Interest Groups
Updated: 25 Mar 2021
Many groups are successfully using Zoom to meet regularly. The free version allows 40 minutes a session.
If any of you require longer, we have purchased ZoomPro which allows unlimited time and is available to all Groups – please contact Malcolm to book.
See bottom of this page for which groups are using ZoomPro & when they meet.
If your Group has booked ZoomPro Meetings then click on link below. You will need the password – ask your Group convener.
UPDATE: UK National Lockdown
No face to face meetings indoors or outdoors.
We have 53 Interest Groups. 48 of these are using all means electronic to keep their group members in touch & enjoying sharing their discussions & activities. Eighteen groups are using Zoom every month, three Zoom occasionally & thirteen groups keep in touch via email.
The lists below aren't definitive & will change as we move towards meeting up as before.
Groups used to meet once or twice a month. Each group has a convenor who manages the group list and oversees its smooth running. The discussion/learning groups used to meet at each other's homes, groups averaging about 5-8 members.
The activity/recreational/walking groups are larger & usually met at public venues or outdoors.
To ask to join an Interest Group,
you can apply even now to join those that meet via Zoom and/or to be ready for fresh times,
Yvonne Griffiths
Art - Culture - Photography
Music - Singing - Books
Plays - Poetry - Creative Writing
Antiques We maintain contact via e-mail, and e-mail Quizzes each month.
Art/Painting Meeting not viable yet.
Craft Meeting not viable yet.
Photography meeting monthly via Zoom.
Music Broader not yet meeting (usually meet in members' homes listening to someone's choice of music)
Music Classical 1 presenting a composer each month for the Newsletter.
Music Classical 2 as above!
Singing for Fun Waiting for venue to re-open & further guidance.
Ukulele practising at home.
Book Group 1 meeting monthly via Zoom.
Book Group 2 meeting monthly via Zoom.
Book Group 3 meeting monthly via Zoom.
Book Group meeting monthly via Zoom.
Book Group 5 meeting monthly via Zoom.
Play Reading are meeting monthly via Zoom, might read a play in one sitting - could take 2.5 hours!
Poetry Reading continues to meet each week on Zoom and enjoy a little escapism from this strange world we find ourselves in.
Writing for Pleasure sharing our work and keeping in touch by email.
Language - Science - Discussion
Politics - Genealogy
History - Research - Computers
French Conversation 1 meeting monthly via Zoom.
French Conversation 2 Zooming again!
Latin for Pleasure
Spanish We are an informal group meeting monthly via ZoomPro for conversation & improving our Spanish using grammar and vocabulary.
Science .....
Seminar .....
Current Affairs 1 Continue to hold very successful Zoom discussions monthly.
Current Affairs 2 monthly discussions via Zoom.
Genealogy 1 We have a monthly topic which we submit by group email, however we are all looking forward to face to face meeting hopefully shortly!
Genealogy 2 .....
History 1 .....
History 2 meeting monthly via Zoom.
History 3 .....
History 4 meeting monthly via Zoom.
History 5 meeting monthly via Zoom.
Writing Life History ......
iPad Users .....
Mac Users 1 .....
Cardgames - Scrabble - Sport
Birdwatching - Walking
Gardens - Dining
Cards Bridge .....
Cards Canasta not yet meeting (usually meet in back room of The Dolphin - ½ way tea break)
Cards Cribbage meeting weekly via Zoom.
Cards Euchre not yet meeting (usually meet in back room of The Dolphin - ½ way tea break)
Scrabble 1 not yet meeting.
Scrabble 2 not yet meeting.
Badminton not currently meeting.
Pétanque Petanque has been shut down completely again but we are hoping for better news soon.
Birdwatching 1 not currently meeting. Keeping in touch.
Birdwatching 2 No plans yet. Keeping in touch.
Shorter Walking postponed until better times.
Rambling Ramblers guidelines
Garden Visits .....
Lunch Club not meeting due to current guidelines.
Sunday Lunch Club not meeting due to current guidelines.
The table below shows the Group ZoomPro booked sessions by month frequency.
Groups can use this to help plan which monthly dates to book.
To avoid overlap on Meetings on same day, please allow at least ½ hour between meetings.
FIRST WEEK of the month
Mon am 10:00 - 12:00 Cribbage
pm ............
Tue am ...........
pm ...........
Wed am 9:30 - 12:30 PlayReading
pm ...........
Thur am ...........
pm 2:00 - 4:30 CurrentAffairs 1
Fri am 10:30 - 12:00 CoffeeMorning
pm ..........
THIRD WEEK of the month
Mon am 10:00 - 12:00 Cribbage
pm ................
Tue am ................
pm ...............
Wed am 11:00 - 1:00 Spanish
pm 2:00 - 3:30 SpeakerMeeting
Thur am ...............
pm ...............
Fri am ...............
pm ...............
SECOND WEEK of the month
Mon am 10:00 - 12:00 Cribbage
pm 2:30 - 4:30 History 4
Tue am ................
pm 2:30 - 4:30 Book 1
Wed am 10:00 - 12:00 Photography 3
pm 2:30 - 4:30 Book 3
Thur am ...............
pm ...............
Fri am ...............
pm ...............
FOURTH WEEK of the month
Mon am 10:00 - 12:00 Cribbage
pm 2:30 - 4:30 Committee
Tue am ................
pm ...............
Wed am 11:00 - 12:30 Poetry Reading
pm ................
Thur am ................
pm 2:30 - 4:30 Book 5
Fri am 10:00 - 12:00 History 5
pm ...............