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No 15 May 2021

According to the Gregorian calendar, the month of May is named after Maia, the goddess of springtime and growth. In 2021, we hope it will bring us freedom to enjoy our lives even more!

We are delighted to welcome to our new members Janice and Jane – we look forward to meeting you in person outdoors in the May sunshine. I hope we will recruit more members in the next few months to join our friendly, merry u3a group.

Gossip!! It has come to my notice that rumours are circulating that our u3a meetings are resuming at Jubilee Hall in May! Well, we hope they will soon, but at the moment we are still meeting on Zoom. We have however ensured that our bookings for Jubilee Hall are in their diary, to ensure we don’t miss out when we are fully out of lockdown!

Monday 17 May at 1.00pm - AGM This most important date in May is our Annual General Meeting, when your Committee hopes you will approve our suggestions for the revised Constitution, guidelines for terms of office, and pricing of memberships. I hope you have received the email, and voting notes and forms - if not, do contact any member of the Committee. (Members without access to the Internet have been sent paper copies).

We do need as many members as possible to spare an hour on the day to join in the Zoom meeting. Thank you for completing and returning the voting forms. If you have not yet done this, please do so before the day.

As well as voting on the day, we will also give you information about future plans, our finances and also introduce you to Steve Little and Andy Oxnard who are representing our local community groups. 2

Dukeries u3a day is set for Saturday 11 September 2021 The ideas are starting to come in, and we hope to be able to give you much more information in the June Newsletter. Until then, book this date in your diary and continue to discuss this in your activity groups. Send in your ideas please!

Dukeries u3a – new image We are progressing with the design and manufacture of banners and leaflets. Our new colours are royal blue, white and yellow. We would like new bunting in these colours and we are wondering if our members who sew can help? Do you have any material, unwanted clothes or fabrics, which we could use? Do get in touch …… Outings A huge thank you to Sharon Pinkett who has offered to help me organise future outings. I can’t wait to resume visits and trips. Sharon and I will meet soon to make plans …….can’t wait!!

Sharon Pinkett and Patti Bell also run the All Sorts Group, who will be starting to meet in gardens. To join the group, email [email protected]

Activity Groups You don’t have to be an expert to run a small activity or interest group. If you have the enthusiasm for a topic or hobby you can link up with other members to develop your ideas. Check out the suggestions within the community as well – you may be able to lead a small group of members to learn a new skill with our community partners. Finally …………… I am hopeful that we might be able to hold our August Garden Party this year. We still need to take the utmost care though, following rules and guidelines when meeting together. Watch out for further announcements ………….

Thanks to members of your Committee and members in activity groups who are meeting and socialising once more. Best wishes to those members who are undergoing medical treatments or recovering from operations or injuries – you are in our thoughts. I have just read that May is the month for flowers to blossom, crops to sprout and people to dance! I hope your lockdown gardening projects will start to flourish and if we can’t dance in May, I hope we will in the months soon after ………..Watch this space!! Leslye x 3

Committee 2021

Leslye Henstock [email protected] Chair

Pam Hardwick [email protected] Deputy Chair/Group Secretary

Chris Neighbour [email protected] Treasurer

Marie Bartle [email protected] Membership Manager Wendy Owen [email protected] Apprentice Membership Manager

Christine Yates [email protected] Co-ordinator of Activity Groups

Val Saunders [email protected] Minutes Secretary at meetings

Ann Street [email protected] Co-ordinator of Guest Speakers Marketing & Advertising, Website

Nick Mason [email protected] IT and Zoom Advisor

John Harris [email protected] Newsletter Editor 4

ZOOM INTO MAY Exercise Your Brain & Socialise Join us on Zoom. Learn, Laugh& Live

Wednesday 5th 7.00pm Quiz Night

Monday 10th 1.30pm Meeting for Committee Members

Wednesday 12th 7.00pm Scattergories – Word Games

Monday 17th 1.00pm DUKERIES U3A ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING FOR MEMBERS Introducing Steve Little and Andy Oxnard our community partners

Wednesday 19st 7.00pm Tension Word Games

Wednesday 26th 7.00pm Quiz Night

Please book your places on the above events by emailing Leslye. More information about Zoom email Leslye or Nick Mason. [email protected] Invitations will be sent to individuals a couple of days before the event 15 minutes before the event, an email will be sent with the link into the Zoom Room.

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Without the Liquorice..

We meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, the next meetings will be, 11th and 25th May A very lively meeting took place on Tuesday. It was decided that as restrictions are now slowly being lifted we shall begin to meet in each others gardens, socially distanced and in accordance with government rules. If you are interested in joining us please contact either Sharon or Patti as we have the necessary information for our get togethers. A big ‘thank you’ to all of you who have contributed to our cookery book. We would like to see a few more and perhaps some helpful hints, etc. We hope in the near future to arrange visits to local gardens and do some practical gardening, tubs, baskets etc. If we sound like a group you would like to join, please get in touch, you will be made most welcome. We look forward to seeing you all soon, Sharon and Patti [email protected] [email protected] 6

The Whatsapp walkers are back. The photo’s are of recent walks in Rufford Park and around Walesby & Morton villages.

The roman granite column propping up several of our members dates back to around 150AD and formed part of the estate of Antonius Pious It was found by archaeologists in 2015, identified as part of a Portico structure from a villa in Lanuvium - an ancient city 20 miles from Rome and was brought back to Rufford in the 19th century by archaeologist Lord John Savile.

Contact Marie Bartle [email protected] for details. 7

‘Terry Wogan’s Hair Weave…and other stories’

Ex-showbiz journalist Graham Keal has interviewed literally thousands of celebrities in 35 years of TV columns and interviews, Terry Wogan included. He has entertained scores of Ladies’ Luncheon Clubs, Rotary Charter nights, WI gatherings, U3As and professional groups with ‘Oprah Winfrey Touched My Elbow.’

Now Graham has compiled a sequel packed with fresh and funny stories featuring celebrity interviewees ranging from Terry himself to Ernie Wise or the stars of Corrie and Crossroads. He has written for every kind of publication from popular TV magazines such as TV Choice and TV Times to The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and The Express, plus many other national and regional newspapers and woman’s magazines including My Weekly and Best.

So just why did Graham think he was being propositioned by the manager of the Crossroads Motel? What was the secret he discovered after his second significant encounter with Pat Phoenix? Was Ernie Wise as funny as Eric Morecambe in real life? Was Wogan’s hair ever truly alive?

To find out come to our Zoom meeting on 21 June 2021 at 2pm. 8

Have you not driven so much during lockdown and perhaps lost a bit of confidence? Or maybe you feel you would like a few tips on driving on busy roads? Don’t miss ‘Drive On’, our Zoom presentation from Via , during the members’ meeting Monday 19 July 2021 at 2.00pm.

Autumn Rose from Via’s Road Safety team will visit us via Zoom to present ‘Drive On’. This presentation is specifically designed for our members with a friendly quiz and lots of helpful hints and tips to prolong and enhance a safer driving experience. Perhaps it’s been a while since you’ve driven during the lockdown or want some tips on safer driving. Come along to this positive presentation designed to help people feel confident on the roads.

Via East Midlands, based at Bilsthorpe Highways Depot, provides sustainable highways services for and across the wider East Midlands region. It provides highways services in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council.

Zoom along and join us on Monday 19th July…. 9

Assuming that all restrictions are lifted on 23rd June as currently planned my intention for the Bridge group is:

Practice event on 6th July 1PM - 4PM. Refreshments as normal. (The reason that this is planned for the 1st Tuesday of the Month is that I am away on holiday on the 2nd, which is our normal meeting day. Bridge will return to normal on Tuesday 27th July 1PM - 4PM

Thereafter it will be held on 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month.

Colin Barrett

Watercolour Painting The watercolour group is meeting online using Google Groups and working on shared topics with support and guidance for their painting. Members from Retford and Dukeries U3As are participating. As soon as permitted we will resume sessions in the Wellow Memorial Hall. A risk assessment has already been completed and approved ready for this. If you would like to join the watercolour group, or for help and support in accessing the group online, please contact Andrew Young email [email protected] Thanks, Andrew 10

Christine Yates kindly invited us for tea and cake. Wonderful for me, the first time I have visited anyone other than my family in 14 months and not seen them for 4months. It felt very strange but lovely to be with friends again. Beryl

Would you like to volunteer time to help in The Dukeries Community Workshop? We are looking for someone to assist with listing members’ details, maintaining machine maintenance details and recording PAT testing lists. I would imagine that 4-6 hours a week would help us enormously. If you are interested to find out more, or if you know someone who would benefit from this experience, please contact…. Alan Perry [email protected]

Workshop web site….. https://thedukeriescommunityworkshop.weebly.com/ 11

As it seems we all love a good cuppa and a natter at our Monthly General Meetings, so we're looking for two lots of three people (friends, partners etc) to do teas on a regular basis.

Its so easy now with the new boiler and would mean the same 3 people helping out only 5 times per YEAR. (And have chance for a longer natter!!)

Hopefully a few of you will be interested in doing this once we get back to Jubilee Hall - PLEASE let one of the Committee know a soon as you can and we would all be extremely grateful.

If you need any more information please contact

Margaret Titmuss 07982466825 Thank you!

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Poking around on Facebook I stumbled on this photo of the ‘Happy House’, a Chinese takeaway in which was famous for it’s Chinese sausage dinner which I think consisted of skinless sausages, fried onions, mushy peas, chips and Black Bean sauce. Does anyone remember the Happy House and whether they tried the sausage dinner? 13

Anyone interested in playing bowls? Ollerton Bowls Club have been in contact and we are wondering if any members would be interested in forming a Bowls Group? What morning or afternoons would you Contact Leslye prefer? 07756 436177 Are you a beginner or [email protected] an experienced player? 14 NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS IN THE DUKERIES COMMUNITY

We are liaising with our partners in the Dukeries Community to build our own Dukeries u3a profile, and to support initiatives on our doorstep.

Woodwork We have been offered the chance to use The Dukeries Workshops* to make wooden items for the garden such as cold frames, planters, bug hotels, bird and bat boxes. Do you want to restore an item of wooden furniture to its former glory? Ever done pyrography, the art of burning images onto wood? It's an excellent way of creating individual house name plates or just simple garden planter tags.

It is hoped that by end of May, ten people might be allowed to attend a workshop.

Craft with Glass Stained glass sessions run every Wednesday afternoon, and Fused Glass every Friday afternoon. The glass items are very attractive.

Please email Leslye to register your interest. More details will be given when we have a better idea of numbers.

* There is a £5 per person per session charge for use of room and equipment. Further details will be arranged in the future. 15

Here you go, just one puzzle for you this month, below is an equation, by just adding ONE line make the equation correct. 5 + 5 + 5 = 550

Ole Tone

We have a new internet radio station recently launched in our area, serving Bilsthorpe, Ollerton, Wellow, Edwinstowe, , Boughton, ,

Farnsfield, Lowdham, Rainworth, Rufford and the surrounding areas. It’s Listen Live proving very popular so why not give it a listen….. Facebook Page 16

Michael Costigan

Oh, when I look on thee, In thy fair symmetry, And look on other flowers as fair beside, My sense is gratitude, That God has been thus good, To scatter flowers, like common blessings, wide!

Mary Howitt 1837 17 18

A WOMAN was flying from Seattle to San Francisco. Unexpectedly, the plane was diverted to Sacramento along the way... The flight attendant explained that there would be a delay, and if the passengers wanted to get off the aircraft the plane would re-board in 50 minutes. Everybody got off the plane except one lady who was blind. The man had noticed her as he walked by and could tell the lady was blind because her Guide dog lay quietly underneath the seats in front of her throughout the entire flight. He could also tell she had flown this very flight before because the pilot approached her, and calling her by name, said, 'Kathy, we are in Sacramento for almost an hour. Would you like to get off and stretch your legs?' The blind lady replied, 'No thanks, but maybe Buddy would like to stretch his legs.' Picture this: All the people in the gate area came to a complete standstill when they looked up and saw the pilot walk off the plane with a Guide dog! The pilot was even wearing sunglasses. People scattered. They not only tried to change planes, but they were trying to change airlines! True story... Have a great day and remember... THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY APPEAR.

Phil Joiner Keep Smiling 19

For dog lovers only…. Click here….

If you need a plumber we can highly recommend Reuben Rees 07793 370070

John Harris 20 21

Well we have again struggled though another month of semi lockdown, and it has taken its toll on photo entrees, only five member took part this month but there are some stunning im- ages to be seen. All photographs are memento mori. To take a photograph is to participate in another person’s (or thing’s) mortality, vulnerability, mutability. Precisely by slicing out this moment and freezing it, all photographs testify to time’s relentless melt.

Cathedral roof by Andrew

There is great beauty in many of our religious interiors and here is one excellent example, the problem with photographing the roof is that you almost get a crick in your neck by looking upwards; photographing it will allow you to enjoy the detail at your leisure. Photography is all about secrets. The secrets we all have and will never tell. 22

Shopping Mall by Andrew

Another excellent photo from Andrew, trying to capture just one section that reflects a shopping mall is extremely hard, so much to see and so much to capture, so if you can’t get it all just take a part, and here just two shopping floors are shown, and it is enough to tell the viewer of the scale of the interior.

It is a cruel, ironical art, photography. The dragging of captured moments into the future; moments that should have been allowed to evaporate into the past; should exist only in memories, glimpsed through the fog of events that came after. Photographs force us to see people before their future weighed them down. 23

Gardeners office by Jenny

There is so much to see in this photo, yes it’s a shot from a museum but the sepia reproduction of the image show imagination and a vision, this is taken on a modern camera but you could be fooled into believing it was taken many years ago. There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs. 24

Clock by Jenny. Now here’s different thinking, an interior of a clock. It’s not always about the obvious, most think that interiors are about buildings. The lighting within the workings allows us to enjoy the workmanship.

While there is perhaps a province in which the photograph can tell us nothing more than what we see with our own eyes, there is another in which it proves to us how little our eyes permit us to see. Barcelona cathedral by Frank By Franks own admission he think his photography is poor, I tend to disagree, he is always trying to improve, and although this may not be the best image of this famous cathedral at the very least he tried to show some of the wonder of the place. A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense and is thereby a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety. 25

Pub singers by Stef

This to me is a very well seen photograph, it captures the essence of a pub interior from a past age, the lighting, the composition and rendering are wonderful, one could enjoy looking at this image for some time there is so much to see. It is photography itself that creates the illusion of innocence. Its ironies of frozen narrative lend to its subjects an apparent unawareness that they will change or die. It is the future they are innocent of. Fifty years on we look at them with the godly knowledge of how they turned out after all - who they married, the date of their death - with no thought for who will one day be holding photographs of us. 26

Woodland interior by Richard

This is really thinking out of the box on a subject, who would have thought to take a photo outside and say its inside, do you think it works? To me a big yes, this image leads you right to the centre, the coving of the branches make you feel that you are inside a structure.

Photographers tend not to photograph what they can’t see, which is the very reason one should try to attempt it. Otherwise we’re going to go on forever just photographing more faces and more rooms and more places. Photography has to transcend description. It has to go beyond description to bring insight into the subject, or reveal the subject, not as it looks, but how does it feel? 27

Taps by Stef

Don’t you just love the symmetry of this, and the way you are led right into the image, and after all it’s only a photo of some taps, but look at the detail, the way the photographer has positioned himself is what really makes this a great shot. I tend to think of the act of photographing, generally speaking, as an adventure. My favourite thing is to go where I’ve never been. 28

Mosque in Iran by Richard

An absolutely cracking image, captures the beauty of the interior of this mosque, it’s all about the light and what it falls on, although there are people in this shot and personally I don’t like them being there, I don’t think is distracts from the overall photo. We are often taught to look for the beauty in all things, so in finding it, the layman asks the philosopher while the philosopher asks the photographer. 29

My Shed by Stef

Now here’s a nice clean and tidy shed, all shinny and bright, beautifully captured in black and white, really brings out all that lovely detail, also you can see the aspects though the window, just take your time when looking at this image, there is so much to be seen.

For the photograph's immobility is somehow the result of a perverse confusion between two concepts: the Real and the Live: by attesting that the object has been real, the photograph surreptitiously induces belief that it is alive because of that delusion which makes us attribute to Reality an absolute superior, somehow eternal value; but by shifting this reality to the past ('this-has-been'), the photograph suggests that it is already dead. 30 Watch by Stef. Yes it’s just the back of a watch but without a doubt its an interior, black and white in the most but the colour popping on the copper coil adds an extra element to this lovely picture, again something different to see. You only have to start saying of some- thing 'Ah, how beautiful ! We must photograph it ' and you are already close to the view of the person who thinks that everything that is not photographed is lost, as if it never existed, and therefore in order to really live you must photograph as much as you can, and to photograph as much as you can you must either live in the most photographable way possible, or else consider photographable, every moment of your life. Well there you go only eleven photographs this time, and I hope you agree with me there are some really well seen shots. But the very question of whether photography is or is not an art is essentially a misleading one. Although photography generates works that can be called art -- it requires subjectivity, it can lie, it gives aesthetic pleasure-- photography is not, to begin with, an art form at all. Like language, it is a medium in which works of art (among other things) are made. Out of language, one can make scientific discourse, bureaucratic memoranda, love letters, grocery lists, and Balzac's Paris. Out of photography, one can make passport pictures, weather photographs, pornographic pictures, X-rays, wedding pictures, and Atget's Paris. Photography is not an art like, say painting and poetry. Although the activities of some photographers conform to the traditional notion of a fine art, the activity of exceptionally talented individuals producing discrete objects that have value in themselves, from the beginning photography has also lent itself to that notion of art which says that art is obsolete. The power of photography --and its centrality in present aesthetic concerns-- is that it confirms both ideas of art. But the way in which photography renders art obsolete is, in the long run, stronger. Thank you to those members that entered and maybe others will want to take part next month. See you all soon, stay kind and keen. Ole Tone 31 32

A new lady joins the Golf Club. She hears some guys talking about their golf round, so she says, " Mind if I join you next week?" No one wants to say 'yes', but they're on the spot. Finally, one man says. "Okay, but we start at 6:30 a.m." He figures the early tee-time will discourage her. The lady says this may be a problem and asks if she can be up to 15 minutes late. They roll their eyes, but say, "Okay." She's there at 6:30 a.m. sharp and beats all of them with an eye- opening 2-under par round. They congratulate her and invite her back the next week. She smiles and says, "I'll be there at 6:30 or 6:45."

The next week she again shows up at 6:30 sharp. Only this time, she plays left-handed. The three guys are incredulous as she still beats them with ease despite playing with her off-hand. They're totally amazed. They can't figure her out. They invite her back again, but each man harbours a burning desire to beat her. The third week, she's 15 minutes late which irritates the guys. This week she plays right-handed and narrowly beats all three of them. The men grumble that her late arrival is petty gamesmanship on her part. However, she's so charming and complimentary of their strong play, they can't hold a grudge. This woman is a riddle no one can figure out.

One of the men asks her, "How do you decide if you're going to play right or left -handed?" The lady replies, "When my Dad taught me to play golf, I learned I was ambidextrous. When I got married I discovered my husband always sleeps in the nude. From then on, I developed a silly habit. Right before I leave in the morning for golf, I pull the covers off him. If his man- hood points to the right, I play right-handed; if it points to the left, I play left-handed." The guys think this is hysteri- cal. Astonished at this bizarre information, one of the guys says, "What if it's pointing straight up?" She says, "Then, I'm fifteen minutes late." Phil Joiner Keep Smiling

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‘Older than any- thing else in the village are the red bricks of the mill at the little bridge, by which is a garden of shrubs on an island made by the river as it turns the mill wheel; it is the Island of Remembrance, with a plain grey cross to 16 men who never came back.’ ‘One little story we heard which we will not forget. In the ivy which was growing thickly round the doorway of the old inn when we called, a rare spider lived for years. It lived and grew fat on thousands of flies, and it would allow itself to be seen without fear when it was the size of a small walnut. It was one of the minor sights of Ollerton until one day its friend the inn keeper, who had watched it for four years, showed it to a lady staying at the inn. It was the end of the Ollerton spider, for a little while afterwards the lady was seen to probe into the ivy, dash the spider to the ground and crush it with her foot. Such things will some people do.’ From Arthur Mee’s Nottinghamshire 1938 34

Dukeries u3a (Du3a) is a member of the North Notts Network Group of u3a’s (NNNG).

This means that Du3a members can ask to join an Activity Group run by other u3a’s who participate in NNNG.

Please note that joining another u3a’s group depends on whether a space is available in that group. Each u3a will first give priority booking to its own members.

Link to the website here... 35

Trip adviser http://smokeandice.co.uk/ 36

As we (hopefully) are allowed to meet in person again, in small groups, please will you all take care to safeguard yourselves and others. We have had a least one vaccine, some have had two. Please keep in mind that time will tell how effective these vaccines will be. Until then ………………

*Wear your face mask when near to other people

*Keep your distance from people. Avoid touching other people (hand-shaking, hugging and kissing) It’s hard to do but necessary for the time being

*Frequently wash your hands well. Sanitise your hands and avoid touching your face

*Ventilate rooms and open car windows

If you are arranging activities inside, keep to government regulations and guidelines Chairs should be well spaced. Sanitising hands before entering rooms. Consider use of toilets. If serving refreshments, consider the safest way to avoid cross -contamination.

If we all take responsibility to protect ourselves and safeguard our friends we will all be able to enjoy our social lives once again.

Thank you Leslye x 37

The answer is, just add one upright to the first plus sign….