1 November
▷ Andrew Hanson : Top 10 things to measure

4 November
▷ Martin Eales : The Geology of sedimentary rocks. Part 2: Marine rocks

8 November and throughout November
▷ Maria Chester : Ancient Civilisations of the Americas – The Maya

9 November
▷ Ron Knott : The Numbers you eat: natures favourite numbers in fruit and veg

10 November
▷ Introduction to cryptic crosswords
▷ National Army Museum : The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior

10 November
▷ Maths activities and games

16 November
▷ Chris Winner : How to crochet a Christmas tree

22 November
▷ James Morton : London’s gangland

30 November
Catherine Stevenson : Why did the Spanish Armada fail? – Part 1

2 December
▷ Martin Eales : The Geology of sedimentary rocks. Part 3: Limestones, coals, oil & evaporites

6 December
▷ Linda Shannon : Boys will be girls …. ‘those squeaking Cleopatras’

7 December
▷ Martin Whillock : Astronomy – what’

Volunteering opportunities from October 2021

The following opportunities are now open to members in preparation for when we return to having Monthly Meetings in the Union Church.
 
Monthly Meetings Organiser (previously Brenda Dardelin, who is now concentrating on the Beacon database)
 
The Monthly Meetings organiser arranges the hall bookings and checks that all the volunteers with specific roles (e.g. refreshment organiser, audio visual equipment) will attend the meeting.
See the full Role Description here. If you wish to investigate this opportunity further, please contact the volunteer co-ordinators Jenny or Beatrice at volunteers@cedu3a.org.uk. Brenda will be on hand to explain the role in detail and answer any queries.
 
Light Refreshments Organiser (previously Liz London, who has taken over Events Catering)
 
The Light Refreshments Organiser heads a group of volunteers who organise supplies and prepare, serve, and clear away tea, coffee, etc, mainly to people attending the monthly meetings in the Union Church. Liz will talk you through the Role Description and pass on a list of volunteers who have helped in the past.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact the volunteer co-ordinators Beatrice or Jenny at volunteers@cedu3a.org.uk

▷ Read the latest newsletter

We are delighted to report that we shall be resuming our monthly meetings at the Union Church and Community Centre from December 2021.

   Attendance numbers will be limited
 
   Advance registration is required while there are restricted numbers.
 

▷ Find out more

It has been agreed by the CEDu3a Executive Committee that the membership fee for new and existing members in 2022 will be at a reduced rate £25.00 (half-year £12.50). The annual concession rate will remain £5.00. The fee will revert to the standard fee of £35.00 from 2023.

Online talks

Thursday 7 October 2021, 11.00 am – 12.15 pm
Michael Lumb: Understanding performance art
Tuesday 26 October, 11.00 am – 12.15 pm
Stella Dadzie: A Kick in the Belly: Women, Slavery & Resistance
 
Further information and registration details here

Most of our online talks are recorded and available for you to watch at leisure. Please email cedu3a@gmx.com with your membership number, stating which recording(s) you would like, and copies will be sent to you.

Interest groups update

As autumn approaches, conveners and members are trying to return to normal or new normal arrangements for their groups. Many outdoor groups are fully ‘up and running’, while many indoor groups are continuing to meet outside. Others are visiting galleries, museums, gardens and outdoor events as part of their programme of activities. Some indoor groups who normally meet in members’ homes are looking at different ways of doing things, taking into account social distancing, maximising ventilation, limiting numbers, etc. In order to reassure you as group participants of any potential risks, a risk assessment checklist has been circulated to all conveners. This may be amended and completed by your group convener/host and you asked to agree as a condition of attending the meeting. Its use has already been welcomed by many groups.
 
Italian Conversation Group 2
An informal friendly group continuing to meet on Zoom has a few spare places. The level is roughly intermediate, so some knowledge of Italian is necessary. More details here.

New interest groups

Healthy Eating Lunch Group
Convener Liz London

The Healthy Eating Lunch Group will be a series of four fortnightly lunches on Mondays from 12 noon to 1.30pm, starting on Monday 11 October to look at and enjoy healthier ways of eating. They will be held in the convener’s home, and although most of the food will be prepared in advance, there will be opportunities to watch dishes being prepared, and discuss and try out new gadgets, recipes, ideas and techniques. Members can bring along anything they wish to drink with the meal (wine is recommended!) but sparkling water, teas and coffees will be provided, and the cost will be £7 per lunch, including dessert. The food offered is going to be low carb, vegetarian and gluten free, and the focus will be on gut-health – so there’ll be a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and pulses, with a little dairy (and always a vegan option).
 
For full information and to apply, please go to our website here.

Our new CEDu3a publicity material

We have just designed and printed new publicity leaflets to promote our activities to prospective members. These are bright and attractive, designed by our member Lindley Smith and incorporate the new National u3a brand identity. These were handed out at our stall at the recent Crouch End Festival and already seven new members have signed up from that day. The leaflets contain key information about our organisation and photographs showing members enjoying our activities. We always welcome similar photographs to use on social media, our newsletter and to help promote our u3a, so do get those cameras out and send us some good shots to news@cedu3a.org.uk. If you would like some leaflets to give out to family, friends or neighbours do let us know.

Hornsey Vale Community Association 30th anniversary project

The Hornsey Vale Community Association is calling for volunteers interested in local history to help develop an exhibition telling the story of the origin and development of the Hornsey Vale Community Centre. The aim is to produce one or two exhibition panels of images and text which will describe the history of the site beside Weston Park School, at the bottom of Stationers Park. Anyone interested should contact Jo Reilly at the Community Centre by email using jo.reilly@hornseyvale.org.

Access to public toilets in London: Have your say

The London Assembly is investigating the provision of public toilets in the capital and they want to hear from you. Take their short survey and tell them what needs to improve.

u3a Strategy Focus Group

The Third Age Trust is launching a consultation exercise to give all u3a members a say in the development of a future strategy for the movement. Members now have an open invitation to participate in a consultation period and you can do this in a number of ways. Please see our website here for details.

Summarised actions arising from the Executive Committee (EC) meeting held on 24th September 2021

Executive Processes

The Treasurer reported that expenditure to date is still below that predicted in the budget for this year. It was agreed that an annual subscription of £25.00 (half-year £12.50) should be set for new and existing members in 2022. The annual concession rate will remain £5.00. £35.00 will continue to be the ‘normal’ fee, with this year and next being treated as exceptional.
 
As of the meeting date there were 778 registered members, of which 70 had joined during 2021. Members who have not signed up to allowing Gift Aid on their subscriptions will be encouraged to do so.
 

Current Trustees who will complete their 3-year period of tenure to decide whether to stand for re-election or not in 2022 by the end of October 2021, so that nomination papers can be approved at the last EC meeting of this year.
 
The role description for a second Vice Chair was agreed and expressions of interest invited from Trustees before 29th October.
 
Revised policies for both Data Protection and Privacy were agreed and will be placed on the website.

Interest Groups / Members

Most interest groups are now operating in some form; some of the groups that used to meet in members’ homes are in transitional mode and seeking potential venues. Some large groups are dividing into smaller groups to address this.
 
The Film group has ceased to meet and the two Art groups are in abeyance. Both German groups and the Fringe theatre group have ceased to operate and Play Reading 2 has recombined into Play Reading. It is hoped that Theatre Visits may continue in some form.
 
New groups are Art Appreciation 3 and Healthy Eating lunches (the latter to be provided in 4-week blocks)
 
.
The newly adopted risk assessment pro-forma is already in use by some groups, providing reassurance to conveners and members alike.

Events

A new members coffee morning is being organised for 16th November in the Moravian Church Hall. It is hoped to gain feedback on what new members would find the most helpful in terms of getting the most out of CEDu3a for them.