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                                          MARCH 2022
Introduction from the Chair.

For logistical reasons the March newsletter is being distributed today, about a   week earlier than usual and starts with a few reminders……
COVID measures have recently been removed following the last Government announcements but we are still recommended to remain sensible in our everyday life and that includes following your Group/Group Leaders requests such as taking Lateral Flow Test shortly before meetings and not attending if positive or experiencing symptoms. 
The March Monthly Meeting will, for one more time, take place at the Conservative Club's Bower Room. 130 members attended the February meeting and we still had 20 more spaces.  As detailed on the Events tab on our website, the Guest Speaker for March will be Angela Browne, speaking on the very interesting subject: Positivity and Emotional Resilience.  “Why some people have more than others and how we can take small steps to develop strategies that can help increase both and improve our general wellbeing”
The April Monthly Meeting sees a return to the Priory Centre's Great Hall with its larger capacity. This is good timing as the Guest Speaker and Topic is expected to be very popular with larger attendance figures. Do you already know who it is? You should do. Check out the events tab if you have missed it! and put it in your diary. 
In case you are wondering what the clock image represents, it’s a reminder that the clocks go forward on the night of the 27th March by 1 hour. Don’t forget to reset your clocks, otherwise you may miss the start of all the u3a events that week!
Regards and keep in touch, Ian
Group News - from Group co-ordinator Dot Morfett.
We have said it before and we will say it again; without those Members willing to be a Group Leader (GL) the Activities we all enjoy would simply not happen. That also applies to those times when a Group Leader is not available, for whatever reason, or needs to step down and asks the members of their Group if anyone is willing to take over, on either a temporary or more long-term basis. We have to thank Pat Davison for stepping up to cover the Wednesday morning Line Dancing sessions in April and May. We also welcome Dave Sellick, who takes over from Liz Irvine as GL of the Petanque Group. The efforts of Liz should not go unrecognized and she will assist to cover Dave if required at times.
Group Leader vacancies still exist for other activities that are currently suspended so if you have any thoughts in helping provide GL cover or taking on an Activity in which you have an interest, please contact Group Leader Coord. Dot Morfett for more information. 07857 635226.
 
For full details of all our Group Activities check out the Group Tab on our Website or visit the Group Corner display at the Monthly Meeting.
 
The recent very high winds caused a few last-minute meeting cancellations including the Cinema group showing of the 2018 film Stan and Ollie, which will now be shown on March 18th Group meeting.

This does however remind us of the difficultly in letting members, who do not have email access, know of any urgent changes or news updates. To that end, if you know of any such members who live near you and you are willing to be their email buddy, passing on information to them as it is released, then please let Tony Summerlin know and he can set it up on the system. (07821 578289)  
Philosophy Group 
We were asked recently "what does the Philosophy Group do, is it all about Ancient Philosophers?"
Group Leader Mavis Thompson explains "the short answer is no, the topics of conversation are more likely to be about issues that do not have a clear cut answer and are probably more relevant to more modern, every day topics. A recent example would be a discussion on what is known as the "Trolley Dilemma"
The "Trolley Dilemma' is an ethical thought experiment where there is a runaway trolley moving down railway tracks. In its path, there are five people tied up and unable to move and the trolley is heading straight for them.
People are told that they are standing some distance off in the train yard, next to a lever. If they pull this lever, the trolley will switch to a different set of tracks—but will kill one person who is standing on the side track.
The people have the option to either do nothing, and allow the trolley to kill the five people on the main track, or pull the lever, diverting the trolley onto the side track where it will kill one person. What would you do? please discuss.
Walking Cricket Group.
Before the lockdown we were intending to start up a Walking Cricket Group and the initial request to register your interest resulted in about 12 positive responses. We are now in a position to get the (cricket) ball rolling again! (sorry for the pun)
Interim Group Leader, Nigel Turner* of Eynesbury is planning to start sessions from May.
(*not to be confused with Nigel Turner of St Neots)
We have two options regarding the venue, one outdoor and one indoor, which are currently being reviewed; along with available days/slots for games.
At this point we are asking the original members who registered their interest, plus any other members, male or female, to click here and register again at which point we will make contact with you all with final details. It goes without saying that this is very much a fun activity and bears no resemblance to the Ashes!
As always, full details of our Groups can be found on the Website / Groups page
Many thanks and stay safe in the meantime
Dot.
U3A GROUP INTEREST SHEET - Click here to join any u3a Group
Outings & Holiday News 
Bedford Anchor Lunch & Cruise - Wednesday 25th  May
Gardeners World Live + Good Food Show - Thursday 16th June
Windsor and Runnymede Luxury Tea Cruise  - Wednesday 20th July  
Birmingham International Military Tattoo 2022  - Sunday 11th September 


The above outings, released previously, are now fully booked but waiting lists are in place.
Please see organisers Jill Richardson, Pat Hills or Iris Parr at the Monthly Meetings to pay any deposits or balances that are due to be paid.
Outings and Holidays can be seen on the events tab of our website .
Members of the Outings and Holiday Group will receive advance information, in the near future, of a 4-night Torquay and Tinsel Holiday, planned for 28th November.
Publicity & Communications Team (P&C)
As noted in last month’s newsletter we have a busy schedule of events to attend during the summer months including; Farmers Market in April -- Eaton Socon May-Day event -- Jubilee Celebrations in June -- Paxfest in July -- Dragon Boat Racing in August -- u3a 40th Anniversary in September.
As details of these events are confirmed, they will be released on our  Website, Facebook and Newsletter publications.

Part of the P&C team's range of interests is to cover Life Stories or Events from our Members, for inclusion in the newsletter. We have received 4 such stories in response to the invitation and are hoping for more in the coming weeks. The first example to share was passed to P&C member Trevor Parmenter who recalls “At a recent group leader meeting a lady told us all how her perception of u3a members was totally changed when she attended a monthly meeting and thought that the lady in front of her had hurt her ankle in an accident at home.” She was most surprised when she told her ‘Oh no! I did it while paragliding in the Greek Islands.’ Up until then this particular person thought that u3a membership was for grey haired retired people that were past it!

The u3a member in question is an acquaintance from one of the groups that we attend. She had gone out to Greece with her family and when they said they were going paragliding she decided to join in. She was strapped in, and I believe that during take-off she was pulled over but got up again and carried on. On landing she felt some discomfort in her ankle and was taken to a local hospital where a sprained ankle was diagnosed. A day later she flew home and on returning carried on with her normal activities, she is a member of a bowls club. This went on for something like three months I believe and finally as she was still in discomfort she went to A&E and after an X ray it was finally discovered that she’d been walking around with a broken ankle!
If any of you have a few tales to tell, please get in touch with me and we’ll find a way of sharing them. Trevor Parmenter, a member of the Publicity and Communications  Team.
Email trevor.parmenter@ntlworld.com      Mobile 07523 691509
YOUR PUBLICITY and COMMUNICATIONS TEAM (P&C)
Sarahjane Williams.   sarahjane.williams@ntlworld.com
Trevor Parmenter.      trevor.parmenter@ntlworld.com
Chris Tibbenham        christibb@live.co.uk
Book Share - Feature Author  Tim Weaver.
During 2020, like everyone, my husband and I found it difficult to buy presents for each other and for the most part had to rely on internet shopping. Not something either of us were very experienced at. This has since changed, as you can imagine.
So, when it came near to my birthday, my husband asked me what I would like! Not an easy question to answer given our only option was “stuff” on the internet!
I wracked my brains, and then I had it! I am also a member of another local u3a and in a recent newsletter they had recommended an Author I had never heard of; Tim Weaver. Without any further research, I asked for some Tim Weaver books, which my husband duly bought for me.
I read the first book in the series “Chasing the Dead”, very quickly and enjoyed it enormously and have continued with the others in the series, but I have a long way to go as my husband bought all 10 for me.
The books are based on the main character David Raker, who, having suffered the tragic loss of his wife, turns to looking for missing persons, as a crusade. The stories are complex and have many twists and turns with dark mysterious plots.
I have also found out some more about Tim Weaver as I wondered why such a young man (currently 45 but was only in his 30s when he wrote his first David Raker book), would write about such tragedy, mystery, complexity and desperately dark stories. He is reputed to have said "I just became very interested in the idea of a person going missing in an age where we have CCTV on every street, 24-hour rolling news channels, and constant access to cameras through our phones. It seemed like an intriguing starting point for a book. It sounds trite, but I was also struck by the human cost. Can you imagine how many stories must go untold when a person vanishes?"
Turns out it was a good idea all round. They are really good books, they do not have to be read in order and we currently have 6 of them in the book share collection, together with his first stray from David Raker, a standalone novel “Missing Pieces”. You are very welcome to try any of them, visit the Book Share Group page on our website to find out how.

Sarahjane Williams
 Quiz Time  A music Quiz from the Monthly Zoom Quiz Group   
Bite Size Newsletter
For email buddies who wish to print a bite size version of this Newsletter,
please click here.
Featured Sites  (Links to previous items of interest)
Feel free to click on these links for a wealth of interest and fun.
u3a National information / PODCASTS / Articles and much more.
ST NEOTS u3a NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
NATIONAL u3a NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
MEMBER LINK --- This leaflet has advice, links, tips and resources to help keep us all connected, active and learning together.
Black Cat Radio
Black Cat Radio our local Radio station has moved to 102.5 FM 
We receive almost daily shout-outs promoting St Neots u3a and every month we get a session with Ernie Almond, on his morning programme, to talk about our activities.
If you are a non-member reading this Newsletter
and you want to
LEARN, LAUGH and LIVE
visit our website www.u3asites.org.uk/st-neots
or contact the Membership Secretary,
Tony Summerlin 01480 210416
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