Epsom and Ewell U3A Spring 2017 Newsletter

2 October, 2017

Chairman’s Report In this issue: Page 1 ~ I should like to extend a warm welcome to all our new members who joined Chairman’s Report us following Open House. We now have 941 members and 98 group leaders Monday Morning Speakers running 122 groups. On joining you will have been sent a list of the groups. Please be patient if Page 2 ~ you are not able to join the group of your choice immediately. The size of 2017 Christmas event groups is restricted by the size of the host’s home. If a group is full a new Social outings and Theatre trip group may be formed once there are enough members on the waiting list but 2018 holiday U3A News it takes time to get people together. Epsom and Ewell U3A in numbers We took to the water for our Christmas event with a river cruise on the Thames The Other Epsom U3A! from Hampton Court to Shepperton on a bright sunny day. The skipper gave 30th Anniversary a very informative commentary as we sailed along and we were served a traditional Christmas meal. A fun time was had by one and all. Page 3 ~ Group News: Attendance at the Monday morning meetings continues to rise attracted by Massive Open Online Courses our excellent speakers and the broad range of subjects covering history, Racketball crafts and travel. If you are hard of hearing you will be pleased to know that Bourne Hall’s Page 4 ~ acoustics are much improved since they have installed new sound More Group News: equipment. There is a hearing loop system that can help anyone with an Jazz Group appropriate hearing aid. We can arrange for the loop to be switched on Moral Issues Group provided you let us know in advance. Please contact the Chairman on [email protected]. Page 5 ~ Study Days In April we held our annual Group Leaders Meeting followed by lunch. We South East Forum Events had a talk by Geoff Saunders on Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs – Chichester Summer School see more on page 3). National Events

The U3A is run by its members for its members. There is always a need for Page 6 ~ volunteers to either join the Committee or help with specific tasks – for more Committee News details see page 6. Vacancies I wish you an enjoyable summer. Committee members, other posts Email and website addresses Linda Hollands

Monday Morning Speakers

5 June Alan Doig Great Ormond Street Hospital 3 July Graeme Payne The Seaside Piers of the British Isles 7 August Garry Wykes History and Rituals of British Coronations 4 September Carol Harris Doctors and Polar Exploration 2 October AGM Rupert Matthews Surrey Then and Now 6 November Richard Skelton Behind the Scenes at the Houses of Parliament

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2017 Christmas Event

Our 2017 Christmas Event will be a traditional Christmas lunch at the Reigate Manor Hotel on Wednesday 6 December. Further details with the menu to select from and a booking form will be circulated with the subscription renewal notice in July. Put the date in your diary as places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Social Outings 31 July Wrest Park Advance Notice of 2018 holiday 30 August Winchester College and Jane Austen Information will be available in the Autumn tour of Winchester Cathedral Newsletter of a 5 day/4 night holiday in Suffolk: 26 September The Great Stink Thursday 26 – Monday 30 April 2018 Theatre Trip Excursions include Lavenham, Gainsborough’s 5 October Dreamboats and Petticoats, Brighton House, Aldeburgh, Colchester, Beth Chatto See separate flyers for more details Gardens, Ickworth House

U3A NEWS is now being sent out regularly to everyone with an email address. It enables members to be kept abreast of U3A activities locally, regionally and nationally, especially those that do not fit with our publication schedule. If you are not receiving U3A News please put Epsom U3A News in your e-mail address book to avoid them going into junk mail. It is important that we have your correct details; please inform our Membership Secretary if you change your email address.

If you do not have an e-mail address you will receive much of the information through the printed newsletter as we will continue to have mailings in May, July and October so that everyone has an equal opportunity to book for social events. However, if you do not have a computer consider setting up an email address and using one of the computers available in the public libraries so that you get more timely information.

Epsom and Ewell U3A in numbers THE OTHER EPSOM U3A! Total Membership: 941 Couples: 310 Juliet Eden sent the following message to Ted Morrey via the Epsom & Ewell U3A Web Site Men: 250 Women: 691 I am new to U3A and am definitely interested. Men %: 27 Women %: 73 Where do you meet? Ted: We meet at my home in Stoneleigh. Which Groups: 122 Group Leaders: 98 group are you interested in, or both? Members in Groups: 625 Not in Groups: 316 Juliet: Sorry to be so ignorant but where on earth is Stoneleigh? Thank you. Men in Groups: 144 Men Leaders: 22 Ted: Stoneleigh is KT19 ONG. It is adjacent to Ewell Women in Groups: 481 Women Leaders: 76 and Nonsuch Park. It is on the Ewell Bypass on the way to Tolworth from Epsom and off on the right In 1 Group: 313 In 5 Groups: 18 near the new big Aldi supermarket. In 2 Groups: 178 In 6 Groups: 12 Juliet: Sorry but I am in Epsom N Z but thank you. Ted: That’s brilliant! Hilarious actually! My wife is In 3 Groups: 65 In 7 Groups: 3 still giggling! I thought you were up rather late In 4 Groups: 32 In 8 Groups: 2 from the time stamps on your emails! My group Vikings1 meets today. They will love it when they With e-mail: 793 With e-mail %: 84 hear this story, but I agree it is a bit far for you to Men (other U3A): 7 Women (other U3A): 14 travel to every meeting! We ought to twin groups!

30th ANNIVERSARY Pat Jenkins is coordinating the commemorative publication being planned for our 30th anniversary in 2018. She has already talked to several of the founding members about their recollections and reminiscences. In particular we want to celebrate what people have got out of their membership of the U3A. We would like your contributions; if you have any anecdotes or pictures Pat will be pleased to hear from you: Tel: 01372 274356; email: [email protected].

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GROUP NEWS

MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES – MOOC Never heard of MOOC? Neither had I until a few months ago when a U3A colleague sent me a link to it. Since then I have signed up to a number of courses. There are many providers and the one I have used is Coursera which seems to be the largest one. The subjects are many and there should be a course suitable for all tastes. Both the Arts and Sciences are included. Coursera has many providers mainly from universities across the world. There are two ways to participate. You can just watch the videos on their own and read some of the material or take it to the second level and sign up to gain a certificate. This does require a greater commitment to answering questionnaires. In order to gain the certificate a certain level of correct answers is required. If successful, a certificate will be provided which can be added to your CV or personal attainment folder. The cost for achieving a certificate is around £30-£40. There is a start and finish date – they are not continually available. I have signed up to Post Modernism, Fibonacci numbers, Music and Social Action, Introduction to Classical Music, Sharpened Vision (poetry), Art and Gender, and Western Christianity, some of which I have completed and others are currently ongoing. If you don’t like the lecturer or the course you can simply stop watching the videos. Courses last between three and twelve weeks. The length of the videos in any one part of a session of a course varies from two minutes to twenty minutes. If you are looking for a home based study that is mildly challenging but not too demanding on your time then I recommend giving it a try. Michael Dunk

Details of the websites mentioned by Geoff Saunders at the Group Leaders’ meeting are:  Google  www.technoduet.com has a good list of course providers, showing links to many sites  www.futurelearn.com, includes OU  www.edx.org includes ANU, Harvard and MIT  www.coursea.com includes London University, Princeton and Stanford The Great Courses is another source of online courses and lectures on a range of subjects suggested by Vera Toze who has used their DVDs for her history group. More information is available: 0800 298 9796; www.thegreatcourses.co.uk

50+ RACKETBALL 50+ RACKETS MORNINGS Racketball is a gentle cross between tennis and squash held on Thursday mornings from 9.30am-12pm at but is played indoors on a squash court. It is played Ebbisham Sports Club in Epsom. Participants can with short rackets and a bouncy ball which is easier to play up to 7 different sports during the morning – strike and is easier to learn than tennis, squash or badminton, squash, racketball, table tennis, tennis, badminton. Good cardiovascular exercise, great fun touchtennis and pickleball (google it!) – rotating round for both men and women, all ages and abilities. the sports with different partners. Also ‘taster’ Ebbisham Sports Club in Epsom (5 minutes from sessions of Tai Chi, Pilates, Yoga, Pickleball and a Epsom station) hosts drop-in 50+ Racketball sessions Coach on occasions. This is part of the new Sport as follows: Beginners on Mondays 10-11.30am and England Get Active 50+ campaign to encourage those Wednesdays 2-3.30pm and Improvers on Tuesdays 2- aged 50+ to lead a happier, healthier lifestyle and it is 3.30pm. Cost £2.50 for U3A members, £3.50 for non- good fun, gentle cardiovascular exercise with a members. All equipment provided but please wear sociable chat and tea/coffee break half-way through. non-marking (not black-soled) trainers. Please contact Cost is £3 for U3A Members and £5 for non-members. U3A Racketball Group Leader, Jo Robinson. No need to book – just turn up or call U3A Rackets Mornings Group Leader, Jo Robinson.

Contact Jo Robinson on 020-8393 5284 or 01372-720647 (Ebbisham Office) for more information.

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EPSOM & EWELL U3A JAZZ GROUP

THE GREAT JAZZ REVIVAL

A century after the first jazz hit record was released there is renewed interest in jazz and jazz dances, with a new craze for Swing Dancing by students in London and around the UK. The new generation of young jazz musicians, straight from music colleges, play the hot jazz music the dancers demand. They have even opened clubs for dancing well into the early hours. Our jazz group has more civilized hours, meeting on Tuesday afternoons from 1.30 pm. There are also several jazz clubs in our area which meet in the evenings, which our members support. One of the most outstanding of the new generation bands, The Dime Notes, is booked to play for us at All Saints, Ewell on Tuesday 7 November at 1.30pm. This is just one of the five live jazz meetings we have in our 2017 programme.

Our group’s aim is to foster interest in New Orleans, traditional, classic and swing jazz and we encourage members to regularly attend jazz clubs and live jazz events. We meet at All Saints, Fulford Road, West Ewell KT19 9QY (which has a large car park) at 1.30pm usually on the first or second Tuesday each month. We also arrange occasional outings and trips. To subscribe to our monthly newsletter, please email [email protected] or phone 0208 393 2497. We can currently accommodate more members in our hall and the church, which we usually use for live events. Mike Stevens U3A Jazz Group Leader

The Moral Issues Group started meeting in February 2017 with 10 members interested in discussing moral issues. The meeting uses over 80 saved Radio 4 programme podcasts from programmes like “The Moral Maze” and “Medical Ethics” to select topics for discussion. We meet every 2 weeks and so far have enjoyed sharing and listening to each other’s views on “The pursuit of happiness”; “Unenforceable laws”; “Duty to vote”; and “Are baby boomers spoilt?” Baby Boomers are those babies born in 1948 (when there was a baby boom after the war) and who will be 70 in 2018. Some of the issues we discuss could be quite contentious and therefore the group have agreed a “code of conduct”. This includes things like sticking to the topic; only one person speaking at a time; respecting everyone’s views even if we don’t agree with them! We try and ensure everyone in the group has a voluntary role to play in “running” the group with it being held at different members’ homes; different people “chairing” and monitoring the “code of conduct”. At the end of each session those that attended the last session answer the questions “What went well?” and “What could have gone better?” This ensures that we look for small ways we can improve the running of the group to satisfy everyone’s needs including new members. The format has varied slightly based on feedback but generally involves listening together to a 30-minute radio Moral Maze programme followed by the discussion with everyone being encouraged, but not forced, to participate. We also try to think of one relevant question that can be put to everyone present to give the discussion a more personal angle. These have included “What makes us happy? “Would we have been a suffragette?” “What do we personally know about young 25-35 year olds views of 65-75 year olds?” These sorts of questions help us get to know one another and help everyone feel safe in sharing their views. In true U3A style the group does not rely on any one person to make it happen. The members are actually encouraged NOT to feel guilty if they can’t make a meeting for whatever reason. Provided we have at least two people interested the meeting can happen. While our group is theoretically “full” we are happy for anyone who might like to see how it works with a view of maybe setting up another “Moral Issues Group 2”. I would be happy to provide them with a copy of the 80 podcasts I have saved and to give any support or advice they may require to get you going. If you are interested in coming along to participate with the idea of setting up your own group or joining our waiting list then please contact [email protected].

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SURREY NETWORK STUDY DAYS Surrey Network Study Days are open to members of all U3As in Surrey and the surrounding area. They are held in the Menuhin Hall, Stoke d’Abernon. They normally start at 9:30am with registration and finish at 4:00pm. The fee, including coffee/tea and biscuits, is £10. A visitor who is not a U3A member will be charged £12. Attendees should bring a packed lunch. All Change!: Avant-Garde Art in First Half of Friday Twentieth Century The Yehudi Menuhin Hall is not readily 15 September Presented by Barrie Garnham accessible by public transport. If you book for one of the Study Days and are willing to Plagues & Pestilence; Past & Present offer a lift to a member without transport or Friday Presented by Dr Tim Mason, Portsmouth University would like a lift please contact Di Street who 20 October Sherlock Holmes & his Impact on Forensic Medicine has kindly offered to put people in touch with Presented by Carrie Parris each other. Her contact details are: Four Aspects of Military History [email protected]; 0208 393 0718. Friday Presented by David Williams, Pete Starling, June 17 November PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT A TAXI SERVICE Davey & Stephen Day, U3A members Forms can be picked up at our Monday morning meetings. Details and booking arrangements are available on the Surrey Network website. https://u3asites.org.uk/surreyu3anetwork/events. Booking for the above events opens from 1 June.

SOUTH EAST FORUM EVENTS Summer School: Monday 19 to Thursday 22 June at the University of Chichester. Research Conference exploring how U3As can begin their own research: Wednesday, 5 July 10:00-16:30 at Royal Holloway College. Details and booking arrangements are available on the South East U3A Forum website: https://u3asites.org.uk/southeastu3aforum/events.

CHICHESTER SUMMER SCHOOL Do you enjoy short holiday breaks where you Meals are cafeteria style, which means getting can exercise either your body or your mind? If so a tray and queueing for the main course. There are why not consider the U3A South East Summer at least three choices for both the lunch and School held at Chichester University. evening meal. The food is well cooked and of a If you have read your latest Third Age Matter high standard. The walking groups receive packed magazine you will know that there are 11 courses lunches. to choose from this year. They include two Evening entertainment is also provided. This walking groups, Art, Bridge, Mathematics, could be a quiz, a film or a musical evening. The Psychology, Music, History, Painting, Writing only extra cost is if you decide to take advantage of and even a course on the Origins of Fairy Stories. the very reasonably priced tickets they offer for the In other words, something for everyone. Chichester Festival theatre. The Summer School at Chichester is held over On top of all this, of course, you meet four days every June. The cost for Full Board, En members from other U3As and even the most Suite accommodation is £315. The reserved person soon finds that they are chatting to accommodation is student rooms, which are more strangers exchanging news and interests. than adequate. There are four or five rooms plus Please think about going to Summer school. It one common room on each corridor. I believe comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. ~ Di Street there are also a few double rooms.

NATIONAL EVENTS The national office arranges events many of which take place in London. They soon sell out so if you subscribe to the U3A Events Mailing List through the Members’ section of U3A website ~ https://u3a.org.uk ~ you will be notified directly about national events. 5

COMMITTEE NEWS Our thanks to Janet Painter for undertaking the role of Group Coordinator for the past 4 years. Under her guidance the number of groups has increased significantly. In her place we welcome Dave Starling. He can be contacted by email ~ [email protected].

VACANCIES

Social Secretary needed for October 2017 at the latest Do you enjoy days out, especially to places new? Do you have good organisational skills and like meeting people? If so you would fit the bill to be our next Social Secretary. If you are interested speak to Chris Rae or Linda Hollands for more information. Shadowing Chris is important to ensure a smooth handover. Chris will be on hand to support you in your first year and is always at the end of the telephone! Alternatively you could share this important role with two or three other members. Currently Joan Brown arranges the theatre trips but is not a committee member. Joan, too, will be stepping down at the end of the year. These are important roles and unless there are some offers of help, U3A day and theatre trips just aren't going to happen. Other help  Do you have word processing skills? We are seeking help with the Newsletters. Please contact the Chairman if you can assist the committee.  We would also like to hear from members with IT experience who would be willing to support the committee.

Epsom and Ewell U3A Committee

Chairman Linda Hollands 0208 643 8896 [email protected] Secretary Ted Morrey 0208 393 3319 [email protected] Treasurer Sally Topping 0208 397 5708 [email protected] Membership Secretary Wendy Clubb 0208 394 0517 [email protected] Social Secretary Chris Rae 0208 391 2562 [email protected] Group Coordinator Dave Starling 0208 337 4556 [email protected] Publicity Officer James Hadley 01372 721104 [email protected] Committee Member Janet Painter 0208 786 8818 [email protected] Committee Member Michael Dunk 0203 609 8013 [email protected]

Other Posts Theatre Bookings Joan Brown [email protected] Welfare Officer Veronica Wheeler [email protected] Bourne Hall Liaison Terry Caddle [email protected] Helpers Register Lynda Jennings [email protected] Newsletter Editor Linda Hollands [email protected]

Our website address is: https://u3asites.org.uk/epsom-ewell Our email address is: [email protected] U3A main website is: https://u3a.org.uk

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