September 2020 Newsletter
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NEWS@ The newsletter of Crouch End and District U3A September 2020 Welcome to our second News@... At the time of our first issue we were entering summer with uncertainty about when we could return to a ‘normal’ level of activity, and heading into autumn sadly things aren’t much clearer although some groups have been able to restart. Thankfully we have been able to offer online activities and many of the interest groups have been able to continue in a similar way. We will keep you up to date with the latest changes as they happen. Visit our website cedu3a.org.uk for information about our activities and those of the national U3A which you can join in with too. In this issue we have a range of interesting articles for you to enjoy: find out more about our new trustees; groups news including beer, singing, decluttering, film, a wine tasting; and what some of our members have been doing during lockdown. There is a delicious sounding hot potato and coriander salad recipe and tips on autumn beers, wine and gardening - together with a quiz and books to read. Following her talk, Janet Sutherland has written more on independent living and there is a questionnaire she would like to you complete. Happy reading! Take care and be safe Sally Whitaker, Chair, CEDU3A Our Three New Trustees BRENda DARDELIN LLORett KEMPLEN CHARLIE SHARP I grew up in Finsbury Park and first My U3A membership number is 116, so I’m the new CEDU3A membership moved to Crouch End in the 1970s. enrolled in the early days, and joined a secretary, taking over from Ed Allen. I spent my working life in various number of groups including; Gardening, Most of the administration is via libraries in London and Geneva. Italian Conversation and Decluttering. our Beacon website, but I also deal I became convener for the Decluttering I’ve been a member of CEDU3A since it with postal and online membership Group 18 months ago started and have found it a great way queries, as well as reports for the to meet new people and get out and As New Members Social Coordinator I am Executive. I’ve also been quiz night about. I’ve enjoyed outings with the responsible for organising and hosting the organiser a couple of times – both real short walks and architecture groups. New Members Welcome Coffee Mornings and online and also the point of contact for members My role in CEDU3A is to look after I’m a member of the Science SIG, and without access to the Internet, keeping Beacon, an online system used by recently joined the Americana and them up to date with CE&D news. CEDU3A volunteers to maintain the Beer groups. Of course, this has been membership list, distribute news and Having been Head of Sales Training at The mostly online. I’ve really enjoyed the notices to members and communicate Body Shop, I then spent 15 years running intellectual stimulus of these groups, with members of the various interest my own consultancy and for the ten years as well as meeting their members. groups. before retiring I was Training & Development I first heard of CEDU3A when running Manager for the National Portrait Gallery. My interests include volunteering on a Neighbourhood Forum stall next to I have two grown up sons, a dog and a projects for the London Metropolitan them outside Hornsey Town Hall. It cat. I love painting and skiing and am an Archives and the National Archives, was a lucky meeting! enthusiastic crafter. My husband and I have reading, particularly crime fiction, spent this summer between London and sewing, knitting and delving into my the south coast and look forward to more family history. www.cedu3a.org.uk time at our house in Italy once he retires. For the latest information and updates visit our website www.cedu3a.org.uk Page 1 Our homes for our future Janet Sutherland highlights an important issue Many of you will have seen my July monthly talk “Our Homes for Our Future”; I hope to encourage more of you to address this important topic. The best homes can add 5 years of independent living. Will yours support your wellbeing and help you live younger longer? Let’s all look at our homes and consider them. Most of us will continue to live in our current homes, but will this be the best option for you? Perhaps your home will need some adaptations? Now or in the future? We need a wide range of attractive and affordable options that people would aspire to move to, whether to own or to rent, but sadly in the UK we have far fewer options, and fewer of us move, than in most comparable countries. As the numbers of over 65’s increases this shortage of options will become more critical. At the July talk a Zoom poll of Crouch End U3A members found that 43% were thinking of moving, with 91% wanting to stay local. Most wanted houses (35%) and flats (28%), but 28% of respondents were interested in co-housing, and 11% in retirement housing. Could this information influence local developments, for example, perhaps Hornsey Town Hall could have included co-housing? Where can people get the best information about adaptations? The U3A Future Lives group is encouraging all U3As to debate these issues and discuss how to improve quality of life as we age, with the potential collectively to influence house builders and planners. Please click on this link for more details, including a questionnaire that I hope you will fill in. The questionnaire will encourage you to consider your situation and wishes, and plan for your future wellbeing. Importantly, the more of us complete it, the more we can influence the future we want. There are over 450,000 U3A members in England. Imagine the impact we can have collectively. Sights of London quiz Here are 6 cropped pictures of London landmarks. KEEP ON SINGING Can you name them? Answers at foot of Page 6 ‘Singing for Fun’ and ‘Sing and Sip’ are the brainchild of Anne Heagney, who started the well attended groups for us after running similar ones at Alexandra Park Library. With her dulcet tones, Anna leads into the first song from her ever-growing repertoire of titles, drawn from childhood, musicals, folk and popular songs. The session passes quickly for one and all, with less confident singers enjoying having 1 2 others to lead and still join in the fun. Anne has been amazing. Since lockdown, not one day has gone by that she hasn’t sent a song with a link to YouTube, so that everyone could practice alone yet together – even during her short hospital stay for a planned procedure, she ensured that everyone received their daily song. Is this commitment or what? Her first song was the morale boosting Mamma Mia! whilst on Easter Day it was Jerusalem and on Day 50 Trains and 3 4 Boats and Planes (get onto one of these, virtually at least….) For VE Day, Day 53, When the Lights go on Again, whilst to mark the 100th day she choose Sea Shanty. ‘Some people treat the email as part of their daily routine’ says Anne. ‘Some sing to the words I send, some prefer the YouTube link I enclose. Whichever they choose, I am happy to bring a little joy to our members’ daily lives!’ From late July, Anne has been able to host small singing groups in her garden complying to government and U3A’s 5 6 regulations, and it’s been worth it. For the latest information and updates visit our website www.cedu3a.org.uk Page 2 Our Local History Self-portrait every day during lockdown Banqueting in the Park Every day during lockdown Inga Bystrom painted a pandemic self-portrait This splendid Banqueting Hall in Alexandra to keep her spirits up - and clearly succeeded judging by the three that are Park would have been wonderful for our U3A shown here - Inga trained at the Royal Academy schools and lives in the to use, had it sadly not burnt down in 1971. East of the Borough on the Broadwater Farm Estate. She is an enthusiastic However it was somewhat dilapidated by member of Jacqueline Osley’s Felting classes and is also learning Italian then and used as a paint store. It was built in and ventriloquism during lockdown! 1864, even before the first Palace was built Inga really enjoyed Peter Webb’s recent zoom talks on Art, inspiring her to and seated 1500 people. Later on it became do a bit of research on Van Gogh. a barracks, rifle range, dance hall and clothing factory. Nothing remains now except “I was always rubbish at history as a youngster - now a real enthusiast! an attractive grove of birch trees! I love being older! And so many marvellous role models for me in cedu3a!” See article on page 4. Inga Bystrom Good Brews from Sean Boyle CARRY ON WATCHING The Film Group ran by Patsy Nightingale in The Beer Appreciation Group, formed just a couple of weeks before her converted basement cinema during the lockdown, had its first outing since inauguration at the local Goodness winter months, brought together lovers of Brewing Company taproom in Wood Green recently. iconic black and white movies from the 40’s, As bad luck would have it, we picked one of the wettest days in the long 50’s and 60’s. The many films from the British hot summer! The plan to enjoy a few beers in the sunshine had to be film-making partnership of Pressburger and rapidly amended, but the good people at Goodness ensured that we had a Powell provided a rich choice, including well-ventilated, socially distanced spot to sample their beers.