December 2017

Slough U3A Newsletter, December 2017

The next monthly meeting of Slough U3A will be held at on Wednesday December 13th starting at 2pm. This meeting is not at our usual location! It will be at St Francis’ Church, SL3 7LN, at the junction of Upton Court Road and London Road.

This meeting will be our Annual Showcase, in which our U3A activity groups will share some of the things they have been doing during 2017. The running order includes a quiz (with prizes), Christmas sing-along, and presentations by some of our activity groups.

Entry to the meeting is free to members as well as to first-time visitors.

Upcoming meetings: –

January 17^th 2018 – the work of the Alexander Devine Hospice. Venue – St Andrew’s, Merton Road.
February 21^st – Andrew Hanson – Ten Odd Things to Measure
March 21^st – Tom Jarvis, Parks Superintendent on The Crown Estate

Slough University of the Third Age welcomes retired and semi-retired people – those in their “third age” – who are interested in participating in any of our activities or groups.

U3A Notices and Groups

Artist and Slough U3A member, Sukhpal Grewal has been working for a year on a painting project dedicated to the past, present and future of Slough. Some of his wonderful tableaux are now on display at the Curve (William Street, Slough) in the Gallery on the ground floor. Please drop in to take a look, any day through December and January.

Our French group are looking at the use of the subjunctive tense in French fairy tales, doing a few word puzzles that everyone loves and chatting about the changing face of Christmas.

The German group will be doing lots of speaking practice and learning our second tense. We shall also be learning “Stille Nacht”.

What’s on around Slough?

Slough Council 60+ Social Care Survey

Slough residents aged over 60 are being encouraged to share their views on services provided to them as part of a public consultation, including their day care centre services. With the help of the Slough 50plus Forum, the council has developed a short questionnaire. We urge all U3A members to participate.

Printed copies are available at libraries, community centres, places of worship, and GP surgeries. For more information, please contact Sally Kitson on 01753 690421 or email sally.kitson@slough.gov.uk .

Slough 50plus Forum meets at 1:30 on the third Thursday of each month at Kingsway United Reformed Church, Church Street SL1 1SZ

The Forum topic for Thursday 21st December is “Seasonal Information & Transport”
January 18^th will focus on Activities for 50plus, followed by one of the Forum Members who has just trained in seated exercise giving a short demonstration session.

Slough Carers Calendar – Are you looking for regular activities within Slough to help you get out and about and take better care of yourself and others? Our calendar will help you find lots of activities in and around the borough. Click here for website or phone 01753 303428 for printed copy.

Healthwatch Slough is the independent consumer champion created to gather and represent the views of the Slough citizens. We are delighted to confirm the second Peoples Assembly on Thursday 25th January 2018, 1:00 pm at The Curve in Slough. The topic will be “Accident and Emergency at Wexham Park”

Tai Chi & Qi Gong for Beginners. Tai Chi is great for improving balance, posture, focus, and physical and mental wellbeing. Every Wednesday 7:00 pm at Arbour Park Stadium, Stoke Road, Slough SL2 5AY. Taster sessions are free.

Slough Philharmonic Christmas Concert at 7.30 pm, on Saturday 16th December at the School Hall, Eton College. Puccini & Vaughan Williams. Click Here to buy tickets or box office 0300 365 7445

Age Concern Slough has an IT room where you can learn basic IT skills including how to access the internet, send emails, skype family and friends. For more information visit our drop-in centre at 29 Church Street, Slough, SL1 1PL (just off the High Street) or call us on: 01753 822890. We have also created an online guide with tips on getting through the winter – click here to view.

Thames Valley Police are running a Protect Your World campaign to raise awareness and help prevent cyber crime. Click here to find out more, or watch this video on YouTube

The Computer Literacy Group next meets at Burnham Library on December 5^th at 2pm. We meet monthly to learn about computers, tablets, and mobile phones. We are a friendly group, open to everyone regardless of their skill with a computer. Click here to find out more, or phone 01628 559286.

Burnham 50 & Beyond (B-FAB) Meetings are held on the 3^rd Monday of each month at 10:30 at the Methodist Church Hall, Eastfield Road, Burnham, SL1 7NZ. Guest Speakers, Local Information, Outings and Events.

Scrabble Club at Burnham Library, Windsor Lane, Burnham , SL1 7HR. Every Wednesday at 2 pm. We’re very informal; just turn up on the day with no need to book. For more information please call 0845 2303232 or email: lib-bur@buckscc.gov.uk

U3A National & Regional Events

These are open to U3A members only. Click here for National events & Regional events

Blue Skies and Fruit Flies: Patterns in Biology Tues 13 February at Francis Crick Institute, Kings Cross
Photography on 1st March 2018 at Benson Parish Hall
The Work of William Morris on 10th May 2018 at Kelmscott House

U3A Principles and Membership

The U3A approach to learning is “learning for pleasure”. There is no accreditation or validation and there are no assessments or qualifications to be gained. Members share their knowledge, skills and experience, learning from each other; the teachers learn and the learners teach. You can find out more about the University of the Third Age at the national website http://www.u3a.org.uk

Membership of Slough U3A is £20 per annum, giving unlimited access to our groups and activities. If you join now, membership is valid until 31 August 2018. Subscription monies are used to pay for hire of premises, speakers’ expenses, magazines, newsletters, postage etc. during the coming year.

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