Our next Monthly Meeting
For details of our next Monthly Meetings, please take a look at our Monthly Meetings section. At the next one on Thursday 14 November Lynne Carroll will be giving a presentation on ‘The life of an Australian convict’. Having shipped our problems to Oz how did they get on? Did anyone survive and thrive? Lynne, who lived in Australia, can give us the answers
At our October meeting Jonathan Hanbury gave a presentation on ‘Dementia – How can we keep our brains active?’. If this is something that interests you, Professor Sir Muir Gray has given a presentation on a similar topic as part of the national u3a’s Future Lives initiative, and a recording is available for anyone to see. The current topic on our own u3a’s Connect & Learn website (at https://sites.google.com/view/connectandlearn) is ‘Live Well Longer’ where there are a number of useful resources, including this presentation. Here’s an extract from the Latest News section on our Connect & Learn website which gives the links:
Sir Muir Gray recently gave another excellent presentation, this time on ‘Reduce Your risk of Dementia’ as the latest offering from the national u3a’s Future Lives initiative. This is something that does or could affect us, our family and our friends and so is well worth a watch. You can see this by tapping or clicking on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-L5dMklbGk&ab_channel=u3a
Slides from a presentation from Patrick Holford, Founder of the Food for the Brain Foundation on ‘Upgrade Your Brain’ have just been posted on the national u3a’s Future Lives webpage – see https://www.u3a.org.uk/our-impact/future-lives
Our latest newsletter
Our latest Newsletter was published on 2 September. The public edition of it is in the Newsletter section. The members’ edition was sent direct to members and is also in the members-only view of the Newsletter section on this website – members need to be logged in to see this.
Our latest Group News Bulletin and Groups List
The latest Group News Bulletin (no. 7) was sent direct to members on 1 October. This gives details of a proposed new group ‘The Percussion Laboratory’ and another new group ‘The History Group’, there’s an article about the Bird Watching Groups, details about a recently-formed group ‘Caring for the Planet’, a feature on the Bowls Group, a proposed new Bridge Group, details about Knowle Village Hall as a venue – plus the search is on for a new Groups Coordinator in the New Year.
Our latest Groups List was sent direct to members on 2 September, and we try to ensure that any changes shown in it are reflected in the Groups list shown in the Groups section. If Group Organisers need to change or update anything, please let us know via the Groups link in the Contact Us section.
Our next Social Outings
For details of our next social outings, please take a look at our Social Events section. The next one is a second visit to Dartmouth Food Festival, the details of which were sent direct to members on 7 September. Further information about this trip is in the members-only view of Social Events section on this website – members need to be logged in to see this and then click or tap on the individual trip.
The outings after that are to Cribbs Causeway, Bristol and the Christmas Lunch, Sidmouth (and the Christmas lunch is already sold out and has a waiting list). Dates, costs and details were sent direct to members on 5 and 6 October. Further information about these outings are also in the members-only view of Social Events section on this website – members need to be logged in to see this and then click or tap on the individual trip.
Online learning events for the month ahead
These are free for u3a members to attend. Topics include:
- Mindfulness and Meditation
- Barnsdale Gardens
- Update Your Brain
- The Secret Life of Bees
- Decimals Old and New
- Flight Inspirations Aviation Meeting: RAF Special Duties Service
- Unification of the British Isles: A Lesson in Geology
- Laughter Yoga
- Vincent van Gogh: A personal journey through the places he painted
- Visualising Statistical Concepts
- The Vital Role Chemistry Has To Play in Saving Our Planet
- Food, foresight and the future of farmong
- Science Network Event
- Artificial Intelligence News
- Cryptic Crosswords for Beginners
For more details and to register, please go to the national u3a learning events website – https://www.u3a.org.uk/events/educational-events
Pickleball and pickleball life within our u3a
A welcome addition to our website from Nigel Day is the Pickleball webpage. This gives an introduction to the game and an outline of the basic rules and regulation, together with a number of useful links to further information. It also provides direct links to all of our u3a’s pickleball groups and the latest local u3a pickleball news. You can see this by clicking or tapping on Pickleball information in the Groups list or on this link.
Video – Guided tour of our new website
John Hunt, Website Manager, has created a video tour of this website which you can view on our YouTube channel at Website Tour. Please take a look. We hope you find it useful.
Exmouth & District u3a AGM 2024
This year’s AGM was held at Exmouth Pavilion on Thursday 9th May 2024 at 10:30 am. The agenda and other documents for the AGM were sent direct to members on 18 April and they are also in the Documentation section on this website for members to see – members need to be logged in to see these. The officers and members of the committee were re-elected, and details of our current committee are in the About Exmouth u3a section. It was also agreed that the annual membership fee would remain at £12. A recording of the AGM is on our Exmouth & District u3a YouTube channel – AGM video
Would anyone like to become involved in a new Facebook Group?
As you may be aware from the AGM in May and from previous posts in our Exmouth & District u3a Facebook Group, this Facebook Group has closed following the committee’s recent decision, but there is the opportunity to create a successor Facebook Group which is not an official u3a Facebook Group but which could still include items relating to our u3a and items of general interest, plus some local issues too. You can view the article about this that was in the July newsletter by clicking or tapping here – Newsletter Facebook article. If you would like to become the Facebook Administrator of this new Facebook Group, or if you would like to help out in any other way, please contact John Hunt, Website Manager, via the Website link on the Contact Us section and he will pass on your interest to the u3a members who may wish to develop this.
Latest documents
The minutes of the u3a committee meetings held in May and June were published on 9 June, together with the Members’ Code of Conduct, the Accessibility policy, the Equality & Diversity policy and the IT policy. They are in the Documentation section on this website for members to see, and members need to be logged in to see these.
April blossom on one of our u3a 10th Anniversary trees
To see the wonderful photos of these trees taken by Christine Chittock, please click or tap here – April blossom
Photos and photographers wanted
We are always looking for suitable photos for this website. We can always utilise photos of venues that we commonly use and groups undertaking their usual activities. What we could really do with though, are general photos of older people talking, socialising and generally enjoying themselves. When you peruse this website, what kind of images would you expect or want to see? Please get in touch via the Website link in the Contact Us section.
First Aid course
We are hoping to organise a First Aid course in the near future. There will be a small cost (around £40 per person). If you would like to know more, please contact the Secretary via the Contact Us page.
Latest news from the u3a nationally (The Third Age Trust)
You can read the latest news from the u3a nationally at The Third Age Trust’s news page. The latest edition of its podcast is available at National u3a radio podcast. In addition you can sign up for the u3a National Newsletter for Friends of u3a at Sign-up for u3a national newsletter
A new CEO for the Third Age Trust (national u3a)
Iain Cassidy has been appointed as the new CEO of the Third Age Trust. He is replacing Sam Mauger. Iain joins the Trust from a role as CEO of Open Age, a London based charity that champions an active life for older people. With a background in fundraising, and experience of leading charitable organisations through times of change, Iain is motivated by the deeply held belief that everyone should be afforded the same opportunities in life. More details are on the TAT website – https://www.u3a.org.uk/latest-news/new-ceo-for-the-third-age-trust
Summaries of the Third Age Trust’s Pilot Council meeting and Board meeting
Summaries of the Third Age Trust’s May Pilot Council meeting and June Board meeting have been published, and you can see them by clicking or tapping on the links to them (underlined in blue).