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The Virtual U3A

The Virtual U3A (vU3a), which went live in January 2009, is an online-only U3A experience for those who are rendered isolated in some way by circumstances or geography and unable to play a full part in a terrestrial U3A. More information is available on the public website where one can also apply for membership.
Why not pay it a visit?
Virtual U3A Website
If you know anyone who might benefit, please pass the information on.

Exploring London Group 8


Walk around the Royal Parks.

Hoddesdon Heritage Weekend


June Crew's Good Friday Nature Walk
Hertford Heath
NEWSLETTER

Our newsletter has been produced as a downloadable (pdf) file, which should be compatible with any computer. It contains information covering meeting dates, forthcoming events, all our Groups etc.

To view the latest edition please "click" on the link:- 

NEWSLETTER

Please note that contact details (phone numbers, e-mail addresses etc) for Group Leaders and Committee Members are not shown in this on-line version of the Newsletter, as this is open to anyone with access to the internet, and we wish to protect this information. Therefore members need to refer to the paper copy you may have collected at a meeting (or a copy may have been emailed to you direct), as those versions contain personal contact information.

Anyone can use the club's email system to make contact with us - please refer to the left hand margin on the 'CONTACTS' page for details.

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CHAIRMAN’S CORNER – AUGUST 2019


As we listened to mellow summer sounds during the last meeting of our 60s/70s Music Appreciation Group, we were able to enjoy (?) the amazing heat of our hottest day on record, so I can now say that summer has definitely arrived! I hope you are enjoying a relaxing time.

Many groups take a break during August ready to start again, batteries recharged, in September. It can therefore be a lonely time for some of our members, who rely on their Interest Groups for getting them out of the house and meeting people. If your group is on a break, why not ring up one of the other members and arrange to do something, even if it’s just a meetup for coffee?

August is also the time for renewing your Membership. This year, when you fill in the renewal form, we hope that you will also complete the questionnaire, as your views matter immensely to us on the Committee. Please consider, too whether you could join our committee as we will have at least one vacancy. I know that you would find it very rewarding to be involved in making plans and decisions for the benefit of all our members.



Mary Cole
Chairman

Learn                 Laugh                 Live
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LINE DANCING GROUP


We had a Christmas session on the 10th December.  We had both our groups together dancing to Christmas music provided by Cyndy.  Everyone came dressed very Christmassy in red and white.  They looked very festive. We did not only do line dancing, as Cyndy had us doing barn dances which gave us all a good laugh.

We then had a brilliant buffet made by Ann, one of our Group Leaders.  Excellent end to the year and well done to everyone who came and made it such a good morning.

Carol Farren (Joint Group Leader)


The group also celebrated Halloween 2018 in style. Here are the scary members in the 'Improvers' group:



There are more photos of both events which you can see on the group's own page (see below for where you can view these).

If you have never tried Line Dancing before, come along and have a go. It’s a good workout for your body and brain. We are a very sociable and happy group.

Come along and join us, keep fit and have a lot of fun! Cyndy, our tutor, makes the whole session fun and is very patient.

We have both 'Improvers' and 'Beginners' sessions. Please go to the 'GROUPS' button in the top of the left margin, then visit our page for more details of when and where we meet.

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OUR SPEAKERS AT MAIN MEETINGS

Our Speaker Secretary Barbara Cordina has been working hard to secure the services of a wide variety of speakers until March 2020, which should be both informative and entertaining. You can read the full list by clicking on this link:-

SPEAKERS LIST

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NEW GROUPS FOR 2018 & 2019

We are delighted to announce that several new groups were launched in 2018, namely Art Appreciation, Astronomy, Ballet, Scrabble, Table Tennis, Tap Dancing, Walking Leisurely, and Food Appreciation. In 2019 ‘Popular Music (mainly 60's/70's), Bird and Nature Watch, 'Walking the Dog' and Nautical Interest  have also launched.

Please click on the "Groups" button in the top left margin for more information, or refer to the NEWSLETTER which can be viewed via the link at the top of this page.

There are other proposed new groups, including Recorder Group, and Church Visits .

We are always looking to set up new groups. A few current suggestions are:-  Quilting, Current Affairs, Wine Appreciation etc. There is no end to the range of subjects which may interest others.

 Please read the Newsletter for the latest information, or speak to our Group Co-ordinator Dennis Bruce.

Please help us to provide more for our members.

Hoddesdon Library Chess Group will warmly welcome LVU3A members. They meet on Mondays from 10am until noon. Cost is £2.50 including tea/coffee, Contact information can be found in paper copies of the Newsletter, or editions emailed to members.  Alternatively contact us using the email in the margin on the 'CONTACTS' link.

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Group Sharing Agreement

This arrangement is now up and running between 7 local U3As within the Agreement, namely Broxbourne, Ware, Cheshunt, Buntingford, Waltham Abbey, Hertford and Lea Valley.

The idea behind this is that where any of these other 6 U3As have groups that are keen to increase their numbers, they can open the group to members of LVU3A, 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 up to the other 6 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. 

You will find a list of groups in the 6 other participating U3As that are open to our members, together with their contact details, on the Secretary’s Table in the foyer at main meetings. The list will be updated regularly.

You may also find more information regarding these groups by visiting the website of the U3A concerned; these can be found by clicking in the "LINKS" box at the top left corner of the margin on this page.

The groups in this arrangement are (as at Jun 2019):

1) Broxbourne
- Heritage Group..............................Monthly outings
- Ballroom Sequence Dancing......First Friday 1400hrs – 1600 hrs Wormley Community Centre.
- Shakespeare Group.....meets at Mayhem Theatre Arts, Hoddesdon (opposite Nonna's Kitchen) on designated Fridays (mostly fortnightly) from 11.00 am to 12.30 pm. Tea, coffee and biscuits on arrival.
- Stamp Collecting..........................Tuesdays  10.30
- Darts & More.....Includes Table Tennis, Dominoes, Card Games etc. At Waltham Abbey Community Centre, Mondays 18.00-20.00. £4 inc Tea/Coffee.

2) Buntingford
- Guitar for Beginners..........Alternate Mons 14.00-16.00, Crown PH, Buntingford. Contact Bill Hooper.
- Pilates.................................Fridays 12.30-13.30
- Spanish for Improvers.......Thurdays pm.

3) Cheshunt
- Bolivia/Canasta.......................Mondays P.M.
- Chess
- Rummikub.................................Friday A.M.
- Sailing......................................Tuesdays
- Moderate Walks....................   A.M.
- Table Tennis/Badminton........Goffs School, Friday  7pm- 9pm
 - Walking Football.................... Fridays 3pm – 5pm.@ Laura Trott.

4) Hertford
- Classical Concert Going....Monthly outings
- Film Studies........................1st Friday of month
- Handbell Ringing.................Fortnightly, Fridays 10.45 to Noon. Bengeo
- Local Film & Theatre Group. 
- Table Tennis........................Wednesday 13.45 Wodson Park.
- Wine Appreciation .............Second Thursday 19.45 Ware Priory

5) Waltham Abbey
- German for Beginners.... 2 groups First Friday & Third Monday both at 14.00hrs
- Local Amble.....................First Tuesday 10.00
- Drama...............................Last Tuesday  14.00hrs
- Singing for Fun................Thursday 13.30
- Board Games..................Last Friday 14.00hrs
- Sunday Lunch .................First Sun, 12.30

6) Ware
- Active Gardens...........2nd Wednesday 9.30 or 3rd Thursday 1400hrs
- Ballroom Dancing.......Fridays 1400 hrs Must have partner
- Choir.............................Fridays in term 10.45 to Noon
- Computer Self Help....Third Thursday 1700 hrs
- Cycling.........................Wednesday 9.45 3 group standards.
- Dance Class ..............Wednesday 9.30
- Geology.......................First Monday 9.30
- Tai Chi.........................Tuesdays  1300hrs

The following Group Leaders at Lea Valley have agreed to open up their groups to the other U3A's in this arrangement (as at June 2019) :-

- ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES
- LISTENING TO MUSIC
- SINGING FOR PLEASURE
- THEATRE.

There are certain conditions that apply to this arrangement, and these will also be on the Secretary's Table. One of main conditions is that should the group become full from members of it's own U3A, you will either have to leave the group or become a full member of that U3A.

If you have a query about the scheme, please contact either Dennis Bruce or myself.

Mary Cole

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Lea Valley U3A Privacy Policy


Lea Valley U3A treats members' privacy rights seriously.  The policy document in the link below sets out how we will deal with your ‘personal information’, that is information that could identify, or is related to the identity of, any Lea Valley U3A individual member.

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Disputes (Complaints, Discipline and Grievances)

The U3A (Central Office) provides guidance to branches should disputes occur. There are three documents published which give procedural guidance covering ‘Complaints’, ‘Disciplinary’, and ‘Grievance’.

You can view these by clicking on the links below:-

Complaints Procedure

Disciplinary Procedure

Grievance Procedure

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Need help with your Computer, iPad etc?


Alan Paul is the webmaster at Ravenshead U3A, in Nottinghamshire.

He has produced a set of excellent ‘Computing Guides’ which he is happy to share via our website. These cover a broad spectrum of subjects including using iPads and Samsung tablets, Emails, Excel (spreadsheets), using Google, explanation of ‘Cloud’ storage, copying CD’s, address labels, managing photos etc.

At the bottom of his page he says that if you do not find what you want send him an email via that page and he will try to help.

You may be able to go straight to his page by clicking on the link below; failing this you can either copy and paste the line into the address bar at the top of your internet page, or type it in :-

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THIRD AGE TRUST MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
 
The Third Age Trust issues a monthly national newsletter with news from the national office as well as from UK branches.

Visit the national  U3A website page (go to the 'Links' page in the the top left of the margin). Under "Other Websites" you will find the U3A National Website.

On the 'About' tab on the website you can view the Newsletter Archive. You may need to register on the site and set up a password to access all content.

You can also arrange to have their new Newsletters emailed to you each time they are published.


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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO LISTEN TO CHILDREN READ IN LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Can you spare an hour or two a week to listen to children read in a local primary school? Schoolreaders is looking for more volunteers in Hertfordshire to carry out this important role. Reading time for many children at home and at school is often insufficient and one in four children are now leaving primary school unable to read to the required standard.

Please visit the website www.schoolreaders.org to join or call 01234 924111 for further information, or click on this link:

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U3A Merchandise

By clicking on the link below you can see a poster displaying the available, and their (very reasonable!) prices. Do stop by the Sales table in the Foyer.

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Broxbourne Arts Forum ("BArts")

Lea Valley U3A is affiliated to BArts, and one of our members is present at a table in the bar area at all monthly meetings, with leaflets and information.

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

It also represents the arts interests of individuals and member groups and negotiates with the Borough, so that the arts community may enjoy greater recognition and leisure facilities on a par with the provision for sports.

For more information either come to the table at our main meetings or visit the BArts website at:

www.broxbournearts.org.uk

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Lea Valley Discussion Group
This local society, founded in 1976, meets on Monday evenings usually twice a month at the Methodist Church Hall, Middlefield Road, Hoddesdon.

For more information and contact details please click on the link below:

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