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CHAIR’S CORNER
(COPIED FROM THE NOVEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER)

Hello everyone!

On the day of our October main meeting, it was very disappointing to learn that our speaker, Lindsey Barrell, had lost her voice and was unable to give her talk.

Thankfully, I had put together a talk about the Lea Valley for just such an eventuality, so was able to step in at the last minute. It now means I am having to plan a third “emergency” talk – I just hope it’s not required anytime soon as it will take some considerable time to finish! I am glad to say that Lindsey has made a full recovery and has been rebooked for April 2026.

It was good to see so many of our members at the October quiz, and a fine time was had by all who attended. Many thanks to John Mills for putting together yet another excellent quiz, to Marion Bartlett for the refreshments and thanks too to everyone else who helped.

Our Spotlight meeting on Monday 10th November features Denis O’Shea with his talk "One Night over Cuffley". The night in question was 3rd September 1916, when the first enemy airship to be shot down over British soil since aerial attacks began in January 1915, came down at Plough Hill, Cuffley. This talk is on the start of World War 1, through to the shooting down of the airship, with background to these events.

At our Interest Afternoon on Friday 28th November, we will be hearing about Cyber Crime: Prevention and Protection. At a time when there are so many scams taking place this should be a really good opportunity to fin out more about keeping ourselves safe. As usual, this Interest Afternoon will be at the Barclay Hall, Pauls Lane, Hoddesdon and starts with drinks and cakes and the chance to have a chat with fellow members. We are moving things forward by 30 minutes – refreshments will be at 1.30pm and the speaker at 2pm. Tickets can be bought at the door for £3.

Next month (Monday 8th December) we have our Christmas Celebration featuring a buffet lunch and all sorts of festive entertainments. Now that the Christmas panto has been cancelled, we are able to host this in the main Auditorium so we can accommodate many more members, and everyone can be comfortably seated at tables. It is essential that tickets are bought in advance so that we can cater appropriately and lay out the seating and tables; they cannot be purchased on the day.
They will be on sale at our meeting on November 10th at a cost of £5. You can also reserve a ticket by calling or emailing Lesley on 07985 617004 or secretarylvu3a@outlook.com. We will also be having a raffle for Christmas hampers tickets for which will be on sale on the day.

We hope to see you all at our main Spotlight meeting next Monday and/or our Interest Afternoon on Friday again and welcome to Autumn!

We have our AGM on the 13th of this month, and we hope to see as many of you as possible to vote in our new committee.

Following the AGM, we should be very well entertained by Lindsey Barrell who will be giving us an insight into the history of Burlesque! Many of you will remember the very interesting talk Lindsey gave us at our Interest Afternoon when she introduced us to British Sign Language. She is an extremely good presenter and this talk, we’re sure, will be very enjoyable.

We had two very good meetings in September. Jon Mein’s ‘Room at the Inn’ talk was very interesting, particularly as it contained so much local history. I was very
disappointed that due to illness I had to miss our Interest Afternoon of wine appreciation & tasting. This was a different style from our usual Interest Afternoons and it was well attended and everyone said how much they enjoyed it.

Tickets for our Christmas Celebration event in the Green Room Bar at the Spotlight on Monday 8th December are now on sale! You can also reserve a ticket by calling or emailing Lesley on 07985 617004 or secretarylvu3a@outlook.com. We are limited to 120 due to the space as well as health & safety regulations. The ticket price of £5 will include a buffet lunch and live music. We will also be having a raffle for which tickets will be on sale on the day.

We hope to see you all at our main Spotlight meeting next Monday and/or our Interest Afternoon on Friday 28th November.

Glynis Evans
Chair

Learn                 Laugh                 Live
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS (SEE NEWSLETTER FOR MORE DETAILS)

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) .

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EXPLORING LONDON 6 AT FISHMONGERS HALL

At the end of October a group from EL6 enjoyed a fascinating guided tour of the Fishmongers Hall near London Bridge.  The Fishmongers’ Company is one of the oldest and most ancient Livery companies of the City of London. We began our visit with tea and biscuits in the Court Room before Peter, our very knowledgeable and witty guide, showed us round several magnificent rooms and explained some of the history and traditions both ancient and more modern. We heard some interesting stories dating back to 1381 when Sir William Walworth cemented his place in history during the Peasants’ Revolt as well as a wonderful tale about the chandelier in the Court Dining Room! 

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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.”

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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.

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"WINE TASTING" INTEREST AFTERNOON

Our Wine Tasting & Appreciation Interest Afternoon was very successful! Over 30 of us enjoyed sampling six wines we may not have tried before. Peter Robinson, the President of the National Wine & Beermakers Association (among many other wine related titles!), explained the process of tasting and gave an explanation on each wine and the different types of grapes.

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PUBLICITY EVENTS IN HODDESDON

A big thank you to all the volunteers who helped on our publicity stand in Hoddesdon on 25th & 27th September.

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.

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THE RAMSGATE TUNNELS EXPERIENCE

Members of the Heritage Group enjoyed another great day trip, this time to Ramsgate for a guided tour of the fascinating Ramsgate Tunnels situated on the Esplanade. With torches to light our way, we were led through part of the network of deep shelter tunnels by our very knowledgeable guides who gave us a very interesting, detailed history.  During WW2 60,000 people used the tunnels as shelters and we were told what life was like for them.

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.

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'EATING AROUND THE WORLD' GROUP

Twelve members of the Eating Around the World group recently enjoyed a delicious meal and superb company at the Fish & Eels in Dobbs Weir. Why not join us for our next gastronomic delight on Wednesday 29th October.  For details, please get in touch with Pam Benton. See the newsletter for contact details.

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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!

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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.

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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. 

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NEW GROUP 2 – ITALIAN

 
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

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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👍   Cash only please & please arrive by 5.45 p.m

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ONLINE LEARNING EVENTS WITH THE u3a

There are always plenty of online learning events to book. The website to look at is:

www.u3a.org.uk/events/educational-events

There are new events each month.

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FACEBOOK

Our Lea Valley u3a Facebook page has been updated and is now up and running. We are hoping to reach the wider public in our area who may be viewing our page.  Anyone can view the page but only the Administrator can add posts. 

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:-

https://www.facebook.com/LeaValleyu3a/

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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.

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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

	NEEDLE FELTING 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

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Playreading Group
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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:-

PLAYREADING

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FACEBOOK

We also have our own Facebook page which can be found by clicking on this link:-

https://www.facebook.com/LeaValleyu3a/

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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. 

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BArts offers activities and events which are not usually provided by the Borough of Broxbourne's Leisure and Entertainments programme.