and 1.40 Tee-Off times, arriving 15mins beforehand for signing-on. Cost per round of 9 holes is currently £7.
Under u3a rules you may only attend Monthly Meetings and Group Meetings as a fully paid up member so you are covered by u3a Insurance.
Contact: Alan Stephens 01536 726 911 or 07931 637 660 alanstephens26@outlook.com
Group leaders will be checking Christmas Fairs Have Your Say
Several committee members held stalls at two Christmas Fairs, selling items made by members, but mainly to publicise our u3a. The sale proceeds amounted to £107.10 which will go into our u3a funds.
Contact: Richard Ling
01536 515 816 b_r_ling@hotmail.com
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u3a Kettering
Looking At Churches
Jewellery Making Using Beads
As our Looking at Churches group meets monthly between March and October we have not met since October 2019. This October we had our one and only church visit of 2021 which was a return visit to St. Andrew’s church in Cotterstock near Oundle and 16 of us attended.
Contact: Sherry Calvert 07722 407636 sherry_calvert@msn.com Knit and Natter -
During the lockdowns members of the church were busy researching all the couples married in Cotterstock church from 1631 to the present day. They then created a 45 minute video about some of the noteworthy couples who married there. Afterwards we enjoyed a hot drink and delicious homemade cakes in the village hall, all served on vintage china and linen tablecloths with all proceeds from our visit going towards the upkeep of the church. New members are always very welcome. Contact: Janet Flower 01536 764541 janet@jf7678.co.uk
Contact: Annette Chidwick 01536 523 867 annette.chidwick@tiscali.co.uk
YOUR u3a NEEDS YOU
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Would you like to give a short talk to the members about your hobby or interests? Would you like to meet and greet prospective new members? Would you like to help with the sound and projection at the monthly meetings? Would you like to join the committee to help in general? 8
u3a Kettering
Lunch Club
Stitchin' Time
Musical Circles
Once again, the room is filled with the sound of needles clicking! Our members have been busy during the lockdowns producing some beautiful jumpers, hats, etc. We also enjoy the conversation and the tea and cake! Contact: Pauline Parkin 01536 799 197
Spanish Conversation Contact: Eileen Mason 01536 725925 eileenm1935@gmail.com Painting & Drawing
Contact: Bob Thorogood 01933 650 551 bob@rltservices.co.uk Contact: Jo Beaver 01933 224 474 beaver.jean@yahoo.co.uk 9
u3a Kettering
Sing (and Laugh) Out Loud
Walking Group
We now meet at Christ the King Church in Deeble Road once a fortnight from 10.15 to 12.00. our first meeting in the New Year will be on Friday 7th January. You don’t need to bring any music with you as I have booklets containing a collection of old and new favourites for us to sing.
for both your mental and physical wellbeing.
The walking group restarted in November with a walk starting in East Carlton Country Park going through Middleton and Cottingham. Nineteen walkers turned out including our friends from Ise U3A and some very welcome new faces. Our next walk will be on Thursday, 9th December starting in Geddington. Park in the Village Hall car park and meet at Cafe Oak to pre order lunch. The walk will start at 10.15a.m. and we plan to walk for approximately 2 1/4 hours. Anyone wanting lunch please call me and leave a message. If you just want to join us for the walk then just turn up on the day. Any ex walkers or partners are welcome to join us for lunch, just leave a message.
Contact: Di Tebbutt 01536 392 556 di_tebbutt@hotmail.com
Walk Leaders : - Jacky Rowson 07708 755 052 / 01536 515 959 John Sharp 01536 518 026
Despite the lack of a pianist and my inability to conduct, we still have great fun and there is plenty of laughter and chat, so come along and join us as we have vacancies and you will be made very welcome. Remember that singing is incredibly good
Group Contact: Ann and John Kemp 07789 415 720 or 01536 761 241 annkemp88@hotmail.co.uk Travel Group As I said at the beginning of the Newsletter, I would like to relaunch this group and hope to be able to organise some trips for next year. However, I can’t do this on my own, so need some people to form a sub-committee to help. Thanks to those of you who have already offered to help but we could do with a few more volunteers, Also, if any of you have any suggestions of where to visit, the best coach company to use or any other useful information, please let me know. Contact: Di Tebbutt 01536 392 556 di_tebbutt@hotmail.com 10
u3a Kettering
CLOSED GROUPS
Meetings with Ise Valley U3A www.isevalleyu3akettering.org.uk
Thank you to the group leaders who ran the following groups but have now closed them. They have all done an excellent job.
Recorder Group—Ise Valley U3A I organize (with Sue Hartley) the Ise Valley U3A recorder group. The group is open to anyone who plays, or would like to learn to play the recorder. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Mondays at 2.30 to 3.30 in Central Methodist Church in School Lane. We would love to have some more players.
As usual we need more volunteers to run groups, either new ones or to restart these closed groups.
Contact: Mary Cooper (Ise Valley) cooperm1@btinternet.com Singing For Pleasure — Ise Valley U3A We are meeting at St. John’s Church Hall, our new venue, alternative Fridays at 10 a.m. It was good to be able to sing again with our friends, old and new. We have started to pick Christmas songs and carols to rehearse as we have been asked to sing at St. Andrew’s Church Christmas Fair on 4th December. Contact: Linda Harris 01536 628 940 (Ise Valley) Swimming —Ise Valley U3A
Contact: Margaret Hall 01536 512 215 (Ise Valley)
Ukulele Group—Ise Valley U3A The Ise Valley U3A Ukulele Group meet fortnightly on Tuesday mornings 10-12. We are all beginners and are sort of following a course from the internet. Training videos and song sheets and are available and with practice you will quickly get to our standard ! There is even a spare Uke if you want to ‘try before you buy’. If you don’t fancy learning the Ukulele (which is a lot of fun) but would just like to sing or play percussion (or any other instrument) with us, the more the merrier.
Lunch club is hoping to be restarted. See DI’s opening page. Sadly writer’s group leader, Tom Piercy, passed away in 2020.
Contact: Alan Bailey 01933 350 147
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u3a Kettering
a3a Kettering Interest Group Timetable Please contact group co-ordinator for more information before joining a group Day No fixed day
Co-ordinator
Tel.no
Venue
Frequency
Time
Gardening
Ray Bradbury
01536 516 587
varies
varies
varies
Travel
Di Tebbutt
01536 392 556
varies
varies
varies
Annette Chidwick Richard Boyles
01536 523 867 01536 744 753
Home LDS Church, Rothwell Road Online via Zoom
1st & 3rd Mondays 2nd Monday + 1, 3, 4th Mondays
10.00 – 12 noon 2.00 – 4.00pm 3.00 — 3.45 pm
Maggi McGuire & Eileen Mason Richard Ling Looking for new leader
01536 392 716 01536 725 925 01536 515 816
Home
2nd Wednesday
1.30-3.30pm
Parish Church Rooms varies
2nd Tuesday TBD
2.00 – 4.00pm varies
Jewellery Making Wednesday
Sherry Calvert
07722 407636
Home
2nd Tuesday
10.00 -
Spanish Conversation Bookworms Looking at Churches Musical Circles Country Dancing Walking Stitchin’ Time Thursday
Bob Thorogood Pauline Parkin Janet Flower Eileen Mason Jean Beaver Jackie Rowson Pauline Parkin
01933 650 551 01536 799 197 01536 625 750 01536 725 925 01933 224 474 01536 515 959 01536 799 197
Counties Community Centre varies varies varies St. Andrews Church varies Home—Salisbury Street
2nd & 4th Wednesday 4th Wednesday 3rd Wednesday 3rd Wednesday 2nd & 4th Wednesday 1st Wednesday 1st Wednesday
2.00 – 4.00pm 2.00 – 4.00pm 2.00pm 2.00pm 10.45-12.15 10.00 start 2.00 - 4.00pm
Card Playing Busy Needles Painting and Drawing Friday
Di Tebbutt Mary Wildman Jo Beaver
01536 392 556 01536 741 222 01933 224 474
Bridge Club, Field Street Home—Geddington The Parish Hall
2nd & 4th Thursday Fortnightly 2nd & 4th Thursdays
1.45—3.45 pm 10.00-12.00 1.00 – 3.00 pm
Sing (& Laugh) Out Loud Friday Pop In Bake It or Fake It
Di Tebbutt Di Tebbutt Mary Earl & Bridget Ling Alan Stephens
01536 392 556 01536 392 556 01536 522 456 07931 979 596 01536 726 911
Christ The King, Deeble Road Alternate Fridays Kino Lounge, Market Place 1st, 2nd & 4th Friday Home 3rd Friday
10.15-12.00 10.00 – 11.30am 2.00—4.00pm
Pytchley Golf Club
1.00 – 4.00pm
Monday Knit and Natter Family History Tuesday Creative Cards Have Your Say Lunch Club
Golf
Every Friday
Meetings below with Ise Valley u3a The following groups are in conjunction with Ise Valley u3a. Please contact group co-ordinator before joining a group Day
Co-ordinator
Tel.no
Venue
Frequency
Time
Recorder Group
Mary Cooper
01536 420 336
Central Methodist Church
2nd & 4th Mondays
2.30—3.30 pm
Canasta
Margaret Hall
01536 512 215
Kettering Bridge Club
Weekly
2.00-4.30pm
Swimming
Isabel Collins
01536 520 971
Kettering Pool
Weekly
9.00-9.45am
Alan Bailey
01933 350 147
Home
Fortnighly Tuesday
10.00-12.00
Ballroom Dancing
Pat Johnson
01536 483 398
Singing For Pleasure
Linda Harris
01536 628 940
Monday
Tuesday Ukulele Friday 2nd & 4th Friday St. John’s Church Hall
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Alternate Fridays
10.00-11.45
RJB/2021