NOVEMBER /DECEMBER 2004 Newsletter

Seasons Greetings Closing date for next newsletter is 18th December 2004 MESSAGE from the CHAIRMAN It is now time for me to retire as Chairman and to thank all the Committee, Study Group Leaders and Members who have helped me to enjoyed the experience. I wish my successors fun and success George Czekalowski MONTHLY MEETINGS (2 pm) Meetings are held on the second Thursday and the fourth Tuesday of the month in Our Lady’s Church Hall 5 Park Road, Rickmansworth (off roundabout at foot of Scot’s Hill Rd.) New members are welcome. Contact Rosalind on 01923 721 530. Wednesday 10th November AGM Agenda,Chairman’s Report and Account summary are on a separate insert to this newsletter and will be available at the meeting. The AGM will be followed by short presentations by many of our Study Groups. Thursday 11th November National Parks of England & Wales Geoff Sherlock “Not Ours but Ours to Look After” Tuesday 23rd November Aspects of Retirement Val Kleanthous The Role of Family Mediation Wednesday 8th December CHRISTMAS LUNCH NB There will only be one Monthly meeting in December. All members are welcome. Tuesday 14th December The History of Pantomime Joyce Corless From the Milton Keynes Theatre 2005 Thursday 13th January Garden Design—Ayletts Nursery Martin Finney Tuesday 25th January Garden Birds of SW Hertfordshire John Britten Thursday 10th February Send a Cow—Lifestock for Life Anne Rattue Tuesday 22nd February Inland Waterways Ken Moore Return visit to talk to Tuesday Group after a very successful Thursday meeting WANTED We need unwanted but attractive Gifts (Christmas or otherwise) as Raffle Prizes. Please bring any contributions to our January meetings. Say no more …………or how to give my spellcheck a headache! Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in what oredr the ltteers in a word are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is that the frist and lsat ltteers are in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can still raed it wouthit a porbelm. This is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by itslef but the word as a wlohe. WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS Eunice Haysman, Barbara Neill, Robert Neill, Brian Main, Gillian Main, Gill Johnson, Shirley Shepherd, Keith Girling, Caroline Wearing,Eileen Moyes, Sarah Hodges, Owen Edis, Wendy Gwilt, Margaret Webster EDITORIAL Here I am again editing the newsletter! The backup team are waiting in the wings to make sure that the newsletter is out bi-monthly It would be helpful and might ensure your making it to publication if, when you have your article or copy complete ,you then sent it to me via your favoured method as soon as it is ready, rather than waiting till the eleventh hour , when as an amateur, I am too nervous to start playing about in case I miss the print deadline - and then I can spend time re-arranging, squeezing or whatever is necessary to please all the people all the time! If you have written a poem or would like something included, the editorial team will do their very best to include it at some time during the year (hoping it will not then be out of date)! Looking forward to receiving all those “gems” that are out there. Deadline for the next newsletter is 18th December (or sooner) to Barbara P .S. Thanks to everyone for getting copy to me well before deadline—I am now RELAXED STUGY GROUP REPORTS Art Appreciation At our meeting in the Church Hall on November 22, we will be discussing the life and work of Raphael in preparation for our visit to the major exhibition on this famous Renaissance artist which is currently at the National Gallery. We will be making a group visit to the Raphael exhibition on Friday 14 January 2005. New members are welcome Contact: Margaret Czekalowska 283620 Bridge Peggy McConchie has taken over from Joan Dee as the co-ordinator of the bridge group which meets at Watersmeet. Contact: Peggy McConchie 710678 Canasta/Cards New group, an offshoot from Scrabble. Meet 2 pm my home third Wednesday Next dates 17th November and 15th December. Presently playing Canasta but card game suggestions welcome. Mahjong Enjoying and improving our skills and the next meetings will be at 2 pm on Wednesday 27th October and 24th November For Canasta and Mahjong Contact: Anne D 448192 Classic Film Club (No need to book ,just turn up!) Monday November 1st at 2pm Three short films by Humphrey Jennings 'Diary for Timothy' is a snapshot in time of ordinary people, their hopes and aspirations. The film is constructed around the first year of life of a baby, born in the closing stages of the war. The mood of the film is very subtle. Although not strident, it and the characters in it argue the necessity for a better world and a fairer society.Monday December 6th at 2pm La Belle et la Bete (In French with English subtitles) Jean Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast is one of the most magical films ever made. It dwells in the type of world where enchanted castles are lighted by candles held by moving, human arms that sprout from the wall; statues come to life; magic gloves can transport you from one location to another; mirrors cast a reflection of your true self; and a beautiful woman can fall in love with a hideous beast. Director Cocteau was primarily a painter and a poet. After its release, he deservedly became ranked as one of the greatest French directors of all time. Contact: Bob Wallace 228445 Computing No courses at present. For Computing help at one of our clinics Contact : Pat Cains 779702 Engineering Heritage There will be a talk on Tuesday the 9th Nov. at 2 pm in the Church venue about the London to Aylesbury Railway, with stunning colour slides dating back to steam days. Remember the change-over from electric to steam at Rickmansworth? All RU3A members welcome. Family History We now have three active groups, each working to piece together our family trees.The third is co-ordinated by Anthea Paley and Janet Tublin. We will try to start a Fourth Group if there is sufficient demand. Contact: Pat Cains 779702 History Having spent this year studying the Roman occupation of Britain we concluded with an enjoyable visit to Verulameum and the fascinating museum there. Now we have moved on to find out more about the Dark Ages before the Norman Conquest. Please join us if you are interested Contact: Frances Cadman German Conversation Important Our last meeting this year will take place on Wednesday 1st December. We return to our usual timetable in January 2005. Liese Harvey/Edith Skingle 775083/823403 Music At our next meetings we will continue exploring the Vaughan Williams symphonies along with some chamber music from Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. Contact: John Waters 720962 Philosophy Group Wednesday November 3rd at 2 pm Seneca on Frustration Wednesday December 1st at 2 pm Montaigne on Inadequacy— Both at John’s house New members and visitors welcomed Contact: Bob Wallace 228445 Scrabble/Rummikub N.B. Next meeting on 5th November will be at my home in Chorleywood as Church Hall not available that Friday. Please ring and confirm attendance prior to the 5th. Usual venue for 3rd December. Crossword Capers New group meeting 2nd Monday at my home 2 pm (bring clipboard, pencil, rubber and thinking cap). Bring your favourite crossword. Monday 8th November, 13th December For Scrabble and Crosswords Contact: Ann D 448192 Spanish The existing Spanish Group is for intermediates and not suitable for beginners. We have, as yet, no volunteers to start a new beginners group - any offers? Contact: Joan 775433 Travel On the 21st September forty seven members of the Travel Group travelled by coach for a five day visit to Normandy. It was very successful with so many interesting visits (John Chalkley has written at length see page 3). A “reunion” is planned for Friday 29th October from 1 pm in the Church Hall to see videos and photographs. Anyone interested is invited. Bring some lunch, drink will be provided.4th November day outing by coach toPORTSMOUTH NAVAL DOCKYARD.2nd December - no outing 6th January 2005 LONDON WALK with optional visit to the Museum of London 3rd February day outing by coach to COVENTRY with guided tour of the City—details in November.SPECIAL NOTE Would anyone who put his/her name down for the 5-day visit to YORK in MAY 2005 and is now unable to go, please contact me A.S.A.P.Contact: Teresa Oliver 773408 More News from The Groups Strollers I have been leading the Strollers group for over 3 years now and find I am running out of ideas for walks. I feel it is time to step down at the end of this year and hand over the leadership to someone else. The job of leading the walks could easily be shared, taking it in turn to work out a route. In fact, I will still join in and will lead a walk occasionally. Our group has a very loyal membership and frequently has 15 – 20 people out walking in all weathers. We are a very friendly and easy-going crowd and it would be sad if it packed up for the lack of a leader. So please think about this, folks. Don’t let this flourishing group disappear! It is not an onerous task. We walk about 3 ½ - 4 miles each time, ending at a pub for lunch. I have all the maps and information that is needed and will give help and support to anyone / people willing to have a go. In the meantime, thanks to everyone in the Strollers who has supported me in the past. I hope to see you on the November stroll. Brendon Crowe Family History Group Visit to Kew The Family History Group had an interesting day out at the National Archives at Kew 22 July 04, with most people enjoying a variety of success in their researches. The National Archives is one of our Historical National Treasures, with so many old documents available to view on a variety of subjects. For the newcomer it can be a daunting process, as the use of the computer is now an essential task in this area. However, within a very short time of the end of the talk on what was available to the researcher, everyone in the group had dispersed with a research project of their own to do, although not necessarily to complete! Everyone was soon absorbed in the task.. I turned my own thoughts to four small areas that I felt could be researched in a couple of hours, only to be thwarted by each in turn, the last straw being that a document I needed was already on loan. That has ensured more visits to the National Archives, just part of the Addiction of Family History ! Janet Kirwan Theatre Visits 30 from RU3A and 18 of their friends enjoyed a visit to the Mill at Sonning on Sat. 10th Oct. for lunch and followed by a performance of 'I Remember You' by Bernard Slade. The outing was a great success, although as usual we had to rely on partners and friends to fill the coach. Brenda and Janet propose to continue to offer theatre visits, but need to review future travel arrangements. The cost of hiring a minibus is similar to that for a 49-seat coach which considerably increases the price per person. If any member were willing to drive the Community Minibus then more frequent theatre trips could be organised. If you can help, please contact Brenda Froud on 01923 243508 or Janet Page (evenings) on 01296 668341. Our RU3A Trip to Normandy (John Chalkley’s fuller version may be otained upon request from John on 01923 228 863 Our trip began with a late start because Harry the coach driver, making his way down south, was holed up at Toddington Services, where he had stayed overnight, and delayed for two hours because of an accident on the M1! Our journey time (via Eurotunnel) was relieved by one of Anne Vincent’s “Quizzes” resulting in the usual arguments, groans and laughter. We arrived at Chateau du Molay - south west of Bayeaux - a place with an interesting, long and varied history. Our stay was both good value, entertaining, enjoyable and invigorating (especially after the cold shower when the heating system packed up)! We visited Villedieu les Poeles, Le Mont St. Michel, The Caen Memorial, Pegasus Bridge and the Invasion Beaches, the site of the recent D-Day anniversary the Bayeaux Tapestry, Palais Benedictine - Fecamp and Hornfleur. (phew). We ended our trip by sharing our thanks to all for a very happy and memorable trip.

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