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Established 2008

NEWS LETTER December 2015

“Merry Christmas”

WELCOME to our News Letter on the Web.

If you would like to join us at our next meeting on the 2nd Thursday of the month at

Turner Hall, Mansfield Woodhouse, you will be most welcome.

e start at 9.45am PROMPT. Any members coming in after this time or who will be leaving before the end of the meeting are asked to take a seat at the rear of the hall and sign out when leaving. Can you also ensure that you sign in and pick up your badge.

Please Contact Margaret Taylor (see below) with any definite dates for an event or information for

the website. Members speak on Fund Raising Events, Interest Group Activities and Outings, etc. If

you wish to speak to the members you can book in a slot by contacting – The Chairman

Alternatively you can put an article into the News Letter by contacting

The Interest Groups’ Co-ordinator, Sue Robb, before the end of the

month.

New Members and Visitors Coffee Morning - You are invited to

have a coffee and a chat in the Stables Cafe on the third Thursday

of the month (the one after the meeting) at 10.30. You will meet

other new other new members and some of the Committee. Come along and

tell us how you are getting on. NO MEETING IN DECEMBER

Local U3A’s that are actively seeking members are:

NEW Rainworth and District U3A www.rainworth-u3a.org.uk Phoenix Centre (Village Hall), Kirklington Road, Rainworth, NG21 0JZ Contact: John Curtis 01623 475590

Sutton in Ashfield U3A www.sutton-in-ashfieldu3a.org.uk Mansfield Hosiery Mills Sports and Social Club, Off Huthwaite Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield Contact: Susan Harrison 01623 472493 Dukeries U3A www.dukeriesu3a.org.uk Jubilee Hall, Wellow Rd, New Ollerton. Contact: Marie Bartle 01623 82326

New Forest Town U3A, St Albans Church

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Todays Speaker

Mince Pies and Memories of Sherwood U3A, 2015 in pictures January 2016 Richard Howard from Fidler and Pepper Solicitors will speak about a variety of legal matters. Please submit your questions so he is able to prepare his answers.

COMMITTEE MATTERS

SHERWOOD U3A COMMITTEE MEMBERS

CHAIRPERSON Liz Wilson

VICE CHAIRPERSON/HEALTH & SAFETY Lynda Brotherhood

TREASURER Margaret Taylor

MINUTE SECRETARY

BUSINESS SECRETARY

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY

NEW MEMBERS & VISITORS SECRETARY

Josie Earnshaw

Jane Lowe

Rita Foulkes

Terry Dillon

GROUP CO-ORDINATOR Sue Robb

EVENTS CO-ORDINATOR Pat Collins

GREETER & REFRESHMENTS CO-ORDINATOR Wendy Sterland

SOCIAL COMMITTEE CHAIR

WELFARE OFFICER

Jeremy Lloyd

Margaret Minto-Smith

MESSAGE FROM YOUR CHAIRMAN – Liz Wilson (640835)

! Now you must forgive me for “waxing” lyrical but I chose the “candle” image because it reminds me of our U3A. I don’t know why I bothered to go to the workshop on “Keeping Your U3A Vibrant” because I don’t have to – you do it all the time. You work together, offer ideas, help and support so that Sherwood’s flame is always lit, glowing, warm, welcoming, often dazzling and certainly VIBRANT! On behalf of the Committee I wish you all a Happy Christmas and look forward to another Wonderful, Sherwood New Year!

Instead of “Thanks”, I must start with an apology to our Ramblers for, in my last report, I misled them – no, not as eventfully as I did on the first Froggatt Edge walk, four years ago and which they will never let me forget In my last report I said that they could join the Forest Town, “Long Walks” Group, as they do many of the other local U3A walking groups but they can’t. The reason being that Forest Town, understandably, want to get their Interest Groups started, running and sorted before they consider whether to participate in reciprocal arrangements with other U3As. The Social Committee and I have been busy completing next year’s events and have one arranged for each month apart from August – we’ll let you go on holiday then! Thanks to a suggestion made to me this time last year by Sandra E, I have compiled a “Sherwood’s S Sheet” which outlines all the “Sensational Speakers and Social Spectaculars” for 2016. Each Speaker and Event has a date and brief description of content so you can put those you don’t want to miss in your diary. These will be on your seats at the Meeting and I will be telling you a bit more about each one before the Presentation. Apart from this I have given six talks about the U3A to Pre Retirement NHS Groups, one as far away as Arnold Lodge, Leicester. Your fame spreads!

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Now you must forgive me Oh yes – I have also been having fun creating the December Presentation

or “Who’s Been Framed This Year?” I have some lovely photographs and some hilarious ones,

captured on camera in events or Interest Groups during the year --- not many members have

escaped.

Now you must forgive me for “waxing” lyrical but I chose the “candle” image because it reminds me

of our U3A. I don’t know why I bothered to go to the workshop on “Keeping Your U3A Vibrant”

because I don’t have to – you do it all the time. You work together, offer ideas, help and support so

that Sherwood’s flame is always lit, glowing, warm, welcoming, often dazzling and certainly

VIBRANT! On behalf of the Committee I wish you all a Happy Christmas and look forward to another

Wonderful, Sherwood New Year!

GROUP DATES

LUNCH CLUB 2

Thursday 17th December for Christmas Lunch at The Black Bull. 12.30 for 1 pm. INTERNATIONAL DINING

5th January Mangrove, Dame Flogan St., Mansfield. 6.30 for 7.00pm £5 deposit. STROLLING

7th January Brierley Forest Park. Meet in carpark for 10.30am. RAMBLING

(meet Morrisons car park 10am for car share) Thurs Dec 17th Chatsworth (easy) start Chatsworth Garden Centre. 4.5 miles Wed 13th Jan Warsop Vale (easy) –Tea Room in Warsop. Start – Adjoining Meden Bridge near the Carrs. 4miles (NOTE NOW 2ND WEDNESDAY) WALKING Our November Walk started from the Village of Lower Hartshay in Derbyshire. Walking along the route of the Cromford Canal, which had been

filled in a several points on our route, we made our way to the old canal bridge, now a fisherman's lagoon, before proceeding up the hill to Heage Windmill. This is a building dating back to to 1700's constructed of Derbyshire stone. Making our way down the other side of the hill we enjoyed splendid views of Crich and the surrounding area before returning via the old rail track to the canal bridge. From there we retraced our steps to the start point. My special thanks to Fran Smith who stepped forward to lead the walk at short notice and did an excellent job on the day. Our next event is our annual dinner on 1st December at the Foxglove. Our next walk will be in the new year, details of which will be in the January Newsletter and on the website. THEATRE GROUP 2016 Theatre visits to Theatre Royal and Concert Hall, Nottingham Thursday 11th Feb 1.30 Jayne Eyre £29.50 discount £22.50 Paid Wednesday 17th Feb 2pm Blood Brothers £37.50 discount £32.50 Pay Jan Thursday 5th May 1.15 Mid Summer Nights Dream £20 Pay Dec meeting. Thursday 26th May 2.30 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Full £48 discount £43.50 paid

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Wednesday 22nd June 2pm Mamma Mia £49.50 discount £43.50 Paid. Saturday 27th June 2pm Guys and Dolls £49.50 Discount £40 Pay Jan meeting If 10 or 12 tickets are sold there is a discount. Cheques made out to me as I pay for the tickets on the phone, Sheila J Whalley.

DANCE CLUB The November meeting of the dance Club saw our members gaining in confidence with many able to follow others on the dance floor. We were taught a new swing dance this month which will be walked through next month. Our next meeting is December 18th at Turner Hall 7.15 pm for a 7.30 start. This will be our Christmas dance, please bring a fuddle for your table.

What do they do at Art group that make it so popular that we have two ? Here are members’ impressions of two different meetings ….

After missing recent meetings, I was pleasantly surprised when Lynda announced that she was going to give a demonstration using acrylic paints. We were then going to have a go!!!! Luckily paints, brushes and appropriate paper were supplied by Lynda and off we went! I can only say that with superb guidance and encouragement from Lynda and other members of the group, I became the proud owner of two paintings of clover with leaves and stems, using a technique which is beautiful! I bought two baroque type frames, put my paintings in them and I felt very much like the child who brings work home from school! So proud. It just proved that anyone can paint, with the right support and encouragement. Thank you, Art group 2!!! Pat Collins

*********** At our November meeting members of both art groups met together to welcome Mike Booth a teacher and artist, who came along to give us a demonstration of water colour painting. He painted in a very loose way with lots of water on the paper and paint dropped on and moved around in what seemed to be a random manner, but of course it was all under control as became clear as he progressed. After the tea break, in true TV show fashion he produced a "one I did earlier" example so he could continue on a painting which was dry. Questions and answers during the meeting produced lots of useful advice and tips and I think everyone will benefit, except of course being the U3A I am not sure how much of it we will retain! At the end of the session Mike donated the picture to us and we raffled it in aid of the John Eastwood Hospice. Marlene Limb

Saturday 12th March, 2016 SINGALONGA MAMMA MIA with Pie and Peas

supper Sherwood Welfare 7.00-10.00pm £8

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REPORT ON THE REGIONAL CONFERENCE

THEME “TO SLEEP PERCHANCE TO

REMEMBER”

“WHAT NO CARROTS?”

We were welcomed by Hilary Wells, the Regional Chair who introduced Dr Simon Durrant of the University of Lincoln, Department of Psychology who, together with U3A members, introduced us to “The Sleeping Mind”. The talk he gave was very informative and lively explaining the mysteries of sleep, the various stages, and how they change from when we are very young to when we get older. We discovered that some species can sleep for a minute, such as the Indus River Dolphin, and others which sleep up to 14 hours. A few fish in schools do not sleep at all otherwise all species need sleep. The need to sleep is to rest tired bodies, conserve energy and although many aspects can be achieved awake during relaxation, the main benefit is the neural and cognitive (brain) and memory can be improved through sleep. To summarise sleep is essential, sleep quality is important, experiences are retained and memories are re-organised in the brain to help us store them for the long term. Our second speaker was Dr Kate Porcheret of Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford who spoke on “Sleep, the clock and mental health”. Her talk started with explaining that one third of our lives we spend sleeping. Our “clock” is relative to dark and light and if we want to sleep during daylight we must remember to switch off the clock which synchronises us to the sun. If we don’t sleep well it can lead to being emotional, stressed, inattentive and suffering both physically and mentally. She explained about Mental Health disorders being linked with sleep problems but at the moment there is no sound information that sleep prevents mental health disorders or the other way round. Overall, sleep is a good thing. From questions asked, and some not being able to be answered, it is very obvious that there is still a lot of work to be done in these particular areas in the future. Margaret Taylor

U3A.Choir and Bellissima

Christmas Concert

Sunday 13th December 3 .00pm.

at St Albans Church,

Forest Town

£6 including refreshments

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What can you get for a fiver or under?

In the Antique and Collectors annual programme for 2015 this was one of the

topics. During the year members bought something and in November we

shared our stories, purchases, knowledge and prices at the meeting.

Two silver mounted brooches/pendants. Both bought on the same occasion from a local charity shop. They were black and not obviously silver, but they were marked on the back 800- that shows they are continental silver. They were in among other jewellery in a basket marked 50p. That’s what they cost. Josie Whitworth

Just a small replacement, ring stand/pedestal. The original was cut glass but had a broken sharp top, which was prone to cut. Cost £4 but not cut glass unfortunately. Bought at Newark on an Antiques group day out. Very useful for rings and ear-rings. Ann Cox

Tastevin - Cost £2 from a cardboard box at an antique fair. An ancient wine tasting cup. Still worn on a chain and ribbon by sommeliers in fancy restaurants. Pat Blackwell

On a recent visit to an antique fair at Stafford I saw this pretty purse. The pearl and black beads look suitable for an evening event. Cost £3. I shall take it when I go on a cruise. Vivienne Wall

More bargains next month-----

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DAYS OUT Of cabbages and King's (Lynn) When Caithness Glass cancelled the U3A visit at the last minute, we know Desley and Marlene lost a few night's sleep. Being the resourceful duo that they are, they pulled a miracle out of the hat, making alternative arrangements and we were back on schedule. So it was that we set off in heavy mist through the gently rolling Notts countryside which soon gave way to the flat plains of Lincolnshire. Cabbages to the right of us, cabbages to the left of us---I stopped counting after the first million! Eventually we crossed the River Great Ouse and arrived at King's Lynn. We had a short walk to the Minster where the vicar proved to be a very lively and knowledgeable guide who talked us through the 12th-15th centuries of church architecture and history. Some of the oddities: a tide (moon) clock on

the west front, the unusual rose window on the east front, remarkable misericords dating from 1419, the two largest memorial brasses in England and a spectacular Snetzler organ. We began to appreciate the Minster as a wonderful survivor of centuries of floods, fire, storms and the Victorians. After a delicious carvery at the Maids Head on Tuesday Market Square we were free until afternoon tea so we strolled down to the Custom House (1685) , past the statue of George Vancouver and then on to the South Quay. When we entered King's Lynn on the bus, I had

spied an intriguing sculpture on the quay and I wanted to investigate further. The sculpture was created in 2010 by professional blacksmiths and local school children to commemorate the town's membership in the Hanseatic League. It is a metal fish rack which is festooned with oysters, fish, seaweed and a mermaid's bra! Definitely worth seeing. All this wandering had given us

an appetite for the scrumptious scone and cuppa waiting for us at the historic Crofters Tea Room. The barrel vaulted cellar was once much closer to the river and was used to tie up cargo boats. Hence the iron rings hanging from the ceiling. We were certainly well-nourished for the journey home after such a memorable day in King's Lynn. As ever, our thanks go to Desley and Marlene for a very enjoyable and interesting day in Norfolk. I'd like to know their secret way with the weather gods, though. Shannon Macfarlane

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As you light your Christmas candles and watch them burn, this poem, by Writing for Fun leader Sylvia Pearson, may help you reflect in a different way on the world that surrounds you.

I lit a candle for peace In a little church in the middle of nowhere,

Not believing in God But wishing sometimes that I could

I lit a candle for hope

Of better times, A healing of the heart, an end to pain,

In this wild and lonely place.

I lit a candle for love Of my man, my children and my friends,

And maybe for myself as well And knew it was good to do.

I lit a candle for light

In the darkness of this world, One little glimmer

To set the world on fire

I lit a candle for joy Of men as brothers finding peace,

And hope and love— An everlasting light!

Web site: sherwoodu3a-mansfieldwoodhouse.org.uk