Reord U3A Newsleer - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020 Retford U3A Membership No. 822/801/10 www.retford-u3a.org.uk CHAIRMANS THOUGHTS - Granny and Granddad – What did you do during the Great Shutdown? Hi there, I know my question was inspired by this old Great War propaganda poster, but in a couple of years time when someone asks you, what will you say you achieved during this so strange year. I remember last Christmas our then Chairman Chris Clifford wished us all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. In the Evans household, Kate a week before Christmas had gone down with Scarlet Fever but once the correct medicine was prescribed she recovered very quickly, only for us, after a months recuperation to enter the shutdown. Looking on the positives of the shutdown how many of you have received a rebate from your car insurance company. I filled Kate’s car up last November and we’ve driven about 300 miles in it since then. I put £40 in mine in early March and have just this last week filled it up again. Checking the mileage I’ve driven an average of 14 miles each week for the last eight months. I get the feeling that because of our range of ages we are seen as a bit of a soft touch to the bad guys. Just be aware. This last week someone, using my name, has been sending out emails asking you to send me five £100 Amazon vouchers. This is a scam and whatever you do ignore it. Mike Garrett who is one of our members is also Chairman of Gringley on the Hill History Society, and they have been attacked with this scam as well. Other members have told me how they have had phone calls purporting to have come from the police saying if the unpaid fine of £500 is not paid within the hour (just push button one on your phone for further information etc etc.) you will be arrested. Yet another said he had been awarded a bank loan of £22,500 and would he send £500 a month in repayment. (Again push button one on your phone for details). We can all fall for a plausible scam, just check further if anyone asks on the phone or by email for further details. Kate received an email last weekend saying there was a problem with her Midland bank account, and would she just send them an email with her account details for them to confIrm it was her before going any further. Kate doesn’t have an account with the Midland, so on Monday she phoned them up only to be told it was one of the latest scams going around, and one of their bank colleagues had fallen for it and had lost the money in their bank account. So please be aware. I go back to the beginning of this piece, what will you say when asked what you did during the great shutdown. I have a reputation amongst the committee, of having a very tight wallet. So you will not be too surprised when I tell you that Kate has been cutting my hair for years and a jolly good job she does with it too !!
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Retford U3A Newsletter - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020
Retford U3A
Membership No. 822/801/10
www.retford-u3a.org.uk
CHAIRMANS THOUGHTS - Granny and Granddad – What did you do during the Great Shutdown?
Hi there, I know my question was inspired by
this old Great War propaganda poster, but in
a couple of years time when someone asks
you, what will you say you achieved during
this so strange year.
I remember last
Christmas our then Chairman Chris Clifford
wished us all a very Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year. In the Evans household,
Kate a week before Christmas had gone
down with Scarlet Fever but once the correct
medicine was prescribed she recovered very
quickly, only for us, after a months
recuperation to enter the shutdown.
Looking on the positives of the shutdown how
many of you have received a rebate from
your car insurance company. I filled Kate’s
car up last November and we’ve driven
about 300 miles in it since then. I put £40 in
mine in early March and have just this last
week filled it up again. Checking the mileage
I’ve driven an average of 14 miles each week
for the last eight months.
I get the feeling that because of our range of
ages we are seen as a bit of a soft touch to
the bad guys. Just be aware. This last week
someone, using my name, has been sending
out emails asking you to send me five £100
Amazon vouchers. This is a scam and
whatever you do ignore it. Mike Garrett who is
one of our members is also Chairman of
Gringley on the Hill History Society, and they
have been attacked with this scam as well.
Other members have told me how they have
had phone calls purporting to have come
from the police saying if the unpaid fine of
£500 is not paid within the hour (just push
button one on your phone for further
information etc etc.) you will be arrested.
Yet another said he had been awarded a
bank loan of £22,500 and would he send £500
a month in repayment. (Again push button
one on your phone for details).
We can all fall for a plausible scam, just check
further if anyone asks on the phone or by
email for further details. Kate received an
email last weekend saying there was a
problem with her Midland bank account, and
would she just send them an email with her
account details for them to confIrm it was her
before going any further. Kate doesn’t have
an account with the Midland, so on Monday
she phoned them up only to be told it was
one of the latest scams going around, and
one of their bank colleagues had fallen for it
and had lost the money in their bank
account. So please be aware.
I go back to the beginning of this piece, what
will you say when asked what you did during
the great shutdown. I have a reputation
amongst the committee, of having a very
tight wallet. So you will not be too surprised
when I tell you that Kate has been cutting my
hair for years and a jolly good job she does
with it too !!
THE NOT SO IDLE TIMES Page 2
She was complaining in early October about
her hair getting too long to manage. You
know what’s coming here don’t you, yes I
offered to cut it for her. After much thought,
she said alright but don’t cut too much off. I
just said well don’t worry it will always grow
again. It strikes me a funny that when a
woman says that to a man it’s acceptable,
but when a bloke says that to a women, you
get the ‘huff’ treatment. Anyway eventually I
did cut her hair and my two daughters
thought I had done a really good job, so hot
dinners resumed.
We are all trying to do our bit and make the
best of what we’ve got during this very odd
time.
CHAIRMANS THOUGHTS - continued
NEWS FROM INTEREST GROUPS
FUN WITH FLOWERS
This is what I was planning to do with the fun with
flowers group in December.
1. Using a globe/fishbowl glass vase drip melted
candle wax randomly round.
2. Using artificial snow or cotton wool balls create a
snowy base.
3. Add your choice of festive bits...here a silver fir tree
and polar bear Christmas tree decorations
4. Add a thin string of bottle lights.
5. Optionally you can add a small dish and of
seasonal foliage and flowers
6. Foliage given a dusting of snow spray
The festive snow globe ready to light up Christmas.
Sally Barker
1 2 3 4
5 6 7
The Committee look positively cheerful with Bryan Gladstone, me, Sue Ross, Sue Paul, Geoff
Marsh, Brenda Wilson and Pippa Ramsey and we all wish you a calmer year for 2021. Let’s face
it we’ve made it this far since the middle of March, lets try to stick around a bit longer.
Roy Evans
WINE APPRECIATION GROUP
THE NOT SO IDLE TIMES Page 3
NEWS FROM INTEREST GROUPS
The Wine Appreciation Group continues to
meet every other Friday by Zoom to enjoy a
glass of wine and a chat. Sometimes we even
talk about wine! Thinking of things to do via
Zoom continues to challenge us but in the
past we have had a murder mystery and a
quiz and currently we are trying to do
something more like a proper wine tasting.
For each meeting a wine is chosen by a
different member who manages to ensure
that everyone is supplied in advance with a
bottle of his or her choosing. We then open
the bottles before the meeting starts, ensuring
that it has chance to breath (necessary if it’s a
good one) and to ensure we are not all
disappearing to look for the bottle opener just
as we settle down. We then all taste together
and there are strict rules about not having a
quick slurp beforehand! Comments are made
on the depth of colour, the “nose”, the
“bouquet” and the “finish”. As you can no
doubt tell from this, we have learned
something over the past 6 years or so.
However the old adage is true that the best
wine in the world is the one you like best.
Pauline Crawshaw
CRYPTIC CROSSWORD GROUP
Anytime now our small group of cryptic crossword
enthusiasts should be celebrating out first
anniversary. We met for the first time about a year
ago with a tutorial book written by a U3A advisor
and very little knowledge about where to start.
We managed to get through 3 meetings and
about 2.5 chapters of the book when lockdown
struck. We got the idea about how to solve
anagram and hidden word clues before we tried
to master the chapter on split clues and that was
that. We all think we are enjoying it but not sure
how much progress we have actually made. We
have been left to our own devices until now when
gardens, decorating, walking etc occupied us ,
but now when we are looking for alternative
amusements we are finally having a monthly
crossword distributed and plan to meet up via
Zoom to discuss how we have got on. We are a
bunch of novices but have a couple of spaces if
anyone wishes to join us. an expert would be most
welcome!!!
Copyright issues prevent me including an actual
puzzle but you can have a go at the clues below
and find the answers elsewhere in the newsletter.
1. Station making rulers annoyed (5,5)
2. Cabinet maker crossing North Sea (8)
3. Inexorable seller sent out (10)
4. Free – and terribly secure! (6)
5. Left wing eloquence in scientists workplace
(10)
6. Part of a Chinese meal perhaps, one sold out
(7)
7. Top seducer may be taken to court (10)
8. A composer we rang about (6)
GROUPS
Groups sadly, continue to remain closed apart from those that are being run on Zoom. A huge
thankyou to all those Group Leaders who are trying, successfully, to operate Zoom for your
group, and to those for whom it is not practical, but who nevertheless, keep in touch with your
group members. This is so important, especially for those members who live alone, or who may
not have access to Email. The Committee recently rang round those members not on the net
and found that for the most part, our contact was welcome. If people cannot see the monthly
newsletter, or do not receive Retford Life, our ability to communicate with members is very
limited.
So, in wishing you all a peaceful and reflective Christmas time, my thanks to you all.
Brenda Wilson. Groups Co-Ordinator
PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP
MUSIC GROUP
THE NOT SO IDLE TIMES Page 4
NEWS FROM INTEREST GROUPS
Since March members of the group have
continued to take photos based on the
monthly themes and shared them by email,
with comments. In September four of us met,
socially distanced of course, in Kings Park and
drew up a list of themes for the next twelve
months. The subjects chosen took into
account the limitations placed on us by Covid
restrictions, with some being able to be
photographed at home. October saw a trial
Zoom meeting being held, with a presentation
of images previously shared by email. Sadly
not all members were able to attend, but
those present voted it a success and wished
to continue Zooming. A regular monthly slot
has been booked on the U3A account with
the first meeting being on Thursday,19th
November.
Two images from our November meeting
We just managed to hold our March meeting before lockdown started. For the rest of our
session to July, members who had agreed to present programmes published them. These were
emailed to the others with the hope that they would be able to listen to some of the chosen
music. From the start of our new session in September, copies of the September and October
programmes from previous years were circulated. for the 4th November meeting a programme
to suit the events of the time was offered. which was -
For the USA Election Fanfare for the Common Man - Aaron Copland
For Guy Fawkes Day Music for the Royal Fireworks - Handel
For the lovely autumn colours Autumn from the Four Seasons - Vivaldi
For Remembrance Benedictus from The Armed Man - Karl Jenkins
Hymn to the Fallen - John Williams from Saving Private Ryan
For Lockdown - Three piano pieces from Debbie Wiseman;s album Piano Stories
1) Isolation - theme from The Hide -a film about a bird
watcher on the Suffolk mudflats whose solace is interrupted
by a convict
2) Fields of Hope - theme from TV series The Land Girls - the
hope for future success by producing food in wartime
3) Ray of Sunshine - theme from TV series - Children’s
Hospital - the hope and rays of sunshine given to sick
children and their parents by caring medical staff
For Inspiration Pomp and Circumstance Marches No ’s. 1 & 4 - Edward
Elgar
A few members are interested in trying a zoom and this is being looked into. Can we share and
enjoy music in this way ? We will find out!
THE NOT SO IDLE TIMES Page 5
CANASTA GROUP
"To all of the Retford Canasta Group, I would like to wish you all a
Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year and I hope to see you
all in the new year. Stay safe"
Best wishes Edwin"
NEWS FROM INTEREST GROUPS
Several groups are successfully utilising Zoom as a way of
continuing their group function and as a way of keeping in touch
with members. However, with guidance and support from our
member Brian Gladstone, yet more may be achieved if desired.
Are there any groups who would consider using Zoom, perhaps in
an innovative way, Singing perhaps, or anyone who would like to
start up a new group, enabled by this method. We may not be
meeting in person for the next few months, but a few new ideas
would be welcome to start the new Year.
I am happy to help where practical, Brian Gladstone is the key player in the ‘how to’
department, and Roy Evans, our chairperson, has the slots on Zoom at his fingertips.