THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The AGM will take place on 30 March at 10.00 (PLEASE NOTE THE TIME) in the Peter Samuel Hall in the Royal Free Medical School.
On that morning, all classes that take place before 11.40 will be cancelled, but all classes from then on will continue as usual.
We are delighted to tell you that the guest speaker will be Brooke Parsons, the fundraiser for Maggie’s Cancer Care, which is one of our sponsored charities.
Do come to the AGM and play an active part in the running of your U3A. It is the one official opportunity of the year to find out how things are progressing, to hear what our financial position is and to make suggestions and complaints. If you cannot attend, please fill in a proxy voting form, which you can obtain from the Office. Every vote counts. The papers for the AGM and next term’s Monday talks will be emailed to you shortly. If you cannot download them, we will have spare copies in the Office which you can pick up. Those who are not on email will receive all the papers by post.
COMMUNICATING WITH YOU
Please make a point of looking at the Notice Board at regular intervals. There is one the corridor and another in the Atrium. This is the only regular way of telling you our “hot news” between Bulletins and Newsletters regarding class changes, cancellations, and special events. Please do not put notices on the Notice Board yourself; bring them into the office so that we can put them in the most suitable space.
Our methods of communication are –
1) Newsletters by e-mail or post.
2) Bulletins containing “hot news” sent out by email only.
Copies of both are always available in the office.
YOUR BLUE MEMBERSHIP CARD – A CRY OF DESPAIR FROM GERTA
Many of you have still forgotten to collect your membership card from the Office. There is a list of culprits on the Notice Boards. PLEASE DO COLLECT IT. You can get discounts in some local shops if you show your card.
EASTER CONFERENCE
The subject this year is “Freedom and its Consequences” and there will be a galaxy of speakers who again will explore the subject from their own perspectives. It will take place in the Main Hall on 21- 23 April. The programme and application forms are available in the Office and the cost is £50, including as usual all coffees, teas and delicious lunches from our Atrium café. Do book your place as soon as possible.
NEXT YEAR’S HANDBOOK
Amalia has begun to plan the 2020-21 handbook and would love to include some brand new classes. If you are thinking of introducing something to our exciting programme, please tell Amalia who seems to live in the Office. You don’t need to be an
expert as our policy is one of “self-help” and all members of the class can share their interest.
CALLING ALL BUDDING ARTISTS!
We love the late Tony Gotlop’s little drawings in the handbook, but it would be good to include some new ones. So have a go! Steve, who runs the Wednesday Art class has provided a couple of delightful drawings. You can bring a sketch into the Office or preferably attach it to an email. All contributions welcome, but try to choose a subject that has no illustration attached to it as yet.
NEXT YEAR
We have fixed the term dates for 2020 – 2021. The Autumn term will run from 21 September to 11 December, the Spring Term from 11 January to 26 March and the Summer Term from 19 April to 16 July 2021.
CLASS NEWS
Ancient Egypt. This Wednesday class is cancelled.
Arabic: Post Beginners is now meeting once every two weeks on Thursdays at 11.40 in Room
1.26. The dates are: Feb 6, 20; Mar 5,19; Apr 2; May 7, 21; June 4, 18; July 2, 16.
Chess Group: Congratulations to David Castle and Robert Kruszynski who have just been accepted as National Subject Advisers for chess. They are hoping to set up a national interactive list of U3A Chess Clubs. Our own group meets weekly on Friday mornings in the Aspern Centre at 10.30 and would love you to join them. All levels welcome.
Computing: Basic. Please check the fortnightly dates before you come. Alan may have had to change them.
Eurythmy: Beginners is cancelled – 12.50 on Wednesdays in Room 1.29.
French: Beginners. There is an extra group now meeting on Tuesdays at 14.00 in Room 1.26. On Thursday mornings French Games has now moved from Room 1.33 to Room 1.24, dates unchanged. Medieval History has moved from Room 1.30 to Room 1.33.
Art Appreciation A: Moved to Room 1.30. Dates unchanged.
Mindful Meditation: This weekly class in the Aspern Centre on Tuesdays will now run from 11.40 to 13.00.
Science: Energy and Climate Change. On Tuesday at 11.40 the class has moved from Room 1.28 to Room 1.33.
Italian: Reading and Conversation has moved from Room 1.33 to Room 1.28.
Write your Life Story, weekly on Tuesdays, has now gone back to its old time of 10.50 – 12.45. Still in Room 1.30.
IN THE SUMMER TERM
Music: The Art of the Song. Stan and Valerie Clingman will return with their popular class on April 28; May 12, 26; June 9, 23; July 2. Room 1.29 at 11.40.
Music: Introduction to Opera. Robert Hugill will be returning fortnightly on Tuesdays in Room 1.29 at 12.40, on May 5, 19; June 2, 16, 30; July 14.
Baha’i Faith Rosette Heidarieh will return to run her class on Tuesdays at 11.40 in Room 1.28. Fortnightly on May 5, 19; June 2, 16, 30; July 14.
Train Your Ears. Michael Cheshire invites you to weekly sessions on Thursdays at 15.10 in Room 1.26
NEWS FROM THE LONDON REGION; SUMMER SCHOOLS ETC.
One of the aims of the London Region is to organise events such as the Annual Summer School at St Brides which are open to all U3A Members in the Region. This will take place on 21-23 July. Full details are on the Notice Board. There will also be two residential U3A National Summer School Study Days and workshops at Aston and Cirencester – details will be on the Notice Board.
THIRD AGE MATTERS AND SOURCES
If you no longer wish to receive the U3A magazine Third Age Matters by post, please let the Office know. We don’t want to waste paper – or money!
PERSONAL
Many of you remember Daisy Hoffner who was probably one of our earliest members. Sadly she died in December. There will be a memorial service on Saturday 21 March at 3 p.m. in Friends’ Meeting House in Heath Street, NW3 1DR.
And other “old-timers” will be very upset to hear that Elli Adler has also died. She was our Office Manager for many years – even before we moved to Belsize Park.
We are also sad to record the death of Paul Lindsay who was a co-ordinator of English Language classes for many years. We are delighted that his widow, Diana, has decided to become a member.
Leslie Brent, a loyal member for many years, has also died. There was an obituary in The Times. The subject of an obituary in the same newspaper was Desmond Julian who took a class “Write your Life Story” for many years. The class continues but
Desmond and all those mentioned above are sadly missed.