Interest Groups
Updated: 20 Jan 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. Another Quiz in December, possibly with a Christmas theme.
Art/Painting Meeting not viable yet. Happy Christmas to all!
Craft Meeting not viable yet. Happy Christmas to all!
Photography This month showing about 15 photos in PowerPoint, using PowerPoint presenting facilities.
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. At this time of year we would normally be practicing our lovely carols to sing to the residents of the Close Care Home in Burcot.
Ukulele practising at home.
Book Group 1
Dec ZoomPro we have each chosen a Christmas-themed reading which we will perform, ranging from Dr. Seuss through to a Christmas ghost via Larkrise and the Yorkshire Dales with a bit of Pam Ayres thrown in for good measure.
Our 2021 reading programme is almost complete.
Book Group 2 Dec ZoomPro, each member is reading a Christmas poem or piece of prose. This will be followed by a discussion to decide our Reading List for 2021.
Book Group 3 are having regular meetings using Zoom.
Book Group 4 Are holding Zoom meetings once a month and our next meeting will be to discuss "The Body" by Bill Bryson.
Book Group 5 We will be reading The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker during December.
Play Reading are meeting monthly via ZoomPro, 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. We send good wishes for Christmas and a better and healthy New Year to all U3A members.
Writing for Pleasure sharing our work and keeping in touch by email.
Language - Science - Discussion
Politics - Genealogy
History - Research - Computers
French Conversation 1 We will meet in December via Zoom as usual.
We wish everyone Joyeux Noêl et Bonne Année.
French Conversation 2 Zooming again!
Latin for Pleasure mutat ex parte aequaliter se iecit a camera proxima-usque ad percussi vel e converso.
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 ZoomPro discussions monthly.
Current Affairs 2 monthly discussions via ZoomPro.
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 Still meeting fortnightly on Zoom. In Nov we enjoyed an excellent talk on Basing House from Sue, to include a one woman reenactment of a battle between Oliver Cromwell and the Paulet Family and supporters of King Charles 1.
History 3 .....
History 4 Meeting monthly via Zoom. In November our topic was American Presidents and with 45 Presidents in all we are continuing this topic for our December meeting.
History 5 In Nov via ZoomPro, Joe Lyons, Vasco da Gama and Inventions. We are all looking forward to resumption of talks in January.
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 Going to play Cribbage online via ZoomPro ....
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 to meet up till the New Year, depending of course on the situation by then ! Keeping in touch.
Shorter Walking postponed until better times.
Rambling Ramblers guidelines - no organised walks in Tier 4 areas
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 ...........
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 ................
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 ................
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 ................
pm ................
Thur am ................
pm 2:30 - 4:30 Book 5
Fri am 10:00 - 12:00 History 5
pm ...............