Hi everyone
I wish you all the very best for a happy and healthy 2021 and welcome you to our first Bulletin of the year.
I very much hope that during the course of the year we can get back close to where we were before the pandemic at the beginning of 2020. It is alarming to realise that in a couple of months we will have experienced a whole year of disruption and disappointment. Infection numbers are not good at the moment and as we remain in Tier 4 we cannot meet up, but with people heeding the government restrictions and the roll out of the vaccination, we may get back to our desired place in the second part of the year. Let us hope so!
Meanwhile here at CEDU3A we will be continuing to offer our online talks via Zoom, usually 2 a month. Please see below and on our website for details. Some of you have queried why we ask you to register on Eventbrite when we also send the zoom link to all members. This is because it is helpful to have an idea of numbers for the speakers, but we also know that plans change at the last minute and so don’t want to exclude any of you.
Also look out for the next issue of our newsletter, News@… which should be with you in mid-January, either by email or post if you are a non-internet user, and will be enjoyable reading.
Many of our interest groups will be continuing to meet via Zoom and other electronic means. Please see the interest groups update below. Do let us know how you are keeping in contact with fellow members. Even though we cannot meet at the moment the interest groups team are getting new groups in place to launch as soon as it is permitted and always seeking new conveners to come forward. Your help would be greatly welcomed.
If you could do with some IT support to enable you to join in the online activities please contact volunteers@cedu3a.org.uk and we can arrange some support over the telephone help for you.
Finally, thank you so much to all of you who have renewed your CEDU3A membership. We are no good without you! Those who haven’t been able to renew yet, a reminder email will be coming to you soon or you should contact Charlie our Membership Secretary on membership@cedu3a.org.uk.
I hope you can take advantage of at least being able to go on local walks with one other.
Be safe and keep well
Sally
Any queries please email Sally at chair@cedu3a.org.uk
Online talks
Tuesday 12 January 2021 at 11.00 am – 12.15 pm
Bernard Lockett: The Heritage of Gilbert and Sullivan
Tuesday 26 January 2021 at 11.00 am – 12.15 pm
Gaye Illsley: Advice session on Lasting Power of Attorney
Thursday 11 February 2021 at 11.00 am – 12.15 pm
Martin Wilkinson : How economic inequality damages minds, bodies and societies
Thursday 25 February 2021 at 11.00am – 12.15 pm
Martyn Crucefix : Exploring the refugee experience through poetry
Interest Groups : update
With a further tightening of Government Regulations from 20th December, we greatly regret that once again we have to have an immediate suspension of all groups activities which involve our members meeting up in person.
· groups are no longer able to meet in private gardens or outdoors in public spaces – parks, heritage sites, public gardens. With the colder, damper weather a number of groups had chosen to forsake their gardens and move onto Zoom or other electronic methods of communicating with their members.
· as groups are still not permitted to meet indoors, some 40 groups are continuing to meet virtually. As museums, galleries, theatres, botanical gardens have had to close a number of groups have turned exclusively to Zoom meetings. Please refer to the Groups page on the website. Virtual festivities, quizzes, sing alongs – carols and songs accompanied by a glass of wine have been arranged over the last couple of weeks and into the new year.
· conveners are having to respond often at short notice to changing Government regulations so it is important that members keep in touch with their interest group conveners and check for any rearrangements to planned activities particularly moving into the New Year.
New Group – short local walks
Arrangements are in place to get this interest group going again as soon as it is permitted. As for all our interest groups please check the CEDU3A website for updates.
Oh yes you can …
… become a convener! It is an exciting and hopeful New Year, so why not make a resolution to convene a new interest group this year? Interest groups are the beating heart of our organisation and it is very straightforward to convene one yourself. We give you lots of support and help and you don’t need to be an expert. Neither do you need to host the group in your house – there are plenty of venues available in the area and we cover all room hire costs. For leisure or outdoor activities we also cover court hire. We also help with any start-up costs and even pay for an occasional external tutor if you need one. Just email the Interest groups team at newgroups@cedu3a.org.uk
Italian Conversation 3 Group
The Italian 3 Conversation Group, has been meeting on Zoom throughout the summer, and will continue to do so until it is safe to meet in person again. There are currently four of us, so we are keen to attract some new members. We function at an intermediate to advanced level and aim to converse solely in Italian. We each prepare to speak on a chosen theme as well as exchanging some informal social chat.
The sessions are on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month, 2.30 – 4.00 pm.
Coffee mornings
Our next virtual coffee mornings are on Tuesday 7 January and Thursday 19 January 2021.
Community Protect
CEDU3A is a member of Community Protect a partnership project across Haringey which aims to strengthen local messages about COVID-19 and to help slow the rise of coronavirus in the borough.
Led by the Bridge Renewal Trust and with financial support from Public Health in Haringey, the alliance of community groups and organisations is reaching out across all sections of Haringey’s diverse communities, ensuring that the right information gets to those most hard to reach, to help reduce health inequalities, build stronger communities and improve the quality of life of the people of Haringey. For further information, leaflets or posters please contact chair@cedu3a.org.uk.
U3A London Region online winter talks
