Lea
Valley u3a
| HOME | |
| GROUPS | |
| CONTACTS | |
| LINKS |
Interest Groups online
Interest
Groups Online (abbreviated as IGO) is an online u3a community that gives you
the opportunity to join groups, talks and courses from the comfort of your
home.
Why not pay it a visit? Click on this link:-
Interest Groups online
If you know anyone who might benefit, please pass the information on.
An Exploring London Group outing
Walk
around the Royal Parks.
Hoddesdon Heritage Weekend
Good Friday Nature Walk
Hertford Heath
Our National Office, the Third Age Trust ("TAT") issues monthly online newsletters full of great ideas on how to stay connected and involved. The TAT has asked committees to encourage members to sign up for the newsletter, which can be accessed from the link below:
Either click on the link (or type the website name into your address bar) and then scroll down to the foot of the main page. Under the heading Quick Links there is a heading "Newsletter Signup". Click on this and you are taken to a page where you can input your details and receive the newsletter.
I hope you find this helpful.
Glynis Evans, Chair
Our monthly Newsletter has been produced as
a downloadable (pdf) file, which should be compatible with any
computer. It contains the "Chair's Corner" message, details on some forthcoming events and other information about Groups etc.
To view the latest edition please "click" on the link:-
Therefore members need to refer either to the version emailed to you, or the paper versions available to collect at main meetings, as those versions do contain contact information.
Alternatively anyone (members and non-members) can use the club's email system to make contact with us - please refer to the top of the left hand margin of this page, and go to the 'CONTACTS' page, and our email address is in the margin.
______________________________________
CHAIR’S CORNER
(COPIED FROM THE DECEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER)
Hello again, and welcome to our December 2025 Newsletter!
It was lovely to see so many of you at our Interest Afternoon on Friday 28th November to see Chen Tsui talking about Cyber Crime and how to avoid becoming a victim. Her talk was packed with so much useful information, and her delivery was excellent. It was one of our longest talks but full of valuable pointers about keeping ourselves safe online.
I am sure that many of you will be interested to know that Chen will be running some sessions in Hoddesdon library next month on 30th January.
Our final meeting of 2025 is our Christmas Celebration on Monday 8th December. This should be a lovely Christmas party starting with a buffet lunch and complimentary drink to the sounds of beautiful Christmas music from Barbara Manning on the grand piano. Barbara will then accompany the Lynmore Singers as they serenade us with some Christmas carols (and we hope you will join in too) followed by some party games and a short (but entertaining I hope!) talk about some aspects of Christmas.
The doors will open at 12.30pm for you to take your place at a table in the Auditorium and the buffet will begin at 1.00pm. Please note the earlier than usual start time, due to the fact we are serving lunch.
The Dress Code for the Christmas Celebration is “SSS”. The first “S” is for Sequins – this is an opportunity to get your glad rags and dress up in your party frock/cocktail dress/best suit. If that’s not for you, you could perhaps go for the second “S” for Santa – you can come in your Christmas jumper/festive outfit or even an elf costume – that would give the rest of us a good laugh! Or if you think these are both just the third “S” – plain Silly, then just come in your normal attire! This means that the dress code will cover absolutely everyone.
The Christmas Celebration is by ticket only and, as I write, is virtually a sell out, so if you want to cone but haven’t got your ticket get in touch with myself or Lesley Robinson urgently. Likewise, if you have bought a ticket but can’t now come, please let us know.
Looking ahead to 2026 we have a good range of speakers already booked. This starts in January with Fran Sandham telling us about his Solo Walk Across Africa at our main meeting, and Brad Ashton entertaining us with his “Job of a Laughtime” at our Interest Afternoon.
Chair
__________________________________________________________________________________
Monday 10th November, Main Meeting - Speaker - Dennis O'Shea - "One Night Over Cuffley". The story from 1916, when a German airship was shot down over Cuffley.
Friday 28th November, Interest Afternoon - Barclay Hall, Hoddesdon, 1:30 for 2pm. Tickets £3 on the door, including refreshments. ”Cyber Crime: Protection & Prevention”. Presenters: Chen Tsui (Hertfordshire Cyber and Prevent Officer) & Andrew Mordley (Team Cyber UK Network).
Monday 8th December, Main Meeting - Christmas Celebration - from 1pm. Booking required, limited numbers; tickets £5. Buffet Lunch, Music and Quiz.
Monday 12th January 2026, Main Meeting - Speaker Fran Sandham - "My Solo Walk Across Africa".
Friday 23rd January, Interest Afternoon - Barclay Hall, Hoddesdon, 1:30 for 2pm. Tickets £3 on the door, including refreshments. "The Job of a Laughtime". Brad Ashton.
Monday 9th February, Main Meeting - Speaker Mel Byron - "How Old Movies Changed My Life"
Friday 29th February, Interest Afternoon - Barclay Hall, Hoddesdon, 1:30 for 2pm. Tickets £3 on the door, including refreshments. ”Meet a Famous Woman" Louise Reed.
Monday 16th March, Main Meeting - Speaker Patrick Thompson - "The Good, The Bad, and The Downright Painful" - The history of underwear.
Friday 27th March, Interest Afternoon - Barclay Hall, Hoddesdon, 1:30 for 2pm. Tickets £3 on the door, including refreshments. ”The History of the Ukelele" . Lloyd Crowley
Monday 13th April, Main Meeting - Lindsey Barrell (aka Ms Cherry Bombe) - "Burlesque, me and the WI"
Monday 27th April, Fun Quiz at Parish Centre, St Augustine's, Broxbourne (So no Interest Afternoon this month) .
INTEREST AFTERNOON - CYBER CRIME -
Protection & Prevention
Our November Interest Afternoon was very well attended when Chen Tsui, Hertfordshire Cyber Protect & Prevent Officer with the Hertfordshire Police spoke to us about being cybercrime & fraud aware. Chen’s presentation was extremely informative, interesting as well as eye-opening as to how cyber criminals work and how they go about it. We were given plenty of advice and tips on protecting ourselves when online. ABC took on a different meaning when we were told: Accept nothing on face value Believe nothing until confirmed Confirm Everything If you were unable to attend this meeting or would like further advice or to ask a question, Chen will be at the Cybercrime & Fraud Awareness session at Hoddesdon Library on Friday 30th January between 10.45 a.m. – 3.30 p.m. It is free and no need to book. More details will be available on the Hoddesdon library website in due course. |
 |
 | |
--------------------------------------------------------------
EXPLORING LONDON 6 AT MIDDLE TEMPLE
|
In November a group of us from EL6 had an extremely interesting tour of Middle Temple where our guide explained its fascinating history. We learned that the 29-foot oak ‘High Table’ in the Elizabethan Hall, used by members of the Bench, had been made from three planks cut from a single 1,000 year-old tree in Windsor forest at the bequest of Queen Elizabeth I! Following our tour, we had a delicious lunch in the Middle Temple Hall. |
 |
 |
 |
SOLOS ADVENTURE CLUB
| The first meeting of our newly formed, Solos Adventure Club was a well-attended enjoyable event. It was very good to make new solo friends and enjoy plenty of laughter and good conversation over a lovely roast dinner at The Bull in Broxbourne. We put our ideas together and are now planning our next “adventure.” |
 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXPLORING LONDON 5 - "SEVEN DEADLY SINS" TOUR
 |
Our
group met our guide, Ulrika, outside the Royal Exchange on 17th
October for an extremely interesting and enlightening tour. Ulrika had certainly researched her topic
well and had some very amusing and, at times, quite risque stories to tell! As
we walked through the streets and alleyways, we stopped at various buildings of
interest to link a person in history to one or more of the deadly sins. Each sin was interspersed with a tale of lust
– of which there were many! We were all
surprised by Samual Pepys’ antics! We
finished our tour at the Tower of London and were asked who we thought was
guilty of all seven deadly sins! Apart
from the obvious, we were intrigued to discover stories which suggested that
Sir Isaac Newton was the culprit! It
had been a fascinating tour and talk.
Thanks go to Linda Williams for arranging. |
--------------------------------------------------------
PUBLICITY EVENTS IN HODDESDON
On Thursday we were in the High Street and we even had the Town Crier announcing our presence! On Saturday we were in the library. We had some good conversations with members of the public on both days. Hopefully, we’ve encouraged a few new members.
  |
THE RAMSGATE TUNNELS EXPERIENCE
Everyone agreed that the tour had been extremely enlightening and had, for some, evoked memories of their own war time experiences as young children.
Following the tour, we had time to explore the town in the glorious autumn sunshine. A big ‘thank you’ to Joan Underwood for arranging such an interesting trip.
 |  |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'EATING AROUND THE WORLD' GROUP
__________________________________________________________________________________
TALKING GARDENS
| Several
of us recently enjoyed a talk and tour of Martin & Sue Benson’s
beautiful garden. Over a cup of tea and a slice delicious homemade cake
made with homegrown fruit, Martin gave us lots of gardening tips and
information about their garden and enjoyed answering our
questions. We were all very impressed with the beautiful
abundance of flowers, particularly the dahlias, as well as the fruit
trees. We even did a spot of scrumping and came away with some very delicious apples! |
 |
 |
 |
__________________________________________________________________________________
INTERMEDIATE WALKING GROUP
Our Intermediate Walking group enjoyed a very pleasant 5 mile walk starting at Thorley Parish Church and crossing part of what used to be RAF Sawbridgeworth.
The group is run by Jill Dockley, and we meet at 10am on the first Friday of each month, new members are very welcome. See newsletter for contact details.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW GROUP 1 – COUNTRY DANCING
Members of Lea Valley u3a have been invited to join a Country Dancing Group which is held on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays of the month in the large room at Bollescroft from 2- 4 p.m. An enjoyable way to exercise to good music. First meeting is free then it’s £4 per meeting. Please remember your u3a Membership Card!
Please see the Group Listings in August's Newsletter for further details. Contacts are Val Foster and June Brown
No Meetings in August. Next Meetings: Thursday 4th September, Thursday 18th September.
Lea Nunzia Cusumano runs an Italian group to which members of all u3as are welcome and she would be delighted to invite members from the Lea Valley u3a.
The group meet every Tuesday from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Nunzia’s home in Hoddesdon for a beginner-level course. Nunzia assesses each individual’s proficiency to ensure they are placed at the appropriate level.
Each lesson is £5, with payment taken in advance on a monthly basis. The first lesson is complimentary so that students can experience the structure and content of the course before committing.
If you are interested or have further questions, please contact Nunzia on her mobile 07359 737687 or by email at nancycusumano1@gmail.com
LINE DANCING
|
Sarah would love to see Lea Valley u3a members at her
brand new absolute beginners class starting on Monday 21st July😃. Please give Sarah a call to let her know you're going👍 |
 |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are always plenty of online learning events to book. The website to look at is:
There are new events each month.
______________________________
 |
|
However, if you are a Facebook user you can ‘like’ the posts and comment on them! We would encourage positive comments to our posts to enhance our profile on Facebook. Posts will be added regularly but please do let Lesley Robinson know by email at secretarylvu3a@outlook.com with any posts you would like added.
Particularly, Group Leaders with information on events etc or a post following an event which will help to advertise and promote our u3a. Names or personal information will not be adde, to ensure privacy. Click on the link to go to our page:-
Newsletter & Social Media
If your LVU3A Group has enjoyed a good meeting or outing, please send a report (& photo if possible) for the Newsletter to Alan at mail@alanjc.plus.com and to Lesley for social media at secretarylvu3a@outlook.com
Please make sure you have permission to do so from members appearing in photographs.
.
We are delighted to announce a new range of services to those who sign-up to receive the u3a Friends newsletter.
u3a
Friends Extra is a benefits website developed exclusively for members
of the u3a Friends newsletter community. The website provides access to
a wide range of offers, discounts and additional services. Friends
Extra is completely free to access. Anyone signed up to the u3a Friends
newsletter can now also make savings on well-known brands, shopping,
travel, days out and more. Offers and services on Friends Extra include:
✓ Health and wellbeing
✓ Shopping savings on major brands and retail discounts
✓ Travel and holidays
✓ Leisure offers, like family days out, trips to the cinema and theatre
✓ Insurance offers on car, travel and medical insurance
✓ Access to financial advice and a legal helpline.
It also currently offers a 25% off the price of English Hertitage membership:-
To become a ‘Friend’, simply sign up to receive the Friends Newsletter on the u3a website via the link below.
Each issue of the Friends Newsletter will include a link to the Friends
Extra benefits website and highlight one of the offers. This is just
one element of the u3a Friends newsletter, which brings together
stories from local u3a groups, learning opportunities and news of
upcoming events to highlight the fun and learning within the u3a
community.
u3a Friends Newsletter shares news from u3as, national
learning opportunities and access to u3a Friends Extra, a wide range of offers,
discounts and services.
Go to the u3a website, and sign up via the "Get Involved" tab
www.u3a.org.uk
KEEP UP WITH OUR NEWS
 | Our
Knit & Natter group, which opened early in 2023, has been very
successful. We have all made lots of new friends, had lots of tea,
coffee and biscuits and lots of laughs! We have all learnt new skills and shared our tips with everyone. We have recently made knitted and crochet squares which have been sewn together to make blankets which have gone to the hospice department at Princes Alexandra Hospital, Harlow. These were done with the Dobbs Weir Crafty Cuppa group who also meet at the hall and knit and natter too! Gill Fowke |
 | On another crafty note, one of our members would be interested in starting a Needle Felting group. Needle felting is a creative craft that involves sculpting shapes and figures using wool and special felting needles. If you are interested please contact Glynis Evans (Chair) Click on heading to see more ideas. |
 | SECRETARY'S TABLE It’s always good to chat with you when stopping to read our notice boards in the foyer of the Spotlight at our main monthly meetings. The boards are updated each month so it’s always worth having a read to keep abreast of dates and events. We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting. |
SEE WHAT OUR u3a CAN OFFER YOU
One of our members, John Astin, produced another excellent video in December 2019 showing what happens at Lea Valley u3a. Sadly John passed away in March 2021.
The video includes comments from a few members who explain what joining us has meant to them, and an insight into what some of our groups get up to.
It is available to watch on YouTube.To view, please click on the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ECUfIJ7nn8
Playreading Group
.
Come along to our group on the first and third Thurdays monthly at 2pm to enjoy the world of theatre. Click on the poster for more information:-
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
East of England Region of U3As
The East of England region comprises the six counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. The website can be viewed via the following link:-
https://eastofengland.u3asite.uk/
"Regional News Bulletins" are published each month containing details of this month’s events and presentations both regionally and nationally. The latest edition can be viewed by going to their website. then click on the "Publications" link at the top of the Home page.
Group Sharing Agreement
The idea behind this is that where any of the u3as in the agreement have groups that are keen to increase their numbers, they can open the group to members of other u3a's and you will be allowed to attend those groups without having to join the other u3a. Conversely, where we have groups that are struggling with low numbers, they can participate and open themselves up to members of the other u3as.
It is very important to note is that members of our u3a can’t just see a group in another u3a newsletter and go along and join it. Only those groups which are struggling to be viable and which have agreed to open up to members from other participating u3as can be approached.
1) Cheshunt
Please click on the link to go to the relevant page on Cheshunt u3a's Group Sharing page on their website:
https://cheshunt.u3asite.uk/cheshunt-sharing-groups/
2) Hertford & District
Please click on the link to go to the relevant page on Hertford & District u3a's Group Sharing page on their website:
3) Waltham Abbey
Please click on the link to go to the relevant page on Waltham Abbey u3a's Group Sharing page on their website:
The groups at Lea Valley U3A which have agreed to open up their groups to the other u3a's in this arrangement (as at March 2022) can be found by opening this link:
LVu3a Group Sharing
If you have a query about the scheme, please contact me.
Lea Valley u3a's Constitution
Lea Valley u3a's Policies
The Third Age Trust provides guidance to branches on Policies that should be adopted.
The current versions of our Policy documents are available to open and read by clicking the relevant link(s) below:-
___________________________________________________
Disputes (Complaints, Discipline and Grievances)
You can view these by clicking on the links below:-
Complaints Procedure
Disciplinary Procedure
Grievance Procedure
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO LISTEN TO CHILDREN READ IN LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Please visit the website www.schoolreaders.org to join or call 01234 924111 for further information, or click on this link:
BArts offers activities and events which are not usually provided by the Borough of Broxbourne's Leisure and Entertainments programme.
www.broxbournearts.org.uk
Lea Valley Discussion Group
TOP
'Click' word
Top above to return to top of this page.