TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE RAVENSHEAD U3A RAVENSHEAD U3A Friday 20 March KEEPING IN TOUCH: TO MEMBERS, FROM MEMBERS, BY MEMBERS If you are restricting your travel, social distancing or even self-isolating you may be wondering what social contact there will be with the RU3A. Your Crisis Team has decided to try and maintain some [digital] social contact by turning into an Editorial Team and producing an occasional newsletter which will be emailed to you via Beacon. The format has to be basic because at the moment Beacon does not permit graphics so please understand. We hope this newsletter helps us all to connect, cheers you up, maybe teaches you something and makes you laugh. We would like to include your tips, ideas, stories, jokes as well as facts and useful information. We can only make this work if you send us your contributions and make this your newsletter. As we will not be meeting for a while Judith and Terry will put the RU3A magazine on hold. Any contributions already received will be kept until we are back in business. In the meantime, our KIT editorial team of Maria, Judith, Terry, Margaret and Sue will do what it says on the tin "Keep In Touch". Remember: TO MEMBERS, FROM MEMBERS, BY MEMBERS. ***** Coronavirus: What are social distancing and self-isolation? Do you know/understand the difference? Follow this link to the BBC site and read what each term means: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51506729 ***** LOCAL FOOD DELIVERIES Mark and Mel at the Ravenshead precinct have agreed to help us with food purchases and deliveries: Bradburys (Butcher and Deli) (Mark) 01623 793780. Orders over £20 will be delivered free in Ravenshead. Strawberry Fayre (Greengrocer and Florist) (Mel) 01623 491006. Orders over £20 will be delivered free in Ravenshead, Blidworth, , Linby and Papplewick. Mark and Mel are collaborating and have both told us that a combined order over £20 will be delivered free. They will take one overall payment (and sort out the finances between them). Alternatively, phone through your order and collect shopping in the car park at the back of the shop – your shopping and the credit card machine will be brought to your car where you can pay cash or by card. This service is free. ***** PET SUPPLIES Lyn Parkinson (one of our members) has emailed to say her husband runs the family owned Pet Stores and has decided to offer a delivery service for those who are struggling to get out to the shops. They live in Ravenshead and so can extend this service to Ravenshead residents. There won’t be any delivery charge but they ask for a minimum spend of £20. If anyone is interested then please give them a ring on 01623 622370 or send a message through facebook (@mansfieldpetstores) ***** GETTING TO KNOW YOU! QUESTION: Which of your committee members once hitchhiked from England to Malta? Answer later in this e-newsletter ***** RB DIGITAL PORTAL If you aren’t aware already, if you belong to Libraries you can read magazines for free on screen – the selection is huge – women’s magazines, photography, sports, gardening, food, cookery, birdwatching, health and fitness, homes, knitting, crochet, quilting, craft, TV, computers and other hobbies and interests. Follow this link to get started https://www.inspireculture.org.uk/reading-information/digital/ Whilst Inspire Libraries are closed you can still sign up for library membership online by following the steps in this link: https://www.inspireculture.org.uk/reading-information/libraries/joining-and-using-libraries/ ***** @@@@@ BREAKING NEWS @@@@@ All Inspire venues to close from Monday 23 March including Nottinghamshire County Libraries Inspire Culture and Nottinghamshire County Council are committed to the wellbeing of staff and customers during the current coronavirus pandemic. All Inspire venues will be closing from Monday 23 March until further notice. This includes all Nottinghamshire County Libraries, Archives, Arts, 16-18 Study Programmes, Adult, Community and Family Learning. This is in line with Nottinghamshire County Council’s response to government guidance on social distancing and plans to focus on essential services. Borrow up to 48 items with immediate effect With immediate effect you may borrow up to 48 books/DVDs and all overdue charges will be waived. If you wish to visit a library before Monday 23 March, check the opening times of your local library at inspireculture.org.uk/libraries and also inspireculture.org.uk/servicedisruption for details of existing closure. Mansfield library is open on Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Inspire Onine resources We are providing a number of virtual services at inspireculture.org.uk/online including Learning, eResources such as eReading, eAudio and eMagazines at inspireculture.org.uk/eresources. We will be reviewing and increasing our online offer to provide other eServices during this time.

MESSAGE FROM RACHAEL PARKER, Information Assistant Our virtual service for you to access at home! Whilst our library buildings are closed we’ve gathered details below of all the online resources you can still access from home. To be able to access some of these resources such as eReading and eAudio you will need to have a library membership. It is free to join and you can do this online as follows; • fill in the application form online here • once you have completed the form the next screen will give you your temporary membership number • email your name and temporary number to [email protected] • the ASK Inspire team will email you back with a membership number If you are already a member but have forgotten your PIN don’t worry, you can reset this when you login with your library account here. You can also sign up to receive emails from us so we can let you know when new resources and activities become available over the following weeks. Click here to sign up. If you have library books at home that you were unable to return before the libraries closed please don’t worry. We have suspended all late charges and you can just return the books as normal when we re-open. Unfortunately we cannot take reservations or make inter-library loans at this time. If you do have any enquiries during this time please contact our ASK Inspire team via email – [email protected]. Please do bear with us during this busy time as we endeavour to respond as soon as possible. If you don’t have access to email you can call the team on 01623 677 200. Kind Regards Rachael Parker Information Assistant Inspire Culture, Learning and Libraries Editor: Very many thanks to Rachael for this information. Rachael is working from home (along with lots of colleagues) on the Nottinghamshire Hub throughout this uncertain period. ***** RECIPES Share recipes – maybe wartime recipes – for a bit of fun! Do you know what a mug cake is? It takes minutes to prepare and seconds to ‘bake’ in the microwave – the time it takes to brew a pot of tea. Follow this link to the BBC site where there are lots of recipes to try out. In our view the chocolate ones look better as the plain ones turn out rather anaemic. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/mug-cake ***** YOU GOTTA LAUGH! What’s a quarantini? A regular martini but you drink it alone. The other day, my wife asked me to pass her lipstick but I accidentally passed her a glue stick. She still isn't talking to me. Two committee members of RU3A are talking: Maria says to Terry: “My memory is gone, Terry, so I’ve changed my password to ‘incorrect’. That way when I log in with the wrong password the computer tells me “your password is incorrect” Yesterday I received a catalogue. Among the articles on offer were 'elasticated women's belts'. I think in these times we should all be elasticated as we are in for a long stretch of isolation. “Ran out of toilet roll, so reduced to wiping my bum with lettuce leaves. I fear that’s just the tip of the iceberg……” On Facebook: Pack of toilet rolls in exchange for a 4-bedroom bungalow Why can't you find good photography jokes? They haven't been developed yet. Ever since buying a digital camera, I can only think of its positive points. There aren’t any negatives. Supermarkets have now introduced purchase limits in light of the panic buying: Asda: 2 hand sanitisers, 16 toilet rolls Morrisons: 1 hand sanitiser, 18 toilet rolls Tesco: 1 Hand sanitiser, 16 toilet rolls, 3L milk Aldi: 2 Trumpets, 1 canoe & 3 cement mixers ***** A MESSAGE FROM REVD KATE BYROM What strange times we are living in! You will probably have already gleaned that St. Peter’s and St. Mary’s Abbey Chapel are now suspending church services in response to the public health guidelines over COVID-19. I’m grateful to Maria for this opportunity to update U3A members about the life of our church and chapel at this time: • While we are allowed, the church will remain open and people are welcome to come in to pray individually, as long as distance between people can be retained if you should find you’re not alone. Prayers and reflections are available to inspire reflection. • If you would like to be kept in touch with church, we have a growing email community and anyone is welcome to join (whether they normally attend church or not). Please send your email address to [email protected] to be added. • For those who would like to worship from home, we will be attempting to livestream on facebook Sunday Holy Communion at 9.30am. At 11.15 there will be short Mothering Sunday message, also on facebook (search for ‘Chapel of St Mary and St Peter’s Church Ravenshead’ to find us). • In addition, BBC Radio on Sunday will broadcast a 30 minute service beginning at 8am (Frequency 1 MHz, 95.5 MHz, 103.8 MHz, DAB [NOW Nottingham] Freeview channel 720) and BBC1 TV screens Songs of Praise at 1.15pm. Some good services and resources are being added daily to the Church of England website (www.churchofengland.org). • For as long as we can, Revd Claire and I will pray daily in church and we will include in our prayers by name all the streets in our community and all the people known to us. If you would like your name, or that of someone you love, to be included in this weekly prayer, please contact me at [email protected] • Sunday has been designated a national day of prayer. If anyone would like to join in with this, please place a lit candle in a window at 7pm as an expression of our hope that God will shine light into this dark and difficult time. I’m praying that we all remain safe and resilient during this challenging time and indeed we need to remember that it will pass. In the meantime, let’s support one another and stay hopeful, remembering that God is with us in everything and his love will sustain us. Revd Kate ***** SHARE THE WAYS WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP HEALTHY AND FIT Margaret Craddock To try and keep ourselves from getting lazy, and putting on too much weight, Paul and I are taking daily walks around the village. We “meet” people and chat to them with our 2 metres between us. We even wave to some through their windows. Yesterday we walked 4 plus miles and today just 3 miles and I’m sure others of you have better bragging rights than this. Yesterday we mistimed our walk and got caught up with parents and school children so had to do a lot of crossing of roads to keep our 2 metres’ distance - which parents didn’t seem to understand. Now our diaries are empty of appointments we have decided we need to have a reason to get out of bed in a morning and going for a walk is one aspect of this. I've also got my hoola hoop in readiness. Keep healthy Margaret PS We could, perhaps, have a competition to see who walks the farthest - I will certainly not win. ***** CORONAVIRUS: HOW TO EXERCISE WHILE STAYING AT HOME Follow this link to the BBC site for advice and some exercises with the Green Goddess: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51933762 ***** LET’S SIT, EXERCISE AND HAVE FUN Val Ford Sit on a chair that has no arms. Have your feet flat on the floor and hands in your lap with palms facing up. Repeat each movement twice. • Right hand – touch each finger in turn to the pad of the thumb and then back. • Left hand – Repeat • Right hand – turn wrist to the right and then to the left. Left hand – Repeat • Bring hands to chest palms together and lift up to the ceiling, open palms and circle down. • Cross arms and bring right shoulder forward and back and then left shoulder forward and back. • Round shoulders forward and then straighten spine. • Keeping heels on the floor, lift toes of both feet and take them back down. • Keeping toes on the floor, lift heels of both feet and take them back down. • Right foot – circle ankle to the left and to the right. Left foot repeat • March lifting knees for 4. • Now let’s have some fun and do the Macarena. (The moments are quite fast) • Take right hand forward palm down, left hand forward palm down. Turn right palm up and left palm up. Take right hand to left shoulder and left hand to right shoulder. Right hand to right ear then left hand to left ear. Right hand to left side of the belly and left hand to right side of the belly. Right hand to right hip and left hand to left hip. Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle on the chair and clap hands together. ***** RAVENSHEAD NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH Some of you may have already received this email from Sue Harris, Chair of Ravenshead Neighbourhood Watch. With her kind permission we reproduce it here for you all to read. It contains some valuable advice. With the arrival of the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic and the recent Government advice, the RNW committee has decided to postpone our AGM. We will aim to hold it later in the year when, hopefully, this virus will be well and truly behind us, and life will have returned to normal. Although RNW has been outwardly quiet of late, we have been busy behind the scenes. We have liaised with other groups to see if a co-ordinated approach of some sort was possible. However, the fact that the advice has been changing on a daily basis hasn't helped, and Monday's announcement advising against all unnecessary social contact was a bit of a game changer. Our main concern is the well-being of residents and, therefore, we encourage everyone to follow the Government's advice in relation to hygiene, social distancing (maintain a distance of 2 metres between you) and self-isolating when necessary (currently if you, or others in your household have a high temperature or a persistent cough). It is difficult to overstate the importance of good neighbours as this situation develops. We can all play our part in trying to keep ourselves, and others, well. I am sure that many of you are already taking action, with your neighbours, to support one another and keep each other informed, as well as heeding Government advice. (Please ensure that you share accurate information, such as that issued by Public Health England). RNW would encourage those of you who are able to offer support, to keep in contact with your neighbours, particularly those who are more vulnerable. Many in the village will not have access to online services; drop a message through their door, offering whatever help you can (picking up supplies or just being a point of contact). Exchange telephone numbers so you can contact one another without the need to leave the house. One main concern, particularly when the period of shielding starts, is the effect that isolation can have on individuals. (We understand that at some point, those with the most serious health conditions will be advised to largely shield themselves from social contact for around 12 weeks). A regular chat on the phone could make all the difference. From a crime prevention perspective, it is much better if the people involved (the person being assisted and the helper) are known to each other - and what better than neighbours?! (Unfortunately, there are sometimes opportunists who will try to take advantage of situations such as this so please be wary of cold callers, those calling on the phone, dropping notes through your door or calling at your door - they may have good intentions but, if you don’t know them be very careful and speak to family, friends and neighbours to find out more before agreeing to anything). This is also a good opportunity to support local businesses within Ravenshead more than ever. For example, we are aware that some local businesses including: Bradbury’s 793780, Strawberry Fayre 491006, Ravenshead Farm Shop 793624, Ve Raj 797024 and Santinis 793973 (all telephone numbers local area code) are taking orders for goods, or takeaway meals, for collection or home delivery within the village. Contact them for full details. (For those who have access to social media you can find all the relevant details on the Facebook page of each business). Just announced today – Gedling Borough Council have set up a dedicated Coronavirus phone line – 0115 901 3667. This phone line will be used to signpost residents who are unable to access online information to necessary advice and support in line with the guidance from Government and Public Health England. Remember, we are more fortunate than many - we live in a lovely village which has a strong community spirit, of which we are rightly proud. And, together, we will all rise to the challenges that this virus brings, I have no doubt. This is a message from RAVENSHEAD NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH ***** PROJECT: WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR OLD PHOTOGRAPHS? Terry Moore Like most people Judith and I have lots of old photos (that were taken pre-digital age) some in nicely organised albums (early on in family life) but many thrown ad hoc into boxes, drawers or in the loft! Now might be a good time to have a sort out. Find those photos and first have a look through them and throw out all the rubbish ones. Yes, we all have them, with heads cut off, pictures of feet, and some that are blurred, black or just awful!! Whilst doing that it would be a good idea to sort them somehow and to label them. Most of our parents / grandparents were pretty good at writing on the back of photos they had with a date and place name. Try and do this if possible, with the ones you want to keep and throw the rest out! You can then think of maybe sorting them into chronological order, or you may want to group them together as sets on a particular theme such as a person, a holiday, or another special event. These sets can then be put together in labelled envelopes to keep them tidy but remember to date and label them so that you can find the ones you want easily. You can leave it at that, or for those more technically minded, you can go on to scan these into your computer, in order to create electronic copies that you can share on social media, or use to create a slide show which can also be shown at a later date on a PC or laptop. You can also use them to go full circle and create electronic photo albums which are then printed out in full colour! There is lots of help online, but Judith has done quite a few of these and can advise if needed! Terry P.S. from Maria: a picture is worth a thousand words – but only if it is labelled! ***** MOTHERING SUNDAY David Turner This coming Sunday, 22 March 2020, is Mothering Sunday. As we all know, it is a day to celebrate motherhood and an opportunity for children everywhere to thank their mothers and to offer gifts and other kinds of appreciation to them. Mothering Sunday falls every year on the fourth Sunday in Lent. It is also called Mid-Lent Sunday or Refreshment Sunday, referring to the sense of respite halfway through the season of fasting and penitence. The day has medieval origins, but the modern recognition of it began as recently as the nineteen-twenties. Some members of our U3A may not be aware that the re-establishment of Mothering Sunday came about through the persistent lobbying of a Nottingham woman, Constance Adelaide Smith. She had become aware of the “Mother’s Day” Movement in the USA, promoted by Anna Jarvis, and was determined to establish a parallel movement in Great Britain. She collected evidence of the old traditions surrounding Mid-Lent Sunday, including the practice of daughters visiting their mothers (especially important for those working away from home as domestic servants) and the giving of simnel cakes. Constance Adelaide Smith never married and had no children of her own. She died in Nottingham in 1938 and was buried at All Saints, Coddington, just outside Newark. The Lady Chapel in the church was dedicated to her memory in 1951. The church is well worth a visit, with some very fine glass by William Morris and Edward Burne- Jones. I have no doubt that Constance Adelaide Smith would be horrified to learn of the twenty-first century commercialisation and Americanisation of this ancient Lenten Day, as it has become transmogrified into Mother’s Day. ***** More Than Blood Amélie Frost (Barbara and Graham Jukes’ granddaughter) If we look at it one way, A mother is our blood Half of us A donor of the breath in our lungs. But if you look at it this way There is much more to see. A mother is a selfless giver Who holds you tighter than any other A stronger bond than blood can offer. A mother is kind, strong and proud A fierce force of nature The safest shelter That no weather can destroy. So when the storm comes And rain is heavy in the air Do not feel alone or scared Because a mother will be there. ***** And one last JOKE Little Billy: Why is a computer so smart? Mummy: It listens to its motherboard. ***** GETTING TO KNOW YOU ANSWER: It is your speaker finder Judith who explains: When I was studying at teacher training college in north London I would regularly hitchhike home to Nottingham with my friend. One summer we had a mad idea to try to get all the way to Malta where my friend Pippa's godmother lived. We set off from Cockfosters with minimal luggage, stuck up our thumbs and off we went. Over several days we had many adventures including blagging a free trip on the cross-channel hovercraft, crossing the Alps from France to Switzerland in a car with no brakes and being dropped off in the middle of Naples late one evening and having to find a cheap hotel for the night. We also tried camping out in our tiny tent despite realising we had forgotten to pack tent pegs! Eventually after travelling by car, lorry, train, boat and bus via France, Switzerland, Italy and Sicily we reached our destination only to find that Pippa's godmother wasn't at home! All was not lost, we got a live-in job as nannies to a family opening a new restaurant, trained briefly and not very successfully as silver service waitresses and enjoyed the whole Maltese experience. And when it was time to come home we found a man with an empty car who was travelling back to London so Pippa, myself and a random fellow hitchhiker called Keith from Stevenage got all the way back with one lift. Happy (and very different) days! Judith Who else has a story to tell? ***** VOICES: A short story Sue Clipson MAGGIE “Stop staring at the post box!” I tell myself, “Put the letter in and walk away!” My hand shakes as I finally let the letter drop and I hear it drift down and land amongst the other letters. Strangely giggly and excited I let myself into my small neat bungalow, I lean back against the door while my breathing returns to a more normal rate. Normal! I let out a nervous laugh, feeling young and foolish. Oh, my goodness what have I done? A month has gone by and I've had no reply to my letter. I stare out of the window as I wave goodbye to my precious Lucy, who, I might add, is responsible for the recent letter writing. "What have you got to lose?" she'd said and my mind wandered back ooh how many years? Far too many memories flood my mind. I smile, then tears slowly fall. Unhappy tears? No, tears of a life well-lived, definitely. “Come on Maggie, cheer up.” my inner voice tells me, and then I hear his voice. " I will love you more tomorrow than I do today.” Walking slowly to the bedroom I open my jewellery box and take out an old cinema ticket and a locket which has those very words engraved on the back, the writing faded but the sentiment still as clear as that sunny day. Exciting days and nights out for a seventeen year old. I remember struggling into the biker leathers, adjusting the crash helmet and running down the path to climb onto the back of the Triumph 650, my dad’s voice ringing in my ears. "Be careful and don't be late home." Of course, no mobile phones back then so getting home in time was important. However, I was often late, my dad would be waiting at the gate for me, he would whisper, "Your mum’s asleep so be quiet or she will get on at us both." We laughed, not unkindly but in a dad and daughter kind of way. The weekend comes and I pick up my pile of mail, bills and a hand-written letter; my hands shake, I feel quite giddy as I slowly open it. Almost forgotten but somehow familiar writing leaps in front of my eyes and after the third time of reading and realising I don't need a paramedic for heart attack symptoms I allow myself a smile.

"Morning nana how are you today?" shouts Lucy from the front door. “Come in, come in.” I shout, oh my word I can hardly contain myself, "I'm ready for you but you will have to be quick I'm off out soon” I remind her as I smile and wink cheekily. Lucy makes us both a cup of tea, then gets to work on my hair, “Tousled up do?” We both laugh, “Not too tousled,” I say, “I will look like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards.” Lucy pops in twice a week, she has been a star, keeping my spirits up. “You'd better tell me what you're up to and why you're getting so glammed up." she presses. Lucy works as a community nurse, she always has a story to tell me, she's packed a lot of adventures into her twenty-four years so far, things I'd never heard of, Facebook, Instagram, social media, Tweets. (Well that one always makes me smile.) She’s on a dating site now, something about a lot of fish, I can only imagine what it’s like, casting your rod and line all over the place, this would never have happened in my day. She makes me smile, never grumpy, at least not when she visits me. I pass her the letter, her eyes widening, her mouth spreading into a broad smile, "Well, well, well!" she says.

So, today's the day, I double check the cinema ticket is in my bag, I check myself out in the mirror. Is that really me, eyes brighter, hair piled up high, lipstick on? Excitement really does work wonders. A knock at the door tears me away from my reflection "Taxi for Maggie". During the fifteen mile journey I looked back on the last forty years: happy years, eventful years, and as the taxi stops at my destination, fare paid, I carefully make my way to the boarded up building facing me, the tatty birthday treat cinema ticket in my hand, the date on it 14/03/1977. I smile as I hear that voice, "Better late than never."

SAM My last day at work today, retirement and loneliness facing me, I made coffee and looked back on my working life. I’d had a good career in the police force, having left school and gone into coal mining I was relieved when I was told about redundancy and was offered support to gain qualifications and find work. I was only nineteen then, time really does fly. Forty years in the force, good pension, hobbies, but no one special to share my time with. I suffered the presentation, jokes and speeches, few drinks at my local pub then made my way home. My sister Julie had recently asked if she could give my address to an old friend. I'd obliged, not really interested. I live alone, my wife of twenty-five years sadly passed away after a short illness, no children, no pets. Bloody hell I really should make an effort to have a social life. A hand-written letter was in my mail-box, I put it to one side while I poured a whiskey and sat reminiscing. Maybe I should buy a motorcycle, I'd loved my Triumph 650......

LUCY A week off work, yay, moving into a place of my own, bit of a financial injection from parents and my nan and grandad, ooh I loved them so much. When I was a toddler nan helped out with childcare so mum could return to her much loved nursing job. We'd sung, dressed up, danced, walked, shopped, chosen a puppy. Nothing was ever too much. As I got older I would sleep over, we would talk about anything and everything. Nan agreed with my decision to go into nursing following in her footsteps and gave me the prompting I needed. Today I was off to visit nana, she wanted her hair doing. I'd gotten her to write to an old friend, see if they could re-connect. She had been so sad since my grandad had nipped off with venomous Valeria from Spain. He'd met her on one of his golfing holidays, never to be seen again. I missed him though. The letter writing had been hilarious, so many "Oh I can't put that" and "What will he think?" and “Let’s just forget it!” I left before nan’s taxi arrived, away to meet mum who was about to spend some serious money. I can’t quite understand her love of tatty old motorcycles...... ***** We hope you have enjoyed reading this first KIT e-newsletter. If you haven’t already worked it out KIT stands for Keeping in Touch – so let’s do just that. Feel free to share this e-newsletter with family, non U3A friends and neighbours. Very many thanks to all contributors. So, where do we go from here? Well, we are in your hands. If you send in the material we will put together the next KIT soon. We look forward to hearing from you. You will see Maria’s email address at the end of this e- newsletter. In the meantime, and no offence is intended, please keep your distance and stay safe, strong and positive.

EDITORIAL TEAM Maria Gabrielczyk Judith Moore Terry Moore Margaret Craddock Sue Owen