mkhdu3a.org.uk
MOSELEY, KINGS HEATH & DISTRICT U3A
NEWSLETTER no.52October 2017
Dear Member
As a result of an unfortunate illness we have a late change to the topic of our October monthly meeting. Thanks are due to Diane for rushing around to find an alternative speaker and to Tessa for offering up her partner! See the bottom of this page for details of the new topic.
Page 2:More on the Christmas Panto!
Page 2:We have a new Interest Group Coordinator. Who is it?
Page 2:Would you like to be involved in developing a link between our U3A and the University of Birmingham?
Pages 2,3Interest Groups Update, including details of a proposed new group
Pages 3,4:Our social programme for the rest of this year and some planned activities for 2018.
Page 4:Are you interested in helping out with our website?
Page 5:Our monthly meeting programmeand committee contact details.
OctoberMonthly Meeting – The Cooperative Movement: Birmingham, not Rochdale
We are sorry that our planned speaker for October, John Smith, is ill and unable to give his talk on “The Making of Magic”
Weare very pleased however that local man Dr Chris Shelley has agreed to talk to us at short notice on “The Cooperative Movement: Birmingham not Rochdale”.
Chris was born in Small Heath and went to Golden Hillock Comprehensive School.He has always been interested in history, especially local history, and carried out research at Birmingham University into the Cooperative Movement.
Chris writes: “What do we know of co-operation? Much of the story has been obscured by a simple tale of the thrifty Rochdale Pioneers and their foundation of a grocery business that looked to give consumers a share in profits. Yet this often repeated story is but one element in a much larger narrative of co-operation and how it attempted to change the world. Much has been excluded from more mainstream narratives, particularly earlier attempts at co-operative enterprise and the part that the Midlands played in that history.”
The October monthly meeting entitled “The Cooperative Movement – Birmingham, not Rochdale” will be at the All Saints Centre at 2pm on Tuesday October 10.
Christmas Pantomime
Plans for the Christmas Pantomime are developing apace. Can you miss the opportunity to get involved? Oh no you can’t!
The Pantomime is now planned to be in early January and will be in addition to our normal Christmas festive programme in December.
There is still time to get involved with the preparations and planning for the Panto. Thanks to all those who were able to make the last meeting. Some great ideas were shared and there was tremendous enthusiasm.
The next Panto meeting is:
•Friday October 13 at 10.30 at the All Saints Centre.
If you want to get involved please contact:
- Chris Olley or0121 459 3699
- Paul Hunt on or 0121 449 8766
A new Interest Group Coordinator
As you will know, Theresa had to stand down from her role as Interest Group Coordinator shortly after the AGM. We are pleased to let you know that Julie Allder has agreed to take on the role through until the next AGM in addition to her role as Social Secretary.
At last week’s meeting our Committee agreed to co-opt Julie into the role. We thank her for agreeing to take it on.
Link with Birmingham University
We have been considering for some time developing a link with the University of Birmingham which we hopewould give our interest groups greater access to meetings and activities at the University, and in return provide support for their research groups.
A couple of members have already expressed interest in this. If you would like to be involved, please contact Mike Clark at a monthly meeting or via the contact details at the end of the newsletter.
Interest Group Update
Stamp Club:
Steve Wiseman writes:
"I have tried to start a stamp club but it has not happened, although I have helped a couple of people out. I will leave the idea open as we are taking on new members all the time. Someone suggested that a few members have stamp collections that they do not know what to do with and that I might be able to help them decide what to do or how to move them on. I am willing to do this. If you are interested, please email me on:
or phone 07505757223”
Looking at Wild Plants (proposed new group):
Clare Hinchcliffe is proposing a new interest group to start in the Spring. The group will meet to discover the names for wild plants and fungi. It is hoped that members of the group will bring in specimens and use books and the internet to put names to them. The group will also make trips to suitable locations to find material. Activities will focus on exploration and discovery and follow the members' interests. The group will meet initially at Clare's home in Moseley, and will of necessity be small and intimate.
If you are interested, please contact Clare on
Social Activities October to December (and some planned for 2018)
We are giving you here a summary of planned social activities over the coming months, with information about how to book them if you want to. The list is added to frequently and we’ll put an update in each newsletter. Contact details for co-ordinators are at the end of this item.
October:
Most of our events for October are early in the month so not included here, and the lunch at the College of Food is unfortunately fully booked with a waiting list, so no more reservations can be taken for that.
November:
Cinema - Nothing has been arranged as yet, the listing won’t be out for a while, but if you want to be added to the mailing list for future films please contact Paul.
December:
Cinema -Nothing has been arranged as yet, the listing won’t be out for a while, but if you want to be added to the mailing list for future films please contact Paul.
Christmas lunch - This is booked at Tally-Ho for 14 December: places are still available and to book your place please contact Paul.
2018 Concerts
We know that this seems a long way off and most of us haven’t got our holiday plans fixed yet, but concert tickets for large groups need to be booked well in advance, and we have reservations for 3, as follows:
The Orchestra of the Swan at the Town Hall:
Wednesday 14 March 2018, 2.30 pm.
Prokofiev Symphony no1 in D major
Shostakovich Piano Concerto no2 in F major (Soloist Peter Donohoe)
Schubert Symphony no3 in D major
23 May 2018, 2.30 pm.
Beethoven Coriolan Overture, Op.62
Beethoven Triple Concerto in C major, Op.56
Mendelssohn Symphony no4 in A major, Op.90 'Italian'
Tickets for seats with no step access are reserved on a special group rate for U3A members and will be £10.75 each as long as at least 10 people are in the group. The cost for fewer people is not certain, but you will be advised if this is the position.
CBSO at Symphony Hall:
25 March 2018 at 1.30 pm (conductor the excellentMirga Gražinytė-Tyla)
Debussy (orch. Matthews) Préludes
Britten The Prince of the Pagodas (extracts)
Ravel Mother Goose: Suite – Third Movement,
Debussy Images (played by CBSO Youth Orchestra)
Tickets for this concert are £12.00, regardless of how many people go.
- Bookings for concerts and payments made need to be finalised about 10 weeks in advance, so you don’t need to commit now, but if you would like to put your name down for a ticket please contact Carey.
- As well as updates in the newsletter, mailing lists are kept for the various social activities. If you want to be added to these please contact Carey or Paul as appropriate.
- Cinematrips are arranged most monthsand lunchesgenerally about every 6 – 8 weeks. If these are of interest check out the monthly newsletter or get your name added to mailing lists.
Contact details:
- Carey or 0121 472 6535
- Paul or 0121 449 8766
Our Website
We have been hoping that we might have a member interested in taking over the running of our website. We realise that it might appear fairly specialised, but John Beavan is willing to train somebody interested in learning.
If you feel that you could help out with the website, please talk to Jude or Mike or Nick at a monthly meeting, or via the contact details at the end of the newsletter.
We do think it is vital that our website is maintained, as its importance is increasing all the time. If no members are interested we will consider other options, such as paying somebody to maintain it for us.
Do you Need Help with your phone or tablet?
We are pleased to informyou that our members may take advantage of an initiative run by our friends at the All Saints Community Centre. The “Technology Support Group” is running an Inter-Generational IT project whereby younger people provide IT support to older people.
It is a relaxed drop-in session where you will sit down and have a cup of tea whilst support is provided.
The Technology Support Group will provide support every Monday from 4.30 – 6.00pm at the All Saints Centre on the corner of Kings Heath High St and Vicarage Road, Kings Heath. The entrance is at the rear of the Centre, so ask at Reception at the front to make sure you find the entrance.
Members who have an iphone or ipad can also avail themselves of support from the Apple Shop in the City Centre which provides support sessions.
Please let us knowif you use either of these facilities and find them helpful.
Forthcoming Members' Meetings
Date / Time / Venue / Topic / SpeakerTuesday October 10, 2017 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / The Cooperative Movement - Birmingham not Rochdale / Chris Shelley
Tuesday November 14, 2017 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / The Samaritans / Pam Rutter
Tuesday December
12, 2017 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / Christmas festivities
Tuesday January 9, 2018 / 2.00 / All Saints Centre / Healthy Ageing and how to get there / Professor Janet Lord
Contact Information
- Interest Group enquiries: please contact one of the Interest Group Coordinators:
Chris Olley, 0121 459 3699, or
Brenda Bingham, 01214446295
- Membership enquiries, please contact:
Tonia Sharp 0121 444 4039, or Val Baxter 0121 444 7214,
or email:
- Social events: please contact Julie Allder on or
07506720756.
- General enquiries: please contactJude Williams, 07813 258 741,Mike Clark,0121 689 2765 or Nick Wright, 0121 444 3488.
Or, email:
Your Committee:
- ChairJude Williams
- Vice ChairsNick Wright, Mike Clark
- Business SecretaryDiane Worland
- TreasurerTessa Bidgood
- Interest Group Co-ordinatorsChris Olley, Brenda Bingham, Julie Allder
- Membership SecretariesVal Baxter, Tonia Sharp
- Social SecretaryJulie Allder
Moseley, Kings Heath and District U3A October 2017
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