Soft Fruit Season!
Summer Programme
The Summer programme together with continuing timetable are on our website www.u3alondon.org.uk. They will be largely unaltered as the weeks go by, but can be updated if necessary, so keep your eyes open!
You can also seethe latest Update on our website.
Note: On the subject of our website, the classes you see there refer to those online that we have been holding during the last 18 months. It is now out of date and will soon be replaced by a description of the classes we intend to hold from 20 September, together with a new hybrid timetable. Let us hope it will fulfill our ability to return to the Town Hall.
From Naomi
The wellbeing of our members is always uppermost in the minds of the Executive Committee, who are the trustees of our U3A. During this traumatic period, decision making in the best interest of all, is fraught with anxiety and the responsibility weighs heavily.
Last Monday, the committee decided that we would continue to prepare for returning to Belsize Park on Monday, 20 September. However, because we are now part of the government’s national experiment of the removal of all restrictions with no return to lockdown, we realise that the risk to our health is greater than it should be. Our job is to minimise the risk as far as we are able to do.
We decided, therefore, that only those members that have been double vaccinated will be allowed to return in person to the Town Hall, whilst we are all so vulnerable. There will be no exceptions granted. No matter the reason for non-vaccination, only those who show proof of having been fully vaccinated will allowed into our premises. To ensure that this happens, members will only be given their new lanyards and ID cards, having first provided evidence of double vaccination.
This decision was not lightly taken. Already at our A.G.M., where there had been lengthy discussion on the subject, the overwhelming majority voted in favour of such a policy, at least for the time being. Moreover, Amalia and I have received representations from a number of members, who feel very strongly that this should be our policy.
Attending classes by Zoom is the alternative for those members who have not been vaccinated or feel the risk is too great at present to return to the Town Hall. We are hoping to offer the additional ability to attend in-person classes remotely to mitigate the situation.
I hope you understand the care and thought that has been given before arriving at this decision and will respect this policy. Like all of us, I am praying for this nightmare we’re living through to be over so that once again we can all meet safely back in Belsize Park.
Take care
Naomi
Monday Morning Talk
Monday Morning Talks will return in the Autumn term with Tudor Allen talking about ‘Charles Dickens in Holborn, Hampstead and St Pancras’. The full programme will soon be available on our website.
From Colin Lomas
My notes on Patriotism and Music on Monday morning may be useful as a preparation for the talk. I estimate I’ll cover about 3/4 of the topics in the notes.
From the Drama Group
U3A in London presents “Afternoon Theatre” on Monday afternoon!
More Masterpieces from Mureen Betts and the Thursday Art Class
From Rosa, Jelena and Avril.
To make you smile
From Kalula South African Airways
An announcement from the pilot: Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants.”
On landing, the stewardess said,
“Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you’re going to leave anything, please make sure it’s something we’d like to have.”
After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in the Karoo, a flight attendant on a flight announced, “Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted.”
From a Kulula employee: “To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don’t know how to operate one, you probably shouldn’t be out in public unsupervised.”
And …Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments.”
“As you leave the plane, be sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses..”
Heard on Kulula 255 just after a very hard landing in Cape Town : The flight attendant came on the intercom and said,
“That was quite a bump and I know what y’all are thinking. I’m here to tell you it wasn’t the airline’s fault, it wasn’t the pilot’s fault, it wasn’t the flight attendant’s fault, it was the asphalt.”
Another flight attendant’s comment on a less than perfect landing: “We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal.”
Part of a flight attendant’s arrival announcement: “We’d like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you’ll think of Kulula Airways.”
Best Wishes from the Team
-
Naomi
-
Gilli
-
Herbie
-
Amalia
