Ashfield U3A Interest Groups

Interest/Study Groups & Programmes The current proposed interest/study groups are listed below. New members wishing to attend a group should contact the co-ordinator in the first instance. Co-ordinators wishing to make announcements at the U3A main monthly meetings are required to inform the chairman before the day of the meeting. Anyone wishing to act as a co-ordinator for any group on the list which does not currently have one should contact any member of the committee who will be glad to put them in touch with another co-ordinator for advice. GROUP CO-ORDINATOR DESCRIPTION OF GROUP       Amateur Dramatics Group Vivian Ellis This group meets once a month to study plays in order to act them out. This will normally be held at group member's homes, so there will be no cost involved. The Amateur Dramatics Group Programme and further details Art Group Barrie Jackson The group's aim is to give members the opportunity to meet once a month to paint in oil, watercolour or pastels. This is held at The Ashwood Centre, which can provide the space needed, and so there will be a small cost involved dependent upon numbers. The Art Group Programme and further details Board Games Group Marian Wilson The aim of the group is to provide a social environment in which members can participate in playing board games with others of a similar disposition. Board Games Group Programme and further details Book Group 'A' Lynne Jackson The aim of the group is 'to encourage members to read books which they might not otherwise choose. Sometimes these will be prescribed reading, with all members reading the same book, but at other times, members will be asked to choose a book within a genre.' Book Group 'A' Programme and further details Book Group 'B' Averil George The aim of the group is 'to encourage members to read books which they might not otherwise choose. Sometimes these will be prescribed reading, with all members reading the same book, but at other times, members will be asked to choose a book within a genre.' Book Group 'B' meets on third Monday of each month at 13:30 to 14:45 in Kirkby Library. Book Group 'B' Programme and further details Bridge Group Martin Rose Bridge sessions last for about 2 hours once a month. The game calls for groups of four, so if you register an interest in this group, a firm commitment is called for. Meetings are held on the last Monday evening of the month in term time only. The Bridge Group Programme and further details Cake Decorating Sue Hughes Meetings dates will be announced as they become available and take place at the Teversal Scout Hut. The Sugarcraft & Cake Decorating Group Programme and further details Cardcraft Carole Seymour Meetings dates will be announced as they become available and take place at Kirkby Library. The Cardcraft Group Programme and further details Cinema Club Anthea Purvis The group meets on the first tuesday afternoon each month to watch a variety of films from World Cinema. These can be classed as 'murky' movies with a moral dilemma. The Cinema Club Programme and further details Classical Music Group Alan & Marlene Radford The group meets on the fourth wednesday afternoon each month to listen to all types of classical music, chosen by each member in turn. The Classical Music Group Programme and further details Computing Ralph Simpson The computing group meets twice monthly on the second and fourth Fridays. This takes place at Ashfield College (Room 17), Huthwaite Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield. The Computing Group Programme and further details Craft Group Anne Kemp This group's aim is to give members the opportunity to meet one morning per month to work to a theme on a craft chosen by the members. This will take place in Kirkby Library, and so there will be a small cost involved dependent upon numbers. The Craft Group Programme and further details Current Affairs Group Anthea Purvis A meeting of the Discussion Group decided to relaunch the meetings under the title of "Current Affairs". The group will still meet on the second Tuesday in the month 1.30 to 3.00pm at the home of Marion Wilson. However, the new format will mean that members will be able to bring along cuttings or articles from newspapers or magazines and then go round the table and pick out what has been brought along, saying a few words about each, before going on to discuss some or all of the topics. The Current Affairs Group Programme and further details Digital Imaging Group Alan Kemp The digital photography group meets twice monthly on the second and fourth Fridays. This takes place at Ashfield College (Room 15), Huthwaite Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield. The Digital Imaging & Photography Group Programme and further details Digital Photography Group Alan Kemp The digital photography group meets twice monthly on the second and fourth Fridays. This takes place at Ashfield College (Room 15), Huthwaite Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield. The Digital Imaging & Photography Group Programme and further details Family History Group ?? The group's aim is to participate in news updates, chatting and sharing data, perhaps for an hour or so, and then do some hands on work with the library equipment or research data for the newer researchers. The Family & Local History Group Programme and further details French Group Ann Cottee The group plans to meet in the New Year with the aim of learning or improving French for conversation. The French Group Programme and further details Garden Visits Group Dorrie Kirton Monthly meetings are to be held at gardens open to the public or garden centres, normally on the first Tuesday afternoon of the month, a diary of dates and venues to be compiled and circulated between group members, displayed at the main U3A meeting and added to the website. The Gardening Interest Group Programme and further details German Group ??? This is a possible future group still in the discussion phase with West Notts College. If you would like further details of the group, or would like to register an interest, please telephone Barrie Jackson on 01623-750466. The German Group Programme and further details Holidays & Outings Kathleen Jones The first meeting of the group was held following the 24th August, 2006 meeting of the Ashfield U3A. Getting together, perhaps on a quarterly basis, will give us the opportunity to discuss everyone's individual ideas for outings and holidays so that hopefully we can start planning some nice places to go. Also - see the National Trust Group page for further outings. Outings and Holidays Group programme and further details Horticulture Group 1 Lynne & Barrie Jackson Meetings are to be held at members' houses, monthly from March to July, normally on the fourth Monday afternoon from 10:00 until 12:00, with a coffee morning in the Autumn to organise a bulk seed buy. The Horticulture Group 1 Programme Horticulture Group 2 Jane Banks Horticulture Group 2 aims to share a love of gardening to broaden members' knowledge of plants. This is an opportunity for members to share with others their expertise relating to the subject. As this group is held in people's homes, numbers will be limited. The group meets on the third Monday of each month from 10:00 until 12:00 from March to October. The Horticulture Group 2 Programme Local History Group ?? The group's aim is to participate in news updates, chatting and sharing data, perhaps for an hour or so, and then do some hands on work with the library equipment or research data for the newer researchers. The Family & Local History Group Programme and further details Lunch Group Ron & Carole Britton An outing each month to various dining pubs / restaurants in the area. Unless otherwise indicated, 12.00 for 12.30 pm on the 1st Thursday of the month. The Lunch Group Programme and further details National Trust Visits Group Kathleen Jones The group was primarily formed to provide visits to National Trust establishments by coach, either for National Trust members or non-members. Entrance fee is not included, as many U3A members are also National Trust members who have free entrance to all properties. Non-members will need to pay for themselves although a group rate will be negotiated. The National Trust Visits Group Programme and further details Navigation & Map Reading Group Alan Davies The group meets to improve their navigational skills in practical situations. The Navigation & Map Reading Group Programme and further details Platinum Investment Group Jill Pullan This group was set up in 2006 as a cross-U3A incentive to fulfil a need when the Golden Group became full. Meetings usually take place on the first Monday of the month at 10:30. The Platinum Investment Group Programme and further details Railway Group Geoff Cree The aim of the group is to bring together members who have a mutual interest in railways. The levels of interest vary and range from merely travelling on trains (preferably steam hauled) to a study of railway history and trainspotting. The Railway Group Programme and further details Real Ale Group Ron Britton The aim of the group is to bring together members who have a mutual interest in real ales from a point of view of both drinking and production. The Real Ale Group Programme and further details Scrabble Margaret Nunn A series of dates have now been arranged, for members to meet and play Scrabble, at the initial meeting on 10th May, 2006. Meetings take place on the second Thursday of the month at 14:00. The Scrabble Group Programme and further details Singing for Fun Martin & Maxine Rose An inaugural meeting took place on Tuesday 16th October 2007, at the home of Martin & Maxine. Meetings take place on the third Tuesday of the month from 14:00 - 16:00. The 'Singing for Fun' Group Programme and further details Spanish ??? This is a possible future group still in the discussion phase with West Notts College. If you would like further details of the group, or would like to register an interest, please telephone Barrie Jackson on 01623-750466. The Spanish Group Programme and further details Sugarcraft Sue Hughes Meetings dates will be announced as they become available and take place at the Teversal Scout Hut. The Sugarcraft & Cake Decorating Group Programme and further details T'ai Chi Jill Pullan A block of sessions at a time is arranged and the group meets at the Ashfield Play Forum, Morven Avenue, Sutton-in-Ashfield. The T'ai Chi Group Programme and further details Theatre Visits Group Barbara Ives A programme of visits is being arranged by the co-ordinator(s). The Theatre Visits Group Programme and further details Walking Group 'A' David & Julia Porter Moderate walks of 7 - 9 miles on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month throughout the year, setting off at 9.00 am prompt from the Top Precinct car park in Kirkby-in-Ashfield. [Please arrive by 8:50 a.m., with a packed lunch and a drink]. Walkers share cars to reach the starting point of the walk. Members are encouraged to volunteer to lead walks. Walking Group 'A' Programme and further details Walking Group 'B' Dorrie Kirton This intermediate walking group offers walks between 4 and 6 miles. The group meets on the third Thursday morning of the month at 10:00. Walking Group 'B' Programme and further details Walking Group 'C' Alan Radford The 'Strollers' walking group offers walks between one and a half and two and a half miles. The group meets on the second Wednesday morning of the month at 10:20. Walking Group 'C' Programme and further details Weekenders Caroline Rhoades This group is for those who want weekend and bank holiday activities, whether it's a cream tea in Derbyshire, a Sunday lunch or a weekend away. Any suggestions are welcomed. If you would like further details of the group, or would like to register an interest, please telephone or email Caroline Rhoades. Something for the Weekend Group Programme and further details Wine Appreciation John Ellis Development of members' knowledge and enjoyment of wine through formal and informal tastings of wines, by specified groups or grape varieties. The evenings will have an informal and friendly, sociable structure and be rotated around the homes of members. The cost of wines will be limited to an agreed budget each month and will be shared amongst members. The group meets on the second Wednesday each month. The Wine Appreciation Group Programme and further details Woodcarving Stuart Daft This group meets weekly at West Notts College to pursue their interest in woodcarving. If you would like further details of the group, please telephone the co-ordinator, Stuart Daft on 01623-559133. The Woodcarving Group Programme and further details Writing Group Margaret Sudlow The group's aim is to give members the opportunity to meet once a month to read pieces of their work for literary criticism and discussion by other members. The Creative Writing Group Programme and further details Yoga & Movement to Music Pam Sapey The group meets on the first Thursday each month. The Yoga Group Programme and further details         Below is a by no means exhaustive list of groups which are run by other U3As up and down the country. It is intended to inspire members to co-ordinate a group of their own. If you see something which you feel you could contribute to, why not take the plunge and give it a go? There is plenty of help and advice available to get you started. Remember, all it needs to make it happen is one person who is willing to co-ordinate and two or three like-minded individuals and you've got a group! Groups already catered for by Ashfield U3A are shown below in red. Ambling Angling Ancient History Antiques Archaeology Architecture Armchair Art Armchair Travel Art Art History Astrology Astronomy Aviation Badminton Ballet Ballroom Dancing Barn Dancing Bird Watching Board Games Botany Bowls Bridge British Constitution Cakemaking & Decorating Calligraphy Camcorder Group Canasta Canoeing Chess China Choir Church History Cinema Classical Music Classical Studies Classics Clay Pigeon Shooting Computing Cooking Country Dancing Country Walks Craft Creative Sculpture Creative Stitching Cribbage Cricket Crochet Croquet Crown Green Bowling Cryptic Crosswords Current Affairs Cycling Dance Decoupage Design & Technology Digital Imaging Digital Photography Discussion Dominoes Drama Dressmaking Dutch Earth Sciences English for Pleasure Embroidery Environmental Issues European Union Exercise Exercise on Chairs Family History Fashion Film Study Film, Television & Radio Finance Flora & Fauna Flower Arranging Folk Dancing Football French Garden Visits Gardening Gemstones Genealogy Geology German Glories of Hollywood Golf Graphology Greek Studies Handbell Ringing Handicrafts Health, Fitness & Leisure History History of Religions Holidays Horse Riding Horticulture Irish Dance Italian Japanese Culture Jazz & Blues Jewellery Making Jigsaw Puzzles Keep Fit Knitting Latin & the Romans Line Dancing Lip Reading & Signing Literature Local History Lunch Group Mahjong Malt Whisky Appreciation Mathematical Puzzles Meditation Military History Morris Dancing Movement to Music Music National Trust Natural History Needlework Numismatics Opera Origami Ornithology Painting Parchment Craft Patchwork & Quilting Petanque Philately Philharmonic Concerts Philosophical Discussion Philosophy Photography Pilates Play Reading Poetry Psychology Pubs Pudding Club Railways Rambling Reading Real Ales Recorder Roman History Rugby Rug Craft Rummikub Rural Studies Russian Sciences Scottish Dancing Scrabble Shakespeare Revisited Silk Painting Singing Singles Sketching Snooker Social History Social Psychology Social Sciences Sociology Spanish Square Dancing Strolling Sugarcraft Sustainability & Recycling Swimming Table Tennis T'ai Chi Tap Dancing Ten Pin Bowling Tennis Textiles Theatre Theoretical Physics Today's World Travel Veneering & Furniture Restoration Video Making & Editing Visits Walking Water Aerobics Watercolours Wealth & Poverty Weather Watching Whist Wild Flowers Wine Appreciation Wood Carving Wood Turning Woodwork Writing for Pleasure & Profit Yoga       All rights reserved © Ashfield U3A (2006 - ) Site courtesy of sherweb.co.uk